Gatherings of...people.

Television is getting my through the week, these days. Monday is always...uhhh...school. Tuesdays is Liar Game Season 2. ZOMG! So interesting. Katherine told me to bring back lots of drama's so we have Hana Yori Dango which now has 3 people I like in it, Matsumoto Jun from Arashi, Oguri Shun and Matsuda Shota as Liar Game's Akiyama-san. (Not to mention, Quiz Show) Wednesday is Red Theatre which is comedy and Thursday is Arashi and they have 2 shows. Yaaaaay!

Anyway, enough about television. You don't want to hear about that. So, the day after Bunkasai was over, which is actually a while ago now, was Ochakai. Now, I didn't actually have all that much idea about what was going on and despite being tired from the days before, I dragged myself out of bed and got to Isahaya train station by 8.30. Meeting the other second years in the inside of train station. So, we had Bunkasai clean up the day before right. I didn't realise I was supposed to help clean up during the clean up time, I thought I had to help my class and then help clean up Sadou bu after school so I failed to hear the instructions on not bringing a big bag which I got scolded for.

It wasn't even that big! It looks big but there was hardly anything in it, so meh. I also haven't yet mentioned that the day before Bunkasai all of the second year kids got scolded because we were fussing about Bunkasai arrangements and someone said that they didn't care which got us into a 15 minute lecture after school. The teacher was furious because we didn't seem like we wanted to be there and we never greeted her and then she teared up saying that even with glasses on she has less than 50% of her vision but she always looks out for us so I'm now making an effort. Not that I didn't before.

Anyways, we waited 10 minutes for the train to arrive and all got on together. I listened to music I think and stole one of the available seats because I really suck at standing on a train without making a fool of myself. I make a fool of myself just standing still without the rocking of the train thrown into the mix. Once we got to the station we walked to wherever it was we were going, I tried to remember the route in case something disastrous happened and I got lost or left behind but I soon gave up on that. We ended up going to some cute little shrine. I really like the Japanese style shrines and houses, a lot of Nagasaki is still like that, I love the olden atmosphere. I am really impressed with the ability Japan has to mix old and new, like nearly every house still had tatami rooms and Buddhist shrines that they actually use. I think it is great.

Ok, you need to realise that I had no idea why I was going to Nagasaki, having never been to an Ochakai before. I thought that we'd be participating as in making the tea or something. Well, I was wrong. It wasn't horrible at all, all I had to do was sit down, eat my odd shaped anko snack, drink my tea and leave.

It was really funny because I was sitting near our teacher, who is quite strict and she was instructing the hosts from another school on how to give and take the tea properly. Pwned. So, that was the first setting. It was a little different to normal as we were sitting on benches, not on the floor or at a table which meant we had no place to do our normal bows and stuff which made the procedure a little different.

From there, we walked a short way to Nagasaki's history museum where all different people had gathered to drink/watch the tea ceremony and I bumped into a friend (from Akane's place) from another school who also was in Sadou bu. Do you remember the twins by any chance? Well, it was them. Couldn't remember their names for the life of me, but, I managed to fake it.

We had an hour and a half to spare before going into the proper sitting one. The teachers said we had free time to do whatever we wanted and to walk and have a look around. I was walked around with Kana-chan who lived close-by and therefore knew the area quite well. We could see her unit from the museum. That being, she took me outside the museum for a walk around although I'm not sure we were meant to.

Not 500m. away was a bomb raid shelter remaining from World War II which we went into. The sign said, 'This will take around 10 minutes'. We went inside and had a look around, I found it rather fascinating that real people afraid for their lives were occupying the space that I was standing. It still had the smell of underground and fear clinging to it and I was trying to express how you could imagine how scary it would be for it to be dark and all you can here is guns and screams but I think it somehow Kana mistook it for I was scared. >_<. Oh, it is hard to express in any language, so we ended up taking less than a minute getting through the rest.

After that I was thirsty so we bought drinks and walked around before heading back. We still had another half an hour so the teachers recommended we head downstairs where there were kids performing tea ceremony. I was like, 'OMG! You are torturing children too?' No, not really, I just found it hard to believe that kids as young as like 7 and 8 were able to do this. Not the giving part, that's easy but actually making the tea (Ote-mae) in like the proper way without screwing up. Envy.

