A Homeless Blog

eigo ka wakarimasuka? nihongo ka wakarimasen.

That means, "understand English? (I) don't understand Japanese." And that's my day today. It is so energy consuming...being in a place where nobody around you understand what you are talking about, and vice versa. But that's only the beginning.

I haven't done that much today. Only exchange some US Dollars for Japanese Yen. Pay rent (which made my wallet fly). And, shopped for food and necessary household things. It's my first day in this little studio apartment, really.





There are many good things about this studio. Fridge, Rice Cooker, pots & pans, Air-conditioner, etc. are provided. I only had to buy some plates, bowls and silverware. But I didn't spend much time in the apartment. After reporting and paying rent at the Yamasa Institute, I stopped by the 100-yen store to buy some necessary stuffs: such as trash bin, toilet paper, silverware, plate, glass, bowl, etc. I happened to buy a couple of cup noodle, which saved my life for lunch. I realized I had to buy some fresh food. So, I started walking and looking at the map. It was a long 20-minute walk toward the supermarket/store, Feel News (I don't know how they come up with the name).


At Feel News, I walked around and bought things like...chicken, salt, pepper, cabbage, garlic, oil, eggs...things that are necessary for making my own food. There's no fishsauce or oyster sauce. I figured soy sauce should be ok. But, when I looked, I found the same-color sauce. All of them could be soy sauce, but then only some of them can be soy sauce. And, thanks to my Japanese illiteracy, I had no idea which one to pick. So...I just guessed. It turned out that the sauce I chose is kinda sweet. Don't know what it's called though, but I like its taste.

Anyway, after grocery shopping, I realized I bought a little too much. I had to pull all my strength to carry my grocery back home. It was a bit too good of an exercise, because I was almost out of breath when I got home...all sweaty and overheated.

But the most important thing about today is in two folds. One, I couldn't speak Japanese...so all I did was smiling to everybody who talked to me. Two, everybody who talked to me cannot speak (nor understand) English. So...they kept talking in (to me) a super-fast Japanese. I couldn't even follow the price of things they (cashiers) told me.

What impressed me is still the friendliness and the willingness to help. At the bank, a lady teller tried to help my and guided me in writing my name in Katakana.

Tomorrow will be the first day of class. Who knows what awaits me.

posted by Bikku @ 9:30 PM