Installment 2: Waseda University Opening Ceremony

Ohayou! (Good Morning)

It's 3:35am and I'm still awake but I'll explain why very soon!

PREPARATION
We rushed around this morning preparing for Meller's opening ceremony at Waseda University. She looked really nice in her business suit. I'll be watching the ceremony and I'm really excited. We took the bus there.

WASEDA UNIVERSITY OPENING CEREMONY
Mellers and I separated.and I followed the rest of the families to watch the ceremony. We had to line up to be counted and then were led to a classroom. I guess they ran out of seats? So here I am sitting in class room 208 watching it live from a projector. It was kind of cool. There was the master of ceremonies talking and suddenly a bunch of cheerleaders. It was really random! There was a male cheerleader leading them in the black pants uniform. It's nothing like the ones in North America. It kind of looks like the regular high school uniform for guys, but better and he had an arm band on his forearm. He was so loud he didn't need a mic. I was quite impressed. It's really hard to describe.

The faculty came next and there was lots of talking going on and speeches, but not too much. Then they sang the Waseda song and the cheerleaders came back, but with black blazers over their yellow cheer outfits. The parents in the room were singing the song too. It was kind of cute. Shortly after it finished.

THE AFTERMATH
I think there were around 3,000 students there and it was only the second ceremony. There was one more at 4pm. I was engulfed in the crowd so it took a while to leave and then I sat on a bench and waited for Mellers. I asked a student sitting on the bench if I could borrow his phone to call Mellers and he was nice enough to let me. I also talked to an older lady. It was interesting communicating through broken Japanese, my phrasebook and sign language. She was really nice.

Mellers found me and then we went to meet her friends, Eugene and Sharon. We ate takoyaki (octopus balls - there's octopus and mayonaise and stuff in it, hard to describe), but it was interesting. Then we went for Indian food and then for coffee. They are both really nice and we took some fun pictures. I shopped around a little for stationary for Chris and perfume/body mist. Sorry Chris, nothing yet, I'll probably get it from Harajuku.

ZZZZZZ
We took naps when we got home. I slept from 5pm to 10pm! ack! Eugene came over again. Mellers and I watched some Toshinki stuff. OMG Chris I need to buy this for us. We spazzed a lot..a lot..ahahhaha kekekeke. Then we went for dinner at a really nice restaurant. The atmosphere is great! We are now back at her place but wide awake b/c of our naps. Tomorrow is her faculty ceremony which I will go to as well. I will set up a photobucket of pics when I have time or perhaps when I get back.

Ja Ne! byebye

Sam

originally written: Apr 1, 2007