So I had my first real midterm today. I think it went okay. Even if it didn't there were snacks so the entire experience wasn't too bad.
Then I made paper. Washi. I think that's what it's called. Anyway, about the first we got here, the students in our program were given the option to either go to a disaster center or make paper. Like I've mentioned before 2/3 of our group is composed of boys. So they wanted to be all manly and signed up for the disaster center. Girls will be silly and follows boys so most of them signed up for the disaster center. But there were six of us, three boys and three girls, who stood our ground and did not give into peer pressure and made paper. It was awesome. There was pulp, water, leaves, glitter, dye, vacuums, basically general craziness and the result was super sweet paper.
What happened after that? Basically for the rest of the day I kind of hung out around the center because at 6 a group of us were planning on going to Osaka to check out a swing dance club thing. I caught up a bit more with my TV shows and hung out with some people at the center until 6. At six, Rachel, Jason, Christian, Bridget and I made a mad dash to the train station where we made the long trek to Osaka. And by trek I mean we stood on the train to Umeda for the better part of an hour.
We got there and it was dark and we were late. The place we were going to offered beginners lessons for half an hour before having free dance for three or so hours. We pulled into the station at the time the lesson was beginning, and because the computer that the map was on (yeah, we live in a digital era and no one thought to print out the map) died. So we were kind of lost. Rachel had a general idea of where the place should be, but we really didn't know where we were going. But we poked around and ended up at an information center that gave us a map and we eventually made it to the club just as the beginners lesson was finishing.
Let me say, that I wasn't too happy about this. I mean, I kind of (and by kind of I mean really Really REALLY) could have used the lesson. But we were in Osaka for a reason and Rachel convinced me that as a member of Swingtime I should be okay in her hands. So I went and paid the 1500 yen cover charge. We ambled around a bit before we actually started dancing, and I actually danced with Rachel first, so she could teach me the basic steps. Then I traded off between Christian and Jason for most of the rest of the night.
The club was pretty fantastic. The 1500 yen cover charge included a free drink at the bar and they had house sandwiches with SPAM, yes delicious SPAM, served with a salad and chips for only 500 yen. Also, there was this part where the birthday people had a kind of freestyle dance where everyone stood in a circle around them as they danced with various partners who would rotate out as another one offered themself. Then all the first timers were called to the center and we were paired with some regulars. That was interesting. I am rather terrible. Haha. It was pretty great because some of my partners would try and do fancy things while all I can really do are the basic steps and be turned and stuff. Anything fancy makes me lose track of what step I'm on. All in all a really great night.
We got back kind of late, but luckily I stayed over with Rachel so I didn't have to worry about making the last train to my home stay.
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