Apartments and Purikura
Life once more dissolved into the crazy blur which is classes. The fourth week was as hard as the others, if not harder. Three quizzes, an essay, and another epic test. We cooked and studied, but really didn't do much else. On Tuesday we took a field trip to the edo-tokyo tatemonoen (江戸東京たてもの園）and looked at some pretty awesome old buildings. We talked to all the volunteers and had some truly horrible sakura tea. Then we wrote an essay about it. Of course.
In our private meetings, we had to listen to our speeches. It was horrifying. I actually just hate listening to my voice in general, so listening to it in Japanese is awful. Also, apparently I have sort of 変なintonation on a few words. Most tragically 私 which is supposed to be rising, but which I do falling. So embarrassing. I was turning so red listening to myself.
Oh, something I have learned since coming here: I blush a lot. Like turn bright red blush. I knew I blushed, but I didn't realize that it was so obvious to everyone else. But yeah, now it's become some sort of game to embarrass me so that I change. And I can feel it, I can feel it start in my cheeks and then spread out to my ears, my neck and chest and everything.
The test wasn't as horrible as the last one, mostly because we had an idea of what would be on it, so basically knew what to study, as opposed to last time where it was just a shot in the dark. That last one didn't actually end so well.
So, here's something. They say it takes you a month to really get to know people. We're rounding out the month, and so I'm starting to see it. Starting to see who I really like and who I don't, etc. And here's what I have to say. The people here are really amazing. Particularly James and Kim, who I just think are great people and who are making this experience wonderful, but the others too. Lisa who is so sweet and wonderful, Ryan who is hilarious and so easy-going it should be a crime, Jack who talks big but has the tenderest heart, Nina who talks too much in English and too little in Japanese but no one cares, because she always has something worth listening to to say, Evan who is one moment ridiculous and the next gentle. Pooja, of course, who is so fun and supportive and lovely. Victor, who is sort of like an older brother and sort of like a great friend. One thing in particular that has struck me, all the men here are such gentlemen. I don't know if it's the situation, or if it's them, but they are always there for you, always looking out for you. Regardless of who it is, I feel protected whenever I'm with any of them. And that's amazing. They open doors and carry things, etc, but they also look out for you in the trains and other public places, they catch you when you trip and help you out. That's one thing that I really look for in a guy, a gentleman的な人. And the boys in california aren't so much. They are more in Texas, and more at camp, and apparently more here, and I really really am enjoying that.
Then on Friday James, Nora, and I biked to Mitaka and signed for our apartments. I'm in 316, James is in 317, and Nora is in 314. All on the first floor, I think, which seems weird to me, but I guess we're probably in the 3 building, on the first floor. They're small buildings, with hallways to the outdoors. I feel very adult having an apartment and a contract and all of that. And I got to show off my Japanese by discussing fancy things like deposits and rent and regulations and amenities etc. Officially, we can actually have the apartments for two years on our contract, we just have to give a move out day a month in advance. Pretty spiffy, actually, particularly as our visas are only good for a year...
After that, Nora went home and James and I hopped on the train to kichijoji and met up with Pooja, Kim, Lisa, and MIKI! We didn't have much time there, but we did go and take purikura, which was weird but fun. The pictures were sort of interesting. Miki had to leave then, which was really tragic, but she had a prior engagement and just had to. So we said goodbye, and then wandered a little bit, browsing hats and such, before we went home to get an early night. Kim and I sat around and did some homework, and then we turned in. I was asleep by ten, which was good because Saturday morning was Fuji.
[karma: 0 (+/-)]
Katie on 08.03 at 01:33