El concierto et la fête~

Friday November 12 (Japan time)

We were given our second assignment today for our Academic class. =) It's lengthier because the teacher is gone next week~ We have two weeks to complete it. =) We need to make a survey then write a report~ It needs to be related to Education so I have a feeling it'll be a bit boring. I wanted to do a survey about favourite mochi and dango flavours... I thought that would be interesting. But anyhow, today was eventful~ The grammar we learned today was simple and fun~ We learned how to use "something seems" like something (again) lol. My best example:

動くなくて、触ると冷たいと感じる。どうも「あの人は」亡くなったらしい。

So yes, after class ended, John and I went to Sapporo Station.　We ate ramen, bought another umbrella, browsed for a Micro SD card then went to a concert~ While walking towards the subway, John and I wandered under the glass pyramid I took a picture of a few weeks ago! I took a few pictures! =)

From the bottom~

To top

From the side =)

The concert hall is in a park. =) A very nice park actually. I'll go take pictures tomorrow if I have time. If not, I'll go another day. But anyhow, as far as John knew, the price for a ticket was roughly 1000yen, non-assigned seating. When we got there... we realized it was assigned seating and prices varied depending on your seat. HOWEVER there was a little option at the bottom for students~ I asked the lady for a ticket and yea... she asked me if I bought an assigned seating spot... I said no, lol. Then she told me look at this chart... John and I shuffled off to the side and yea, we scrambled for our ID cards. Turns out John forgot his, lol. We waved at the lady in the booth then squeamishly walked away, lol. We left the building and were planning what to do next but then the lady from the window booth walked out of the opera house and asked us if we were students, lol. I told her that I have my ID but my friend forgot his, lol. She was kind enough to offer us both a ticket, each for 1,500yen. =) Such a nice lady. So yea, I took a few pictures of the concert hall~ The first half of the concert was not as great as the second half. I liked the second half because the music was much more uplifting. There were also a more variety of instruments~ The first half was predominately string instruments. =( But yea~ The very last piece was amazing! There were two Piccolo's playing! Pure awesomeness.

The stage~ Look at the Organ in the back ;o~

The concert hall seats

Close up of the Organ~

The concert ended at around 8:30PM. John and I parted ways after because he had to take the JR and I was within walking distance to my home. I was lost in this park once before so I thought I could navigate but yea, the streets are different at night, lol... I completely missed the street I was suppose to turn a right on, lol~ Instead, I walked into the next district, lol!!! From 豊平(toyohira) to 豊水すすきの (hosuisusukino). I noticed a few things I did not remember seeing before, lol... The bright blue lights and mass amounts of restaurants and bars, lol. I ended up asking for directions at a convenient store because the map I was holding was not helping, lol. It turns out I was a block away from the closest train that I usually take. (yay) But yea, I somehow somehow scraped past a red light district sector of the town while heading towards the subway station, lol. At night, a lot of people stand outside to attract customers to their restaurant. They typically hand out pamphlets showing pictures of food, deals, etc. (Advertisement) But yea, the one I passed by did not have food at all... It had pictures of people, lol... (That was how I knew I was walking past a red light district) I kindly rejected his offer and continued on. I caught the train at around 9PM-ish. I bumped into an acquaintance and yea, I told her what happened, lol... Minus the pamphlet. I dropped my stuff off at home then decided to go to the Supermarket to buy ingredients for tomorrow. There was only one problem - I only had 600yen and the ATM machines were closed. Anyhow, I ended up buying bananas, a bag of apples (fuji, yay~) and something else I cannot recall at the moment... But yea, I went home ate an apple and a banana... then wrote a few kanji flash cards~ Then went to bed. =)

Saturday November 13 (Japan Time)

Oh... Today was probably the busiest day I've ever had since I came here. The host family party was today at 1PM! I woke up at 9:30AM and left the house at around 10PM to shop for some essential ingredients. I flew to the ATM machine and withdrew cash... I figured salad rolls was the safe thing to do since it's cheap and easy but yea.. I was wrong, lol. It was not cheap~ I bought the wraps and lettuce at one store then flew to the second one because the first store did not have mints. But yea, here are the prices (not including dishes etc)

• Wrap x2 = ~8CAD
• Lettuce = ~2CAD
• Shrimp (peeled) = 4CAD (Most worthwhile)
• 3 mini lime = ~3CAD
• 2 Lemon = 2CAD
• A handful of mint = 3CAD (Mint is rare in Japan for some reason)
• Noodles x2 = ~4CAD
• Total: ~26CAD

