I only had one class today until 12:30, so I putzed around in the computer lab for a while after and then went to Starbucks to study Japanese. That's right, Starbucks! You got a problem with that? Except they just call it "SUTABA" here, so it's OK.
It's near my school and there's always a place to sit. Moreover, they tend to play decent study music music (ie: The Bob Marley/Lee Perry sessions, but today was all Motown) and I've worked up a somewhat of a rapport with the staff where I start to order, stumble, and then they finish the sentence for me with a huge smile. There's something messed up about speaking Japanese that's actually Italian. See what happens when YOU order a "gurande aisu kyarameru mokito ". It tends not to roll off the tongue so easily. Then again, maybe that's a good thing.
After that, I walked to Shinjuku for a stop at Yodobashi, the self proclaimed largest camera store in the world. Really it's more than just cameras, but the store is located in a number of adjacent buildings. It's funny to look at the customers perusing the selection at Yodobashi. I don't know why really, but I guess when I see someone looking at camera stuff it makes me think that we all have this secret camera life. You just have to wonder what all these people are taking photos of. And the fervor with which some of these suit-clad middle aged men are testing high priced cameras with tends to lead the imagination into directions one would rather not discuss on a web log.
On the train ride home I watched as this poor old woman tripped over the step up into the train and fell flat on her face. I mean really flat on her face. A bunch of people ran to her aid as she kept doing the ol' "touch nose, look at hand as to make sure not bleeding" routine. Fortunately there was no blood coming from her nose, but a nasty gash on her shin left a nice trail of blood from the spot where she fell to the seat someone had offered her. There was a crowd of people around her as the doors closed and the train sped away to the next station. A woman took a handkerchief and tied it around her leg where the blood was coming from. At the next stop, someone who was getting off anyway helped her off and the train station attendants brought a wheel chair and quickly mopped up the blood so as not to cause a delay in service. Everyone was so concerned, and the train staff so helpful and efficient... So I'm just wondering how that would have played out on the train in Boston...?
So when I got home I checked my mail, and to my utter surprise, I had received an email from my university saying that ALL CLASSES are canceled next week due to a measles outbreak...
Hey, I was under the impression that Japan was one of the developed countries in Asian...
So I'll be heading out west as of tomorrow for a little vay-cay.
Japan and I need some alone time...
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