Yay for Yotsuya!

Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of meeting up with my good buddy Sampei-san(first name,Junya). This week I have been training at the three different locations that I will teach at. Kamiooka, Honmoku, and Totsuka. All these places are pretty decent even though one of them is in the back room of a burger restaurant...Anywayz, yesterday I was told that it would be easier to meet Junya from Totsuka as oppose to Oppama (main city to where I live). Thankfully I had a cell phone in just case I got lost and boy did I get lost.(Yep, gave in to the cell phone craze of Asia. Its the cheapest I can find yet it can probably automatically open my car garage in Toronto from here!). I am in utter bewilderment of technology.Thats an another story.

Anywayz, got lost. As much of a western, developed society Japan is perceived to be, a vast majority cannot speak Eigo(English). I needed directions to Yotsuya from Tosuka desperately. I tested my luck with business men...To no avail. Then came the school girls...

Interesting subculture they are. Fascinated by the white man as well. Helped me they did(why am I writing like yoda?). It didn't take much. I simply showed them the directions Junya gave me and they did their best to put me on the right train. They couldn't speak a word of English. That goes to show you that a smile can go a long way. I got lost a couple more times. But each time I did, I turned on the old Turkish Charm and got by.

I met up with my boy Junya about an hour later. Yotsuya is a university town outside Tokyo. We went to a restaurant where his girlfriend and a couple other of his friends were. Great dinner and conversation. Why? Cause all these Japanese kids were English Literature majors. Yosh!

After dinner and drinks it was only appropriate that we went to... KARAOKE!!! This was my first session in Japan. We had a great time rockin out. I'm actually quite surprised with how familiar many of the Japanese songs were to me.Thanks Kei.

Missed the train back....Went to Kana's place with Junya(his girlfriend). Slept,went to McDonalds(the clowns name here is Donald not Ronald), had a teriyaki burger(ewwww, abit too tasty).Came home and relaxed. I have the christmas show I have to prepare for tomorrow. I'm playin guitar and hosting it with a local radio personality apparently.

Japanese television is f***ed up. The culture shock hits me hard with tv here. I don't get anything!?!? Right now I'm watching this scary, giant piece of poo dancing and singing...

Sumimasen(key word of Japanese society-means anything from welcome to sorry/excuse me),

Elmo(One of many fun and wacky Emrah pronunciations here)