DAY 9: Helpful nation

HELPFUL NATION & BAZAAR

     Japanese people are amazing! In our dorm there is a guy called Masa. He is always downstairs helping Kotani-san. And he also helps us a lot.

     Today was the day of announcement of Japanese language placement test results. We could see them at Mita or Hiyoshi campus. We invited Masa to accompany us and he was happy to do that. As usual we didn't know where to go... Neither me nor Ondrej. Not because we didn't know where the place we were looking for was located, simply because we didn't know what place we were looking for. After wondering around, we figured out the location. We found the board with the results: great, level 1-2. 

     We heard from other CEMS student, that today was the day of sale of kitchen stuff  in Hiyoshi International House dorm. We needed some things thus we decided to go there, traditionally not knowing where it was located. Luckily we found an ad in the wall of international office about this sale with an address. We grabbed a random Japanese guy and asked if he knew where it was. He started to search on his mobile. It took quite a while. Then he asked to wait, took our Japanese guy (Masa) and left... In around 10 minutes they came back with a printout of a map. Awesome! Some random guy has done such a effort to help us out. But it wasn't done yet. He said, that he would show us how to get there. Really??? This is not the first time it happened to ask when we asked for a direction, a person took us to a place instead of just explaining how to get there. The place was 10 minutes walking distance from the campus. Outside there were few things for free takeaway (hangers, kitchen towels). Then we were invited to go inside to a small room full of cups, plates and stuff of this kind. Japanese ladies ruling that place (around 5 ladies many years of age) were happy to see foreigners there and were asking where we were from. A young looking energetic woman came to me and asked where I went to school here in Tokyo. I said Keio. She replied that all ladies in the room were Keio graduates and and she had graduated 57 years ago (she said she was 81 now). She was so little but sooo energetic! Speaking quite good English! I was really impressed. 

    We managed to pick up lots of things for our kitchen and paid around 4 Euro for all the things. Now our kitchen was fully equipped and ready for guests. 

GUESTS

     CEMS group hasn't been together in a while, thus we decided to have a dinner at Shimoda dorm. We got some noodles from the supermarket and went to the common kitchen they have. It was a nice evening with lots of laughs. As we were officially signed in as guests, we had to leave at 10. However as usually we didn't want to stop on that and decided to show Celine and Joana (our CEMS colleagues) our dorm and how life goes here. 

     We arrived at Motosumiyushi. Kotani-san has met us downstairs friendly and happy as always. A big group of Japanese students was hanging out in our "hanging out room" and they were happy to see us. The first thing they gave us was some Japanese sweets and tea. Then Kotani-san (as always) brought some more sweets and cakes. The people in the room were quite young (18-19 yo), but we were happy to meet them. Guys were shy and gathered outside the room discussing something. Girls were sitting with us asking many questions about where we were from. One of the first questions of one young girl was: do you have facebook? I said that I didn't use it so often... The guys outside seemed to like Joana very much. The bravest one came and asked us if she had a boyfriend. After a while, another guy was literally pushed into the room by others. He said: "Hello! my name is ..." (looking at Joana). Then he attempted to leave the room, but the others pushed him back in and told him to continue. He continued: "I am 19 years old". He tried to go out again, but they wouldn't let him out. Then he said something else and finally others let the poor guy leave the room. 

     The girls seemed to like us also. One of the girls who asked about facebook came to me with her phone and asked to spell my name so that she could add me (here I couldn't say no...). Now I have a new facebook friend! 

     We stayed for another little while. I was hoping that Kotani-san's whife would come out, but it was quite late and apparently she was already in bed. CEMS girls said, that their dorm was completely different and they would come visit us again to talk to more Japanese people. 

RANDOM FACT

     Every evening around Hiyoshi station after 11 o'clock you can see people queuing. I was wondering why...  In Russia they sometime queue waiting for a marshrutka (a small bus). Here it was different. People were waiting in line for a taxi. The line was moving quickly, but there were around 40 people standing. Impressive.

