Another Firday

Note: This post was supposed to go up Friday night, but the wi-fi for the entire campus went out. We only just got it back this Monday evening. The people working at the university didn't seem to even know that it was out untill a couple of the International Students went and told them.

Well another week has passed by with mostly just studying happening until it became Friday. Fridays are usually when most of the interesting things happen here, Because we have the culture class, and its the end of the week so a bunch of people go out and do things.

First there was the culture class today. Today it was Chado, Japanese Tea Ceremony. They went over the basics of holding the cup, the names and uses of all the different tools, and a bunch of other stuff.

It was fairly interesting. Traditionally the entire ceremony is done sitting down on your knees, but since the class is so full they had to do it all while we were sitting in the desks. They asked for a volunteer to actually drink the tea for everyone to watch. I volunteered since no one else would. I was taking video of the tea preparation and had Alex continue filming while I fumbled my way through the tea drinking considering I couldn't understand all their instructions.

They then had the rest of class just practice the holding and turning of the tea bowl. No one else go to actually drink as that would have taken a long time.

They also handed out sweets for people to eat. It was an entertaining class.

Then after that I went to Hachioji city hall and got my Alien registration ID. This serves as my photo ID while here in Japan, and I think it is valid for the next couple years if I decide to return. I just have to update the address.

Then after that a group of us all went bowling. The price for bowling here is very good. it was like $20 (1800yen) and that gave us 5 full games, shoe rental, and ball rental. I haven't bowled recently in America, but I'm pretty sure last time I did for that same price we only got like one game.

I have never been good at bowling. So my average score was around 60 points. This probably wasn't helped by the fact that most of the time I threw the ball down the alley in goofy ways. Like between my legs, laying on the ground and rolling it extremely slowly, and one time I even shot put the ball down the alley. Also took some video of this.

It was a good time, but bowling 5 games in a row gets pretty exhausting.

Then we went back to the dorms and had another large dinner party.

Was good practice of Japanese especially more casual speaking styles.

The food was called Kimchi something. Don't remember the full name but it was pretty good. It was supposed to be spicy but it wasn't really. It was some kind of stew thing with meat, tofu, and a bunch of veggies.



Then they took the remaining stuff after all the meat was gone and added a bunch of cheese to it. It was pretty delicious.

Then alcohol started getting involved.

Some people just mixed drinks with grape soda.

Others just had straight up shots of whisky. I had one shot which I didn't even feel. Alex had quite a few and got a little tipsy so it was pretty funny. Then a bunch of us went to the baths together and just chilled.

This all ended around about 12:30am and I am currently writing this post while waiting for my laundry to finish washing and drying so I have clothes for tomorrow.

Plans for the weekend as of now are probably to go back to Akihabara. Alex and I are determined to find a cheap TV to play all the games we have bought so far. So hopefully that goes well.