Then I looked at the gift shop which was pretty average except for having some ridiculous products. A wallet: $1000 dollars. wh...wha...wha...WHAT?!?!?

How did that get there? It was pretty average looking the only outstanding feature was the gold design on it which made me assume that the gold was real gold because there is no way that it would sell for that much. I feel sorry for the idiot that buys it.

Going back up to where everyone would soon be waiting, I once again awed at the awesomeness that is Japan. Lets torture children! By the way, did you know the death penalty in Japan is legal even though, for reasons I don't understand, surrogacy is illegal. WTF? Go figure. So, ending life is fine but helping it begin is a no-no?

That aside, Kana and some others of our crew went back up and met with the teachers. We proceeded to line up to wait for our turn in the proper tea ceremony thingy. We took of our shoes, and were taken to a waiting room where we had to wait (in Seiza!!!) for about half an hour before going inside. Waiting rooms are for waiting not slowly killing off potential customers by making them sit in a completely uncomfortable way. I would have been okay if not for the waiting room by with 30 minutes strain on my legs I became worried how I would go once we actually got inside.

In due course we came inside, I was tagging along on the end which, unfortunately, meant that I had to sit next to some old ladies. Not that that, in itself, is a bad thing it is just that it meant that I forfeited my right to fake seiza if it was necessary. With someone next to me I couldn't release the pressure on my legs by sliding down to one side without being noticed.

The room itself was very beautiful, I wish I could have taken a photo but the atmosphere was much too formal for that. It was a room of Tatami mats but unlike most rooms the tatami were new or of a kind I hadn't seen before as they weren't the standard yellow but a light green in colour.

The atmosphere really kind of transported me back to how it would have been to live in ancient Japan. With the tatami, all the women in kimono's and even though we couldn't really see outside, when they opened the door you could see white pebble stone and a big tree full of the colours of autumn. Also, outside the sounds of two men that sounded like they were rehearsing for a samurai play. It was just one of those moments when you think, 'Wow, Japan has such amazing culture, it is really conscientious of them to preserve it as they are.'

We all waited patiently through some polite greetings and frivolous conversation before the actual ceremony began. I played my part and was grateful once the maker had finished making the tea but then to my great annoyance, she began preparing a second cup for the other person in place of honour. It meant at least another five minutes in this torturous position. By halfway through my legs had completely lost all feeling. I tried subtly shuffling around, wiggling them, and then I tried to balance on the balls of my feet but they were so numb that my toes wouldn't comply and I just slid back int the position I had been sitting in.

We received our snacks and tea, the snacks were remarkable. One of them I don't remember, it was just a normal anko snack but the other way was a momiji (the five point autumn leaf) leaf made of a sugary substance and the colour faded from a vibrant red to a dusky orange. It really captured the beauty of autumn. That sounds stange to say but the leaves really do change colour fantastically over here.

The tea was as it always is, very hot and refreshing on a cool day as it was. I took great relief in bowing as it was the only time I could take the pressure of my legs which meant I suddenly became a fan of bowing very deeply for a very long time. I honestly do not understand how people do it, Seiza hurts. It really does and while I can sense some improvement in my tolerance threshold it still doesn't change the fact that the contant pain is like the devil stabbing you with a pitchfork over and over again.

Once the dreaded yet fascinating thing was over I tried to stand. I encontered a problem. What I laughingly refer to as my 'attempt to stand' ended up as me holdin on to other people as I hobbled to my feet and then having to stand there for a minute or two twirling my ankles trying to get some blood back into circulation. The most embarassing part is that I even had to have help just to stand as I swayed to and fro slightly and seemed very much in danger of falling down if left unaided. Fail. Much to my relief, there seemed a few other people were having the same problem. xD

Once I got my bounce back, it took a while, we left and walked back to the station from where I would be departing. The day took a lot less time than I expected so we arrived at the station at around 12.30, I bought my ticket with the others because it is cheaper if you bulk buy. Then Kana and I went off on our own, into Amyu, we had lunch as neither of us had brought anything. Lotteria. My first time, I had a cheese and bacon burger it was nice although a little greasy.