Omg, I could've bought all of those (some in bulk) for like.. half the price in Calgary ;-; -sigh- anyhow, I flew home...boiled the noodles and let it set.. then flew downstairs to check my email etc. Flew back upstairs, cooked up the shrimp and preped everything. I made fish sauce too, lol. That took a lot of time, surprisingly. But yea, I'm glad I bought the two lemons. The three small limes were pathetic. I started wrapping at around 11:45AM, the party starts at 1PM and it takes me 1hr to get there via my usual route... T-T I finished wrapping at 12:40PM. Left the house and stepped into the train at around 12:50PM. I called Dinara to tell her I was going to be late... (obviously, lol) I was trying to decide on whether to take the JR Train or the usual bus route.. I figured that JR would be faster since the bus has more stops than the JR and yea, I wasn't too sure about the stop times for the bus...It turns out I just missed the train heading for the University (The party was actually close to the JR train station.) so I had to wait an extra 20 minutes for the next one... I board the train at around 1:20PM and got to　あいの里教育大 station at around 1:40PM (Omg, uber late!!!) I immediately called Dinara and it turns out the building was actually RIGHT beside the JR station, lol. I walked in squeamishly because I was not where NEAR fashionably late... A lady in there asked me what I brought and I said, "Vietnamese food." Everyone stopped talking and a few people mumbled "Vietnamese food?!" The lady with the mic asked me where I was from and I said I was from Canada. She then said, "Ah, this is Raymond. He bought Vietnamese food and is from Canada." Everyone laughed lol~ They were expecting something along the lines of, "He bought Vietnamese food and he's from Vietnam." But nope~ Canada, lol. The lady then made me do a self introduction. LOL ahh... I introduced myself, displayed my little tray of wrapped goodies and yea, lol~ It was a fun self introduction. I was a complete mess though, lol. I didn't really prim up before arriving so it seemed like I just came out of a storm. Apparently they have a name in Japanese for Salad rolls, lol. The lady behind me told me after I uttered it out in english, lol. I felt a bit bad because the lady took the mic from Fong, the vietnamese girl who was in the middle of her speech about Vietnam.

After my self introduction, the lady gave the mic back to Fong. She finished her speech then a bunch of people flew over to the table with the Salad rolls. But yea... They were all gone in a matter of seconds. People who ate it said it was good. (Thank god, lol.)  A few moms invited me to their house because I was the only person who could not do homestay at the party. There are others too but they did not attend the party. One of them even invited me over once a week to talk to her son for 1000yen, lol. Score~ Seems like I'll have some form of flowing revenue~ Anyhow... Two moms invited me to their house for dinner~ One of them asked if I could teach her how to make salad rolls. =) Seems fun~ definitely will take on that offer! There was an interpretive dance... a few presentations~ And voila, the party ended at 3PM. I lost the bag to put my fish sauce in so one of the host mothers gave me one of her bags. She told me I could return it to Alex, the "host son" on monday. (Such a nice lady) The weather was nice today so I wanted to go for a run. Dinara and I walked to the University and yea... Got there at around 4PM. Turns out the University closes at 5PM. =( My plans were spoiled~ But anyhow, we went to the library and studied for a few minutes, lol. We left at 5PM for the bus and it turns out the train does not come for another 40 minutes (omg) We wandered to Seicomart, the local convenient store, where I bought 3 dango sticks for 100yen and this one tea I really, really like~ 爽実風茶. I don't know what it's called in english, lol. I used it to wrap my little fish sauce bottle because it was sort of leaking. (damn 100 yen bottle) but yea... Dinara and I sat inside the little alcove near the bus stop and talked~ I got an email from the nice host mom thanking me for bringing salad rolls and invited me over whenever it's most convenient. (Insert happy face) We caught the bus and talked some more~ we arrived at home at around 7PM. I went to the supermarket to buy more shrimp and ingredients. I was texting back to the nice host mom along the way. (Another 10 or so CAD down gutter~) I made some more salad rolls and shared some with Dinara and the Male Residence Assistance. I plan on speaking with the international center on Monday about switching over to the dormitories. If I get accepted, I will be more than happy to switch over but I know I will miss this place. Damn attachments. But anyhow, here I am now~ Typing away and about to study~ And -sigh- I forgot to bring my camera today to take pictures!!!! -sigh-