There were all kinds of posters and pictures from magazines taped to the walls including random things people from around the world had donated to the bar. The bathroom was a whole different world; aside from having a squat toilet, it had kiss action figures still in their original boxes glued to the walls.
I explored my neighborhood and the town next door a bit yesterday. I was on a mission to find a calling card to call home. 2 1/2 hours later I was speaking with my family. I did introduce myself to the nice lady who works at the kiosk at my train station in the process. Her name is ikumi-san. Maybe I will be able to call her obasan (auntie?) soon. My search for a card that worked took me to a konbini (convenience store) in the next town over. (It's the same like the twin cities where the towns just run together) One train stop down is the wonderful town of Yui. I think I will be making several more trips there over the next few months. I can buy all sorts of snack food (see picture) and dry ramen and even hot food at the Circle K (they cook the food you purchase in a microwave behind the counter). Also, there is a lovely little grocery store called taiyo-. I spent almost 50 min. walking down each aisle, examining and imagining what may be edible. I settled on some spaghetti noodles, ground hamberer (actually not that expensive), fruit, potatoes and a soda as well as some mystery foods. I bought this little fried thing for 60 en that ended up being a tatortot... sort of... I think.
My apartment is much more organized as well, I'm quite proud of myself for the set up I made using the materials and furniture provided. The bathroom hasn't been touched, however. I'm kind of dreading it/wating to buy a full body suit and a hose to get started. My tv is plugged in- I get 2 1/2 channels! I left one on for about 2 hours while I organized yesterday. It is quite interesting, and I think I will leave it on most of the time while I'm in the house. Maybe I'll learn to understand through osmosis.
I got hooked up to the internet at my desk at work today- I think it's ok. I know they said it was ok when I asked, but I hope they're not just accomodating me and are upset under their breath. I suppose it will work itself out. For hirogohan (lunch) we ate at this little Japanese restaurant on the corner run by an obaasan (grandmotherlike) lady. It was really great- I don't totally know what it all was, but I ordered my first tonkatsu- pork cutlet. I started eating it and Uedasensei said, "ru-sa- san, you're supposed to use the sauce." So I put the ambiguous "sa-su" (Uedasensei didn't know what the ingrediants were) on the fried pork and it made it even better. I will have to get the tonkatsu again. The old lady is really nice and I was told she said to come back and talk Japanese.
Sorry, I will not be able to post picutres, because my computer keeps freezing now 4 out of 5 times trying to. You'll have to go look at pictures on a different website when I get it set up. Gomennasai.
Japanese word of the day: umai - used by men to mean "delicious."
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