Cheers to a weekend well spent!
running. walking. tennis shopping. Japanese language lessons. pumpkin spice lattes. new friends.
September 24, 2016
Today was a nice and relaxing day. I woke up in the morning, made eggs & coffee, and Facebook video chatted with my parents. I did my usual tidying up and multiple loads of laundry. In the afternoon I went out for a long walk. I hadn't adventured in a while and had the feeling it was about time.
I picked up a 7-11 iced coffee and started exploring. Just like every time I go out exploring I saw many new restaurants and shops that I'd love to try. I located many new conbi's and JP Post ATM locations. My eyes felt like they were on over drive and my head was on constant rotation. There was so much to take in. In total, my walk was 6km.
My goal for next weekend is to run the route instead of walk it.
When I got back to my apartment I dropped off my stuff and then headed out for a short run. The run wasn't long because I still wasn't feeling quite 100%. I ended the day with hand rolled sushi and homemade miso soup.
September 25, 2016
Today was a great day! I woke up early in the morning and drank my coffee while watching Gilmore Girls. I am re-watching the series in order to get ready for the release of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I cannot wait for the premiere!!!
At 10:00, my Japanese friend S came to pick me up. She was taking me tennis racket shopping. I have decided on the Babalot Pure Drive LITE. I've demoed a few rackets and this has been my favorite by far. It's kind of a bummer to admit, but I'm getting the LITE version because when I tried the Tour version I could feel my tennis elbow flare up. I'm getting old!
When we got to the sports store S got a call from her tennis coach. He was calling to see if I had bought the racket yet. When she told him I hadn't he said, "Good! I have a coupon to use." It was the best surprise! The coupon is valid next weekend and will give me 3,000 yen off! I am so happy he called before I made the purchase. Perfect timing!
S explained that she will be able to take me to the shop next weekend and K (her boyfriend) and Mr. A (our tennis coach) will meet us there. It's going to be such a fun outing. I think of them as my tennis family and I'm so happy to have met them all.
Before dropping me back off at my apartment S and I did a little Japanese & English language studying. She is teaching me Japanese and I am teaching her English. It's so great to have someone to practice with.
In the afternoon I headed to Kurosaki for my first Japanese English Lesson. I had no trouble finding the venue. I walked into the room and immediately new I was in over my head. The students were all speaking Japanese --- fluently!
I met the instructors and explained to them that I was just here to watch. I tried to tell them that I had almost no Japanese speaking ability and that I could not read hiragana or katagana. They were very nice and completely understanding. They let me observe the class in peace.
Afterwards, the instructors talked to me and explained there was another class happening across the hall that may be a better fit. They walked me over and got me settled. I'm calling it divine intervention because I was led exactly where I needed to be. They sat me with an older Japanese lady who acted as my personal tutor. She introduced herself, let's call her Mrs. Sensei, and we immediately dove right in. She showed me how to write my name in hiragana and katagana and also taught me how to pronounce my name in Japanese. Basically, by the time I left the lesson I was able to introduce myself in Japanese.
My name is ...
I'm from ...
I live in ...
I work as ...
My first language lesson was such a success. The teachers and students were unbelievably kind and welcoming. I am already looking forward to next week. Before leaving the session I bought a workbook to take with me. I have so much to study . . . so, so, so much.
On my way back to the train station I saw a Tully's Coffee Shop. I immediately changed my path and walked in. I was in heaven --- okay, it wasn't Starbucks, but it was the next best thing. The coffee shop was absolutely adorable and I was able to order my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season.
Oishii! - delicious
Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte, hot, with roasted pumpkin seeds on top!
While I was sipping and studying, two people from the class sat down next to me. I was so happy to see them! We talked for about an hour --- in English. They were so cool. H is a Japanese university student studying English and J is a Korean graduate student studying IT. We all got to know each other and connected on social media. It was the best!
I finished the rest of my PSL on the train ride back and couldn't stop smiling.
I could feel my homesickness
. . .
. . . fading away.
