Installment 3: If I thought yesterday was crazy, I didn't know the half of it...

Installment 3: If I thought yesterday was crazy, I didn't know the half of it...

Waseda Faculty Ceremony
Mellers and I bought onigiri (rice balls) before heading to Waseda. We went to the SILS building to wait for Eugene. Once the three of us were together, we headed off to the ceremony. We had to walk through the campus and everyone was buzzing around getting ready to promote their extracurricular clubs. I almost lost them at one point, and Jos, sorry to say but the strap of the Harajuku bag broke off totally T_______T I'll have to get it fixed when I get back.

Ceremony started and I listed to Paul Snowden's speech. He's their dean of SILS from the UK. He's actually quite funny. Then the associate deans did their speeches. There was a closing speech and then the glee club came on to teach the new undergrads the Waseda school song and then songs they sing when the Waseda baseball team goes against the KO university. They are really talented. The symphony came on next, but I thought it might be a good idea to leave earlier so I could meet Mellers by the tree. I peeked outside and holy crap there were a bazillion people out there. There were two lines on each side of the three entrances, so that ppl had to exit between the lines. All the clubs were there, pamphlets ready to recruit new members. I was actually a little scared to go outside but I did (with my head down, walking really fast). I didn't get hassled much. Probably because the ceremony had not ended yet and I wasn't in a full suit (a definite sign that I was a new student).

When the ceremony ended, it was INSANE. The new students were forced to exit through the lines and were bombarded by flyers by new clubs. By the time Mellers found me, she had a gigantic stack of flyers! So did Eugene and Sharon! It was crazy. When we were leaving, ppl started giving me flyers too. I just nodded my head or said "domo" (thanks). Eugene went for his interview and Sharon left, but Mellers and I went to look for the cafeteria. We ended up going back in the madness and all of a sudden I was getting flyers like crazy too. They would just add to my pile that I had to carry with two hands. It was seriously exciting, interesting and crazy at the same time. We made it near the caf, only to find out that it was closed. So one more time into the madness. It was pandemonium! There were also ppl doing performances and demonstrations and in the middle of it all, people performing the official song again. I can now sing it by the way..ahahahah Mellers caught me singing it when she was watching the videos I took.

Took the bus home to drop thing off and look through the flyers. At 5:45-6:00pm we left for Harajuku. I bought some stuff, like the "tabi" (toe) socks and a few shirts. Also a new bag, since Harajuku bag is busted. Then we got hair cuts.

MALE HAIRSTYLISTS
Mellers decided we would try out this new place. All the stylists were men and I was a bit apprehensive because I have a phobia about male stylists. (b/c of a Korean movie I watched) ahhaha. We both got taken in at the same time and both the stylists were awesome. The longer I talked to my stylists the cuter he got ahhahaha. He tried so hard to speak to me in English and I was trying to talk to him in Japanese. I told him a couple of specific things I wanted to do with my hair and then basically the rest was up to him. Man, he was so cute! And the assistant was so nice as well. He would try to explain in English what he was going to do with my hair, I guess so I wouldn't get worried? He'd say things like "shampoo"..."conditioner"..."massage head"..."treatment"...kekekeke it was so funny! and I was able to tell them I was working in a library and I liked Japanese music and dramas. They asked what I was going to eat for dinner...etc. I even took a picture with my stylist..but it doesn't do him justice. Mellers just laughed at me when we left and told me I was hopeless, but her stylist was hot too. kekekeke. She was right. Male stylists just know what looks good on women. hahaha

We got yummy crepes and headed off to meet Eugene. We ate hotpot which was really good and then headed back. Slept relatively early this time and woke up automatically around 7amish...but forced myself to go back to sleep and then woke up at 1pm! eeep! Ok, gotta go...OMGOSH this is a novel. Sorry sweeties!

Sam

originally written: Apr 3, 2007