April 21^st

Wanted to join a club decided I take pictures so ill try and join the photo club. Found out where there room and decided to drop by and see what they were up too. Walked into a cheerful small room with a small group of people talking happily. They all turn around notice my presence and all talking ceases. I tell them I want to join there club then a look of horror breaks out. Three guys sitting on the couch in front of me immediately get up and tell me to sit. So I do. The guys who got up didn’t know what to do they just stayed standing. Then some Japanese broke out and one of them decided that she would be the brave one who would communicate with me. After some time and some difficulty they figured out that I did not have a film camera. They said they would loan me one but that they didn’t have it that day so I would have to come back. I thought it was really nice of them to give me a camera without even knowing me but then I guess they have nothing to worry about why would I steal it.

No pictures of photo club but..

picture of Tohoku University Parking lot

April 17^th

(WARNING: This entry is long and possibly boring entry so it’s broken up into sections for your reading enjoyment)

Part I

Hanami # 4 Hanami ESS Style: Got there and noticed that there was only alcohol and very little food. Found out later that each sophomore member had to pay 100 dollars for the alcohol and couldn’t drink any of it themselves. There was about 15  sophomores so that’s like 1500 dollars worth of alcohol for like 20 – 30 people. This is not surprising since ESS is known for there crazy drinking party. They separated us into groups and then distributed the alcohol. With the usual chants and the usual little guy downing cup after cup of alcohol the drinking began. It didn’t take them much time to bring out huge bottles of sake and wine and use karosine pumps to create there own kind of bear bong excitement. They go up to people fill the pump with alcohol then while singing the mission impossible theme song and chanting pumpu pumpu they would encourage people to drink as much as they could handle. I was wanting to meet some of the ESS girls which reminded me of but before I could get to go talked to any of them this guy came over and started talking to me. Somehow I fell into the usual daily I hate bush and I hate America conversation and so was unable to participate in the activities. Meanwhile my friends were getting drunk and showing the ESS guys how to shotgun beers (Poke a whole in the top of a beer and then drink the whole thing in about 2 seconds) The ESS guys loved this. After about 40 minutes there were guys humping each other and rolling around and throwing up in the bathroom and all of those kinda things. After the ESS members were sufficiently wasted the group decided it was time to go to there second welcome party of the day, Karaoke, After this karaoke party they planed to have a third party, a tea party to sober up, then a fourth party, an all you can drink nomihodai. After the ESS hanami I went to the At home hanami Hanami # 5. There was no drinking there met some more girls, and including one that spoke really rearry rearry good English.

Girls clean up after the guys got wasted at the end of ESS hanami

Part II

Went to a friends birthday party for dinner did some more talking and learned a few Japanese words. The birthday group was gona go to the ESS 4^th party to drink some more but it was too expensive so we split up and my group went to a coffee shop. Drank some tea chatted a little then played some card games stayed there till it closed. To kick people out they play the American new years eve song. Some songs are meant to be played only once a year and that’s one of them. Hearing it reminds me of new years. Anyways didn’t wana finish at 11 so the girls we were with decided they wanted to get some alcohol and some food and go back to our dorm. There was 8 of us and 4 bikes so we decided to pear up. The bike I was driving was unstable so it took me some time to get steady by the time I was secure the group was gone and it was just me an a girl weeks out of highschool who couldn’t speak much English. Im new to sendai so I wasn’t really sure where I was going but since it is impossible for me to get lost I headed of in a direction. This bugged the girl so she began to panic and not understanding me thought we should head back. And since we were heading back we might as well go to her place which was about 1.5 miles in the opposite direction. Biking through sendai at midnight with no traffic and nice cold weather was really nice.

Me and some of the people i met at frined's (white guy with t cup) party. Same people for part III.

Part III

So got back to my dorm at 1 or 2. Went up to join the rest of the group. We decided since there was four girls and four guys we should play some nice highschool games. And I suppose it was appropriate since the girls that were over just graduated highschool a month ago.  So yea played games like someone ask a question and a sock is passed around and if its true for you put a 10yen coin in or if false put in a 100yen. Found out a lot of people wanted to hook up in the room and that all of the guys would have slept with all of the girls, among other things. Then played a game where cards are passed out and whoever gets the king calls out numbers and makes those numbers do fun(stupid) things. So after an hour of shirt switching and cheek kissing we got tired of that and by this time it was 6 o clock in the morning. The sun had come up like 2 hours ago. I was rearry tired. 

April 14^th

Things have slowed down so I spent most of this week working on my Zanga site. It takes me the longest time to do the simplest things. Anyways went with a friend to check out the traveling club. Turns out the club travels by bike riding all over Japan. They can ride between 50 and 200 kilometer per day. There fairly serious. I can hardly even ride the two miles from my dorm to campus or up the mountain I need to ride to get up to lab.. and internet access. Anyways the guys were really nice and treated me and my friend to dinner. We ate at another small restaurant but it was full of about 40 college students. It was only operated by a woman and a cook. It took a about 1.5 hours to get food cause the place was so busy but it was worth it cause this place served huge portions for very little money. Its very nice eating at these small places cause its very personal it is as if the cook is cooking food just for you. The woman host was so nice that she even gave us candy for coming. Never run into such cheerful people happy to do there job in California.

Some of the members from the travel club

Touring bike made by panasonic

Restaurant we ate at

April 11^th

Went to my 2^nd Hanabi today held by my dorm. It was almost over when a drunken Japanese man showed up and insist we try some of his 30 percent alcohol soju. The stuff wasn’t all that good but it made him happy to see us drink it. He then invited us over to join his group which consisted of about 20+ people of all ages. They supposedly own a liquor store in the red-light district in Sendai. After joining his group they offered me some wine and some tea. They were very friendly. While sitting with the group talking with a few of them and taking pictures with the others the drunk guy constantly kept patting me on the head and grabbing my leg. He sure was friendly. It was nice hanging out with that group… The drunk Japanese sure are friendly and kind to foreigners.   

Drunk Japanese guy and his group

3rd Hanami: Held by international student center

April 10^th

Its cherry blossom (sakura) season so the Japanese like to go out and flower watch, They really go out and get drunk in the park under Sakura trees  – they call it hanami. Everyone seems to do it. I think I have been invited to about 5 of them. I went to my first one today with my lab. When I got there the first thing I see is a drunk guy rolling around on a matt. Supposedly he was there all night holding the spot. And while holding the spot decided to get drunk. Then I was met by 4 others from my lab who were also slightly drunk after drinking in the morning. Professor showed up, got to drink with him and 25 lab mates all guys, no girls. It was fun lots of food lots of alcohol and lots of simple conversations and lots of Japanese which I can’t understand. After that the lab gave me a bike that used to belong to another student. A bike is necessary considering my classes are about 2 miles from my dorm and my lab is up a steep 300 foot+ hill.  After that got a cell phone for 1 yen (1 cent). Fairly nice. Much better then my old Nokia.

Cherry Blossums

Guy holding are hanami spot since the night before

Lab Hanami

Cell Phone (1 yen)