Last weekend, I did the Tokyo
Halloween Fun Run with Natsu and Sakurai-sensei. It was fun, as one might imagine a fun run might be. The run was at the National Stadium, which has some cool fancy Japanese name, but to give you an idea, it was colossal because that was where the Tokyo 1964 Olympics were held. So, all in all...pretty big. Sakurai-sensei an
d I were originally planning to do the 5k, but it and the 10k were packed to 
burst. But more on that later. We got there very early because we had to register, since we were on the waiting list. We got there, got a complimentary tacky embellished warmup towel ("Tokyo Halloween Fun Run" bedazzled with random Halloween-y things) and changed into nefarious costume. We we
re worried when we were changing because everyone else there was putting on
normal, serious running attire, while we were changing into...well, see for yourself. The night before, Natsu and I realized that we lacked costumes to fit the Halloween part of the Halloween Fun Run title the race bore, so about 9:30 at night, Natsu, Okaasan, and I went to "Donkihoute [Don Quijote] Discount Store" and got the sexiest metallic suits, ties, and neon-colored afros we could find. We had Otoosan try them on first afterwards, just to be sure they were perfect and one-size-fits-all. So, anyway, we were at the race itself at about 7:45 in the morning changing into our crazy costumes, while the surrounding vicinity seemed to be getting a kick out seeing us waddling arround, seemingly about to run a 2k (as I was getting to before, the 5k and 10k were huge--no room for us! 1,500 people per each, I believe). Before the race, we sat in the stands with the rest of everyone, and listened as the 2 commentators started talking about our costumes in the microphones. That was amusing. But wait! The race had not begun! We decided to join the costume contest, since by this point, the Halloween theme of the run was becoming more apparent as more and more people showed up in costume (much to our relief)...alas, we were too late. Immediately afterwards, the 2k started. We definitely had great reactions. We would pass little children and they would start to a) stare, b) crack up, c) do both simultaneously. But the best reaction was from an older man, who was talking loudly to himself about the costumed people running by. When Natsu and I passed in our costumes, he got wide-eyed and shouted, "HORA!" which not only is a non-related Jewish dance, but also in Japanese means "LOOKA THAT!" It was great. After we finished our short lived 2k, the news crew asked to interview us. The interviewer, after asking me one question, pretty much understood that interviewing me would not be very interesting (unless, I suppose, they were filming a new show called "Let's Fluster Foreigners"), and I resigned myself to letting Natsu answer all the questions perfectly. We are local TV stars. I never thought I'd be famous in Tokyo. After the run, Sakurai-sensei took us out for dessert, which was so nice of her. I pretended to be a sumo wrestler in the restaurant, much to the chagrin of my fellow dessert-eaters. Alas, I cannot hide my natural tendencies ("I can't contain this feeling I have! It's a part of me! I won't pretend to be something I'm not anymore!").
Halloween Fun Run with Natsu and Sakurai-sensei. It was fun, as one might imagine a fun run might be. The run was at the National Stadium, which has some cool fancy Japanese name, but to give you an idea, it was colossal because that was where the Tokyo 1964 Olympics were held. So, all in all...pretty big. Sakurai-sensei and I were originally planning to do the 5k, but it and the 10k were packed to burst. But more on that later. We got there very early because we had to register, since we were on the waiting list. We got there, got a complimentary tacky embellished warmup towel ("Tokyo Halloween Fun Run" bedazzled with random Halloween-y things) and changed into nefarious costume. We were worried when we were changing because everyone else there was putting on normal, serious running attire, while we were changing into...well, see for yourself. The night before, Natsu and I realized that we lacked costumes to fit the Halloween part of the Halloween Fun Run title the race bore, so about 9:30 at night, Natsu, Okaasan, and I went to "Donkihoute [Don Quijote] Discount Store" and got the sexiest metallic suits, ties, and neon-colored afros we could find. We had Otoosan try them on first afterwards, just to be sure they were perfect and one-size-fits-all. So, anyway, we were at the race itself at about 7:45 in the morning changing into our crazy costumes, while the surrounding vicinity seemed to be getting a kick out seeing us waddling arround, seemingly about to run a 2k (as I was getting to before, the 5k and 10k were huge--no room for us! 1,500 people per each, I believe). Before the race, we sat in the stands with the rest of everyone, and listened as the 2 commentators started talking about our costumes in the microphones. That was amusing. But wait! The race had not begun! We decided to join the costume contest, since by this point, the Halloween theme of the run was becoming more apparent as more and more people showed up in costume (much to our relief)...alas, we were too late. Immediately afterwards, the 2k started. We definitely had great reactions. We would pass little children and they would start to a) stare, b) crack up, c) do both simultaneously. But the best reaction was from an older man, who was talking loudly to himself about the costumed people running by. When Natsu and I passed in our costumes, he got wide-eyed and shouted, "HORA!" which not only is a non-related Jewish dance, but also in Japanese means "LOOKA THAT!" It was great. After we finished our short lived 2k, the news crew asked to interview us. The interviewer, after asking me one question, pretty much understood that interviewing me would not be very interesting (unless, I suppose, they were filming a new show called "Let's Fluster Foreigners"), and I resigned myself to letting Natsu answer all the questions perfectly. We are local TV stars. I never thought I'd be famous in Tokyo. After the run, Sakurai-sensei took us out for dessert, which was so nice of her. I pretended to be a sumo wrestler in the restaurant, much to the chagrin of my fellow dessert-eaters. Alas, I cannot hide my natural tendencies ("I can't contain this feeling I have! It's a part of me! I won't pretend to be something I'm not anymore!"). That next week, I had cooking class Monday and Tueday, each 2 hours. The teacher was in a fraction food mood, as we made various pizzas on Monday and pies on Tuesday. Both were sooooo good...we made corn-beef-onion, mushroom-pepper-tomato, chocolate, chicken-sprouts-onion, and another one I can't quite recall sort of pizza...sooooo deicious! and on Tuesday, we made meat and pumpkin pie (2 separate pies, not meat-and-pumpkin). Alas, the food was so delicious that when I brought it back, my classmates also discovered it was seriously delicious, and mass consumption followed, leaving me with only fractions of my fraction pizzas/pies. Oh well...that's the risk when you have a class where you make super-good food.
