Another great weekend!

This was another nearly perfect weekend in Japan! Initially, I was planning on going away for the weekend to the beach with some of my friends. However, earlier this week, for no apparent reason, I decided that I didn't want to go, so I didn't.

I think that part of it is that my introverted nature is a lot stronger here: I spend all day being super genki and extroverted, so in my precious free time, I tend to want to go off and do things by myself more. Maybe the other part is that most of my friends here so far are my friends through my neighbor, and although they are all very nice and great fun, I kind of want to make my own friends. Or maybe I'm just slowly becoming more hermit like as I get older...who knows.

So, back to my great weekend... Yesterday, I had intentions of going to do some sight-seeing, but this weekend is a holiday here, so places are all super crowded. So, instead, I went down to the river and found this amazingly beautiful beach nestled in a cove of bamboo trees. I spent the morning there just relaxing and studying Japanese. Then, I headed off to Nagoya and went to the Osu Kannon Temple, did some shopping, and then somehow ended up at a free music festival in the middle of Sakae. I met tons of really cool people and heard a really great Japanese hip/hop band called Nobody Knows+.

Then, I headed to a gay bar called Nan*Nan. It was so hard to find because there generally are no street names in Japan, but was well worth the trip, as it was full of hot twenty-something J-guys. They were all very nice and I made a bunch of new friends.

Today, I made a long list of things to do, and not only did I do them all, but I also did tons of extra things, like re-tile the entry way to my apartment and make a chair (I'm like the gay Martha Stewart of Japan). It's such a good feeling to get things done. (I miss being busy all the time) I spent the afternoon at the beach, and even got over my fear of rivers and swam across to the other side. (well, more like waded, but still)

I have done many ridiculous things since moving here, but today was perhaps the most ridiculous. I found a used microwave for only 2000 yen (about $18) at a second-hand shop. I bought it, and then took it home. The funny part is that I took it home on my bicycle haha. My kid's bicycle hahahah! It was quite a challenge and I must have looked ridiculous, but who cares. It's not like a blend in at all anyway haha.

I think that I'm really starting to be happy here.