So I went to the bus stop, with this feeling like I should have just taken the damn train, 809 came and went, and this being Japan I just knew that was a problem and called my supervisor at 815 in a panic.
Me: I need to be at Takayama station in time for the 848 train to Gifu and my bus never came! What do I do?!?!!
Supervisor: It didn't come? When is the next one?
Me: Not until 829
Supervisor: 829?!! Please stay where you are and I will call you back.
Me: *trying not to panic*
Phone: *ring*
Supervisor: Ok, please stay there and I will come get you. If the bus comes first get on it.
Me: ok
-2 mins pass-
Phone: *ring*
Supervisor: Nevermind about the bus, just wait for me to get you
Me: ok *feeling retarded*
Me: *calls George, begs him to buy extra ticket to Gifu*
-5 mins pass-
Bus: *comes* *leaves*
-5 more mins pass-
Supervisor: *picks me up* *drives like a maniac to Takayama station* *passes bus*
Phone: *rings*
George: So I am running a little late myself, you may want to get someone else to get your ticket
Me: But you're the only one with a phone I know who is going on this train!
George: I'm LITERALLY running to the station...
Me: ...
George: ok, first one there will buy it
-10 mins pass-
Supervisor: drops me off. *is awesome*
Me: *runs into station, sees George at ticket counter* *buys ticket*
Me and George: rush on to train with 3 mins to spare
Regional Prefectural Advisor Nancy: *jumps on train with no ticket and 30 sec to spare*
Me: *doesn't feel so retarded anymore* ^_^
It was a miracle George and I made it. Then when Nancy had to blow through the gate and jump on the train just before it left and then buys her ticket on the train (which I didn't know you could do), I didn't feel like quite as much of an idiot anymore. But phew! It was exciting. And something I'd rather not repeat.
Have I mentioned how much I love my supervisor? Awesome doesn't even begin to describe him ^_^
Anyway, orientation was held at a sports complex in Gifu City. All the new ALTs were there, plus the RPA's (regional prefectural advisors) and then some 2nd+ years showed up a little later. For the most part we stayed inside the sports complex, as it was air conditioned. Which was great seeing as I seem to have an aversion to the a/c around here - it made me feel sick and light-headed the entire time we were there.
When we weren't in meetings being bored to tears or trying desperately to squeeze as much info as possible from the presenters about what to expect in the coming weeks, we pretty much just hung out in the lobby. The rooms were all Japanaese style - tatami mats and futons. No good for spending copious amounts of time. The sole furniture in them being a small shelf and some ass pillows. And since nobody wanted to go outside, we got to know the vending machines quite well. One of our new discoveries was the "jelly soda", which is like canned jello. Serioiusly. You shake it up and then slurp it down.
Evan, enjoying a nice cold one...
We had a dinner reception Thursday night, which was all you can eat and all you can drink. For the most part it was tasty, but I have to admit I did stay away from
They made up for it by having hot sake. Which this really neurotic sake-man wouldn't let you take until it had reached *exactly* the right temperature. He even had a thermometer to check it with.
After dinner, people hung out for a while, took baths (communal shower/bath, only open from 4-10 pm and NOT open in the mornings), etc. I opted not to bathe as I just didn't feel icky enough to shower with 20 other women yet. Lights out was at 10pm, at which point you're locked into the building. However, as every gathering in this program involves some kind of party, we had a plan to skirt that rule and set up room 301 (the farthest from all the other guests staying at the complex) as the designated party room. Which had to suck for the guys staying in it, lol
Some of us headed out before to get some beer, but as the liquor store was closed and the only grocery store in Japan that doesn't sell beer was our only option, we ended up purchasing our booze from a vending machine.
Yes, a vending machine.
The party was a good time - I got to hang out with the friends I made at the Gifu fireworks, as well as meet a whole bunch of new people. And believe me, that room was PACKED.
We had to keep the windows and the doors shut to keep the noise to a minimum, and it reeked of sweaty men the next morning when we all had to go put our stuff in there after checkout. Nasty. How the guys slept in there I'm not sure; Paul said that since he stayed in there the whole night he didn't notice it until after he left the next morning.
