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Published: July 10th 2008
Had a good weekend and week.
Thursday the 3rd, we went to Jusco which is like a walmart or target but like a mall too, because its one store but you pay for things at each section. it was 4 stories and had everything from food to electronics. I didn't buy anything just looked around. Took about 1 hour to get there walk and bus, on the way there was easy but on the way back we were riding the bus waiting for our stop when this guy came up to us and said we had to get off because it was the last stop (nice of him to do) but then we had to find our way home. We were talking about maybe asking someone when and american who i would think lived in japan told us how to get home without us even asking!
Had camp on 4th of July - to hard to explain to the japanese parents. After work we went to the Yokota Air Base for their celebration - they didn't have one at the compound because of the EWA summit and everyone from the embassy was gone. Was a horrible idea to ride
the subway at 5:00! It was so crowded! Took about 2 hours, some was just waiting for the subway though. Getting on the one that we were on the longest was crazy! We were shoved into the subway and so tight that I couldn't hold on to anything when I felt like I needed to fall I just did because there were people all around me and I was caught. But, not to long after we got on an old couple stood next to me (the old man stunk too - like Dave) so I had to hold my self up and it hurt so bad, my back was bent way back and I had to stand sideways too. Towards the end a bunch of people got off and I was excited because I was stuck there in the middle when everyone else was on the side but before I could move more came on and pushed me so hard and I was so tight it hurt and couldn't move. I started to cry and almost wiped my nose on the back of someones coat (I didn't) because I couldn't get my hand free (I eventually did). After that a
bunch more got off and my backpack got stuck in the crowd and I was getting pulled out of the subway with them, my hands were sweaty (so hot on the subway with that many people) and I kept slipping when trying to grip the handles but I eventually did. I finally got moved over by Haley who was standing by the people sitting down and there was a lot more room! Then we thought it was time to get off so I got off and look back in and everyone was still on! So I screamed and ran back on just in time .. I was one stop to early. We finally got there and this american guy came up to us because we looked lost and gave us directions and we got to the base and were able to get in by ourselves with our embassy ids! We walked to the stop and got directions from some ladies who were walking. They asked where we were from and without thinking I said "The States"..duh! We're on a military base! But I'm so used to saying that at the embassy and hotel since there are a lot of japanese
people there. We got there just in time to get the free food - BBQ ribs and pulled pork!!! YUM! And we got a free glow stick and t-shirt! Haley found her sister and we sat and ate, then at about 8:30 a guy interupted the band and they made everyone come inside because it was starting to storm. It POURED and fireworks were canceled😞. The band played for a little while longer but everything was done by 9:00. We met some airmen and hung out with them for awhile. We went to breakfast in the morning and the commisary. We got fruit!!! 2 apples, oranges, and grapes for $6!!! Amazing!
After that we rode to Camp Zama with Chris (he drove to Yokota) and stopped at a recycled shop and a 5 story 100 yen shop on the way! It was pretty neat, I got some things and barely spent any money! We went to a rotating sushi restraunt after that.. it was 100 yen per plate and you just picked what you wanted. I'm glad Chris was with us because you could order fresh things and other things that didn't come around but it was all in
Paige, Brittany and I
Girls from Iwakuni. Paige is from UNI, Brittany is from Iowajapanese so he was able to do that for us. After we were done eating we put our plates in this little hole and it counted it for us. After 5 plates this little game came up on the screen and if you won this ball would fall down, I won but Haley and Chris didn't. After that Chris showed us around Camp Zama. It was so nice to be on military bases. They have so much stuff, we have nothing! They have movie theaters, bowling alleys, restraunts, tons of stores, and huge commissaries. They even had a Burger King! It was pretty cool. We took the subway from Zama to Hiroo and got home at about 7:30.
