For those of you who are still following - HELLO - Konichiwa from Japan! I am still here - and I am doing okay, all things considered!
I spent a hellish 10 days without the internet - so slow that nothing would load at my home - arghhh! I was smart enough to download a few shows at work during the day and I read a couple of really good (expensive here) books. We decided we needed to get “real internet” instead of our portable router. I met with my supervisor one afternoon - for 2 HOURS - and at the end of it?? Still no internet :0( A job for “Super Mark” when he gets here! If he gets her (another story).
Right before the Internet CRASH… I had a lovely dinner with a family who I met during the student exchange - the Takahasi’s! And Miku and I also met their puppies! Kawaii! I had Okanami for the first time!! Oishi!
I also met the Kamikawa Junior High principal, Kyoko Karube, she worked with my hubby and many others at Will Sinclair back in the day! I was also reminded at that same dinner, by Mr. Watanabe, that I was supposed to be submitting to the Mountaineer monthly. Thank goodness for the reminder!
I’ve had a few mishaps - some things never change - but nothing disastrous to date! Let’s see…
I invited my friend Nicky to join me on a trip to the beautiful Furano a couple of weeks ago - asked my friends to Google it so they could see how lovely it was… stopped for lunch and a quick (?) grocery shop and then we would continue on to Furano. Except - and I know this will SHOCK those who know me well - I did not have my wallet at the check out!! Of course I left it at the restaurant. On the way back to said restaurant, through the intense traffic in midday Asahikawa, I thought that I would be okay. I ALWAYS am- meaning that the zillion times I have done this before - I have always come out OK! Then I thought… What if this is the time I am NOT okay? I am in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language to any significant degree - in my wallet is my bank book (I know - a bank book) and my International Drivers Permit… and my credit cards (I don’t get paid until June 8). My mind was racing!!
When I obviously found my wallet - I apologized to Nicky for the drama, and I told her that I WISHED I could tell her that it had never happened to me before - BAAAAA HAAAA! It was obviously too late to continue on to Furano. I told her that when my friends asked about the photos from the beautiful place I had traveled to, they would NOT be surprised to hear why I didn’t end up going!
The following week - my wallet was open at Town Hall on my desk - I realized that my Bank Book (I know - what is a bank book?) was on the floor - I quickly rescued it. When I was at home that evening - I looked in my wallet and realized that my International Drivers Permit was not there. I messaged my colleagues at Town Hall and asked them to check the next morning as it had obviously fallen out when my wallet was open. When I was at Kamikawa High School they messaged to say it wasn’t there but they had contacted Lost and Found. Thinking about it some more, I thought it was probably already in my car. I must have realized that it was best to keep safe there as that is the only time I need it. Can you see where this is going??
I was at a community meeting place with a student who I am doing a project with and because I walk most places, I still didn’t know if my permit was indeed in my car. Because we finished before 4;30 and I was closer to Town Hall, that is where I went to finish the day. NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN THERE!!! On my way out at 4:30, I dropped some index cards and wayback under a desk that was low to the ground, there it was!! Seriously - I am SO LUCKY that I found it there!!! I know my friend Kerry is both laughing and thinking - yup - makes sense to me!!! LOL
I had my second cheeseburger last weekend - yummy! No eating sandwiches here - not a fan of the bread or the mayo (YUCK) and I went to see TOP GUN MAVERICK!!! YAY!!!! It was so great to do something North American (a movie in English). I LOVED it!
Anyhooooo - no paperwork for my hubby yet and I have officially been here 6 weeks which means it should be here!! I am getting very impatient!
As I said - I walk every day between 25 - 50 minutes depending - not anything I have done in Canada recently that is for sure! And tomorrow, I get to go to a BAND SHOWCASE!!!! Live school bands - I am SO excited!!!
Hope you are enjoying my journey… feels like there are fewer of you now - but I enjoy writing down my adventures - even just for me!!
Happy Spring, everyone!
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