Well, today has probably been one of the most nerve wracking I've gone through yet. I talked to strangers. Lots of them. It was very scary.

The reason behind this is that my class has a final project where each student is supposed to make a guidebook for their favorite place. Not really having a favorite place, and all the obvious ones (like Hikone castle) being claimed by other students, I took the utilitarian road and went with Hikone Eki. Part of the project involved interviewing people on various questions (I asked what they thought of the train, what to do if lost, etc), which was something I definitely did not look forward too.

So I put off doing it about as long as I could, giving a few half hearted attempts (like asking the drunk guy on the train who grunted at me then fell asleep) but last night I gave it the final, full go. First I caught the ticket seller at a slow moment (I stayed at the Center late because of koto lessons, which again were a lot of fun), and then down on the platform I encountered a conspicuous trio of school girls (who were about the only ones around right then), and so I asked them next. Big mistake, I think.

As soon as it became apparent that I was talking to them, the giggling started (I think they were around sixteen or so). It wasn't malicious giggling or anything, just, well, the ones not actually talking just giggled and whispered or not. This might not have been helped by the fact that I started glowing cherry red, and really lost my speaking skills. I was able to get through the questions, and they seemed vastly amused by the experience, so I guess it was all right, but I now know better than to ever try approaching girls when they flock.

The rest of the guidebook is going fine. I'm filling it with cartoony little doodles of me running afoul of the ticket machine, telephone, etc. It's amusing me greatly, so I only hope that it is the same for everyone else.

Today is short because aside from the rocking koto lesson, not a lot actually happened. Tomorrow though, I'm going to go shopping at a used kimono shop. That should be crazy sexy cool, and give me lots to talk about.