Morning coffee in my Mickey Mouse cup.
This blog is my diary left unlocked. I started this blog for two reasons:
1) I wanted to document my experiences so I would have a way to remember them when my mind no longer could.
&
2) I wanted to have a way to share my experiences with my family.
So it's a real treat to find out that my friends, sorority sisters, neighbors, co-workers, ... etc. follow my blog. I'll never be able to explain to them how much it means to me.
When I finally did venture out for the afternoon this is what happened ...
ATM Obstacle -
I had quite the interesting experience at the JP ATM this afternoon. I went to the ATM with the intention of depositing my loose change into my account and withdrawing cash for the upcoming week. I've been storing my 1 yen coins in a bottle and finally had enough worth making a trip to deposit them. I walked to the ATM and was going through the process of depositing the change when all of a sudden the machine said,
"Your card has been retained. Please use the CS phone to remedy the situation."
So, ... I picked up the phone and started pressing buttons. Eventually it rings and someone answers in Japanese. I say, "Eigo o hanashimasu ka?" and am transferred to an English speaking translator. I explain to them that I was depositing change and in the middle of my transaction my card was withheld by the machine.
They explained they would send a security guard to retrieve the change and my card for me. They gave me a number and said that when the guard arrives I was to give him the number and my passport. They said the guard would be there in about 30 minutes. They told me to wait at the ATM. I said, "Of course." and when I turned around the guard was behind me. They were surprised when I said, "Oh! I think the guard is here."
The guard began to dismantle the machine and retrieve my card and change. Through a series of Google Translator questions and answers; phone calls with the bank; and broken Japanese (on my end), I finally had my ATM card and change back in my possession.
As I'm writing this I don't think I have fully processed what happened to me today ...
I'm filled with so many different emotions, but I'm mostly filled with gratitude for the bank customer service representatives, the translators, the security guard, Google Translator ... without all of these people and the application, I would have probably had to leave the ATM with my card inside while I went back to my apartment, retrieved my Japanese mobile phone*, and called my coordinator, and possibly even the company.
*Yes, I purposely left my Japanese mobile in my apartment because I did not think I would need it. BIG MISTAKE. HUGE!
Long story short, all is well and I have my card. It will be a while before I re-attempt to deposit my change. I think I'll just keep saving it ... forever.
My trip to the ATM should have taken 20 minutes. Instead, it took over an hour and a half. After that I decided to just take a long walk back to my apartment. I wasn't really in the mood for anything else. That was enough excitement for one day. And honestly, I didn't want to test my luck anymore.
I stopped at SunLive on the walk back and picked up dinner.
Umeboshi onigiri, pumkin, seaweed salad, and water. *Matcha truffles for dessert.
