My second day

Lord, keep my family safe. I found out this morning about the 35W bridge tragedy. The baseball coach and math teacher came into the teacher’s office this morning, addressed me and started saying something about Minnesota. I couldn’t understand exactly what he was saying, and then the vice-principal (Kyoto-sensei) took me to the internet and I saw some pictures. Then the other teacher brought over a copy of the daily Japan Times and it was on the front page. It said 4 were dead for sure with several in the hospital and 20 people missing. I thought about my dad and sister immediately and explained to the teachers that I live 10 min from the bridge and that my family may have driven on that road. I wrote you guys an e-mail, but as I don’t have internet yet, I can’t check to see if you’ve written back until Monday- tomorrow I will actually try to see if someone will let me check the internet on their keitai (cell phone). I know if something really bad had happened, I would have been contacted by now, so I’m doing O.K.

I did try to call you guys tonight as well- at a pay phone near my house. I didn’t really understand the instructions, but I think I got to the point where it said I didn’t have enough money to call the U.S., but the machine wouldn’t accept any more coins, so I don’t know what was wrong. Maybe a nice person will let me use their skype tomorrow or something. I was kind of frustrated at first, but then I thought about all the people living in the U.S. who aren’t able to contact their loved ones back in their home country. I think about Iraqi Americans who have family in Baghdad and how they must feel every single day. I think I can make it a couple of days.

My house is getting cleaner sloooooowly. I spent another almost 2 hours cleaning the kitchen- I cleaned the walls and the top of the entire counter and the sink and stove. I have yet to touch the toaster oven or fridge. I also haven’t wiped off the cupboard doors under the countertop. I think I will get up tomorrow morning and clean some more (Saturday). Masuda sensei will drop off my washing machine around 11:30-12:00, then sometime in the evening I will meet up with Sarah and some other ALTs to go to Shimizu to watch fireworks. Another cleaning day ahead…

I have to ask Masuda sensei how to use the tatami mat spray as well- I don’t know if I wrote this earlier, but I have tatami mats instead of carpet (it’s a Japanese thing) and apparently there are little mites or bug thingy-s that live inside the tatami. If I don’t stick this needle in the tatami and spray the insides the mites will crawl up into my futon and then into my body and cause an itchy rash. Right now my face is pretty itchy (and breaking out) because of the sticky humidity. And the smell hasn’t left my apartment yet. I think it might be the smell of old smoke? I also notice I don’t have a smoke alarm…maybe a good investment.

I had a fun moment this evening trying to communicate with a train station attendant. I was returning from a dinner at a “Western” restaurant with some other ALTs in the area by myself. (The restaurant was called CoCos; I had green curry). I was looking at the train stops and wondering how much it would cost to get a 3 or 6 month pass to have unlimited travel between Kambara station (near my house) and Fuji station (about 3 stops north). So I walked into the little (air conditioned!) office and said to the man, “I have a question.” The look he gave me was just priceless. He cocked his head ever so slightly, widened his eyes, and froze. Then, without changing the expression on his face he started shaking his head back and forth. I knew I was in for some fun trying to explain my inquiry. Anyway, we worked it out with a lot of sign language and my severe lack-age of Japanese grammar and vocabulary. It would cost about $240 for an unlimited 6 month pass. I’m not quite sure if that’s worth it, nor am I sure if Fuji is going to be the direction I want to go- maybe I’ll get a pass to go to Shimizu.

Well, the eyes are closing unaided at the moment, so I’m going to go quick rinse off in the shower then lie down on my hopefully mite free futon. I don’t need my skin any more itchy than it already is.

Luther