The Conbini Is My Friend

Safe and sound in Yokohama! The JR train was fun to ride, though the last hour was spent fighting off the urge to sleep. It takes about 2 hours to go from Narita Airport to the Yokohama station, where I was lucky enough to ask a woman how to get to my transfer. She ended up asking the middle schooler beside her, probably her own daughter. I can't be sure. You know these asians, they all look alike. lol.

Anywho, got off at the correct stop, but I went through the North Exit instead of the South Exit. That's ok though, because I had enough change (I exchanged a 20 so I could get smaller bills and found out that 1000 yen is the smallest bill they have. It's all coins from there. lol. I need a coin purse.). I made a phone call and Mr. Ueno, who helped me find my apartment, picked me up and walked with me to HQ.

I really regret not bringing my bright pink umbrella, as it was raining, but I get really warm whenever I get anxious, so I wasn't cold at all. I met two teachers, like me, at the office. Both had been teaching for two years, a boy and a girl. The girl had these really cute pins on her sweater that was by this Japanese artist she liked. I walked over to comment on how cute her pins were and we started talking. She's teaching middle school. I really should've asked for her name.

After signing my contract and handing in some paperwork I walked over to the hotel with Mr. Ueno. It's just a scant two blocks away from the office building, so I didn't care that I was only partially covered by Mr. Ueno's umbrella. Besides, I like the rain. And when you're as nervous/anxious/excited as I was, you couldn't give a damn about a little bit of water getting on your clothes.

After getting checked in, I went up to my room and dropped off my bags. Then, it was off to the Conbini (Convenience Store) conveniently located on the first floor. It is my friend. For dinner I got bottled cold green tea fried udon, which the lady behind the counter warmed up for me, and for breakfast I got soba, which I knew could be eaten cold, and orange juice. Might I say that after spending three hours with a rumbling tumbly, I had quite forgotten my hunger until I smelled my fried udon. Goodness, I couldn't get up to my room fast enough. XD I inhaled it while watching a Doctor Who episode.

After using one of those spiffy spray-your-bum-when-finished toilets (It's so weird, but actually feels kinda' nice), I took a wonderful shower and learned very quickly that hot water in Japan, at least in this hotel, comes out hot very quickly. There's a little sign that says Caution: Hot Water. They sincerely mean HOT water. It was damn near scalding. It's amazing! I wonder if my apartment will be like that. Probably not, but who knows?

The room also has a mini fridge, which you're free to use and I used freely, as well as a bag of green tea and a bag of houji-chan (roasted tea) along with a little tea cup. Not to mention a water heater, which you can fill with water from the sink in the bathroom because, omg there's a little sign too, the water from the sink is good enough to drink.

Oh, and who needs written instructions when every instruction has pictures? They seriously make everything idiot proof enough so that people who don't speak the language, or don't speak enough, really don't have much of a problem. Did I mention that the trains have English? At least in Tokyo and Yokohama. Seriously idiot proof. I love it.

And did I mention that the food from Conbinis is really good? Because it is.