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8/17
After all the sitting around, I had only one concrete job responsibility in two weeks – Sapporo Orientation. I set my alarm, I packed my stuff. I stayed up late cleaning, but I still thought I could get up at 6 AM to board the7 AM bus and get to Sapporo by 9:30. As it turned out, I set the time on my alarm, but I didn’t turn it on. I woke up and before I even registered that I was awake, my body knew it was far too bright in the room to be 6 AM, even according to Japanese light levels. I absolutely could not believe that I overslept. The last time I'd slept I'd woken up almost hourly! Today I slept straight through to 9 AM. WHhhyyy?
I had to wait an hour for the next bus, so I started getting ready and, believe it or not, I almost missed that bus too because I suck. I ran though, the whole way to the station, dragging my luggage behind me. Got on the bus and fortunately I’ve been here long enough not to have to worry about whether it’s the right bus. During the bus ride, I only had to ask once where we were, and after that mistake I had it figured out. I got off, found my way to the old government building we were training in. All morning I quibbled about whether or not to call the Vice Principal. I’d called the woman in charge in Sapporo, who happened to think it was funny because she’s a friend of The Pred’s, and The Pred is known for doing the same thing. Anyway, I figured they wouldn’t mark me absent, but I’d really screwed up and here I was, wondering whether to let it go or to bring embarrassment to myself. But if I let it go, that would mean that if I got caught I’d be really really in trouble.
Oh well, after arriving in a flurry of lateness, it was nice to see old friends from Tokyo Orientation again. Every time I start slowing down and worrying a little, JET has this magic way of filling me with joy and energy to go back to my Japanese life and my school. Some of the workshops were even useful!
They threw an enkai for us at the Kirin Beer Garden, which is essentially a two story building for hundreds of people where you can each sit at your own little grill and eat Genghis Khan and drink beer all you like for a flat fee. Though really, you end up eating raw meat if you don’t trust the people around you (which we didn’t). The less you trust them to leave you some, the more you want to eat quickly, the less they'll trust you and the faster they’ll eat… so you fight over bean sprouts and a few scraps of raw meat. And it’s all you can eat, so of course they don’t want to serve you as often as you want to be served. I sat next to a New Zealander who decided to take matters into his own hands and just get another pitcher of beer. We had a great time, I was glad I was at a good table.
Then we moved on to nijikai (second round) – drunker than drunk walking through Sapporo. We went to a foreigner bar and chilled out for a while, but it was too crowded so a group of us went to a sanjikai (third round) at an underground bar (literally and figuratively lol) that was fill with imported beers and other cool things. After that, yonjikai (fourth round lol) was the most amazing part. We went to a dance club called “A-Life” where the strobe lights and music never stopped. At first I was awkward and scared, but once I was comfortable I was having such a good time that I’m proud to say I was one of the best dancers out there. You didn’t even have to do anything to look cool in strobe lights, pick up your hand, cock your head, and you’re done. I danced though, danced until I was very tired. I’m glad I didn’t keep on drinking when everyone else did or I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to walk on account of the strobe lights. It was heinous! Me, a Minnesotan, and two New Zealanders I’ve bonded with even left via taxi at 2 AM, and we were the first ones to leave. It was ridiculous! I’m definitely going dancing again in Japan.
After all the sitting around, I had only one concrete job responsibility in two weeks – Sapporo Orientation. I set my alarm, I packed my stuff. I stayed up late cleaning, but I still thought I could get up at 6 AM to board the7 AM bus and get to Sapporo by 9:30. As it turned out, I set the time on my alarm, but I didn’t turn it on. I woke up and before I even registered that I was awake, my body knew it was far too bright in the room to be 6 AM, even according to Japanese light levels. I absolutely could not believe that I overslept. The last time I'd slept I'd woken up almost hourly! Today I slept straight through to 9 AM. WHhhyyy?
I had to wait an hour for the next bus, so I started getting ready and, believe it or not, I almost missed that bus too because I suck. I ran though, the whole way to the station, dragging my luggage behind me. Got on the bus and fortunately I’ve been here long enough not to have to worry about whether it’s the right bus. During the bus ride, I only had to ask once where we were, and after that mistake I had it figured out. I got off, found my way to the old government building we were training in. All morning I quibbled about whether or not to call the Vice Principal. I’d called the woman in charge in Sapporo, who happened to think it was funny because she’s a friend of The Pred’s, and The Pred is known for doing the same thing. Anyway, I figured they wouldn’t mark me absent, but I’d really screwed up and here I was, wondering whether to let it go or to bring embarrassment to myself. But if I let it go, that would mean that if I got caught I’d be really really in trouble.
Oh well, after arriving in a flurry of lateness, it was nice to see old friends from Tokyo Orientation again. Every time I start slowing down and worrying a little, JET has this magic way of filling me with joy and energy to go back to my Japanese life and my school. Some of the workshops were even useful!
They threw an enkai for us at the Kirin Beer Garden, which is essentially a two story building for hundreds of people where you can each sit at your own little grill and eat Genghis Khan and drink beer all you like for a flat fee. Though really, you end up eating raw meat if you don’t trust the people around you (which we didn’t). The less you trust them to leave you some, the more you want to eat quickly, the less they'll trust you and the faster they’ll eat… so you fight over bean sprouts and a few scraps of raw meat. And it’s all you can eat, so of course they don’t want to serve you as often as you want to be served. I sat next to a New Zealander who decided to take matters into his own hands and just get another pitcher of beer. We had a great time, I was glad I was at a good table.
Then we moved on to nijikai (second round) – drunker than drunk walking through Sapporo. We went to a foreigner bar and chilled out for a while, but it was too crowded so a group of us went to a sanjikai (third round) at an underground bar (literally and figuratively lol) that was fill with imported beers and other cool things. After that, yonjikai (fourth round lol) was the most amazing part. We went to a dance club called “A-Life” where the strobe lights and music never stopped. At first I was awkward and scared, but once I was comfortable I was having such a good time that I’m proud to say I was one of the best dancers out there. You didn’t even have to do anything to look cool in strobe lights, pick up your hand, cock your head, and you’re done. I danced though, danced until I was very tired. I’m glad I didn’t keep on drinking when everyone else did or I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to walk on account of the strobe lights. It was heinous! Me, a Minnesotan, and two New Zealanders I’ve bonded with even left via taxi at 2 AM, and we were the first ones to leave. It was ridiculous! I’m definitely going dancing again in Japan.