So for anyone who knew me during my days at university knew how apposed I was to getting a cell phone at any point, even when my presence at home became something more of a myth then a reality, well not two months into my stay into Japan and I am already booked into a Cell phone. Mind you I do need it for work as well as social aspects and the price plans make anything in Canada look foolish. The most basic plan is 980Yen plus the cost of the phone per month. So for me, that would be about 1340Yen a month, meaning about 13 bucks a month, and that痴 with free anytime calling to other users of the same company. I opted for a little better plan, which doubles the cost per month but allows me to get free smail, as well as cuts the cost in half for calls from other plans. But all in all for the 23 a month I知 paying, it's a pretty good deal if you ask me.
Getting my cell phone was an adventure I embarked on my own accord, and I am glad I did. Trying to explain what plan I wanted and didn稚 want I came across the same old problem I am always facing here. Language, however right beside me was a guy about my age, who all the sudden spoke up in perfect English, well okay not perfect, but pretty damn good compared to my attempts at Japanese. Turns out he studied English in LA, and is studying University in Tokyo, he痴 just back home for the holidays. He helped get everything sorted out, explained things, then while I had to wait for everything to get prepared and settled he and I went to an arcade, played a couple games one air hockey, they love it here, but well skills are lacking, and then a shooter game, that was fun , ha, anyway we got my phone he got my number and since have been trying to figure out something to do, as well he has been telling me things about Japanese culture during the holidays in smaller areas. Nozomi is the first Japanese friend I have made since I致e come here. It痴 taken awhile but hopefully this is just the start.
New years was originally going to be In Tokyo, but with everything going on here and me not sure about how to get at my money, nor wanting to leave myself short changed for the rest of the month, which I won稚 be paid for until the end of it. So now my plans are to stay here and celebrate it by myself. This will be a far change to the past few years, where I have either had my family around me, for the last four years, well I致e had a girl to kiss on the strike of the new year...but this year...things will be anything but the past norm, yet then again, I guess I really am trying to get away from who I was, and make myself into something far stronger then I have ever been before, going through the holidays has taught me a lot about what I appreciate most about them, what I can do without, but mostly who I can grow to be. This New Years I have a far different resolution then I have had in the past, this is something I will keep only to myself, and let me be the one and only judge of if I am on the path for it or not. Though at the strike of New Years I looked out and upon the suggestion of Nozomi found a shrine and watched how they acted through their own prayer, then I took the nerve and participated myself, it was quite surreal to follow one or two couples moving through their traditions, looking at things that are based on traditions that reach as far back as the church back home. The final act was to ring a bell, not a small one...no this one was quite the bell...the bell is far older then the first permanent settlers setting foot in the United States or Canada. That was the adventure to act in a tradition that far outweighs what most of my friends were doing back home...well back home in another 13 hours or so. The walk home allowed for reflection of what I had hoped for, for everything I have mentioned already, and then to hear the rings of the bell on the river echo through the crisp night air.
The nights have started to become very cold, and at times like now I can even see my breath as I sit and write, or just read, but I am bundled up quite warmly and if they do become increasing unbearable I will find some means of keeping warm, but for now I am determined to keep my heater off as I know it is not very efficient and costs a lot of electricity to use. It痴 for the first time I am starting to miss central heating back home. I have determined that when I get a house I shall want a proper fireplace or woodstove to help heat, plus the natural light and ambient it gives would be welcomed. Yet, for now I will wear layers of clothes and look to the summer where I am to told it is the opposite, I suspect then you will find a section much like this talking of unbearable heat...till then I keep those thoughts in mind.
Letters home are hard to write, to put into words things that are different, writing to family has been the hardest mostly because they know me the best they are the most up to date about what is going on here, and are always asking things. Once I figure out how to mail the stuff I got for gifts as well as all the letters I have to send out, they値l be on their way.
For now it is still quite the lonesome existence, but I am working hard on my studies on language as well as diving into my own self.
Even a Gail wind starts as a summer breeze
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