Catch Up Time!

Sorry everyone for not posting in a while but now I have a free day tomorrow and so I will catch up in my postings. So, let's start where I left off...Monday. Jeez, it's Wednesday evening over here and I can't believe it.

Ok, so Monday. I got up a little early because I was going to meet Terumi-san before class so she could take me over there. She's very nice and it's been wonderful having her to help me, especially since I'm the only ryuteki and I have a different schedule than the other three. But anyway, so I got to the station about almost a half an hour before I needed to meet Terumi-san and I was hungry. Luckily there was a McDonald's across the street. Yes, I know, but I wanted breakfast damn it! So I went over there and had a hash brown, some coffee, and what I think was a bacon McGriddle sandwich (I've never had a McGriddle before so that's why I say I think). But it was yummy and hit the spot. After breakfast I headed back to the station and Terumi-san called to say she was running late. She ended up being about 10 minutes or so later than she said but we still managed to make it to the lesson okay (though there was some running involved, which I did not appreciate).

The lesson went well I think, especially since I hadn't had the opportunity to practice beforehand. Sasamoto-sensei is very patient and kind so that helps a lot. Before the lesson Terumi-san had mentioned that if I had free time Sasamoto-sensei had suggested going to have lunch and since I had no plans that's what we did. We were going to try to go to a okonomiyaki place (think of it as weird version of Japanese pizza, that's the best I can describe it as), but as it turns out the place was closed so we went to a kaitenzushi place instead. A kaitenzushi place is a sushi restaurant were the food goes around on a conveyor belt. It was a little nostalgic since the last time I had it was in Shibuya with Isaac. But anyway, lunch was very nice and it was very fun to spend some time with Terumi-san and Sasamoto-sensei. In a way it was like having lunch with my adopted mother and father (hehe, sorry that's a funny image for me).

After lunch Sasamoto-sensei suggested that we walk around a nearby park. Apparently he had just moved to the area. He was telling us that there was a very nice park nearby with lots of hydrangea that would bloom soon. The park was very beautiful and the weather was nice though it was a little overcast (but at least no rain). After walking around for a bit Terumi-san and I bid goodbye to Sasamoto-sensei and headed to Shibuya. I wanted to wander around for a bit there and Terumi-san actually lives there. On the train ride over there she and I chatted for a bit. I had found out at the orientation meeting that she does voice over work here in Japan and that she actually is working on the Lilo and Stitch series, doing the voices over into Japanese. So on the ride we talked about that a bit more. It was nice, she humors me with my bad Japanese and I let her practice her English, so it works.

After I bid Terumi-san goodbye at the station I headed off to Mandrake. Last time I was in Japan our friend from college, Christine, took us around Shibuya and showed us the arcade (with the taiko drumming game I became addicted to) and also a store called Mandrake. Mandrake is like a mecca from manga, cosplay, models, etc. It's a wondrous place. I wandered over there and looked around a bit to see if I wanted to by anything but nothing really struck me. After that I decided not to go to the arcade so that I wouldn't spend money on the taiko game and headed back to the station but this time I got on the subway. It was really weird being back on the Ginza subway line after two years and knowing that I wasn't staying at the ANA Hotel. I got off at Akasaka-mitsuke stop to go there anyway but that was wrong. I forgot that the hotel was the next stop, oops!

I walked around a little bit and realized I was lost. Luckily I found an Indian man who spoke some English. He directed me on how to get to the hotel and I began the walk over there. It was nice to see more of the area because last time we didn't wander around much by the hotel. I actually came across a pretty big shrine as I was walking that I had no idea existed. I think that the sign said there was a festival there soon so I must go back and check it out. After I went to see the hotel I hopped back on the subway because there was a Gagaku performance that we were all going to that night and I didn't want to be late. I had to transfer and wait for a train but I got to Ooimachi just fine. I left the train station and wandered around a bit in the 6 floor department store (though mostly electronics) in the same building as the concert hall. I ended up buying a little Stitch bag dangle thing (that's the best I can describe it, they're all over the place here) of Stitch and the little stuffed doll, I believe it's name was Scrump.

