Saturday
Thankfully, today was relatively uneventful but still preoccupying. I had a lot on my mind with Justin down in Eugene moving all the stuff out of our old apartment. That song by the Barenaked Ladies keeps running through my head: "Broke into the old apartment/ This is where we used to live..." etc, etc. I do love that song. I know that the move will be very difficult for him, but at least now he'll have Rupert to keep him company. And he's doing the move with Pete so he won't be alone, thankfully.

He had coffee with Alex today, something that I think may have been strange for both of them, especially because they're both in a sort of "relationship" limbo right now. I'm not sure if it's a place where they can empathize with each other or not. Anyway, I don't expect the fur to be flying so to speak. (Eeheehee, that's like a "furry" pun.) I just hope it doesn't make life harder for either of them.

I've managed not to get too depressed so far. I don't think it's sunk in yet that I'm here. This city is just too big and too weird to be real, maybe. But despite that I still don't voluntarily yet speak Japanese, my small base of grammar is becoming easier and faster to access and use and every day I learn new words and kanji. It's a slow process... or maybe that's just me jumping the gun and trying to learn too fast. Every day is sort of like banging my head against the wall repeatedly, except slightly less painful.

This morning I got dressed up and went to campus for our "welcome ceremony" and Kokusaibu (international building) orientation. Being welcomed to Waseda felt strangely a bit like being initiated into a secret society. The dean, etc, kept talking about how wonderful Waseda is, and then we sang the seriously 10-minute long Waseda song, complete with cheer leaders (dressed like nazis) and hand signs. Hmm. It was all very strange.

After the opening ceremony, we all went to the reception in Okuma Garden House. Tons of free food but small plates and >300 people meant only a little for everyone. Had sushi and some fun side dishes. Mucho delicioso. Unfortunately, none of my host family was able to attend as they all had prior engagements but I was perfectly OK with that.

The weather was GORGEOUS for the first time since we've been here. Sunny, mid 70s, breezy, the works. I was looking and feeling pretty good for once. The antibiotics and soap I got yesterday seem to be doing the trick. Hope the doseage is right though. After the reception, some of the people who were minus host parents went to Harajuku and Asakusa. I ended up going to Asakusa with some of my group and walking around for a little bit. Opted not to go to Harajuku because my feet were hurting too bad but I didn't realize that I'd already been to Asakusa last week (when we did the "scenic death march" and I got my bad fortune). It was much better this time, although I hope this trend of going to Asakusa in bad shoes does not continue. I got what was quite possibly the biggest blister I've ever had today. The blister itself didn't hurt, just the blood pooling in my toes from my elevated heel. Whatever sick bastard invented high heels needs to rot in hell forever. And whoever designs "flat" shoes needs to get on to making some that don't suck.

Briefly on the subject of shoes, they have this AWFUL shoe trend here. Many people, even young people, wear pointy-toed shoes. Like "witch" or "old person" shoes with these extended, pointy toes. They look so HORRIBLE and dowdy that it's not even funny. Or maybe it's just a personal preference. But, ugh. Ugh.

Forgot both my cell phone and camera today. Actually, remembered both of them but was at the bus stop and didn't want to return home. I felt naked without any of my technology. Everyone seems to think I'm loaded because of my equipment but I just keep telling them it's only because I'm a technophile. Technology is comforting to me... it keeps me connected and has really helped me adjust.

In Asakusa, while we were sitting on the temple steps, the "workers" brought out a few stands of flowers from the shrine that they were taking down for the day. Many people (myself included) gathered bouquets from the stands and had them wrapped, all for free, by the people who brought them out. I gave the bouquet and some Manju(?) to my host family for gifts this evening. Manju are little cakes filled with red bean paste. I guess that every "district" has their own design. The Waseda students bought us all a little bag (only 250Y for 10!) last week and they were delicious made fresh. I thought I'd pass along the tradition.

This evening the whole family got together, including my host brother, Susumu-san. He's quite a charmer; a doctor, 26 and handsome. Shame he recently got engaged. I'm sad he doesn't live nearer (yet) because he seems like he'd be easy to talk to. We rolled our own sushi and drank a bit of beer and wine before taking a few pictures. All of the goodies in front of the family in that picture are Susumu-san's traditional wedding gifts. His engagement ceremony practice session is tomorrow, so Okasan and Otosan were explaining to him the details of what they would all have to do.

I'm feeling more and more at home here every day and increasingly assured that my family is full of very nice people. Still not sure about my host sister... have yet to find common ground with her and she talks very quickly and quietly when we converse. For some reason I feel nervous around her in a way that I don't feel with the others. Maybe it's just introversion on both our parts?

It is strange to be so different. In a way, I like it. It's fun to catch the people staring and cause bike accidents (kidding). But it's also tiring to feel so out of place. This morning while walking from Takadanobaba to Waseda campus (~15min), I sincerely felt like the "woman in the red dress" (re: The Matrix). It's a really weird feeling. Seeing myself in photographs with all the Japanese is sort of a surprise.

Feh, as if today's entry weren't disjointed and random enough as is, there's one more story to add to the pile. While I was sitting with the host family, I recieved a call on my phone (which, by the way, I have mostly figured out!!). The voice on the other end was obviously in a crowded place, so I figured that one of the Waseda students or Oregon students was calling me from the other drinking party going on tonight in Takadanobaba. After about two seconds of being yelled at by the male voice on the other end of the line, I realized that I had no idea who it was. To compound the confusion, the dick on the other end seemed to think I was someone else entirely, too, because he was demanding that I apologize for punching his tooth out the other night at the "Hub" (a pub near the hotel).

So I had some idea that I might have met this person, being as he had my phone number and that I had been at the "Hub" with everyone after the party the other night. But, although I really wondered for a moment, I certainly did not punch anyone's tooth out or even stay at the Hub long enough to witness any such event. Ian and I went home pretty early to make sure we got there OK. As it turns out, the belligerent drunk calling me was the same jackass who hit on me on Thursday, the one who the other guys warned me against talking to. I still sent him my cell phone profile because I figured that if he called me I'd give him a chance to talk in a sober state.

Apparently, after I left, he got confrontational with some British or Australian man (do I sound like a Brit/ Australian man? Seriously??) and the dude punched him to get him out of his face. He was really riled up and it took me almost 5 minutes to convince him that a) I was a girl and b) I did not, in fact, punch him in the face. What an asshat. He seems to be one of the several students who apparently have come here just to party and drink the whole time. No liguistic ability and no manners. What I don't really understand is why they would come HERE, like the most expensive place in the world to live, when they could go to some European country and drink just as excessively for much cheaper. Huh. Wackos.

After the call I was pretty freaked out for a few minutes but I doubt it will amount to anything. After Mr. "I've had one too many" apologized to me about 50 times, he said he'd work it out. Hope I don't hear from him again but something tells me that his type is too stupid to get embarrassed. Yeesh.

'Twasn't a bad ending to the day, just a little scary and now seeming more funny by the minute. Anyway, no worries. Off to bed with me to think more random thoughts. So sorry for the incongruity.