Long Overdue
Okay, now that I have finally caught up on commenting on friends' journals (don't be surprised by a rash of emailed comments from yours truly), it's time to write a little something for all y'all.
Gomes came in on Tuesday evening to a blustery and rainy Kashiwazaki. It was immediately noted that I had left the eastern seaboard of the US to live in the Japanese equivalent... at least climate-wise. It's so true, too. Also, she said that a lot of Kashiwazaki reminded her of Pennsylvania and small towns in PA. It really is no wonder that my culture shock was almost non-existant.
Anyway, there isn't much to do that is overly exciting in Kashiwazaki. We have some great local restaurants and a Turkish Culture Village (that is apparently only open during the warm months), but that's about it. So, we ate out and shopped and went to arcades pretty much the entire time she was here. I am now officially broke until payday (seriously, I have about $320 to last me until April 21 O_o), but it was totally worth it.
We indulged in much puri-kura (print club stickers) and I tried Dance Dance Revolution arcade-style for the first time. Man I sucked. But, I'm already getting better. (What? It's not an addiction. Just because I bought a used dance pad at the store does NOT mean I'm addicted. Shut up.) *ahem*
Anyway... Thursday night, we stopped at Yamaya (the foreign foods/liquor store) and yes, we split the price of a bottle of absinthe. The taste is more or less agreeable, but Gomes drank a lot more of it than I did because I think I was just TOO tired to contemplate getting plastered (I had only gotten about 3 hours sleep the night before).
Friday night we went to the restaurant that serves the Spicy Pizza o' Doom (to which Gomes added more tobasco... heh) and then to karaoke, marathon-style in true Kashiwazaki fashion. Gomes said that when they go out in Nara, it's usually quite early (like 7-ish) and only for 2 hours or so. When WE go out... we start at 10 and usually plan to close the place down (3AM). Five hours later... we drug our sorry asses back to the apartment and stayed up for a couple of hours to get a little un-inebriated before bed.
She left to go home on Saturday afternoon and when I went back to my apartment, it seemed very lonely. It's all better now, but there was still definitely an initial loneliness. So strange, but pleasant, having a "roommate" for a few days and then having her leave again.
Yesterday, Sarah and I went to the gym for the first time in a week... and we wept. OH THE PAIN. We don't want to miss that much consecutive time ever again. Craziness. I had issues doing 15 minutes on the bike. Ugh.
Also, I am going to make more of an effort to hang out at Coffe No. 1 more often. That is my new goal.
Gomes came in on Tuesday evening to a blustery and rainy Kashiwazaki. It was immediately noted that I had left the eastern seaboard of the US to live in the Japanese equivalent... at least climate-wise. It's so true, too. Also, she said that a lot of Kashiwazaki reminded her of Pennsylvania and small towns in PA. It really is no wonder that my culture shock was almost non-existant.
Anyway, there isn't much to do that is overly exciting in Kashiwazaki. We have some great local restaurants and a Turkish Culture Village (that is apparently only open during the warm months), but that's about it. So, we ate out and shopped and went to arcades pretty much the entire time she was here. I am now officially broke until payday (seriously, I have about $320 to last me until April 21 O_o), but it was totally worth it.
We indulged in much puri-kura (print club stickers) and I tried Dance Dance Revolution arcade-style for the first time. Man I sucked. But, I'm already getting better. (What? It's not an addiction. Just because I bought a used dance pad at the store does NOT mean I'm addicted. Shut up.) *ahem*
Anyway... Thursday night, we stopped at Yamaya (the foreign foods/liquor store) and yes, we split the price of a bottle of absinthe. The taste is more or less agreeable, but Gomes drank a lot more of it than I did because I think I was just TOO tired to contemplate getting plastered (I had only gotten about 3 hours sleep the night before).
Friday night we went to the restaurant that serves the Spicy Pizza o' Doom (to which Gomes added more tobasco... heh) and then to karaoke, marathon-style in true Kashiwazaki fashion. Gomes said that when they go out in Nara, it's usually quite early (like 7-ish) and only for 2 hours or so. When WE go out... we start at 10 and usually plan to close the place down (3AM). Five hours later... we drug our sorry asses back to the apartment and stayed up for a couple of hours to get a little un-inebriated before bed.
She left to go home on Saturday afternoon and when I went back to my apartment, it seemed very lonely. It's all better now, but there was still definitely an initial loneliness. So strange, but pleasant, having a "roommate" for a few days and then having her leave again.
Yesterday, Sarah and I went to the gym for the first time in a week... and we wept. OH THE PAIN. We don't want to miss that much consecutive time ever again. Craziness. I had issues doing 15 minutes on the bike. Ugh.
Also, I am going to make more of an effort to hang out at Coffe No. 1 more often. That is my new goal.