4/24

This was essentially yesterdays blog, but something screwed up.


as usual, i was cutting it close on the train today. very close.

now halfway to school (or 2/3s of the way there if you want to be technical) i switch trains to get on the famous Yamanote line. The line that transfers about half of Tokyo in the morning rush hour. Turns out, the Yamanote-sen is at a standstill. As I'm walking down the stairs, the announcement comes onto the PA system. And as the announcement is finishing i see the craziest thing so far in Tokyo.

Everyone from the relatively packed Yamanote line that's standing on track 3, runs across to Track 4 onto the blue train. Amazing. I have never seen so many frantic Japanese at once. You'd think that The Big One was hitting or that Godzilla was ripping up the street.

But no. This was worse.

THAT was the only train to TOKYO STATION from UENO. OOOHHHH... *play heavy drums*

I slowly walked down the stairs and squeezed myself onto that train. I was still late to school.

This is why it happened:

Yamanote stops

So this proves about 2,000 people can fit on one train. Wow.

Got to Tokyo station, transferred trains to the famous suicide Orange colored train. Suicide Orange b/c so many people jump in front of this train. Maybe it’s the pretty color. Maybe it’s just the fact that it’s the RAPID service and it doesn’t stop very often.

But I’m going through my vocabulary list to study for a quiz, and I notice this cat next to me writing physics notes. An old professor type. After a bit he flips over his paper and starts writing in English. Whatever.

My stop. I get off. This guy gets off as well. I’m walking toward the exit and I feel a tap on my shoulder.

This guy wrote out in English what he wanted to say to me.

“I’m sorry I’m being impolite, but I am a teacher and I have an 18 year old student who would like some English conversation classes. I will pay you … to help him out. Are you interested?”

He was so cute. And funny. How could I say no?

Wow, what a reason to be late. Hell yeah I was interested. I gave him my card, number and email. Lo and behold I come home and there’s an email in my inbox. Hooray for finding jobs in the middle of fuckin nowhere.

Bizarre.


After school I raced home and changed into a suit for a job interview. Boy do I heart suits. But I went to the interview and it turns out that you have to sign a contract for a year for most of these schools around here. Oh well.


So much for looking snazzy.

I could use some Digestive Biscuits to make me feel better.



Hahahaha… that shit just cracks me up.

here’s some more Engrish for you:

French Fries package from our school