Dude, this bed feels like I am sitting on the floor. I think it is harder than the Tokyo bed. I think they are trying to prepare us for a life on futon. >.> I am in Hitachi now, it is north of Tokyo. But more about that later. This post is about the awesome and tiring day I had on Monday.
Because I had like no yen left, I wanted to hit the bank Monday morning to exchange all my money. Even though it was a holiday, I was told the monetary exchange would be open. There was a bank in Shibuya, a couple of stops away from the station closest to the church, so I arrived around 10am to have plenty of time to get to the church for the 11am meal.
Yeah, that was the plan.
Come to find out, the exchange didn't open until 11am because it was a holiday. I didn't think to look. Its Japan, everything is open early, right? Because I needed to do it, I let Arum know I would be late, and I went to a Starbucks because I was thirsty and I wanted a cool place to sit. It was cloudy, the beginning of the typhoon now hitting the country, so it felt better, but it was so humid. Plus I had a Starbucks card! YEAH!
So I ask the girl if I can use the card. I tell her I brought it from America. She says its okay. I order a TALL blended green tea/mint drink for ¥470. (That is too expensive for my tastes. But see, I had a card!) She tries the card. Tells me it won't work. I pay the ¥470. -_- To add insult to injury, I go upstairs to the seating area--no seats. I end up sitting on the curb. UGH.
A general pic of Shibuya.
Because I had like no yen left, I wanted to hit the bank Monday morning to exchange all my money. Even though it was a holiday, I was told the monetary exchange would be open. There was a bank in Shibuya, a couple of stops away from the station closest to the church, so I arrived around 10am to have plenty of time to get to the church for the 11am meal.
Yeah, that was the plan.
Come to find out, the exchange didn't open until 11am because it was a holiday. I didn't think to look. Its Japan, everything is open early, right? Because I needed to do it, I let Arum know I would be late, and I went to a Starbucks because I was thirsty and I wanted a cool place to sit. It was cloudy, the beginning of the typhoon now hitting the country, so it felt better, but it was so humid. Plus I had a Starbucks card! YEAH!
So I ask the girl if I can use the card. I tell her I brought it from America. She says its okay. I order a TALL blended green tea/mint drink for ¥470. (That is too expensive for my tastes. But see, I had a card!) She tries the card. Tells me it won't work. I pay the ¥470. -_- To add insult to injury, I go upstairs to the seating area--no seats. I end up sitting on the curb. UGH.
A general pic of Shibuya.So after I finish my drink, I head back across the famous Shibuya crossing (the busiest crossing in the world) towards the Hachiko statue. This was the main reason I wanted to come to Shibuya. I <3 Hachiko. But I was scared to seem to touristy by taking a pic. >.> So first I took a pic of this big Hachiko mural.
Everyone loves Hachiko!
Luckily, I saw some people taking pics by the time I got to the statue again, so I didn't feel as dumb. >.> Thus I took the obligatory pictures as best I could.
The statue is actually smaller than I expected.
The statue is actually smaller than I expected.
I look so weird, but Hachiko suki ne.
A bus stop near the bank. It says "Hachiko Bus". (And yes, my real focus was the guy in the background. :P)
A bus stop near the bank. It says "Hachiko Bus". (And yes, my real focus was the guy in the background. :P)
So I finally get my money exchanged, and by the time I do so, the dollar is crappier than it was. I should have gotten around 80 yen for each dollar, but they were buying for 76. -______- (They were SELLING for 85, the crooks!) The airport was over 77. Its all Chelsea's fault. She told me the airports always suck with the exchange rate. >.<
Fast forward to the church. The food was really yummy! It was the same group of people that I ate with the day before.
Chicken stuffed with rice, ginger root and garlic. Yes, I used only chopsticks!
Fast forward to the church. The food was really yummy! It was the same group of people that I ate with the day before.
Chicken stuffed with rice, ginger root and garlic. Yes, I used only chopsticks!
