Homework for the Overactive Brain

Today's Quote--"Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me..."

Sunday, December 28, 2003

 

Well, that last week in Japan was rather busy, so I missed out on blogging. And this past week at home has been rather...okay, not busy, but recuperating, so today I blog. Let's see if I can remember what I did that last two weeks...

The 13 I spent the day out, my host mom was out until Sunday, so I stayed out late, enjoying my last Sat. night. Had fun and got on the last train home. ;) Sunday started packing...made meatloaf and mashed potatoes...pretty good, except they were cold because we had to wait for people to show up to eat. Oh well. Monday was a big nasty Kanji test, but I got good scores on both reading and writing (though at this moment, I don't know if I can remember any of them!). Then I was off buying several more gifts. Tuesday had a party at JB's...it was fun, except we had a lost puppy come home with us, and I didn't really want to spend the last party with him...but it's hard to be rude and just say "Go home...we don't want you..." So he stayed. We watched "The Monster's Ball" which was a really bad movie, I wouldn't recomend it to anyone. ick. Oh yes, and had the last American Culture class...we did the 'white elephant' gift exchange...got rid of some stuff and got a cool good luck thingy for the new year. Slept in Wednesday, went to school and class...last Shrine's class, very sad, but good class too. Did more shopping...hung with JeB...Yeppers...Went home...Thursday came to school later because the speeches thingy was later...um, yeah, that made no sense...still working on that one. Did speeches, I think mine went well. Took some last pictures, ate lunch and hung out in the Int'l Center for several hours, just saying goodbye. Went home and finished packing...Mom was out again, to a concert this time. JB came over and picked up my luggage...and took it down the stairs and to his car...oy! Went to bed...got up at 6:40 and began the travel insanity...

Finished packing up the little stuff...got out of the door around 7:30. Host Mom carried my bag to the subway station and made me a breakfast to go...Took the subway to school...it was pretty crowded for being before the 8:00 rush...but anyway...got to school about 8:05 (damn ice!)...E, K, and JB were waiting for me...:( Got situated in the car and we were off...Got to the airport around 8:45...They helped me to the ticket counter, got rid of my bags...Then they were off to find a bank to change money, and I said good-bye and went through security...Had to open my backpack...appaerntly my shaving creme bottle looked like a weapon. Oy. Sat down by my gate and ate my breakfast...a group of Jr. High students came in, all in nice neat rows...never would happen like that in the US. Oy. ;) Got on the plane around 9:45...we left 10 minutes late because they had to deice the plane...it was doing a weird sleet/rain mix thing...Got to Haneda at 11:40. Picked up my bags and found the ticket counter...got my bus ticket (Ick! 3000 yen). It was leaving at 12:50. So I sat down to eat some of my 'breakfast' to tide me over for lunch right outside where they were loading the bus. A bus came at 12:30, about 15 minutes after I sat down, and they let me on...:D So I got to Narita about 1:30...it was weird, they checked everyone's passports before we could get on the airport. Anyway...Got off my terminal and dragged my stuff inside...of course going through check-in security they wanted open my big red bag. Well, at least the woman who was checking it was impressed with my packing skills...;) Got in line to check-in...My big red bag was too heavy by about 5 kilos (about 12 pounds). So the ticket lady and I worked with the two monsters and got everything arranged so that they were both at the 32 kilo limit (about 70 pounds). It took about 20 minutes! But I didn't have to pay the over bag fee or the extra baggage fee (66000 yen and 22000 yen respectively...$660 or $220). Ugh. Wandered around Narita for a while, shopping, bought lunch (kinda lonely)...sooo many Gaijin! WAH! I changed the last little bit of my money over...$17...whoo hoo. Oy. About 4:00 I went through security, and customs...had to hand over my alien registration card...:( Got to the gate just before boarding began. And at 5:10 I left the airport...:*( We had an extremely good tailwind...until it started trying to shake the plane apart, just about the time I was starting to fall asleep. Oy. So, no sleep. It was about 115 miles per hour tail wind...incredible. So we got to Seattle about 45 minutes early. Got to go through customs again (yep, had to pick up and pull bags...ugh...and my backpack was heavy because I had to move some stuff from my bags into there...ugh.) Grabbed the shuttle over to the other terminal where the shuttle flights operate out of. Got to that terminal about 9:15 AM. Oy...the lack of sleep and time difference started wearing on me! I called home, I think we talked for about 45 minutes! I got a coffee...and then sat around jittering like some sort of crazy woman...lots of twitching! Full flight to Spokane...got in around 1:30pm, so very very happy to be home...especially since I didn't have to carry my bags any longer.

Had to stay up until 8...otherwise I would have been up in the middle of the night. Anyway, Sat, Sun and until Monday night, I was pretty much out of it. Still pulling things together...um, yes and unpacking, going to start that after I finish blogging...;) Skipped out on my friend's christmas party, too tired. Had a great Christmas...got my packages this past week...spent some time with adult friends. Spent some money...oy...;) And just hanging out...It's been great. So I should go unpack now...;) Updates later...:)

GL 2:10 PM