Sorry for the wait! Here's the last four days.
Thursday:
Nothing (sorry, but it's true!).
Friday:
Here's what happens on Wednesdays and Fridays. My morning classes end at noon, and I've got one afternoon class at 4:00. I went the the library and read the otaku-culture-based manga series they had with the rest of their otaku collection, and then did my homework for Silver Week, a national five-day holiday stretching through next Wednesday. This left me with forty-five minutes left with nothing to do but sit next to the door of my classroom and wait. Maybe next time I'll bring my DS, I've only got two books left.
After class, which was watching Nausicaa while looking for instances of how this one shoujo character is supposed to be different from any other, I went down to a meeting some students had organized to talk about going to Universal Studios Japan the next day. I figured if I kept going with out with groups I could eventually find some people to hang out with.
I am getting really sick of these rats (i.e. the dogs). One isn't really a rat, he's sort of like my hair cutter's dog with a sock fetish, but the other one definitely fits under the International Common Sense 'Not a Dog' Category.
Saturday:
I went with a group of nine others, four Japanese and five foreigners, to USJ. And man is it different from what I expected. It wasn't so much an amusement park as it was a theme park. There were probably ten rides in the place max, and then lots of attractions, stores, and shows. I know the Asheville mall used to have a Hello Kitty store, but it was a far cry from what they've got over here. It's worse than just an obsession, it's like an idol.
Being in another country might have been responsible, but I decided to give roller coasters another try. Yeah, I know, right? I must have been out of my mind. For anyone who doesn't know of my history with roller coasters, here it is. The first one I ever rode, when I was seven, was a very old model and very, very loud. Ever since I was little I've had a giant fear of noises that loud, so I wasn't exactly sold on the ride afterwards (more like weeping in fright). Still, I associated that new fright with only big coasters, and the next time went on one that was low to the ground and even went through a tunnel at one point. My dad went with me, he sat next to me, and he was definitely higher than me, but somehow that tunnel managed to break and hit ME in the head. After that I tried a kiddy coaster, which jerked so violently I got bruised all over. And after that I waited many years (until a couple years ago) to try again. I thought maybe a hanging coaster, where your legs dangle and it's more like riding in a giant swing, would be fine. WRONG. Picture in your head your hand sweeping over smooth marble. Now hold the feeling of that in your head. That is what transpired between my foot and a support beam. Had I been slouching just a little more, I would not have that foot anymore. This is why I was insane to try riding a roller coaster over here (I probably can get a certificate to prove it, too). I knew that it wouldn't cure me of any fears, assuming I came out safe (or alive, at this rate), but it would at least get me away from avoiding my fears. All in all, it was kinda enjoyable. Except for that initial fall. I timed others later, it only takes about six seconds. It felt like twenty. I would have no problem sky diving. I'm not afraid of falling; I love it, actually. Just not when I'm strapped into a giant metal bullet intent on dragging me down with it. When the ride was over, I got up, walked over to a shelf/trash can, put my arms down to steady myself, and lost the use of my legs. I will try again, one of these days. Just not right away.
There wasn't much to do, but the lines were long so excess time wasn't a problem. There was a Spider-Man 3-D ride, and a Back to the Future one too. Now those are what 3-D effects are supposed to be used for. The rides were simple, and kinda cheesy, but really fun. For dinner we went to a bar-b-q place. There were metal frying sheets right on the table, and the waiters brought the food and then left. It is up to the customers to cook (or ruin) their food however they please. I managed to fiddle my way through some conversation, and I think I might have some people to hang out with later.
Today:
The Open Campus event for prospective students was today, so I went and checked it out after a bento lunch with furikake rice, tamagoyaki (sweetened scrambled egg rolls), chicken and a little sausage carved into an octopus. There is an anime god, and he is benevolent.
But when I got to campus I had another lunch anyway. I wasn't really hungry, but I wasn't really satisfied either. That's the thing about Japanese food-it's cooked for you to eat, not feast on. Even the snacks are so empty I may as well eat rice. Which I do :) I know I've loved ramen for over a decade, but the curry here is actually better than the ramen I can get. Half of it is the taste. The other half is that even though one plate by itself can't really constitute as a meal for me, it somehow gives out this promising feeling that eating enough would make one full, and that's something I desperately need.
I went by the store too, and in the corner is a little bakery section like in The Fresh Market. And they have batards. From now on I think I'll go there for snack food, bread has always worked :)