Ken no tanjoubi!

The first part of today completely sucked balls!

It was so warm today so I wore my kitty tights and skirt and didn't wear a jacket. But my hands froze on my bike on the way to the station without my gloves. T_T

I caught the 7:57 today so I saw Esteban at Kanayama and met everyone else at Yagoto Nisseki.

On the way to Kanayama, I was reading the manga I bought a while back that's all pink with the girl on the cover. And omg, in typical shoujo manga fashion, there was a page that makes you feel super awkward/embarrassed while reading it because something awkward/embarrassing is happening to the heroine. And to make it worse, I could actually understand all the Japanese on those few pages so I knew exactly what was going on!

I was hiding my face in my scarf and trying not to squeal haha.

In class today, we got our midterm grades! I have a 96 in communication and a 98 in reading & writing. Woot woot!

Class let out at 10:50, so I went to swim. I swam for about 50 minutes (and did a 500 again, yay!) and then had to get out at 12 so I could make it to the train station by 12:30, which is when we were all meeting.

Natalia asked this hot Japanese guy in her class out, but didn't want it to be a date so she invited a bunch of us along. We were going to an Indian restaurant (ew!), but I'd decided to go to meet the Japanese guy she says is so cute.

But while I was changing I lost one of my earrings. I think it fell between the floorboards. So I have no hope of ever getting it back. I'm really sad about it. :(

After looking for it everywhere and not finding it, it was too late for me to make it to Yagoto Nisseki in time. So I headed over to Lawson's to Facebook message Natalia. She asked how long it would take me to get there, and I said actually I could just take the subway from Nagoya Daigaku Eki, which was closer. So she said they'd wait for me at Motoyama.

But when I got to Motoyama, I couldn't find anyone! There were six different exits, and I went to them all to look multiple times. I made the mistake of leaving the exit and paying, because I thought they may be outside, but they weren't. Then I waited at the area between all the exits for 15 minutes. No one showed up. I was pretty pissed off. It seems every time I plan to do something with Natalia, I never find her...

So since I'd already paid, I headed outside. I found a 100 yen store where I bought something and then I just decided I'd go back, since they'd obviously left without me.

I didn't want to pay 200 yen again to travel one subway stop, so I just walked back. It only took about 15 minutes, but my face got sunburnt because it was a warm 60 degrees out and the sun was shining super brightly.

I went to the 100 yen Lawson's and bought a cheap lunch for 210 yen.

(It also had a little piece of carrot. Not too filling, but good!)

After I ate it back at school, I went to the library to watch the movie we have to watch for Folklore this week. I had it all in and everything when I found it didn't have English subtitles. F that. So I decided to try to download it at home. 

I stopped by the CJS office to inquire about this letter about pension I got in the mail yesterday. They looked at it and showed me the form I have to fill out to be exempt and told me that I should go home and fill it out with Yuko.

So I headed home. When I got to Kanayama, the train closed its doors right as I got to the platform. Then it idled there a few seconds and took off. Rawr. So I went up to buy my Shinkansen ticket for the way back from Tokyo.

I first told the guy 8:30 at night, but then I changed it to 6:30, so I could eat dinner and then leave and get home early enough for a good night's sleep.

The guy was nice and asked if I wanted a window or aisle seat, so I said window!

It ended up costing more than my ticket for the way there, so I asked the guy why. 

And guess what guys?

The cherry on top of my shitty day:

I've known for a while that Japanese tax is increasing in April, but everyone's always said April, not March 21.

So yeah starting March 21, literally the exact day I freaking leave Tokyo, Shinkansen tickets are 200 yen more. So even though I payed in advance, I have to pay more because that's the day I'm traveling. Fml.

The bike ride home was really nice because it was such beautiful weather today! I got home super early, at 4:30. Yuko and Miya were already home. I found a package from a friend on my desk! Yayyy!!!! It made me so happy to get it!

(It was full of so many noms!! And a bunch of Texas food haha!)

Ahh it had peach cobbler (my fave!) mix, and guacamole mix, and tacos, and taco spices, and hot chocolate, and even stomach medicine because I get so sick all the time, haha! Omg, Thank you!!

Then Miya and I prepared for Ken's birthday. She had me sign a card she made for him and then we made a paper chain hanging for the door.

(The card)

(Miya's rendition of me)

(The door)

(After we finished the chain!)

While we were doing that, Yuko baked a cake for Ken.

A package came from my mom! It was huge! But I waited till after dinner to open it.

Ken finally came home around 6:45. Miya gave him another card she made.

(The drawing of me in that one. Those are actually the clothes I was wearing!)

Then she brought him into the living room to show him the door. I said "otanjoubi omedetou!" (Happy Birthday)

(Look how cute they are!)

I gave Ken a little bottle of peach schnapps I'd brought from America. He didn't drink it, but he was happy!

A little while later we had dinner. Yuko had made potato and salmon nabe. It was good! She also had salad and bread she had made. Everyone's bread but mine had cheese baked inside!

For dessert, we had the cake Yuko had made. It was delicious!! It was actually more of a tart. It was a pie crust with chocolate mousse, banana slices, and strawberries. And it had a hunk of chocolate with pictures of Mickey on it that said "happy birthday" and Miya had written "Kenji" in chocolate sauce.

It's funny because in America on birthdays we never eat just one slice of cake! It's always either two or the one is a giant hunk! But here, we all had a small slice of the tart and even though over half the tart was left, it was put away.

I asked Yuko if I should take a pic of the three of them and she said yes, so I took a normal one, and then they both kissed Ken. I was proud of myself for capturing his face at the perfect moment!!

(So cute!!)

After dinner, with everyone in the living room, I opened the package from my mom. I found the note she'd written first which told me the presents for Yuko, Miya, and Ken in there.

She'd sent Ranch for Ken! It was perfect that it came on his birthday! He was ecstatic!! Everyone was so enamored with the "to go" Ranch, because that doesn't exist in Japan.

And my mom sent a magnetic note pad for Yuko and a computer game for Miyabi and gummy letters that spelled "Miya". Miya and Yuko loved those! Yuko really wants to go to America now, haha.

(Everyone's presents)

And sooo much stuff for me!! ;)

All my favorite American foodsssss (notice: they're all sweets haha)

There's the new limited edition Rice Krispie Oreos!!! I was drooling right when I first saw them. So of course I couldn't sleep tonight not knowing what they tasted like, so I ate one and you know had a foodgasm, duh. They had Rice Krispies mixed in with the cream!! Like, I'm not even kidding, these babies will be lucky if they last until this weekend...

Aaaaand she sent my favorite Easter foods: jelly beans, Cadbury eggs, and white Reese's cups!! Yuko said you can get white Reese's cups at Seiyu, but whatevs. They're probs super expensive anyway. 

Damn good thing I swam today with all these sweets I know have!

(Tears of joy are streaming down my face right now)

So yeah, I have yet to have an entirely sucky day here! I always go to bed happy! :)

Thanks mom and my friends!

I love and miss you all!!