The characters on the shirt say "Gifu"
I finally called it a night at 1 when an ALT with limited social skills asked me if I needed somebody to walk me back to my room (uh, no, I'm good, thanks...). When I got to my room everyone else had already gone to bed so I had to fumble around in the dark and find a futon, pillow, and sheets, all while trying not to wake anyone up.
The next morning was more orientation, and by noon we were finished. Dan and I wanted to get our re-entry permits (a handy document that allows you to leave and re-enter the country without re-applying for another visa), and tagged along with Kim, Eric, George, and Minh to get some lunch at Gifu station. We also met a girl named Chelsea who came in with Group B (arrived in Tokyo in August a week after us A people). So, we ate, we got permits, then Dan and I decided to tag along with George, Minh, and Chelsea, and go play tourists for the rest of the day!
Our destination was:
Gifu Castle
And on the way we had some fun
To get there, we decided to fork over 1000 yen and take the gondola up to the top instead of hiking. It was actually worth it just for the awesome experience of riding up the mountain
At the top there was a short hike to the castle, in which I was aided by my super-human high-altitude acclimation (soon to be lost, I'm afraid).
View of Gifu from the walk
According to wikipedia, Gifu Castle was first built by the Nikaido Family between 1201 and 1204 during the Kamakura Period. Originally called Inabayama Castle, Gifu Castle has gone through many numbers of repairs over the course of several generations. Even though it was famous as a physically powerful castle, it was once taken over by a mere sixteen men. It is known that at one time a man by the name of Takenaka Hanbei went to the castle to visit his sick brother, Saito Tatsuoki. In reality, he went to the castle not to visit his brother, but to kill him. When Hanbei struck at him, Tatsuoki was very confused - believing an enemy army had come to attack him - and fled. Thus, Hanbei obtained Inabayama Castle with relative ease. Later, Hanbei returned the castle to his brother, but Tatsuoki had lost an immeasurable amount of reputation and honor due to his perceived cowardly flight from the castle. When Oda Nobunaga attacked Inabayama Castle, many men under Tatsuoki remembered this event and defected. After easily defeating Tatsuoki, Nobunaga claimed the castle and made it his primary base-of-operations.
Nobunaga renamed the stronghold "Gifu Castle", following an example set by an ancient Chinese practice. Nobunaga then proceeded to renovate the castle into a far more impressive and grandiose structure than its previous incarnation. The current version of Gifu Castle is a cement structure that was built in the 1950s, as the previous castle had been destroyed by the firebombings of the surrounding city in 1945. Inside the castle, there are three floors with exhibits representing the castle's past. With maps, weapons, pictures and other artifacts on display, visitors can recreate the story of Gifu Castle.
Dan and his sweat rag in front of the castle...
he almost could pass for a local now, neh?
Inside there was a kind of museum of artifacts and things on display. Was very osoreooi (awesome)
And at the top, great views of Gifu City
Hida region is somewhere behind me!
While we were waiting at the base of the mountain for our car ride up, George, in typical brilliant English fashion, saw some stick-on moustaches that we made great use of on our way back from the castle. We wanted to have a nice backdrop for a picture of all of us and ended up wandering into this outdoor restaraunt. I think the staff there were a little unsure/annoyed with us at first, but once we asked them to take our picture they started laughing and it was all fun ^_^
Dan has the photo of all of us, so I'll have to post that later. It's awesome, believe me, but for now you'll have to content yourselves with:
George!
Dan!
me!
After our photo shoot, we headed back down, chatting with some local Japanese tourists who were very impressed they had 5 eigo no sensei (English teachers) in their midsts. Acutally, Dan did the talking. The rest of us just nodded our heads and smiled, lol
It took a while to make it back to the station, where we took way too long to figure out how to buy tickets home, and split up when George dragged Minh off to find an express train. So, Chelsea, Dan, and I headed off in search of food before our 830 train, and wandered past the bike storage at the station
And then it was time to go home
Chelsea got off in Mino Ota, Dan and I had a nice 3+ hour ride home. It's slow as hell, but I like the local cause I can get off in Miya.
It was late. We were tired.
oyasuminasai! (good night!)
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