YES!!! I have car! No - I do not have insurance… but yes - I have still driven said car. It was said to me to be careful… insurance might be ready May 1…? Not something I would have done in Canada - but okay!
Only drove on the wrong (right) side of the road twice… only mistook my windshield wipers (on left) for my signal light about 10 times! Went to a gas station by myself - nobody spoke English, but they were able to show me where to open my gas tank and there was gas!! Approximately 1.75 a litre. I really hope my insurance is activated by Monday. And the 3 times I got in my car to drive… I went to the left every time… a learning curve to be sure!
We all know I love Amazon Japan by now! I ordered an end table and on Friday (holiday) I decided to try and put it together. No tools… again - directions in Japanese. Who comes to my rescue again? Nicky! Even she found the directions challenging - but we did it!! Except - we put the walls of the table on upside down so the drawer won’t go in!! I will fix it another day… time to buy some tools… for the bedroom I ordered two preassembled folding tables - I am not a builder… especially not without tools... and with directions in Japanese.
When Nicky came in to help me, she found a bag hanging from my door… another mystery. She knew what it was (town bulletin) but in each area of Kamikawa the neighbourhood deals with distribution differently - she thought I had to go and hand it out to everyone. We decided I should message Ikehata-san.
So 7:30pm on a Friday holiday - my supervisor comes to help me solve the mystery. Turns out in my area, you write the date you received it and then pass on to the next house. Ikehata-san came back from the neighbour’s house and told me they knew me! Over I go (wearing shorts and a t-shirt under my coat) and sure enough! Both daughters had come to Canada. 2014 - Shea Forner-Walker and 2017 - Kiana Irwin! I love Kamikawa!!
A few other interesting tidbits…
Stink bugs! Apparently more common in the spring - I have found about a dozen in my place over the last 10 days. I have been warned NOT to squish them (the stink part happens then). I learned this because like all things I don’t understand, I take a photo and go to work at Town Hall and ask… I don’t remember them from our summer visits.
Card Culture… WOW - it is a ritual - a whole thing - presented very ceremoniously. Of course - I don’t have a card… no ceremonious presentation reciprocated :0(
My SIM CARD came!! I now have a Japanese phone number - YAY! Sadly - all the phone numbers I have are from people who don’t speak English…
Finally - I am now legit! I have my own personal signature stamp. What an interesting part of Japanese life. I must use it on all official documents. Ikehata-san had it made before I came…
It is about 8:30pm on my Saturday while all of you Canadian types are fast asleep. Between about 3pm and 9pm is a bit lonely because all my peeps are fast asleep! Soon Mark will be here, and it will be okay.
Sleep tight, everyone.
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