This whole week I was sick with general sick-y sick problems, and Wednesday and Thursday I stayed home because I was feeling not-very-good. Subsequently, I have been thrown off date-wise...since I came back Friday and thought it was Wednesday, etc. Speaking of physical ailments and the like, I have been having issues with my contacts, and when I wear them, my right eye gets very red and hurts (not a problem before, in the US)...I went to the eye doctor, and it turns out that I have a bruise on my eye, probably from the one time I fell asleep here wearing my contacts. Not so good. No worries, all is well, and special super-special eye drops save the day. Again.
I thought I would have a track and field meet Saturday and run a 3k race, but as it turns out it was today, and I was sick this last week, I couldn't do it. Oh well--there are other meets in the, um, sea.
Today, I met Ms. Todd, my teacher and the person in charge of my exchange at a convention for international boarding schools at a hotel with Natsu and Okaasan. Not only there was Ms. Todd, but also Ms. Aubrey, who also works at St. Stephen's (conveniently SSES) , Wakana (exchange student from St. Margaret's to SSES last year) and her parents, Akane's (exchange student at SSES now) parents, 2 graduates of the boys' school in Japan that Josh goes to, one of their mot
hers, Julia Blood (see earlier post), 2 other girls who think graduated SSES, and about 50-75 other people advertising their boarding schools there. Whew. As part of being there, we were supposed to help out and advertise and whatnot, but we all ended up mostly talking with each other, because the truth is, there aren't very many Japanese students interested in international boarding schools, partially due to the decline of their economy, and partially because it's generally impractical to send one's child overseas at exceedingly expensive prices when there are very good schools here in Japan. With this free time we had due to general lack of people, Natsu and I moseyed around the convention for about 30 seconds, because it so happens that the one booth we randomly stopped for and whose info we flipped through was a boys' school. Slightly embarrasing. Afterwards, we went for tea, which was fun and ended with group photos.
hers, Julia Blood (see earlier post), 2 other girls who think graduated SSES, and about 50-75 other people advertising their boarding schools there. Whew. As part of being there, we were supposed to help out and advertise and whatnot, but we all ended up mostly talking with each other, because the truth is, there aren't very many Japanese students interested in international boarding schools, partially due to the decline of their economy, and partially because it's generally impractical to send one's child overseas at exceedingly expensive prices when there are very good schools here in Japan. With this free time we had due to general lack of people, Natsu and I moseyed around the convention for about 30 seconds, because it so happens that the one booth we randomly stopped for and whose info we flipped through was a boys' school. Slightly embarrasing. Afterwards, we went for tea, which was fun and ended with group photos. 
After 
Okaasan and I left to go home (Natsu had to leave early for tennis--she is soooo busy!), we got tickets for the train, but postponed to go to a--guess what--shrine, this one especially for pregnant women, but still a no-fail functioning all-purpose shrine. I really really love shrines in general--they are so beautiful and different from anything y
ou would find in America. One of the mini shrines
in the shrine was a dog god shrine--since dogs have a lot of puppies, it makes them god-worthy. Obviously.
Okaasan and I left to go home (Natsu had to leave early for tennis--she is soooo busy!), we got tickets for the train, but postponed to go to a--guess what--shrine, this one especially for pregnant women, but still a no-fail functioning all-purpose shrine. I really really love shrines in general--they are so beautiful and different from anything you would find in America. One of the mini shrines in the shrine was a dog god shrine--since dogs have a lot of puppies, it makes them god-worthy. Obviously. On the way back, I was having issues pronouncing the name of a station (tsutsudzigaoka--doesn't quite roll off the tongue easily yet), and, after mangling it multiple times, I turned it into a rap on the train.
"Tsu-tsu--tsutsutsutsuchitsuchiGAOka-chchchchchchch-CHOFU-higashi-fchfchfchchchffffuchu-yo-yo-yo-chiekiro [Japanese translation of the phrase, "check-it-out."] yo." This was quite an experience for my fellow train riding community, I'm sure, but it seriously cracked up me and my host mother. PS do not try to do this rap with Shinjuku eki. It just doesn't work--I tried. It's un-rappable.
I talked to my little sister tonight on the phone. I told her that I ate fried octopus balls during dinner. I think that freaked her out.
Next week is Masai (Maagaretto-sai, not to be confused with the tribe in Kenya) , which is the school's festival. I am really looking forward to this, and there will a ton of pictures--as long as I remember my camera. I am part of the IEP (International Exchange Program) booth--lots of posters!, Shodo exhibit, handbell choir, and group quiz game with my friends, so there is a ton to do! Next weekend's post should be, as they say in Japan, totemo omoshiroi [とてもおもしろい](Super interesting!)
That's all for now.
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