Saturday in Kanji Land

[digitalruki]

Today might be the first day I could have slept in until the sun rose. I am really tired from yesterday. But I can't sleept in, because I need to get myself used to waking up at around 5:30 for my first class. It starts at 8:40, but that's at peak rush hour in the subway, so I'll need to leave really early to avoid the worst part. At least for now.

 

Yesterday was Saturday, the first full day we had to ourselves, and we were encouraged to go out exploring and get used to the area. I started the day off in the best way possible, by boiling my first eggs. Yum! 10 eggs costs only around 2 dollars (198 yen). Oh, also, clementines are on sale at the grocery store. These clementines...they are perfect. They peel perfectly and they taste so sweet...almost like grapes.

After that I worked up the courage to go out shopping. I needed some supplies. So I walked along the main road a bit, in the opposite direction of the Takadanobaba train station. I found a fruit and vegetable store, a thrift shop, and a bubble tea stand! After I passed the post office I also encountered the most adorable stationary shop, where I made my first possibly unnesseccary purchases. I bought those envelopes that are red and blue along the edges. I also bought a ledger book, which is going to make a great sketchbook. The lady at the store was both adorable and very kind. I said "kore o kudasai" which I assume means "I'd like to purchase this, please" and she seemed to understand.

After that I went to this store called a hyakuyen shop, basically a dollar store. And everything is literally 100 yen! It's fantastic. They had everything we could have really used at art market--baggies, labels, supplies. They had storage containers, soap, face masks, and a few other things I needed. This time I didn't say anything to the cashier, for some reason, I just stood there and stared at her. I don't know why I did this. I guess I was unsure i'd said the right thing before. siiigh.

Finally I went to the grocery store, where I bought a few food items and had my first rainwreck conversation. I have no idea what the cashier said to me, but I think it was something along the lines of "Bag your own groceries" because she was pointing to the bags. I just kept saying "iie, iie," and totally forgot to say "wakarimasen" (I don't understand) in there anywhere. Yea, train wreck. I apologized when I left, but really I need to get better at that. If I was a chashier at the SEIYU, I'd hate those irritating Temple kids who don't know a lick of Japanese.

I guess this is part of culture shock. I'm going to have to go back to the grocery store today, and possibly have the same train wreck again! What do I say/listen for at the cashier? Could anyone tell me?

 

Then in the afternoon, I went ice skating! The student leaders came to pic us up and escort us to the ice skating rink, which is set up right outside the TBS building in Akasaka. It was a tiny rink, but it had a huge TV screen above it and it was broadcasting commercials for upcoming dramas...I might have publicly geeked out. I saw an extremely adorable preview for something called "My darling is a Foreigner", which is apparently a manga too. It's coming out in april and I am beyond pumped for it.

Ice skating was a blast. I've only ever attempted ice skating once, in Boston in junior year of high school, and was never very good at roller blading, but by the end of yesterday I was totally going at top speed and turning nicely. :D!! Ice skating is so fun! I've been converted! It was also nice to get to know some of the other Baba kids, and I met some homestay kids as well. Abby and Mariah came too! It was wonderful. It was exactly what I came to Japan to do--meet new people and have fun in big groups.

On that note, I've invited a few people over today for an impromptu dinner party, and I think I'm going to attempt to cook oyakodan. It was deliecious when I tried it at home. Hopefully I'll be able to figure it out here. Oh my gosh, get-togethers, cooking for people, this sounds like the beginning of sophomore year again! I'm kind of wary that I trying too hard to get back to that time. But it was also a time when I felt a lot more balanced, so maybe it's not so bad. I think I need to calm down. I feel like i'm giving off this over-eager impression, which is what got me in trouble for getting into too many activities in the first place!

After I got back I turned on my television and kind of zoned out for an hour. I guess I was trying to understand what they were saying, but i failed! ;_; it was very entertaining, though.