Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Simple Days

w00h00! Survived the typhoon! It started earlier than Monday, at about 6 p.m. Sunday evening. The wind gusts were pretty powerful here and there. There actually wasn't as much rain as I thought there would have been. It really did sound just like Harvest Moon 64. I was happy that Grant could come online while it was happening to hear it. I was also a bit terrified at first, but it got better after awhile and then it was just kind of cool. I woke up the next morning and it was already done. It was actually a really beautiful day. You would have never known there was a typhoon.

We had one of the 3-hour classes and then the American students from Seijo (Me, Evan, and a graduate student) were invited to have lunch with some people from the American Embassy. Or something. One of the men came here and gave a speech on Green Innovation and how to save the earth and stuff. Deep stuff. They were all pretty formal, so I don't think I quite fit in. I kept asking them questions and the woman next to me was very nice. She was the easiest to talk to, but then the man kept looking at me like he wanted to ask me something but didn't. So, I kept asking him questions as I ate a sandwich I wish didn't exist. I told him he should go to Shibuya and Harajuku, but a foreign woman with a cool accent said that she would recommend other places as those are more for the young crowd. But I insisted he should try Karaoke and a sushi kaiten. I'm not sure if I convinced him though. It was nice of them to invite us to lunch though.

After lunch, I scurried home to change for track practice. I met up with Yuuki and it was just us and Sou so far. Mondays, usually everyone does their own thing. Sou went to the training center and Yuuki wanted to go for a long jog, so a jog we went on! It was really fun talking with him again. We explain to each other things in our languages that are confusing to the other person. We ran for maybe 45 minutes? It didn't seem like it. It was really awesome to see new parts of the town I haven't explored yet. Yuuki said he looked at the UWM site for possibly studying abroad there. Oh jeez, is he ready for Milwaukee? XD

After grocery shopping, I went home and pretty much just did homework, studied, and then read a little bit.

Today was a rest day today (boooo, hate these days) so no working out. I went to the other 3-hour class and I really liked my outfit today...
My expression, not so much. lolol. Those shoes and hat are from the adventure in Harajuku pt. 2. Please, note the towel. NO SHOES INSIDE.

Wendy and I got to have lunch with Yuki and Yuuki today. Wendy said she was going to the gym after. I'm really proud of her! She's also bringing her own lunches to school. I think that's just really awesome. I had to fight the urge to go with her.

I came home and got to video chat with Lauren, Shawn in the background, Beth, and Grant for a bit. The effects don't get old...well the sound effects do. BETH.
 After, I went out to venture town a bit. Well, my intention was to find Daiso, which is only 6 minutes away but of course I missed a turn somewhere and ended up not going. lolol. I did find a discount store, which was really creepy, and another used bookstore.
 I have no idea what these are. They were actually blue in person.
After walking into the station by my house by accident, which was a good thing 'cause then I actually knew where I was, I ventured out a bit more, stopped, and realized I didn't really feel like being out. So, I walked home.

I've been mainly studying here since and thought that I should post some thoughts about being here I've had on my ipod Notes that I write at random times throughout the day.

"I dreamt of Pam spray. I must really miss it."
They actually don't have cooking spray here, that I know of. I miss coconut spray more. Almost, dream, almost.

Oh here's a growing list of some of the things I like here:
"Smart microwave
bathroom sound button
cleanliness
boys take care of their hair
can take a train to anywhere
a lot of bikers and walkers
parasol for the sun"

So my microwave knows when the time I put in is too much. It's crazy! I put a potato in the microwave and it stops a few seconds later if it thinks it will overcook with the amount of time put in. Amazing. Thanks for the awesome potatoes, microwave. We had our differences at first, but I think I'm getting to understand you better.

Bathroom sound button. 'nuff said.

Cleanliness. This is both a plus and a hindrance. Big word, I know. There are certain days to throw out certain garbage. For example, Tuesdays and Saturdays in this town are for combustibles. So you put your trash bin in the designated area.
Today was cardboard paper, paper, and cans day. So, those had to be stacked in another area in town. It gets kind of annoying hanging on to all the stuff and not being able to throw it all away at once, but it's kind of nice at the same time. And another thing about cleanliness, it's really a shock seeing a cigarette or any other garbage on the ground. So it'll be weird going back home.

Boys take care of their hair. So do girls really. I noticed that when I'm in the bathroom, girls are like this in the mirror for a few minutes:
 I noticed this after I did this in the mirror:
Teeth check, man.
Then I see boys doing their hair in mirrors, store's glass wall reflections, and just on the streets like this:
And then I'm like this:
TEETH CHECK, MAN.

