MIShaps/adventures

The emergency teacher at my school whom I've had the pleasure of pal-ing around with told me in regards to each experience I have here that I'll "either have a good time or have a good story." I have a few good stories so far.

This is a list of the most awkward/ridiculous experiences I've had so far in no particular order:

I knocked down an entire row of bikes and had to pick them up one by one.

I thought I was on the right bus back from Tsukuba to my city, but after 30 minutes or more, it became crystal clear that I was not. Mostly because I had made a complete circle and was back where I started. This was a sad and costly mistake.

Yesterday, when I was meeting up with someone in Tokyo, I was supposed to meet them at this famous dog statue in Shibuya. I was in a hurry so instead of looking around a few extra minutes, I asked a window clerk, "Inu wa doko desu ka?" (Where is the dog??) Luckily, I was pointed in the right direction as if that's a common and not at all ridiculous question.

I left my keys at a convenience store in the middle of the night one night. I went there to pay a bill, which is how you pay bills in Japan strangely enough. Also, it's safe to walk around at night in Japan which I'm still not used to. However, this could have been dangerous considering that I have no cell phone (still), no friends in the area (on that particular night), and no spare key. 

I ordered food from a little outdoor stand/restaurant a few nights ago. I had a feeling I didn't want to eat tako (pronounced "taco" but NOT the same), but I soon found out this was all the little stand had to offer. The lady relaying my options (tako or tako ball) seemed so kind, and I could not bring myself to walk away. So I ordered tako. And like an idiot, I decided to eat there instead of taking my food to go. I saw a picture on the wall which confirmed my fear that tako was in fact some kind of octopus-looking creature chunked into tentacle-y pieces. So I ate octopus balls and grimaced . Horrific I tell you. But the only trash outside was for unburnable goods so I couldn't dispose of it and run away. Luckily, I think the nice lady could sense my pain and brought me a to-go box which I promptly disposed of as soon as I got home in the proper burnable and unburnable compartments.

tako ball. looks tasty enough, right? 

incorrect. the contents of a tako ball. this picture makes it look a little more appetizing than it actually is. 

On a scarier/more exciting note! I'm pretty sure I experienced my first earthquake a few days ago. It was early in the morning so I thought maybe I had dreamt it, but the earth was a-shaking, it was later confirmed. I have now been here over a month. How the time flies.