(Almost) Felonious Activities

Have you ever tried to figure out a train system? How about one that doesn't post schedules on the platforms? Or clear signs? While using another language? After forgetting to check pertinent vocab before leaving the house?

I have. And I only almost committed one felony. May even have been a misdemeanor :)

Tuesday I had the day off, and decided to take the train into Saku City (the nearest large city) to explore the 100 yen store that all of the ALTs that I've met have been raving about (for those wondering, it's roughly equivalent to the dollar store). So, early morning-ish I check the train schedule online and head out, assuming that there will be signs on the platforms telling me which direction the train I want will be coming from, and a ticket office to pay my fare at.

I was wrong. The train station in my area (Kaize) is literally one platform that you just walk onto. With a rain shelter. No schedules. No signs. No ticket office. Luckily there was a younger woman who I could ask questions. Unfortunately she spoke almost no English. She was able to confirm that she was waiting for the train to Sakudaira Station, and that you paid on board, but that was about it. So I get on the first train and look around for somewhere to pay. Nothing. I look around for someone to pay. Nothing. I sit around trying to figure out the punishment for bumming a ride on Japan Rail. I get a little worried and try to talk to the woman from before, but she just looks confused and goes back to playing with her cellphone. I contemplate emailing people in the states to see if they could find something to answer my question, but decide the response would probably take too long.

Then a rail official gets on the train. He unlocks the booth at the back, starts going through cupboards and radioing someone. I assume that the end is near. My friend from before taps my arm, and reads from her cellphone (where she had been looking at an online dictionary) "you pay him."

Problem solved. Thankfully, without any inadvertent criminal activity on my part. I got to Sakudiara without any further issues, and explored the mall and 100 yen shop (which was a bit of a letdown). The Japanese mall was awesome though: 1/4 was video games, there was a french creperie where you could buy spaghetti covered in ketchup to go with your cream crepe, there were plenty of little kids to stare and point at me, and a store that sold kimonos for dogs. All in all, a pretty successful first attempt at using Japan Rail. It's weird how everything becomes a challenge when you can't quite communicate.

Over the last week I have also: met the mayor, visited my elementary schools for the first time, and transferred the title of the car into my name (so that I can drive). I'd been a little nervous about both meeting the mayor and visiting the rest of my schools, but everything went really smoothly; the mayor was really friendly, and my schools seem really cool (one has gorgeous wood everywhere, and at the other the teacher who will be supervising me speaks really good English).

What had been making me the most nervous was the idea of driving here. They drive on the wrong side of really narrow roads, the signs are different, and there are lots of hills. It's going to take a little getting used to (I reach for the gear shift on the wrong side of the wheel every time, and have to think about which side has blinkers and which side wipers) but it's an easier switch than I thought it would be. People from the BoE helped me do my first drives to grocery stores, home goods stores, and all of my schools, which helped (they also gave me more veggies: corn, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, peppers, and potatoes this time). Any cooking suggestions?

Friday through Monday I have off, and the plan is to organize the house a bit, put together a little garden, read through some of the teaching materials, and then go exploring in the mountains. Should be fun!