So really, there isn't much difference with guys and girls for hair care here. But apparently there's a difference between Americans and Japanese people. I'm proud to represent.

And then the trains. 'Nuff said. They're just awesome. Except when you take the wrong one. >___<
Heck yes, take me to Harajuku.

Then, there's a lot of bikers and walkers here always. There are quite a few places that people "park" their bikes, like this lot:
This isn't even including half the rows in just this lot alone.

And then there's the whole "protect me from the sun because I have beautiful porcelain-looking skin" in the form of parasols bit that I think is a great idea.
Yeah, I totally tailed these guys to take a picture for you even though you could probably imagine this image just fine if I described it instead.

There are also really funny sun hats that look like oversized poker visors that people wear when biking. But they probably are great for protecting your eyes from the sun without getting a funny tan, too.
Yeah, I totally didn't hunt this woman down to take a picture, but this is what it looks like.
There are also sun sleeves you can wear. It's pretty much what it sounds like. Slip on sleeves and they protect you from the sun. I haven't seen too many people wear those though.

So yeah, that's it for now. I mean, I love so much more, but those just needed to be written down and explained. I'll have another post for the Notes I wrote for "Customs Not Used to Yet" another time.

5 comments:

  1. THEY LOOK LIKE POTATOES!

    I like the hair checking thing. Very useful.

    So./ My mom made me an appointment for tomorrow at 14:45..
    We'll see how much hair I lose. :/

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  2. Yay! Glad to hear you survived the typhoon. (Well, I guess I already knew that after talking with you on chat last night... but it was good to hear again!)

    That was nice of the green peeps to treat you all out to lunch. It sounds like a lot of attempts to convince went on. xD Shopping and karaoke vs. staying green. That's a tough one.

    Uh oh, I wonder what Yuuki would really think of Milwaukee... It seems like it would be so boring compared to everything Japan has to offer!

    That's such a great outfit, bb. Those hats are so perfect. >w< I think I like the red one best on you (for now) because it stands out against your dark hair. I think the black will stand out whenever you dye your hair next.

    Ugh, those shoes are so great. You deserve them.

    Lol @ sound effects getting old. BETH.

    I'm really wondering what those purple/blue eggs are. Please let me know when you find out. Haha.

    I wish you would have gone into more depth about your Pam spray dream.

    I also wish people were clean in the US. BO is such a problem here, along with all the litter and whatnot. -___-

    Omg, I can totally picture the guys making that facial expression while they fix their hair in mirrors. Ugh, why can't guys do that here?! They just don't care, bb...

    Do you feel left out knowing you don't have a bike in that field of bikes? Common', I bet you do.

    How is Beth not always carrying around an umbrella yet?? Maybe that's what you need to get her in Japan.

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  3. Love everything in this blog! Blue purple egg things-cool freeze dried hamsters--ha ha --sorry Lauren.Don't you ever have a bad hair and makeup day? All of your pictures look like you stepped out of a magazine. Very cute clothes. I'm really impressed that you went out to lunch with the American Embassy. These are very IMPORTANT people.You didn't seem shy at all--definitely not like me. I love it when the guys take care of their hair like girls. I wish they would do that here too. I wish more guys had LONG hair too. Where's Hercules when you need him? Japan really knows what it's doing with the environment. All of the pictures you show me show clean streets, buildings, and most of all--people. MoMo

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  4. TEETH CHECK.

    I HAD LETTUCE IN MY TEETH THE OTHER DAY.

    I SMILED AT SOME LADY. 8(

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  5. I don't think they were potatoes or hamsters but I mean, they could have been a hybrid of the two.

    I know! I was considering telling him, "WAIT. MAYBE you should go somewhere safer."

    Back to red?! I really miss that red hair. With purple tips. Bah, you have to come to Harajuku.

    Thankyuu, bb =]]]

    I can't remember the other parts of the dream! So sorry, bb. =[[

    Yes! I haven't ran into one bad-smelling person here yet. Even during the exercise classes and track club.

    An umbrella is the only thing Beth will get from Japan.
    lololol.

    haha, thankyuu, MoMo ^____^ You would love a lot of the guys' hair here. We have to watch all of Hercules when we are reunited! wahahaha. I wish you could come here though and see all the beautiful flowers, trees, and huge butterflies. It smells good, floral-y, in random places as you walk by. I think of you every time.

    SHE SAW. SHE SAW YOUR LETTUCE. I WISH SHE SMILED BACK AND HAD BEAN SKINS IN HER TEETH.

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