VIEW FROM THE BALCONY

DAY 4

TRANSPORTATION

     On Saturday morning our CEMS group agreed to meet in Hiyoshi station in order to go to the Tokyo central park to watch cherry blossoms (sakura). By the way this year is exceptional. Cherry blossoms started earlier than ever before. 

    To find our way from Huyoshi station (in Yokohama) to the center was not that easy in the beginning. The metro and rail systems are connected and are operated by 5 different transport companies. Additionally, there are different types of trains: metro, local trains, express trains and rapid express. The difference is that some of the trains don't stop on some stations, while others make all the stops. Different types of trains are marked with different colors. Additionally, in metro there are special women's wagons, where only women are permitted from 7:30-9:00 in the morning. 

    Some of the intersection stations are very complex with up to 5 levels. It is not so easy to find your way around, especially during the rush hour.

     Upon entering metro, you are supposed to purchase a ticket in a machine. YOu look at the map, pick your route and then pay an amount that covers that rout. If you traveled more or less, that you have paid, while exiting the metro you can adjust the price by paying additional fee or receiving part of your money back. Quite a convenient system.  But takes quite a while to understand though.

     The announcement are in Japanese and English as well as all the signs (and stations names) are in Japanese and English. 

     We were traveling at 10 in the morning of Saturday, the metro was not packed, but there were some people. Even though the weather outside was not that hot, the air in the wagon was really stuffed and heavy. Let's see what will happen in summer... 

SAKURA and CENTRAL PARK

     Japanese people love and enjoy watching sakura. THis Saturday morning half of the Tokyo has gathered in the central park to watch and take pictures of cherry blossoms. There were crowds of people wondering around. Ondrej, my residence mate and a CEMS colleague from Czech Republic has mentioned, that there was  the whole population of Prague here. Many people were sitting on the grass in big and small groups, chatting, playing cards, drinking beer and wine, some were even playing the guitar. The view was really spectacular and we were really lucky to have such a nice day. 

     We have expected to wonder around the park for a few hours and then to return back, however spent the whole day watching sakura and other sights in central Tokyo. We were quite a large group of people, bug had great fund together and managed to get around in those crowds quite well.

Photos by Borislav Slavov

TECH PRODUCTS

    From my previous experience, I knew that Japan is a tech country. But the wing with wifi has brought some doubts. HOwever a trip to a media supermarket has revealed those doubt away forever. The supermarket was 6 floors high. YOu can find anything you want there and the prices are very attractive. I have purchases great Phillips headphones for only 770 yen (less that 7 Euro) and they are of very high quality! Japan, that is why I am starting to love you! 

RESIDENCE ASSISTANCE FAMILY

     I have already mentioned the main guy in our residence who lives here and takes care of all the staff. His name is Kotani San. He speaks Japanese-English and is a extremely nice person. Very friendly and hospitable. Whenever he sees us, he invites us for a cup of tea in his special room. Last night he has invited us for the special tea ceremony: tea with sake. He, as a true Japanese, had a cup of sake without tea, but to be really hospitable, he has given us tea first and advice to put some sake there. He said we should put as much as we wanted, so we did. The tea has killed the sake taste completely, however I assume the effect was there.

     The funny thing about Kotani San, he always gives us tea, but never Japanese tea. The first day he was given some German tea in teabags, today Indian in teabags. I am looking forward to receiving some real Japanese tea from him. 

     This evening after a long day in the center me and Ondrej were quite tired, but decided to go down for some tea with Kotani San. Downstairs we mat his lovely family, his wife and daughter. They all speak English and are extremely nice. Kotani San's wife used to be a Japanese language teacher in elementary school, so we had great time drinking tea and practicing some Japanese there. All of them now live at the 2nd floor of the residence all the time and help Kotani San to take care of the residence. Yesterday 50 Japanese student moved in. We have 11 floors and around 30 rooms for floor, so quite a lot of people will eventually live here.