So I promised to explain my housing situation while I was in Kyoto, but never ended up writing about it. This was for a number of reasons, mainly there were more interesting things to write about, but there was also a severe lack of time.
I'm now beginning my second stint in Kyoto; and although I'm staying in the same house again, the number of people has changed, some new faces have moved in, some have moved out.
To explain the initial situation: J-hoppers ran out of space for a night, so I had to move out. They asked around for me, and a five bedroom house was available, for around the same price as I've been paying throughout this trip. Not really knowing what to expect, I walked into the house to find an old american woman and three Japanese girls.
The american woman moved out after the first night (not because of me, I might add) and I was left with Madouka, the excellent cook in all my 'how to,' movies, Fumie the hard working, hard drinking foil to Hiromi; who is an alien. I use the word alien advisedly, because I've seen several of them first hand; if I say any more, you might not wake up tomorrow though, so I'll stop there.
Hiromi is definitely an oddball; she's Japanese in terms of passport ownership and citizenship, but beyond that she's the least Japanese, Japanese person I've ever met. She speaks lots, is outward, loves speaking in English and Japanese, generally tends to love playing around. All in all, not very typical for a Japanese person.
In fact everyone here is extremely outgoing, and extremely hard working too. Hiromi pulls 12 hour shifts at a massage place; the temptation of assuming this was some kind of seedy operation was too much, so I booked in and was surprised to find it's a normal place. No yakuza or illicit dealings going on here.
Fumie has two jobs, and is trying to find a third for the weekends. Everyone here employs on a part-time basis, due to the service industry being as it is over here: flooded. So everyone gets part time jobs or 'Be I To.' Think German for that one.
We had lots of fun moments together in the house, usually involving cakes and beer or wine. It was very nice.
Then I went to Osaka.
And now I'm back with an australian guy who I met today, Fumie again, and Hiromi again. Also, there's a mysterious third woman, who I've not met. Madouka moved out to find a place with an oven, which she now has; and is extremely happy about. Although she says it's a little quiet at night. (Compared to our parties (that happened every night incidentally) a silo would seem quiet).
It shall be interesting to see what the new girl is like. Frankly, I've met three girls who are extremely special, and frankly, amazing. To expect anything of this new girl beyond a polite and curteous nod upon greeting, would be to expect four consecutive national lottery wins. Of one hundred million pounds each. It's not going to happen. I have therefore steeled myself for the inevitable let down of finding out she's normal, without becoming too hardened to become insensitive to genuine niceness.
She will have to walk in wearing a jesters hat and a tuxedo of some kind in order to steal the limelight from the other girls, though.
I'm off to go play some taiko with Mado-chan (Madouka). I've been sneakily practicing the Mario theme tune, and will somehow manage to get an incredible score and will therefore look like I'm a natural at this fantastic game. Of course, she will never know...
On a side-note. When is your beard too long? In Japan, this point comes when a girl walks past with her boyfriend and grabs his arm, holding it tight; just because she looked at you.
I think I will shave tomorrow. Maybe wash a few times, in case there are other reasons (gaijin-ness aside) for my repulsiveness.
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