Spring Break BBQ & Blues

Okay, so I warn you this will be a long one because it is catching up on lost time! It's actually taken directly from my journal since I didn't have convenient internet access while in Korea.

March 24th,
"So I can't believe it. My break is half over and I haven't had any real chance at all to update my blog. On Monday, I went to SPA World with Cassie, Lauren, and Lindsey before showing Lauren off to Hiroshima. It was in a word: Random. We literally walked around naked on this girls only floor of a large {hotel-like} building. There were lots of different European style baths- Atlantis (?), Spanish, German, Italian, Grecian, Finland, etc. Some were just plain baths, some were ice baths, saunas, salt saunas, Milk & honey, bubble, and herbal. I've never taken so many baths in my life in such a short amount of time. Nor have I seen so many naked people I was really uncomfortable for a long time. I would get better for a whie then be blantantly reminded we were nude in public and feel weird again. I managed to get salt in some wounds, get a waterfall back massage, and have an old Japanese lady help me handle the practically "ice" bath. It was really, well, fun but random. We also got to run around in pink tunics with no pants in public-sexist (haha) and weird- the guys got pants and were blue... We got purikura in those clothes and got some ice cream to help us cool off. It was delicious! I'm still uncomfortable about it but I would like to explore the Japanese style baths next month.... unfortunately, they will be expensive then... not $10.

Tuesday- I should not have gotten out of bed. I went all the way to the government building and forgot my passport- so everyone got their stuff but me- was broke, missed my buss to start it off, thought my international bank card was dead, realized how much $$ I've spent and how horribly expensive it is here. I'm used to free fun stuff at friends' houses- not $10 Karaoke 2 nights in a row and $5 to get there and back, and eating out 5 days in a row... then leaving for Korea... I got home to an empty house after believing I was going to lose my phone # because my prepaid plan expired on the 24th- next day(today), and I cracked. All I had to eat that day was a bread slice that morning with honey because I couldn't open the strawberry jam jar... It was about 7pm at that point. I was just soo frustrated and scared and it rained on me all day... that always helps- NOT. Lindsey had to pay my way home so I could have $ for the bus. I was UGH! I got $ & a prepaid card & chocolate & found out my phone would be fine & my ATM card was fine & cheated and called Jon while he was asleep to leave him a message, hear his voice, and spend some of my soon to be expiring $. I felt better by the end of the day & procrastinated packing with collecting things to journal, uploading pictures, talking to Lovelies, and anything else I could (including starring music in iTunes again). Oh, another thing that knocked my day was I started it all off by finding out I wasn't accepted into this RP website my friend was a part of... REALLY? I was like "you've got to be kidding, fine. If I'm not good enough for them, I won't do it. I want it for fun, not for a job. I mean really- a full application?" It didn't bother me too much at first but it did eat at me for a while once everything else went down the drain.

But yeah, then WED happened!
I woke up early & ran late but still beat the bus by a light to the stop so SCORE! I ran there with my bag of everything (bookbag) for the next few days: clothes, toiletries, trinkets, music, cube, Gene, passport- Yeah! I met Lindsey, got $, and went to go buy my permit to keep my gaijin card. $30 difference for single re-entry! Woot! (Double that and you get the multiple option)... It only took 15 mins waiting too. We collected everyone, got Subway for lunch-which was actually more delicious here oddly. But we got to our next train in Namba after buying our last treats before expensive airport stuff. We got there with plenty of time and went to check out some shops. Of course, I only get good ideas for bdays & christmas gifts when I'm in a tourist trap... I managed to say- wait until we come back! See how much I spend & see what I want for who... ...{edited for spoiler content}... No! Look for useful things! Well, the plane ride was fine but I had issues keeping my passport on me at all times when I have to stow my only bag... We found out guide easily. I remembered the name of our tour guide agency! Yay me! The meal on the plane was yummy & I started a game of chess after attempt to nap but we were landing before I could finish. I will beat you Medium chess computer! Oh, we (Jackie, Cassie, Lindsey, and I) all learned how to make fun messages on our phones with colors and pictures and animations. If you have gmail, I can send them to you and you can see it! I wish I could show the rest of you but I'd have to get a video I think. I'll look into it back in Japan because the phones don't work here in Korea.
But yeah, I got pictures with Gene & of stuff and rode a bus going 80 mph... I guessed right! It was scary though... drivers there are TERRIFYING! They don't stop! Red is a mere suggestion and there are huge intersections with no traffic lights or signs at all! We then spent an hour being cranky with each other, trying to find and decide where and what to do while our guide was there with us. After that we fought over who to room with and met back with our guide who showed us to food places. The funny part was she spoke NO English so we were all getting good Japanese practice there! We did well and got toriniku (?) for dinner since we couldn't find anything everyone liked at first at 10pm at night... It's all you can eat meat you grill at your table. The waitress happened to walk to our table hand us a menu and say "good evening. Here's your menu." We did a double-take! Perfect English all dinner and paying. She was amazing and a comfort after so much mental stress and other stress about tomorrow. She was so nice. The food was GREAT too! Beef and pork- it was so sweet with cinnamon or something... and we got spicy salads and lettuce and daicon- a Japanese radish thing & onion soup thing & Kimchi and slices of garlic and bowls of rice. It came out to $15 but SOOO worth it. Then we got ice cream parfaits which in the States would have been $4-7 but were 1,500 won --- which is less than $1.50. ^_^! They were huge and cholaty and delicious and we ran into someone from school in our hotel who gave us useful korean words and recommendations. I will not eat octopus, especially if it is trying to escape while I'm chewing... ewww... Cool but ewwww... I'm rooming with Cassie and we are getting up early with a full day of walking and riding the train tomorrow. Oh,
I will get a picture of the money later. I can't wait! Heh, almost forgot- I tried a bit of a small green pepper at the dinner place and well, I got a video of the reaction. You should have seen it the first bit of the garlic clove slice. Hah, it burned!
Well, bed now finally! Good night!"

I'll put up the next day's entry next...