Whats up all! A lot is happening everyday, certainly too much to keep you updated on, but I will touch on the highlights. Some really humbling/embarassing/hilarious experiences.
After I took my Japanese placement exam this AM, I was feeling adventurous (Certainly not because I did well). I needed a cell phone and also needed to open a bank account. Some friends offered to help me out tomorrow, but I wanted to try it out on my own! lol I don't want to say it was a bad idea as I definitely learned a lot from the experience, but boy oh boy I took the hard route. And to be honest I still haven't opened a bank account and I just got my cell phone at about 6:00pm when I left my dorm to run my "errands" around 1:00pm. Yea...
I went to find the bank in the bustling area of Shinjuku (an area that arguably epitomizes Tokyo)where I was lucky enough to get a teller who spoke relatively good English. I'm thinking to myself, this is gonna be a breeze, right? WRONG. She then tells me I need a phone # which I obviously didn't have yet. So I said I would be back to open the bank account later on after I went to get my phone. So I leave the bank, the next mission: get a phone! Apparently the best place to buy a Pre-paid PHONE is called "SoftBANK." Why? I have noo idea. First place, eigo te wakarimasuka? (Do you speak English). He says no we don't in Japanese, but go down the street and there is another one. I go there, wait for 30 minutes for someone to help me and then they tell me the same thing: They all don't speak English. So I head back to the train station, completely discouraged, ready to head home to eat.
I get on the train, and get off....at the wrong stop. Finally made my way back home and figured i would try one last branch of SoftBank. I needed directions, so I asked this 60 yr old Japanese woman. I said, "Sumimasen..." then she cuts me off with a dismissive wave of her hand and says "Baka ne!" Basically I said "excuse me..." and she says "What are you stupid!" Wowww..that was great. So much for the myth that ALL Japanese people are polite (which most really are). So I asked someone else and found the phone store. Although this guy didn't speak English either, he was nice enough to call someone on the phone to translate for us. Badda bing badda boom I had my phone!
I'm exhausted..but getting forced to go out to Karaoke, ill check in with you all later.
PS. Anyone know how to upload pics on this blog?
HAHAHA quite an courageous adventurous you are…
ReplyDeleteuploading is the same as posting a post.. it should have the photo uploading option on the very bottom.. but i haven't used this blogspot thing in a couple months so I don't know if it's changed… shouldn't be difficult to find… howz your new phone?