It's the holiday Golden Week in Japan, which means it's time for people to take trips, visit people, or...just relax. This time around, it's also time for Nick to leave for the states.
Letsee, today's Wednesday, which means...Monday Nick and I went up to Iida for ramen. We picked up Cris on the way and hung out for a while, then came back to the apartments with Cris to chill while Nick packed. However, while Nick was walking over to my apartment at some point, our wonderful neighbor stopped him in the corridor. Dun-dun-duuuuuun. Our Mr. neighbor isn't Mr. Rogers by any means. He works a late schedule, then comes home and coughs his lungs out while getting wasted practically every day. He also has the good fortune to live between 2 foreigners, who cause so much racket with their talking, watching tv, and cleaning their apartments. What's wrong with those darn foreigners?! He obviously has the right to pond on the walls and walk over to yell at them any time they make a sound. Right?
Anyways, Neighbor-san was telling Nick that his food waste he keeps out on his balcony stinks. Alright fair enough, Nick will empty it out that day.
No. Do it now.
I'll do it later today.
I want to watch you do it, let me in.
After which the neighbor tried to physically force his way into Nick's apartment. Nick apparently shoved him out, causing him to fall down. Neighbor-san wedged himself into the doorframe to make it impossible to close it, while Nick told him repeatedly to leave.
I learned all of this through the phone from Nick who called the board of education, who talked him out of calling the police. They came over and listened to the story, then decided to come back the next day when (hopefully) neighbor-san wouldn't be drunk.
Before all this, the plan was to make dinner for the 3 of us, so Nick brought all the stuff over to my apartment, and we locked the door to get cooking. Neighbor-san was quiet the rest of the night, despite the talking and cooking that was going on next door. He probably realized that Nick's patience had worn out and we'd called his indirect employers (he's employed by the town in some way). We had a great dinner.
That night, I also inherited a couch and 2 goldfish which are currently swimming happily in their brandy-new tank.
The next morning, Nick left early for the states, and Cris and I headed into Iida. We has b-fast at a sushi place, then went shooopping! I stumbled across a few great things that day.
1. fresh basil plants. The ones I planted earlier aren't doing so well.....
2. A great shirt and a summer scarf with sailboats on it, cool~
3. Randomly in a cute gift shop, I found....STROOPWAFELS!!!!! I was sooooo excited and immediately bought 3 packs (2 wafers per pack).
Also, I couldn't believe how many of my students I met out and about in the city. We sat next to 4 girls that recently graduated, ran across some of my elem. school kids in a clothing store, and a PTA member, the parent of one of my kids in the electronics store. -Twas fun.
Today is another gorgeous day. On the agenda: walk, plant the basil, watch the fishes, make a nice dinner, and watch a movie or two. Thus ends the last day of vacation. Work starts again tomorrow. Goodie.
