I found out communicating without a cell phone is really hard when all your friends have cell phones and don't use Facebook very much. And thus was my problem trying to figure who, when and how to meet up in Tokyo. After much planning and stressing, I thought I had it figured out. I arrived in Tokyo station and went the place where Saya was supposed to meet me up. 10 minutes of waiting. 15. 20. Nothing. Finally I used a payphone to call her. "Rebe-chan...did you check Facebook? I have an assignment so I can't come...I'm so sorry." I was all alone in Tokyo. Fat tears welled up in my eyes, I turned red, and paced back and forth. I didn't know what to do. Was I going to wander the city alone all day? I called her two times again from the payphone, and she agreed to pick me up...but in an hour. So I took another subway train to the Harajuku station and waited and waited and waited and was surprised by Yuzuki who came to see me before Saya did, and then we put my stuff in a coin locker and finally Saya arrived. :) And I still had 6 hours left to see Tokyo.
After the morning's mishap, the rest of the day was amazing, despite the on-and-off rain. Saya, Yuzuki and I walked around Takeshita St. and Harajuku and then ate lunch at Italian Tomato Cafe Jr. Then Yuzuki had to leave and Saya and I went to Meiji Jingu, Yoyogi Park, Tokyo Tower, Roppongi, and Azabujuban, and Shibuya. It was so fun, and a lot to do in a day, especially mostly on foot! <3 In the evening, we went to Hachiko at Shibuya station where Saya left me and I met up with all of my Komozawa friends. I expected 3 or 4 on them to come see me, but over 10 of them showed up just to see me! I WAS SO SURPRISED! I love Japanese hospitality and generosity. I'm SO thankful to Nana for organizing us all to meet. We went to a super fancy izakaya on the 14th floor of a building across from Shibuya 1O9. I'd never seen such a view. So much good food! And I had already eaten dinner too with Saya! I was so glad to talk to everyone and catch up. They've all graduated and gotten jobs and entered into the "adult" phase of Japanese society. They spoke to me all only in Japanese and I only spoke Japanese, so it was kinda hard for me to communicate, but I enjoyed the challenge. I'm just so glad we got to reunite after three years. I never ever thought it would happen, so it warms my heart that it did. People make things happen. <3
At night I had to find my way from Shibuya to the Sakura hostel in Asakusa where I was staying for the night with Carley and Mai. I made it to Asakusa station all right, but of course I got lost once I stepped foot out of the station, even with my map. I asked one policeman who didn't know anything and gave me incorrect directions before asking another one who was able to produce another map and gave me slow, clear directions in Japanese. I was DEAD tired and didn't even feel like taking my camera out to take pictures, even though there were some beautiful night shots. When I got to the hostel I didn't even brush my teeth; I immediately crashed onto my bed and sunk into a deep sleep.
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