My Serene Saturday

9.22.07

My lessons went well today and was finished around 2pm. I stayed at school doing random things until about 3pm. I was going to explore around the train station, but I just wanted to go home to my nice quiet Sodegaura apartment. Lauren hasn't been feeling well so she had already gone home; she got a ride with Hiroko and left her bicycle at school. She has been using the spare bicycle since the one she owned disappeared without a trace. Yesterday on her way to work, Lauren figured out how to get to work another way and showed it to me on the way home last night. Even though it was dark out (it gets dark here around 6pm!), I was able to find my way back to our apartment building.

I parked my bike and decided to walk to the supermarket around the corner to pick up some ice cream for Lauren. I figured that would make her feel better. I got some popsicles that are made of vanilla ice cream and have a Hershey's chocolate coating. They're like Klondike bars but in popsicle form. Delish! I also got some Japanese "pumpkin", which is known by a different name in the US of A.

When I was heading back to the apartment these two little boys were walking into my building at the same time. They saw me walk in and looked at me with very surprised faces. As they ran up the stairs to the apartments above mine, I looked one of them in the eye and smiled. His eyes widened and he and his brother ran for it up the stairs. I started to unlock my door and out of the corner of my eye I saw their little hats peaking over the staircase. I stepped inside and laughed. Yes, I live here. Lauren and I have been meaning to introduce ourselves to our neighbors. We're going to have to bake cookies and then knock on doors soon.

I was expecting Lauren to be home and when she wasn't I called her to find out that she went out to go to the same store that I had just left! Luckily we didn't pick up the same things! She got some grapes and some other necessities (milk, thick Japanese wheat bread, grape juice, and popsicles). We were on the same wavelength with the last one.

The grapes were the best part by far because they're really good here. I don't like grapes at home in America unless I'm in the mood but here they're so tasty! We don't buy them often because you have to pay for the taste. In most supermarkets they are 3000 yen for a small bunch. That's about 30 US dollars! Lauren is so savvy and got them for a steal; 400 yen or about 4 US dollars. Mmm good and almost as big as a plum!

Jumbo Japanese Grapes!

Lauren and I were going to go to a concert in Chiba tonight but she has a cold and Yuri couldn't make it so that would leave me to go by myself to the concert. Considering I only know a few words in Japanese and it was getting dark, I decided not to go on my own. Not to mention, I could hear my mother's and grandmother's voice in the back of my head saying "Now Sheila, don't go anywhere by yourself!". Lauren and I watched Memoirs of a Geisha instead while eating popcorn.

Random Extras:
I think it's really interesting that animals in different countries can have different sounds. For example, the sound for a frog in Japan isn't "ribbit ribbit". It is more like "geh-droh geh-droh". Mind you, I only know this because I work with little kids. When I mentioned this to friends, Alison Kincaid pointed out this really awesome website. For some reason the Japanese frog sound is listed under the snake sounds but it's all pretty similar; they are both cold-blooded.

Some pictures from this week that I forgot to post.

Jon the TV-dog shows you what it's like to live in Japan. His face turns into a TV screen that you watch real Japanese kids on. Watching Japanese kids TV shows is great.

The front door to my apartment.

Some pretty flowers by my front door.

This is my stellar bicycle complete with a lock and silver night light.

I got a really pretty plant/flower to spruce up my room the other day but I forgot to take a picture of it. I'll have to remember to post it later.

Good night!