The only problem was because Tokyo is so warm, you don't feel like eating too much, especially if the food is warm. (A blessing and a curse, neh?) After we ate everyone said a few things about the boy who was baptized (Taro was his name, I believe. I'm really bad with names. >.>) Yumi was kind enough to translate. Supposedly two of the girls were cleaning bathrooms, where I don't know, and he was there too. That led to him being invited to church, and the rest, as they say, is history. It was pretty awesome.
After that the girls chilled, and the guys played pingpong. Little Mei, the 2 year old, didn't really like me that much. Supposedly she was just scared of white people. To make things worse, one of the guys kept teasing her, saying she should meet me, fan me, etc. Once he held her out towards me and she pretty much started crying. XD But after I took a picture of the group, she was really excited to see it and ran over to me, so that seemed to be a turning point. Later I gave her a pen to draw with (to get on her good side) and in return she later gave me part of her cracker.
The picture of the church group. ^_^
Her sister, Sara, was a riot. She entertained us by singing kids songs. She'd start out every song introducing herself by her full name and introducing the song. Then she'd say "sei no" which starts like everything, especially for kids. (Kinda a "and a 1, 2, 3...") Later she was doing some sort of thing where she made a heart out of paper and drew a heart on our hands, saying if we are in trouble it would protect us. And then later we put it back in the paper. I was sorta confused, lol, but so was everyone else. Her sister, as little sisters do, followed suit. When Mei continued to draw on my hands as well, I knew she was over her fear of me. :D
When it came to be about 3:30pm I had to get going because I was planning on meeting with my friend Yukina from Royal/T. (We worked together at the cafe.) It was hard to leave, they were so nice. I couldn't help myself from crying. (And I REALLY tried not to... but as you know, I am a sap.) I really wish I was staying in Tokyo, it felt like I belonged somewhere. But there are a couple of churches in my general area in Yamatsuri, so hopefully the people are as kind.
And with that, I must sleep. I told you it was a long day! Tomorrow, I am meeting my Board of Education. @_@ Hopefully I will not get swept away by the typhoon, which is suppose do peak tomorrow. -_- Tomorrow I should be able to write about everything else. I went to Akihabara and a maid cafe! YAY! Stay tuned!
I leave you with random station pictures...
Pretty empty station...
Vending machines you see everywhere. They take all my money...
After that the girls chilled, and the guys played pingpong. Little Mei, the 2 year old, didn't really like me that much. Supposedly she was just scared of white people. To make things worse, one of the guys kept teasing her, saying she should meet me, fan me, etc. Once he held her out towards me and she pretty much started crying. XD But after I took a picture of the group, she was really excited to see it and ran over to me, so that seemed to be a turning point. Later I gave her a pen to draw with (to get on her good side) and in return she later gave me part of her cracker.
The picture of the church group. ^_^Her sister, Sara, was a riot. She entertained us by singing kids songs. She'd start out every song introducing herself by her full name and introducing the song. Then she'd say "sei no" which starts like everything, especially for kids. (Kinda a "and a 1, 2, 3...") Later she was doing some sort of thing where she made a heart out of paper and drew a heart on our hands, saying if we are in trouble it would protect us. And then later we put it back in the paper. I was sorta confused, lol, but so was everyone else. Her sister, as little sisters do, followed suit. When Mei continued to draw on my hands as well, I knew she was over her fear of me. :D
When it came to be about 3:30pm I had to get going because I was planning on meeting with my friend Yukina from Royal/T. (We worked together at the cafe.) It was hard to leave, they were so nice. I couldn't help myself from crying. (And I REALLY tried not to... but as you know, I am a sap.) I really wish I was staying in Tokyo, it felt like I belonged somewhere. But there are a couple of churches in my general area in Yamatsuri, so hopefully the people are as kind.
And with that, I must sleep. I told you it was a long day! Tomorrow, I am meeting my Board of Education. @_@ Hopefully I will not get swept away by the typhoon, which is suppose do peak tomorrow. -_- Tomorrow I should be able to write about everything else. I went to Akihabara and a maid cafe! YAY! Stay tuned!
I leave you with random station pictures...
Pretty empty station...
Vending machines you see everywhere. They take all my money...
5:00 AM |
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