They Have Declared War

What a beautiful Sunday morning in Fukuroi! What an adventure last night, as I was bitten by a snake while climbing and had to be evacuated off the top of the mountain by helicopter….

Just kidding. I actually forewent Fuji last night, as I just wasn’t feeling the energy and haven’t been sleeping so well lately with thunderstorms and crazy evil insects invading my apartment at night. It was pelting rain all night and day yesterday and really didn’t want to spend all night climbing in the pouring rain, atop getting no sleep. I also didn’t really think about the fact I wouldn’t be getting any sleep Saturday night, and considering my constant lack of sleep the past four weeks, thought really to attempt this now would just be stupid. So, Fuji isn’t going anywhere, and I will attempt it more likely next summer. I know, no exciting stories to share with you from that, but no worries! My life is still plenty exciting without climbing giant mountains.
So instead I spent the day yesterday inside, reading and napping, enjoying the smell and sound of the constant rain. It was exactly what I needed, to have some downtime to recharge the batteries in preparation for the upcoming week, since I will have to speak at the Opening Ceremony tomorrow (Monday) and then teach all my first classes this week.

The evil insects have not ceased fire. Today I took a broom on the balcony and beat the giant ants until they all went scattering. Then I yelled at the spiders that web themselves all over my clothes-drying bar to do their jobs and start catching some of these bugs, since I was obviously providing a free place to occupy. Friday a bunch of the giant cockroach bugs and beetles decided a team effort was necessary and threw themselves mercilessly at the balcony door… Clunk, clunk, clunk….clunk….clunk. This went on for about an hour, and after I yelled “Are you done yet?” a few more clunks, and then they decided to take a break. Fortunately for me, it started raining so they scurried away to wherever they live. When I discover this, I plan to strike back. That’s right giant, evil bugs! Don’t mess with me!

So since my apartment feels like its in a jungle, the bugs are extremely loud (and have a tendency to be obnoxious). Crickets, cicadas, and various other insects all yelling and screaming at each other. There is one insect, and I am not sure what it is, but it literally, screams. Every morning, after the city bells ring to awaken everyone, the screamer ensures that there is no way I can fall back asleep…”eeeeeeehhhhh eh eh eh eeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh eh eh eh eh eeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”. The other night he sounded so ecstatic about something I yelled out the window, “is something going on???? CALM DOWN!!!” When I find the screamer… lets just say he won’t be screaming anymore.

Other exciting news: I found a new backpack at my Japanese REI store, (called Swen so I stop calling it Japanese REI store). I spent about an hour and a half trying on about every backpack it seemed like, adjusting all the straps, walking around with it, throwing stuff in to test the weight, etc. The workers walked by several times but I’m sure it was too intimidating to help me, as I would have been too intimidated to ask for help, since my limited vocabulary would have just forced me to repeat the same things over and over hoping that they would eventually just understand what I meant. Something that has been driving me crazy though, is at every store, they ask if you want a bag when you purchase your item or items. Now, I finally caught this word at the grocery store – “fukura” but as I have been listening for “fukura” now, I have come to realize they use different names for bags at different places. This drives me crazy as I always pause and look at them, “eh?” and they repeat themselves, which doesn’t help since I still don’t understand, and I usually just point to my backpack at that point since in the context I assume it probably is about a bag rather than anything else. Context helps more than I would have ever imagined when communicating in another language and culture you don’t know so well.

From my further random explorations of Fukuroi (my city), I discovered a “Super Drug Store” that reminds me of Walmart, so basically has everything. I roamed around inside for probably an hour, just completely enamored with all the different things they have. I needed mosquito bite medicine, so I finally found what looked to be bug creams. I’m staring at them all, willing my brain to suddenly understand Japanese completely, and believing this wishing might actually work, when a nice woman came up to me and asked if I needed help (in Japanese, and again, context gave that away). I looked at her, debating what I should say so as not to create a big awkward moment, and finally said…”baito kurimu?” while pointing at the box of something I was holding, and then thinking how I could imitate a mosquito if she didn’t understand what I said. She nodded and took the box, and said “Moskite?” to which I responded quite enthusiastically, “HAI HAI!!!!” Then she started speaking in English, just a few words, but turned out she knew enough to say which was the best and the worst mosquito bite cream. I find it ironic, since this has happened to me elsewhere, instead of just asking if they speak English I just start my awkward Japanese-speak and then they watch me, probably thinking why doesn’t she just ask if we speak English, and then respond to whatever I’m saying in English. Needless to say it makes my life easier but at the same time isn’t exactly challenging.

I went to the train station to purchase Shinkansen tickets for my upcoming exciting TRIP to Kanazawa (a city, on the Sea of Japan side) this weekend to see one of my friends… (Shinkansen is the “bullet train”, the incredibly fast ones). So I walk up, say onegaishimasu (please kind of phrase) while I hand the paper I had written all the details so carefully for the worker. Well the guy looked at me, asked about where I was going in Japanese first, to confirm what I had written on the paper, and then he suddenly switches into near fluent English, which completely shocked me as really I spent all that time writing everything out so carefully, even non-smoking and all of that, and the guy spoke English. Figures.

Suppose I’ll wrap up here, as I’ve been sitting in this smoky internet café and choking the entire time – oh can’t wait to have internet, as it should be hooked up sometime this week. Hurrah!

Now off to enjoy the rest of the sunny evening….eh wait never mind the sun probably set by now, sets so early here in Japan. And no daylight savings so rises incredibly early as well. I shall update about my first week of school, later!