Ok, I must finish up this first day stuff.
So after about 2 more minutes on foot we met up with Ono again and jumped in the car. This time we drove all the way to my new apartment, a large concrete building like any other apartment building. They showed me the place, gave me the keys to it and a bike, and we again left. They wanted to take me for a quick shopping trip.
Not much to say about the rest of the day except that we must have looked rather funny walking around the grocery store. In Japan women do the food shopping, with a few exceptions, of course. So here we are, two Japanese men and me wondering aimlessly around the store. It wasn't too bad, I'd pick something up and say, "what's this?" and Yamaki would try to tell me by reading the box or bag or carton. I got the feeling that they weren't regulars in the supermarket and, of course, I couldn't read a thing. So I picked out a few items: some frozen dumplings, some bananas, a small tray of sushi, a carton each of orange juice and milk, a pringles-like container of chips. Then I told them I needed soap, as in shower soap, and I motioned like I was cleaning myself. "AAHH," they said, and the search was on. We found some without much trouble and then Ono told Yamaki (in Japanese) that I didn't have any toilet paper. He had checked. So we went to the toilet paper section and stood and looked. Now, I am a guy. And I have lived alone. So I know how long a 4-pack will last me. And lets just say it will last me a while. So I reached for the four pack at about 250 yen, but when I picked it up Yamaki made it clear that I was not doing right and he motioned down to the end of the isle where they had stacked many 12-packs of the wipy stuff. He pointed to the price which was also about 250 yen and said, "better deal." But that wasn't all. Immediately ensued a broken English discussion about whether to go with the one-ply pack or the two-ply pack. So here I am, in a supermarket with my supervisor, whom I met maybe 3 hours ago having a discussion about toilet paper. "This is surreal," I thought to myself as I paid and we left with enough food to last me till maybe tomorrow and enough toilet paper to get me through till next spring.
But we weren't done yet. Back at the grocery store and near the end of our little shopping experience Yamaki had asked me if there was anything else I needed. "Well," I thought, "why not?" and told him that yes, there was something else--beer. To which he exlaimed, "AAHH, we go discount liquor store."
We arrived a few minutes later and let me just say that is was strange (yet again) but damn nice to stand in the isle and discuss the beer in front of us. He pointed out where I could find the alcohol content on the cans and bottles, told me what he did and didn't like, and made a couple of suggestions. I picked out four cans (yes, only four, I didn't want to look like a lush just yet) of different kinds of beer and we left.
So after all that, they took me home again where we met the gas man and a guy that was dropping off my futon and all that goes with it (sheets, blankets, pillow, etc). In my apartment are three devices that use gas: the two-burner stove, the hot water gizmo for the kitchen, and, of course, the shower. So the gas man filled out some paperwork, showed me how to use everything (no English except for Yamaki's) and then left. Soon after, Ono and Yamaki left and I was finally, after the flight and 3-day orientation and bus ride and first visit to the Kencho, alone and in Japan.
Alone and in Japan. Finally. After all the effort and time. It was hard to believe I was actually here. I'd had dreams, real dreams, not those sappy hopes and dreams kind, but real nighttime dreams about living over here. They'd been strange but pretty realistic dreams from which I'd awake to find myself still in America and say, "Shit!" At times it seemed like it would never happen. Even when I turned in the application, it didn't seem likely. Even when I had the interview, it didn't seem likely. Especially when they told me I was an alternate, it didn't seem likely. Hell, even when I did get accepted, I thought something might happen to blow the whole plan out of the water. But indeed, here I was. Sitting in a room with a tatami mat floor, and a rice paper window, and Mt Fuji somewhere behind those clouds. I don't want to get sappy here, but I'd made it. I was having trouble believing it. I've been here almost four weeks now and I still wonder if I'll wake up. But so far so good.
But it wasn't like I was the first person to Mars or something so I soon got over it, unpacked a few things, grabbed a beer, and decided to take a shower. Now as I said, the gas man showed me how to use the gas. He'd turned this valve this way, then turned this nob to here and then to here and whalaa! hot water! Ok, then why isn't any hot water coming out? Ok, turn it all off and try again. Turn, turn, twist, and.......no, just cold water. HHmmmmmm......
I tried it for 15 minutes after which time, frustrated and sweating and swearing, I took a cold shower. FUCK!