So after that I went back outside because it had stopped raining, yes it rained while I was on the train and in the building. I sat outside for a bit and read a book. While doing that I was amused by two things. First was that Burger King has made it to Japan. There was a restaurant right by the station. The second thing was that only in Japan do I feel I would see 3 small children running around and not be concerned for there safety. In fact I constantly see small children in small groups by themselves. That would never fly in the US. After reading for a bit I got a little bored and cold so I decided to go up and wait for the concert inside the building. I ended up on the 7th floor, even though the performance was on the 8th floor, because there was a nice lounge there where I could relax for a bit.

About 45 minutes before the doors opened for the concert a cute little old lady sat down between me and Japanese woman. She asked the woman about the 8th floor and how to get there. The woman didn't have a clue but since I had overheard and actually understood what the lady wanted I butted in a little and told her how to get there. I also checked to make sure there was an elevator there for her to get up to the 8th floor. (I was curious for myself too, ouchie new shoes hurt!) After I came back and told her that I sat down and she asked me some questions. I felt bad because it's difficult for her to talk, she kind of had trouble with her jaw. But she was so cute and reminded me of my grandma so I didn't mind trying to decipher what she was saying.

After a little while we both left to go up to the concert hall. It was beautiful. I tried taking some pictures but the lighting was bad with a flash so I tried without it. The pictures were a little more yellow and maybe a bit blurry but you could make out the stage better. After a bit the others arrived. The concert itself was amazing. I must admit that I did doze a little bit in the second half, but come on, I had a long day. The dancing was especially amazing to see because we hadn't seen it done perfessionally before. I can't describe the utter sense of peace and the meditative state that that music puts me in but it's no wonder I fell asleep for a bit.

After the concert I tried my hand at being helpful to Team Sho (it's there nickname ^-^) but that kinda blew up in my face. Leave it to the two guys to be obnoxious. Todd, who's amazing at Japanese and had exchange students from Japan at his house for years and studied abroad here twice, etc, was all like "I think I'll be able to manage" and Michael, the older guy out of the four of us, I think he's in his 50s or something and he always has this I'm better than you type of attitude, at least in my opinion, was like "Oh, I've gone to college, I think I can manage." Whatever, I tried and from now on screw em. I just wanted to make sure they could manage I know that even though I'm good at reading maps I still get turned around. But whatever.

Anyways, so those to snobs went their seperate ways and I was left with Casey because we were going to go to BK for dinner. But first she wanted a converter for her laptop too. I tried calling her when I was in Akihabara to see if she wanted me to get her one but she didn't have her phone on here or something. I dunno. Anyway, she went into the electronics store and I was tried and my right foot was really hurting so I didn't want to go in with her but I decided I would at least wait by the escalators. I ended up having to ask the information desk for her about where the converters were and then she went off to find them. After a few minutes I decided maybe I should check on her. She was with two clerks and they were looking at converters. For one similar to the one I got this place wanted about 5 times as much, almost 1000 Yen ($10 bucks). What a ripoff. I convinced her to get one somewhere else and we headed over to BK.

It was fun ordering in BK and the TV there played old commercials from the US. It's so true that even years from now people in the US may have forgotten or lost things but they will be deposited somewhere in Japan. After dinner Casey and I went to catch the train back. She told me I could rest a while because I had had a long day but she's the one who ended up falling asleep. Oh well. After we got back I hobbled to my room, came up and chatted on the computer a bit and then went to bed. Luckily I didn't have a lesson the next day until the even so I could sleep in a little. Yay!

And now that I've caught you up on Monday's events I'm going to run downstairs and get some dinner. But fear not I shall return soon and fill you in on Tuesday and today's events. Jya ato ne!