The problem with not being able to speak Japanese

KGU is small. CIE is even smaller. So, after class today, I chanced upon our okashii friend/ex-housemate, Amy and Ashley. After that, Daryn appeared out of nowhere. So, all of us decided to go for tea together... At least, I went to get the free tea, and they went to Seattle's Best Coffee and apparently got very very good coffee (well, from the way they slurped it down, I'd assume so!)

So, anyways, Amy and Ashley went with Yui to Hirakata City to get their phones. Apparently, we don't have to go and pay an extra 300 yen to get the Certificate of Alien Registration! All we have to do is to bring our passport and (obviously) money.

Daryn and I decided to go by ourselves today, without Yui, to Hirakatashi and look for the Softbank shop. I'm extremely proud of my spatial memory (as Daryn calls it). I could actually find my way from KGU to Hirakatashi after only walking the path only once. Well, I think Daryn can too lah. Cos it's a rather easy walk (walk straight, turn sort of left, etc). But even better, I was able to get us to the Softbank shop. That part I'm 100% proud of. Well, there's one thing's for sure: that the lost at gotenyama station situation was only once in a blue blue moon! :P My spatial memory is good! yay! :P hahahahahahahha. Getting very BHB after being in Japan for only 12 days (it feels like I've been here for a month or something!)

Well, anyways, so, it was super problematic at the shop opposite softbank (softbank was super crowded, and since yui, ashley and amy got their phone at that phone shop, we thought we'd try that too). The guy probably was cursing 10,000 times cos we had a total problem communicating. Didn't have dictionary, the information was limited, at least Daryn had the ability to speak Japanese. Apparently, the situation is like this:

a) Only Softbank and AU have prepaid phones.
b) Only Softbank has email function. AU only has call function.
c) For Softbank: we buy a 3000yen card, and the phone: total cost: 8800
d) For Softbank: the validity of the card is 2 months. If u don't reload the credit, it automatically saps to 0 at the end of 60 days.
e) For Softbank: For 300 yen per month, we get to send unlimited emails (which is kinda neat).

So, the question both Daryn and I had was: after the first month, do we still have to top up the card to get the next month's worth of unlimited email?

It took us probably half an hour, I SWEAR. He kept repeating over and over again that within 60 days if we dont use up the 3000yen, we'd get 0 yen in our phone. But that WASN'T the question. Both of us had difficulty understanding him, and he had difficulty understanding us. I asked him to write in Kanji thinking that there's a possibility I can understand from the Kanji what he was saying, But, STILL, no!

In the end, we sorta decided: Softbank has a branch at KGU. We'll just ask the person at KGU (who knows English). hahahahahaha.

It was extremely painful to watch Daryn try to communicate. And she has WAY better Japanese than I have (like, Level 6 vs Level 1? Like, having to explain Japanese words in Japanese vs having a simple hiragana test? yeah, the difference is huge...) haha. The only thing I think I'm better at is Kanji. But then, anyone who's studied Chinese wld be better at Kanji. haha. her jap level is so high, yet we still have difficulties.

I forgot my passport, unfortunately, SO... No, I didn't get a phone. Once I get a phone though, it'd be so exciting. hahahahahahha. :P unlimited mail.. no more asking ppl 4 timetables :) we can meet by mailing each other!!! =)

So, now, the question is: how do I ask if receiving calls is free? and if receiving calls from international number is charged at domestic rates, or at international rates? haha. so I can eventually give my parents a number to contact me by at all times...

Someone, translate that in Japanese for me, since Masayuki isn't home :'( sighhhhs. i think i depend too much on him for translation. haha... Poor Masayuki.

***

Now, the problem with having learnt a little bit of Japanese: You get hated by your classmates.

I should probably shut up in class. This week's RWJ class was a little bit painful. Cos Sensei was going through hiragana, and I already know hiragana (cos I studied it myself, and because the hiragana from 9 years ago still sticks in my mind). So, when she asks us, "What's this word?" I automatically respond. And the class, I feel, gives me dagger looks every time I say something. *zips mouth from now on* haha. SPJ is better cos I'm not all that great at spoken Japanese, since what I really taught myself was written Japanese. So, I get to hear the intonation and everything. Plus, we learn Grammar, Sentence structures etc. Which I'm not all that familiar with.

I bought myself a 习字簿 today from the hyaku en (100 yen) store to practise my hiragana, (especially) katakana and kanji. It only costs 105 yen (after tax). Haha, was doing it in the living room while the host family was watching tv. Apparently, I write very neatly! =) Like, according to them, a Japanese :) Hehe, makes me feel happy. I don't know if its a genuine compliment, but it makes me feel happy anyways =) They're amazed at how I write with the book slanted, but it turns out straight anyways. haha.

I feel cheated today though cos at the 100yen store, I saw foolscap paper for 105 yen and I bought mine at 158yen. A total of 58yen (it's 1/2 an onigiri!) HAHAHAHAH. Plus the one I bought at school is B5, the one at 100yen store was A4! and better quality paper. *damned*

Also bought a pair of very very cute strawberry chopsticks =) I so am taking Ichigo as my nickname haha, despite the fact that Otoosan doesn't like it =P The children at Child Space (the nursery where my Okaasan works/owns --> still haven't figured out which) call me Ichigo-chan too, so it works out all right.

Okaasan wants me to teach them English. Haha, I can see her passion for language. And though I'd love to teach the students English, I think my pronounciation mightn't be all that good. But whatever it is, gambarimasu!

Okay desu. I'm feeling very very tired. Woke up at 4.30 thinking it was 6.30. And could hardly fall back to sleep. *yawns*

nights!

P.S. I want to add one last sentence that is not entirely unrelated (double negative) to japan: I came to this conclusion that guys are all jerks. Either I attract jerks, am attracted to jerks, or, guys are all jerks. The conclusion is: all guys ARE jerks.