When we got there I went in the room and could tell someone had been in it. The girls from Iwakuni had been here and Haley had said one could stay with us if we were there. Well we weren't there on Friday and they told us that one of our girls went to the front desk said our name and that they didn't have their id and they gave them a key to our room! I'm glad it was them
and not some stranger, but I was so mad especially since whenever we dont have our id they come to the room with us to check it. We talked with the girls for awhile and I found out about how camp is in Iwakuni since I was suppose to be there. Sounds like its alright but there isn't a whole lot to do around there since its a small town. Kind of glad I'm in Tokyo since I'm able to see so much (it cost them $300 to get to Tokyo!)
Sunday Haley and I met up with Paige the girl who I trained with at UNI and was supose to be with in Iwakuni. We went to Hirojuko and visited the Meji Shrine. We saw 3 weddings! It was so cool to see their attire, 2 were traditional and looked exactly the same. It was a very different shrine, a natural shrine were everything was made of mostly wood. After that we walked to the main street in Hirojuko and hoped to see people dressed crazy (its known for people dressing crazy) and only saw a few. We ate a crepe which Hirojuko is famous for and mine
was Caramel Cheesecake! Yum! Then we went to a food court for lunch and I had a waffle with chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes. Never would have thought of it that way but it was good. After that we went to the largest park in Tokyo Yoyogi park. There were street performers everywhere and people practicing juggling, dancing, etc. Sat and watched people for awhile. When we lefted I had to go to the bathroom so bad and the one I went to was a hole in the ground (not literally but the toilets are like that) and it was so dirty I couldn't do it. There wasn't even a handicap stall which are american style. So finally I found one and I went in there and went, and then I realized there wasn't toilet paper and I couldn't figure out how to flush so I found a piece of paper from my bag and used that and finally figured out how to flush after pushing the help button on accident. On our way to the subway we finally saw people dressed crazy! I got a picture with them too! We came home after that and took a 4 hour nap!
I got sunburned that day because it was so hot!
Monday the guys that we met on Friday came to Tokyo and ended up staying in the same hotel as us, not even realizing it was the one we were in. They were only in Japan for 5 days they just flew in for a job. We were able to see the japanese suite at our hotel it was pretty cool. We went out to dinner in Ebisu which is 1 stop away from us. We walked around for 1 hour until we found the place which ended up being closed! So we went to a brazilian place and ate. The food was so tiny! After that we went to a kareoke place which was 2700 yen per 1/2 hour. With 9 of us it was 300 yen each.. not bad! It was so cool, we went into our own private room with blacklights and cool pictures on the walls. It had a tv with all the kareoke equipment and a table. Pretty neat, they brought all your drinks to you too. We were there for 2 hours and caught the last subway home. I didn't end up having to pay because I didn't drink and they couldn't do the math😊. Oh well. It was a lot of fun, we sang a lot of songs and laughed a lot too.
Went to Jusco again last night and got some things there too. Found a easier way to get there with less walking - subway and bus.
Had a good week at work. Made cookies tonight for our dessert after the BBQ tomorrow. Kaito was moved to our room and he is so hard to deal with just really crazy and wild but yesterday and today he was so good. We figured out that he has to have stuff to do at all times. Its so funny because he will say things in japanese and all the kids will swarm around him and just crack up laughing. Its so funny, I wish I knew what he was saying. They find the littlest things so funny. Like yesterday I yawned and they all cracked up. This week is barnyard bash so today we went on a pretend trip to the farm and they thought that was so fun! We also made play dough; messy, but fun. These kids say the funniest things, I've been writing them down so I can remember them. One cute thing is that Hana and Kotoha (they're both japanese) were singing the ABCs and when they got to LMNOP they just sang lalalala.. which makes sense since we say it so fast! Its been fun, had some stressful moments but mostly fun.
Didn't take a whole lot of pictures on my camera, I will get them from others soon and add them!
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Tonya
non-member comment
Yokota
Hi. My husband just got orders to Yokota. I am nervous because I have not found many things that are their to do. I have 3 small kids and I am so concerned that they will be board out of their mind. Please let me know if I should not be as concerned.