I received my exam today during the first hour of class, my heart raced in my chest. I thought I was going to get sick, but…I passed. I got 17/21, 80.95, a B-  it is not the best grade in the world but it was so much better than I thought I’d get. All the anxiety that held me quickly washed away. The highest grade in the class was a 18/21, I got the second highest. So there is that. 

Class came and went, and even with the grammar that has accumulated in my mind…I still sound like a 2 year old talking. ( or at least I think I do ). 

This morning on my way to the bus stop I realized that I forgot to pack my bento (my bag felt lighter than usual), by the time I realized this I was already at the bus stop and the bus was going to arrive in two minutes exactly (Japanese buses are very punctual). My forgotten bento led me to buying lunch in the cafeteria for the first time…ever…in Ritsumeikan (but I know I will be a frequent visitor when I spend the semester in Japan). I honestly did not know what I got, I just asked for what looked good. I got a chicken steak thing, rice, miso soup, milk pudding, tea, and a fried potato thing that turned out to be a sweet (whoops). I spent ¥678, about $4-5. For all the food I got it was a pretty good deal, and for the first time ever I was actually satisfied after my meal at school. It was such a weird sensation. 

I had Komura’s class today, and it made me very sad because so many of my friends from the program were doing a bunch of stuff right after lunch…and I was stuck in class. Thankfully sensei bring us snacks for us to try and it is really exciting. Today’s theme was chocolate:

Then class dragged on till it was finally over and done with. When the FIU class ended it immediately started raining. (Who decided against brining and umbrella?). I used my cardigan (a knitted cardigan) as an umbrella…I still got wet. Thankfully, I was able to climb on the first bus that headed to the accommodations in Horikawa. But it was still pouring by the time the bus got to my stop, and as I tried to get off the bus closed its door and I had to wait till the next stop to hurry to the accommodations, so now I had to speed walk a father distance. Thank heavens it was super heavy rain, I only got slightly wet. I had to change my socks and shoes though.

Around 6:20ish PM, I met up with Mitch and Megan. We went out to eat dinner at a little hole in the wall restaurant I pass every time I go up Sanjo-dori. We entered to our surprise it was a small family owned restaurant, run by an old Japanese man…who only spoke very very little English. His face of panic was so funny, three foreigners entered his restaurant. He was really sweet for the most part and we were able to communicate efficiently to order food.  Not only did he serve us, but he also cooked and did the dishes, he was a very efficient man. Megan had already eaten so she did not get anything. So Mitch and I did all the eating, and he also treated me to dinner (because he felt bad that he got so lost that I ate dinner by myself last night, and when he found his way I cooked him pasta). Mitch and I figured out what we ordered when the plate arrived to us. Most of the ordering consisted of pointing and then the old Japanese man brining us food we did not exactly order. We had fried fish ( or at least we thing) and a fried fish head. Sweet pickled plums and bamboo shoots with what we think was scallops and Japanese mushrooms.

Once we finished eating, the three of us headed to Teramachi (the mall place I always end up in) and there we walked around for a bit. Something I really do not like about Japan is how early everything closes, even on a Friday. We were in the mall at 8ish and more than half of the stores were already closed. Very few places were open. Mit
ch took us to an arcade where I had a go at DDR and weird Japanese game (I lost at both). It was still very fun though. I really enjoy hanging out with Mitch, he is really fun to be with and he is also very calm and chill. After we played the two games we walked back down Sanjo-dori and took our separate ways home.