Kana and I had a stroll around Amyu and I decided I would take the 2.30 train as Kana had to leave by 3.00 to go shopping with her sister. That is when I bought my dear Domo-kun. They had little ones but considering the price difference between the small and big was only 500円 I was like, meh...so buying it.

Kana used her pass to get through the gate and took me to the train where we talked for about five minutes before it left. I was fussing about with my Domo-kun getting strange looks from nearby passengers. I don't really feel self-conscious anymore, I find it more entertaining than anything else. I also really like the feeling of walking around alone, it shows people that even though I'm a gaijin doesn't mean I have to be looked after by a Japanese person 24/7. Just because I am in a different country doesn't render me useless.

I arrived home at around 3.15 after walking for 40 minutes from the station to Koto's house. I arrived back with plenty of time before Coccomi would be getting together to celebrate a successful Bunkasai. I changed and did something...>_<

Not before too long, Koto and I got dropped down to the YakiNiku bar which was closeby, it was drizzling rain. We went down early as we wanted to take Purikura together and then with some friends.

Miyuki and I played Taiko (the drumming game) which was also my first time at a real center. I got pwned but that was partially due to half way through Miyuki wanted to swap sides so then I kept looking at the other prompts insead of my own. It was really cheap though, 100 for two songs. Yay.

At that place they also had Kuroshitsuji figurines inside the machines so naturally I tried to get Sebastian, tried and failed. I managed to knock the box over, it just happened to swing the wrong way. Angst. At 200 yen a piece I wasn't game to do it again. If you put in 500 yen you get three goes, maybe just maybe I'll do that next time. I don't like throwing money away but you've got to live a little right?

After that, we all went inside the Yakiniku bar, not too many people came this time as there was some influenza going around and it seemed that $30 for a meal was too expensive for some people. I understand that it is kinda pricey but it is all you can eat and drink for like 2 hours. That's not even mentioning the fairy floss and snow cone machine.

I sat at a quieter table, it was still fun but just a little more low key, you don't even talk that much at Yakiniku everyone just orders, cooks and tries to get their money's worth before the time runs out.

I taught everyone how to use toothpicks as holders for corn. >_<

Koto and I had some camera trouble. I only had one bars worth of battery left bu I figured that Koto was there so if mine ran out, I'd just steal her photos but then it turned out that she had brought her camera but she'd forgotten to bring any batteries at all. Luckily my camera didn't run out, I just thought that was amusing.

I like Coccomi very much, they are all very much one unit. Most classes have groups within groups and while Coccomi has that as well, everyone talks to everyone, they really do. There aren't any enemies or rivals, it is a really good relationship between everyone. I'm grateful for that. So, i was fun all around. The pose below is Koto's band's pose.

And the Purikura version:
Lolz.
This Yuuri who is probably the weirdest kid in our class. >_< (Above.) Below is Kiyo and Shigeru.

Strange faces all over. Once the whole gorging ourselves with food and drink was over, we all went over to take Purikura together. That was pretty hilarious too.

Personal record of the year: 18 people in a photo booth.

18 people! Isn't that cool? We all hung around for a little while and by the end Koto and I ended up going home pretty early. We were back by around 9.30 or so.

That, is all I am writing right now, I know I have been slack recently. Wedding will come on the weekend. Pinky promise, but you can't help but blame yourselves a little people. It used to be Email>Google>Blog. Koto has added youtube to the mix and mother added facebook so it has become Email>Facebook>Youtube>Blog, can you see why I'm getting slow?

Now, all I have to do is add photos and state for the record that Saturday is 6 weeks. How phenomenal is that? I can't believe how many memories I made, I just sat for the last 5 minutes with my finger holding down the right key watching all the photos and fun times I have had this year blur past my eyes. It really has been an unforgettable experience and even though it has been hard without my family and friends it was definitely worth it. Definitely.

So, with that, I am signing off. Having missed vs. Arashi as Koto had a music show she wanted to watch. So, love you all. Miss you all. See you in 6 weeks. ^^

<3

Ashley-chan.