I Almost Forgot how to Type

Man oh man is it good to be back in the world of connectivity. It's like being paroled after this amazingly long and wrongfully assigned prison sentence--Hey man, don't you know we're all innocent?

So, I'm back amongst the clickers and surfers of society. Am I allowed to visit any website I want to or should I ask Big Boss Man first? So many many things have happened in the time that I've been here in Japan, including going back to America for a two week--three state business trip; admittedly that being one of the larger events.

The first weekend I checked into the Navy Lodge, my wayward home while I was waiting for the housing office to process my paperwork. I'm proud to say that I did NOT take the first house that came along that I mentioned in my last post; Nope, I didn't make that mistake! I took the second house. The first house I looked at was... how do I say this politely... distressed. The house sat on the road, literally. You could spit from the front door on cars that were driving by... You know, if you were the kind of person to spit on passing cars. Not only that, the house was in dire need of attention. I can't remember ever seeing a Japanese house that was this... distressed.

So, I was thinking that this whole house hunting thing was going to be a lot harder than I was hoping, but the rental agent had another house to show me. And Boy Howdy! A world of difference between the two houses. I was in this second house for all of 10 minutes and my mind was made up. It's a smaller house with only three bedrooms. That said, the layout is better, the condition is MUCH better, and I can see us living here for a number of years. And yes, they take pets. SO, while the yard isn't as large as I would hope, there is a yard and we'll be able to give the puppies a little room to run.

Anyway, if not having internet was like doing time, life in the Navy lodge was like doing time in the hole. The three rooms around me were full of very upset toddlers. Fourteen of the sixteen nights I was there I was awaken by a screaming child. A couple of nights it lasted so long I thought I'd better call the front desk because there was an abandoned child in the next room. Grrr! Parents, take care of your children!

There's a ton of other complaints about the Navy lodge; not having air conditioning or a fan or any moving air whatsoever in the rooms being one of the more annoying. If I hadn't already been well along the path of getting a house I'd have been heading back out into town to live in a hotel. Okay, enough pouting on my part.

My second week I spent in Area Orientation Brief / Intercultural relations class. It was a good class and the instructors were all quality. On Thursday they sent us out into the wild to "experience" Japan and play with the train system. I went to Akihabara, the famous electronic district of Japan. It was fun, but surprisingly I left there with my wallet intact and hands empty; I did find one toy that I might look at again the next time I'm there, though.

The last day of Orientation week we had our drivers education class, a six hour course that ends in a 50 question written exam. I passed! But nothing in Japan is without bureaucracy; driving in Japan requires taking a driving practical after which I became a licensed driver for automatic, non-government, passenger cars on Japanese roads. I have to specify "automatic, non-government, passenger cars" because in Japan each type of car or motorcycle gets a new license alla new written exam alla new driving practical. Want to drive a stick? Take another test and get a new license. Want to drive a government vehicle? Yep, another license. Oh, and the motorcycle requires a license and 50 miles of driving on base to earn permission to drive off-base.

Actually, take everything you've ever experienced or read about bureaucracy, roll it into an itty bitty ball the size of a kernel of corn and now place that kernel of corn next to the world record holding giant pumpkin, and the pumpkin would represent the Japanese bureaucracy. Like getting cable television and internet. Let me tell you my story:

It was an interesting experience. It all started one sunny day when I made a phone call to J:Comm to ask for cable in my new residence. Sure, they said, but you'll need to have your landlord sign permission to have the cable installed. "But my house already has cable installed; i can see the outlets in the wall." Yes, but that was for the last resident, you need to get your landlords permission. We'll fax you a form, have it filled out and signed and then fax it back.

After faxing the permission slip back I received a phone call. At last, progress! We spent almost 45 minutes on the phone identifying what I wanted, cable packages, DVR's, Internet speeds, etc. And when would you like us to come out to your house. "Well, I'm heading out of town but you could come over on Memorial Day (they of course don't celebrate that here)." Sure, we'll be there at 3:30; and what day would you like us to come out and install your cable? "Sorry, come again, we just agreed that you would come out on Memorial day at 3:30." No sir, that's the day we're going to come out to discuss your installation. "I'm confused, what did we just spend the last 45 minutes doing?" We will need to come and examine your house to verify your installation. "Couldn't you do that the same day you come to install?" No, you'll have to wait a minimum of three days after our visit.

I won't even go into how to register a car...

So, tomorrow I have yet another great adventure. I'm heading to the airport to pick up an interviewee who I happen to be good friends with. This will be my first solo out of town driving, my first solo through Tokyo, and my first trip back. I'm hoping I won't get too lost. Wish me luck.

:j