TIM's Big Bus Adventure

Hooray!

I got kicked off a bus!

Okay, maybe I should back up a little. Yesterday, I did not have much on my schedule. Classes had technically started, but there were no language classes, and none of my culture classes are scheduled for Monday. So after I sat in on a class I was on the waitlist for, I had absolutely nothing to do. So, what better way to make use of an afternoon than to go register with the government?

That's right, it was time to get my Alien Registration Card, or "Gaijin Card," (Foreigner Card) as it's commonly known.

Now, at this point, I should probably note that I am not a city boy. I have probably never used public transportation in my life before coming to Japan, at least not by myself. So now that I'm HERE, I'm not only trying to get a handle on the public transportation system, but I'm having to do it in a foreign country, where I can't ask anyone anything or read the signs. But I knew that I needed to get to the city hall by Bus.

No biggie. I'd gone to the station (which is near city hall) by bus before--once I even went on my own. So, I jumped on a bus and hoped for the best.

I was not disappointed. I soon arrived at the station, and proceeded to try to find out where city hall was. According to the directions given to me by a professor, you "go past the starbucks, turn left, and walk for three minutes."

So, step one, find the Starbucks.

Okay, found it. But which way am I supposed to be going when I pass it? Should I pass it on the left? On the right? So, I just took a stab at it. Passed the starbucks, turned left, and started walking. After about three minutes, I still didn't see any building with HIRAKATA CITY HALL printed on it. And the street basically ended. Well, I figured, that must have been the wrong way to go. So I go back to the starbucks, and set off in the other direction. Or rather, I tried to. There wasn't even a ROAD going in that direction. Well, that can't be right, can it?

So, I pulled out the crappy map they had given me and tried to get my bearings. To my surprise, city hall was actually indicated on it. So was the starbucks. Well, it looked like I had gone the right direction... but wait. Something's not right. It says that the starbucks is next to a convenience store. But I don't see one.

Oh, well. I head off in the direction I first tried again, anyway. I got to where I was before, and still couldn't see city hall. Then I squinted at the building across the street...

Did it say "Hirakata" behind that tree? Don't tell me...

So, I cross the street over to the building to get a better view, and sure enough, if you look behind the tree branches blocking the way, it does indeed proclaim that it is Hirakata City Hall.

Well, at least I found it. 45 minutes till it closed, too. Whew.

So I go in and submit the paperwork for my Gaijin Card, which was surprisingly simple. Then I start to head back.

And THAT'S when it started raining.

I was able to make it back to the station before it started pouring, where there's a lot of overhangs to hide under. I remembered that the starbucks I passed also had a book, cd, and DVD shop in the same building, so I figured that would be a good place to wait out the storm. So I look around for the starbucks.

And I spot one. Right next door to a convenience store...

And it is NOT the same starbucks I saw before.

That's right. There are TWO starbucks located within walking distance from a JAPANESE train station, and they're BOTH on the way to city hall.

After pondering the effects of globalization for a while, I went to the other side of the station and found the more interesting starbucks.

In any fellow otaku were wondering, yes, manga is cheaper in Japan. About five bucks a pop, as opposed to the 5-10 bucks you pay in the states.

Anime however, is not. I started browsing the DVDs, and was shocked by the price. They were charging up to 6,000 Yen ($51.00) for a single DVD with no frills.
Add that to the fact that I don't even think that the DVD player in our common area plays DVDs from this region, and you can guess I didn't spring for one.

I also ran into a rather interesting guy. What is interesting about this guy, is that while appearing very friendly, and talkative, whenver he decides the conversation is over, he apparently runs away. Without a word. Just escapes.

This has happened twice so far. I mean, sure. The problem COULD be on my end. But nobody ELSE runs away after talking to me for a few minutes...

Anyway. After the guy disappeared, I checked and found that the rain had stopped. I made my way to the bus stop that, according to my crappy map, would take me back to my dorm. I waited for it to come for half an hour, and got on.

A few minutes later, we pulled into a turnaround, and everyone got off but me. When I continued to sit there, the driver started talking to me over the intercom. I of course had no idea what he was saying, and he eventually simplified it: "Owari des." "It's over."

Well! How interesting. So, what could I do? I paid my fare and got off.

So, there I was, somewhere in the middle of a city in Japan, with no idea where I was or how to get back to my dorm. The most useful advice I've ever gotten from a fictional book kept flashing through my mind: "Don't Panic." So, I didn't.

I walked in one direction for a while, but didn't see anything very promising. So I came back to where I had been unceremoniously dumped off. According to the schedule, there would be another bus in about half an hour. A bus to where, though?

I had no idea. However, I thought I remembered seeing some familiar landmarks on the way to my drop off point, so I decided to start walking back the way the bus had come. I figured, if nothing else, I could turn back after 15 minutes, and brave the bus again.

Luckily, about two minutes later, I came across someone who was obviously as foreign as I was. I asked here where the heck we were, and as it turns out, we were right next to campus. Not terribly close to my dorm, but at least close to somewhere I know.

So, I went to campus, and from there I hoofed it back to my dorm, rather than try my luck on the bus again.

Now, those of you who actually know a thing or two about public transport are probably laughing your heads off at me, for making what is probably an obvious mistake.

That's fine, have a laugh. But when you're done, can you tell me how this stuff works?! (@_@)