Thursday I had no school. I had a meeting for Kyudo however. I remembered the meeting was at 5, so I made my way to green arena and got to the dojo a little late. I did not bring my clothes to practice in, because after all a meeting is not a practice. See, they are two different words? Well I did get there, and I saw no one. So quite naturally my first reaction was "huh?" I did see some people from HJU Kyudo and was like, uh, Is there not some meeting-type-thing oh, NOW? Hah. They didn't know what I was talking about. So felt like an asshole. Waited around because they weren't sure. Waited a half hour. Then gave up and sensei says he was almost positive there was one at 1500. Okay, why the hell would you use military time? Why? Of course I swear up and down that I heard five. So was only two hours late. Which was hellishly embarrassing. So on the way out one of the girls came up to me and was like, yeah uh it was around two or so that everyone was here. So I explained like a stupid gaijin that I had gotten everything wrong and not brought my practice stuff to boot. Gah. Then I excused myself.

It was this time that I resigned myself to get my self to a bar and get squiffy. I mean, I have been frustrated for awhile, and is irritating not to understand anyone and continuously make an ass of self, etc. So, being that it was only about quarter to six I killed time by window-shopping. At around quarter after six I walked into Kemby's. It would have been sooner but I'd never been there alone before and kind of couldn't figure out how far down one street it was, and almost talked myself into turning down the wrong street. I was of two minds. Glad, glad, glad that it wasn't full of rowdy, red-faced kaisha-in, and downhearted that there was, in total, me, a guy at the bar, two women at a table, and the staff in the entire establishment. Sat at the bar, and thought, oh god Im going to be the person who comes to a bar by themself all the time.

Staff is nice, good music, and pleasant atmosphere. Had exchanged several pleasantries with staff guy, Kevin from Detroit, who may or may not have started the place on his own, but has lived here for five years. I'm still new here, he said, which was odd to hear as I have been here almost five months. Was on second or third Zima when another gaijin came in. He sat one seat away and said he'd seen this place in some sort of nice place guide interview that Kevin had given. He then ordered a burrito. Was amazed and had to put words into the fact that there seems to be no burritos or other in the whole of Japan. This was the beginning of our conversation. Cary is eighteen and goes to YMCA (wherein I have never seen him, which is mysterious because he lives there). He is from Seattle and has no friends. We clearly hit it off right away, as is wonderful to be able to communicate with anyone without having to pretend you understand or stumble over language, or completely trip over something cultural. We are just thrilled all the time about things like, "You love taco bell!" etc. Have his phone number and told him I am going to all but stalk him. He was like "Thank god!" Is lovely to have somebody to hang with and not have to plan eight months in advance to do so. Also Cary wants to move into the same building as me! He had his interview before I did, and his name was mentioned in my interview, but obviously I didn't know him from Adam then. ((I wonder what they got from my interview. I mean, they stressed the question, "can you seperate your garbage?" I was like, "It's no problem, really. I'm a big girl.")) He's convinced that he and I will get in. Oh joyous thought! The building is all I have ever known of heaven and not getting in will be all I need of hell. We are in love with Kemby's and both hold firm that you can never eat there, no matter how delicious the food is, because paying for it is like hacking off your arm at the elbow. Is same in all bars though, so I do not hold this against them. I am going to show him my favorite Coffeeshop, the Blue Flat Cafe and he's taking me to some sort of all night cheap food place. We chatted and played pool for just a few hours, and the place really filled up. I miss friends. Is not that I have no friends here. But most of them is very hard to talk to for any length of time. I now have a gaijin friend, which is supposedly a bad idea, but whoever says that can very well just sod off. Friendship is cure for depression and monotony. Yay friendship! Need to get job to pay for newfound pseudoalcoholism though. Can not drink four beers every time either. Is expensive and indulgent and wonderful, er, I mean unnecessary. Also Cary is not legal to drink in Japan. That seems not to be an issue however. Oh well.

Friday I went to Blue Flat with good friend Eriko and (!) saw Kevin the bar-guy! He saw us too, and said he goes there like once a week. Was so weird. Especially as I go there all the time. We then went on a walking tour of the Hondori area and had a great time. I also happened upon Tomoko Furukuma, previous host sister who hi/bye-ed me as she was late for a meeting with friends and was all but running down the street anyway. We found discount stores and bought nothing (we are poor). Eriko has gotten a job teaching English writing at the Jogakuin high school. Quite an accomplishment as she hasn't even graduated yet (will graduate in April). But is good for her! We passed Nova, one of a thousand English schools, and I moaned about having no job. She said, try here, and even though I knew they only want graduates I asked. Hot damn I was wrong! I got a phone number for my trouble. Was very encouraging, but only temporarily as phone number did not work. But am not discouraged, will go and kindly harass them for information on Monday! Imagine! Having money!

Also was good opportunity to get long-missed girl talk including why I have no boyfriend (that I did not miss however), Valentines day alone (again) and others. I actually can talk to Eriko about anything. Except I probably end up bitching about something more often than I should. Anyway, discovered that I love Hiroshima, and ended up saying much the same thing to Cary that evening. I love this town, and want to come back, more and more after I graduate. It makes the JET program very appealing, but if I cant choose the city at all, forget it. I mean, I've been to Tokyo and I wasn't impressed. I could live here. I like it here, I have my places and my bearings and I am finding my niche here. Anywhere else wouldn't be worth it. If I could come back, I would so like to. I could teach or something. So long as I had actual income, I would come back here in a heartbeat, and I never realized it until that day and that conversation. Cary feels much the same, but I have a feeling a lot of that has to do with his girlfriend, who lives here.

Anyway, went to Kemby's again and taught Eriko how to play pool. I must not have been to shabby a teacher, because she won the first game. Am a better pool player when I've had a few beers though. Proof positive was when I won the second game. Cary came a bit later with two friends in tow, and we chatted it up. On of them was a pretty good-looking guy. When the Japanese people left we admitted we didn't understand much of what had been said between them. Nothing much worth mentioning after all that is said, but had a blast. And that has, indeed, been a long time in coming. Then I got to ride one of the last trains home with all the red-faced, squiffy businessmen.

The weekend was great but all too short. Is v. sad however because Cary and I met at Kemby's yesterday (monday the fourth of February) and reminded me he's going back to Seattle for about a month. What am I going to do for a month? Eriko is going to get so sick of me!! Oh well.