Showa no Hi

Tuesday, April 29

So today was a national holiday. Miya was off school, so it was just Ken, Yuko, and me eating breakfast.

I got dressed and got to the station in time to catch the 7:57, but it wasn't there on the monitors. :( Then I realized that the trains follow a different schedule on holidays. Ohhh.

There had been like no one on their bikes this morning. Also, it had been pouring rain so my jeans were soaked now. But the trains were still pretty crowded. I ended up getting an 8:01 one, so I was still fairly early to school. It looked like the Japanese kids still had classes today.

Yasuko, Emma, and I had all planned to eat together today in the green area. But because it was raining and looked like it wasn't going to let up anytime soon, I decided we'd better eat inside. I remembered how full all the rooms in R had been at lunchtime last week, so I suggested we meet in K22, my classroom.

But it turned out Natalia had been put in a wheel chair because she was planning to go to Fukuoka for Golden Week, so they wanted her to rest up. So our class was moved to R building today so she didn't have to go out of the building. And we were in that room where you have to take your shoes off again. It was raining so I'd worn my sneakers which are super mendokusai (annoying) to take off.

So yeah. In communication, we had to go around and ask each other questions about our childhood and things our parents did for us using ~tekuremashita and ~temoraimashita. 

Then next period we had our last chapter kanji test, which today I got a 100 on. And we did evaluations of the reading and writing portion of our class.

Then it was lunchtime! Yasuko had said she needed to talk something over with friends, but would be free to meet us after that. So I suggested we meet at 1 and told her Emma and I needed to buy bentos anyway. So I showed Emma where the 100 Lawson's is and we went to go buy bentos there.

I also had my heart cake that I wanted to eat, so I just bought the sushi and inarzushi combo and a thing of 2 melon pan for 100 yen for later. Emma got inarizushi and this big ring of bread with chocolate inside that she let me try later and it was really good!

We ended up being late to meet Yasuko. We go there around 1:15 and I felt terrible! But we all ate together for the last 15 minutes of lunch and I iced, sprinkled, and shared the heart cake. Emma didn't want any, but I gave Yasuko a piece and she loved it! I ate a piece too.

Yummmmmaaaayyyy

Yasuko and me with my cake!!

Then Emma and I had to hurry off to class. I went to my locker first and got a container to put the last two pieces of cake in.

In Hanga, we worked on our final project. I cleaned up my Totoro carving and then printed it. Sensei gave me a giant paper to print it on and I ended up doing a pretty good job of it, I think!

Everyone left whenever they finished so Esteban, Rafa, and Emma all finished and left before me. I had told Esteban I had cake for him (as thanks for letting me use his textbook), so I let him choose and of course he took the bigger piece (darn)! 

It took me forever to finish, but Minju was still there printing with me. :) We all finally finished about ten minutes before class was supposed to end, so then we headed out. I meant to give Minju the last piece of cake but I completely forgot!

So I went over to a table to do my homework and finished my sushi and ate the last piece of cake. Gosh, it was good. I missed American cake so, so much!

I ended up finishing all my homework!! Sugoi! So then I headed home through the rain. The rain had let up a bit and was just sprinkling, so I didn't get completely soaked on my way home. At Yagoto Nisseki, while waiting for the subway, Rana came down to the platform and spotted me so we caught up while we waited for the train and then until we got to Aratama bashi. It was nice talking to her again. We haven't hung out in a while. She told me when I went to that weird guys' place that time, Yuko had called Rana's host mom to tell her the story (sigh, Yuko and her big mouth), and Rana's host mom had had a talk with her about what to do if she ever forgot her key, haha.
When I got home, Miya and Yuko were watching Jurrassic Park. Ken was in the kitchen making dinner.

We had noodles for dinner tonight. No one said anything to me again all throughout dinner. Then, at the end of dinner, Yuko asked me if I speak in Japanese at school a lot, and I said yes. Then she said something else and I heard her say "jibun" (yourself), so I think she was asking if I started conversations. I said I did. And then she asked how come I never start conversations at home. I never talk at home. 

Hmmm, I wonder why?

I just said I'm usually tired when I get home. Crap, I guess I should talk more tomorrow night.
I asked about Jurassic Park, though and told them I thought it was scary. But Miya said it wasn't scary, haha.
The wifi wasn't working on my computer, so I decided I just wanted to go to sleep. Yasuko texted me that my cake was delicious and thanked me! I apologized again for being late, but she said it was fine!

So while everyone watched Jurassic Park in English with Japanese subtitles, I went to my room and opened the window to listen to the rain. These two guys were outside talking and it was cool listening to them, because I could hear their whole conversation. I just wish I could have understood more of it. At one point it sounded like they were saying some girl was cute, haha.
Then I brushed my teeth and went to sleep early. Miyabi came in later to say good night.

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!!