12 November 2011

Dangerous living

Okay. Yesterday was something of an adventure, really!

So, anyway. I've caught a cold. Thursday, it wasn't so bad. I took some painkillers and blew my nose and that was it. Yesterday, I felt like I might have had a fever when I headed off to school, but everything went just fine. I wasn't very ninja, though, since Kubosensei immediately told me I looked like I wasn't feeling my best. Ha ha.

Heading home, that's where the adventure began! (Notice my optimism! I thought I was going to die, but looking back, it's very funny.) Both the yamanotesen and the chuuousen were late, about 5-10min. I have no idea why, but the past couple of days, they've been late. I should probably check the news. Heh. Either way, since both train lines are quite important to commuters, they get crowded as soon as the last person getting off has left the train car. (I might add, this was around 5.30pm.) I was in no hurry, however, so in Shinjuku I waited through three trains before I decided to get on the next one. It was crowded, but not so much that you couldn't move, so it was okay. Usually, it's so packed with people that you can't turn your head without poking your nose into someone else's ear.

Right. No seats available, though. I have a 35min ride with the chuuousen, so I hoped I would get to sit down soon. After a while, we reach Kichijouji, where a lot of people change trains. There was an open seat, so close to me! And I was feeling faint, so I headed for it, just to have this grumpy salaryman elbow his way past me and taking the seat. I was not pleased. Every time I sneezed och coughed he would give me this intense glare, like he had some personal problem with me being on the same train. I do not get why. Maybe he had a bad day, or whatever.

It was warm, since it was crowded. I was lightheaded and dizzy. I needed something to drink, most likely. A moment before stopping at Kokubunji, I almost fainted - vision got fuzzy, cold sweat, jelly legs, rush of blood in my ears. So I stumble off the train, even though it's not my station, and collapse onto a seat on the platform. A station employee comes up to me and asks me if I'm okay. I told him that I have a fever, and I think I might have collapsed if I had to stand up in the train any longer. He nodded seriously, and asked me how many more stops I had before mine, I told him just a couple, he nodded again and helped me up, helped me onto the next train, all like "watch the gap, here we go, hold onto the handle there, don't fall when you get off, okay, take care". I thought he was nice, but then again, maybe he just didn't want "dead foreigner" on his cv.

I did manage to make it out of my station. I was teetering, this way and that, the rain was really coming down in buckets, I have a 20min walk (or there about) uphill. Feeling resigned, I start to fight with my umbrella, but stop! Wait! There's a taxi-stop here. I ask how much to fujimoto 2chome. He says maybe 7-800yen. I'm like, w00t, okay, get me there.

There's this tricky little part with riding a cab in Japan, though. Streets do not have names. Only the larger ones. So you have to give directions to the driver, to make sure he'll find it. I tell him that I only know how to walk there, but he said it's fine, just tell me right or left or straight at crossings.

Except for the one street that was a oneway in the wrong direction, it went quickly and smoothly. 710yen later, I'm about to get out of the car.

Will you be okay? You look pale, oneesan.

I'll be fine, I have a fever and fell in the train, so thank you for driving me.

Do you need help to the door?

Nah, it's okay. 本当に助かったんです。

いや、今度もよろしくお願いします!

And then I was off, but he kept watching from the car until I went around the corner of the house. He he.

But now I'm okay, mostly. I'm stuffed with meds, I have the entire weekend off to just lie and do nothing in my bed, I'm dressed in several layers to keep warm, and now I'm having creamy corn soup for breakfast/brunch. Omnomnom.

But I will most likely just go back to sleep once I'm done eating.

So that's that!

Baibai~

08 November 2011

Long time, no write

Wow, I haven't updated in a quite some time, huh! I've moved off to Tokyo, currently renting a monthly in Kokubunji. It's all excellent, except that I am reminded of how horrible I am at studying properly. Ha ha.

I've made a lot of new friends, and I'm generally doing just fine. :)

I'm really too tired to update with anything of real value, I'm sorry! It's a great boost to be told no one believes me when I tell them how old I am. Oh yes. ^^/


Some photos for your viewing pleasure, and then I should have a last look at this week's kanji before I go to bed. Baibai~


my computer corner in my apartment


heading off to school, when I still lived at the guest house


betori and I waiting for the train


for the Halloween party at Ginza Roots


Halloween outfit/make up


 drinking coffee on the way to the party!


the area where I live now


in my neighborhood


fujimoto, kokubunji


and this is what is on my way to the train station!