It all began with a simple MSN conversation between Dennis, and well, everybody, proclaiming that he would attempt to buy YUI concert tickets. There was a lot of trouble, and he wasn't able to get one so he gave up. Then he and BJ had the following conversation:

BJ: Hey, guess what? I found 200yen in my jeans pocket!
Dennis: Oh man, I wish I could find YUI tickets in my jeans pocket.

And thus EPIC OPERATION TICKET-IN-A-POCKET WAS BORN.

Read all about it, haha (￣▽￣)ノ＿彡

In the year 2005, a group of students from my high school, myself included, travelled to a village in Myanmar to help them repair their attap roofs and construct a clinic for them. We finished the work within three days and also interacted with the locals there. It was such a satisfying experience that for the next two years, I attended similar trips to other countries to do voluntary work.

Last night, I just heard about the typhoon (or was it cyclone?) that caused severe damages in Myanmar a few days back. My mom called me and told me the news - she also informed me that the very village we had helped was now almost completely wiped out. Their houses of wood and attap could not withstand the strong winds. The clinic we had built was one of the only two concrete buildings in the area, if I remember correctly, and it is now a relief center for disaster victims.

I'm feeling a bit. Well. Upset about it all. Because we helped them repair their houses and had a lot of fun doing it and interacting with them while doing it, and now it's gone. But on the other hand, they just have to stand up and go on, build their houses again and get on with life. My high school is collecting donations, I'll find a way to help, too. Perhaps they will send a team over to help again, this year, and hopefully I can go, but it looks like my winter vacation will start two months after the trip will be held.

Urk. Life.

Anyway. On to some lighter issues - a classmate of mine is organizing a trip to ageha, a club in Tokyo that's apparently world famous. All my friends are going, but I have yet to RSVP because... I've never liked the idea of being in a club. It's just rather stifling, people dancing around you and drinking - and by Japan's standards I am still a minor. They also plan to stay out the entire night, book a hotel room (ten people altogether) to share, and then return to their dorms the next morning. If it was just any other get together for a simple dinner with the same group of people I'd agree instantly, but a club? It might be decent, but I just... don't like the idea of it. I'm the sort of person who would rather stay at home on a Friday night and do my own work than go out and party >8|

Oh well, let's see how things go. I'll post up photos of Kamogawa soon!

I. GOT. MY. PHONE. ♥

Rushed down to Hanakoganei between classes today and spent an hour at the booth trying to work out what the lady at the counter was saying. The only thing is that I can't pay for the price of the phone over 24 months, so they switched it to 12 months instead. It will be pretty steep, but after one year has passed the price will go down, so that's all right.

Also I have to cancel the Double-White Plan to save paying 980yen. Hmm, shall do that after getting back from Yokohama. Oh, right! Yokohama tomorrow! Will be staying there overnight so I dont't expect to have access to the Internet >8|

But... I got my phone, so I am happy 8D Okay technically it is BJ's phone because I promised him I would get the black equivalent to his silver and switch with him, but... yayness! :D PHOTOS LATER.

I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself right now! After class ended around lunch today I once again thanked the fact that today's seminar was cancelled, and rushed down to the municipal office of the area in which my dorm is located. Took me a while to navigate around the station, but eventually I got there without any hassle. Applying for the Foreign Resident Registration card was extremely easy and hassle free, much less so than the entire process at the immigration bureau. Of course, that had to do with the fact that there was no queue. With regards to the subject of this post - I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself because the guy didn't have to resort to using any English to communicate with me. AHA AHA AHA :D

And after that I was wondering if I should go attempt to open a bank account. The following reasons held me back:

• The last time I went with BJ and Yue to open the former's bank account, it took 3 hours. I only had 30mins before the bank closed.
  
• After observing the aforementioned process, I felt that I wouldn't be able to communicate with them about opening a bank account i.e. I needed a translator.
  
• Continuing on from the previous point, I asked around to see who was free today but to no avail.

But in the end I was like "ah, heck it, let's just give it a try" and so I went down to the branch nearest my dorm. Was worried that they wouldn't allow me to open one since I'm not 20 yet (as was the case with BJ's bank branch) but all was good and I got mine opened in under 30mins! *does a victory dance*

So, all that's left is for the bank to send me my ATM card within two weeks. For the moment I'm kind of broke because I banked in most of the cash I had, and it'll be four days before I can meet Evadne to get my stuff, so before that I'll be surviving on 6000yen of cash orz

Things to do: fill in all my billing stuff (o-ohmygod there are so many), submit them to the relevant parties (university, mail them to dorm maintenance company etc.) and GET A PHONE, the last one in particular. I NEED A PHONE NAO PLS. Maybe will go tomorrow after school - I'll ask the others and see what they think.

But all in all - GOOD DAY :D

Went to watch the Waseda versus Keio american football match yesterday! We won by 7 points, which is the number of points you can get in one touch down. I couldn't really understand how the scoring system worked, but oh well.



Moar pictures under the cut!