The night life.

Imagine. You've just unpacked most of your stuff and have just met the people you're about to stay with for the remaining four months of your time here in Japan. What better excuse for a night of drinking. Apparently that's what I did. It was really fun. Until I had the urgency to take a really long "nature call" and misplace the people who had initially waited for me outside. So, I used my Suica card (that special touch-turnstile-go card) and did my business, went out --- though blocked by the turnstile --- and went back in, only to find them there.

I'll finely tell you that I had a pretty good time drinking and being merry for the time spent in Shibuya.

Here, I'll digress about Shibuya. Shibuya. A place where you'll find nothing but the hottest trends and latest fashions, a place where the young ladies and gentlemen will "strut their stuff" with no care except for their personal upbringing and superficial concepts of clothing (and in essence, fashion). A place where teenagers and young adults --- and perhaps, "hip," responsible adults --- get together to enjoy the lights, the people, the food, and perhaps, the sights of the people themselves. It's all a huge smoking mirror to me. This facade of seeing what's at face value and determining what kind of person he or she is through the trends he or she follows, or lack thereof. It's something that I, an obvious trend observer, cannot fathom. I sort of understand where everything is going, but the "why" certainly doesn't place itself at hand. I'm at a complete conundrum here.

I walked in Shibuya 109 with a good friend of mine the semester before (she came to visit) and helped her pick out an outfit. And the employees there were so experienced in picking the right style for her (what goes where, what matches, et cetera), that I just stood amazed in how beautiful my friend looked in their choices of clothing. Mind you, she did look beautiful and she did purchase the outfit, but hey, come on, there's gotta be some kind of notion that just tells you, "You're beautiful even though you wear baggy jogging pants" or something like that. It's all smoke and mirrors (I think I got the phrase correctly now) to me.

And they get all this from Americans. I frown at you Americans sometimes. Especially when we have bigger problems to face.

But the gist of it all is that I had a good time with my new friends, dormitory buddies, or whatever. And that was the highlight of my day.

Oh, and running into my hockey teammates when I told them I was recovering from the flu, which was kinda embarrassing, to say the least.

It seems that these days have brought the impression on me that stubbornness is a key issue in my problems. Through learning this, have come to learn that living in Japan isn't easy at all. I'll tell you everything from the start.

Arrived in Tokyo around 3:00pm and made sure I had everything. I did. Then I took the comfortable Narita Express train to meet up with Mark at Shinjuku, which was pretty cool. We had the long ride to Tachikawa, where Mark lives, eventually settled in his house, and what have you. It was pretty cool.

Now, what really irks me is the transportation system here. I'll have you know that it's complicated as it is, when you're just looking at a map, but when you enter and exit a bus or train, "you don't really have it your way," as my high school Latin teacher Doc Caliendo put it. In fact, you step and leave a nightmare, really. . . . So, I've been here for about two days. I've gotten used to the train because all you do is put your card or ticket in the turnstile at the beginning and end of the ride, and if you go over your limit, you can see the station manager or pay at the "fare adjustment machine" by the exit. Of if you're undoubtedly gaijin (foreigner), you can just bust through the turnstile, though I have to admit that you'll get a few looks on the way in/out.

Here in Tachikawa, I can never get used to the buses. My first mistake was paying in 1,000 yen. Normally, when you pay a certain amount that goes over the cost, you'd get change, right? For this bus, absolutely not! In fact, you get your 1,000 yen in change and you have to pay the respectable amount (depending on your stop). So yeah, I first placed my 1,000 yen, got the change, and attempted to leave the bus. "O-kyaku-san . . . " ("Sir . . . " ), the bus driver said. I turned and he told me I had to pay the fare. Refusing to question, I did, and attempted to leave the bus a second time, to which he corraled me again to collect my change. I mean, truly, wtf.

The second time, it ain't that simpler. Attempted to leave the bus, but! Turns out I placed the wrong coin in the wrong hole. Really, wtf. There are holes where you place exact change and there are holes where you place entire coins (if you're expecting change). So, expecting change, I waited and got nothing. Having told the bus driver that I placed a 500-yen coin inside the slot, he first told me that I was supposed to put exact change in there, and then told me that I can't get the change back (that I put in too much money). Frustrated at that prospect, I didn't want to hold up the other passengers --- it already seemed that way --- so I told the driver that I didn't need the change and immediately departed the bus, mentally flaming. Really, really, REALLY, wtf.

So, that's what I've been mad about in Tokyo. More or less, every bus system in every town is not like this one. It's what definitely f*cks up your budget if you're not careful. So, be careful when you're here. You can truly make a mess, for what it's worth, and you can learn from me, 'cause who knows? it could be another four months' worth nightmare for me. Hopefully not.