School Festival (Day 1)

I arose at 7.30 this morning to discover the internet was no longer working, except for on one lone computer in the corner. I'm not quite understanding that, but the end result was that I could only MSN with Hannah. After that I attended breakfast with Lauma, where we had the pleasure of being served bread instead of rice.

We had a barbershop rehearsal at 9.30. I think it's going to be alright, though we practiced a new song today: it's in Japanese and I don't think I'm going to be able to learn it by tomorrow. I'm slightly nervous about the whole thing now.

I did my usual pop to Cosmos for some stocks. I haven't been in a few weeks now. I've been missing my instant noodles and plastic cheese. I came back and had lunch before cycling to the post office. It's much further than I thought. I even stopped on the way and asked where it was, only to discover that I hadn't yet gone far enough. So I posted my things there and had to cycled like the wind to get back in time for the bus. I signalled to the bus driver to wait just one more minute on my way passed, and he obliged. Very nice of him, though the others on the bus were giggling at my rushedness.

I wanted to go and see the festival today, for some reason. Not exactly sure why as it is on again tomorrow. I thought there might be some things going on on the stage, but it had all finished by the time I got there. I met up with Nozomi and Hitomi and walked around the place with them, gradually picking up more friends and being introduced to more people. I forgot that I had taiko until Nozomi mentioned it, and after a brief debate amongst themselves they decided that I had to leave straight away to make it in time.

As it turns out it wasn't really worth it. We found the place and we watched for a little while. They started off with some bizarre stretching exercises showing of their flexiness. Then they all banged in time together as a warm-up before performing a piece. It was great: so loud in a small room you shook. It made me want to do it anymore. As it is, though, they have 30 members already and only 9 drums so they're not taking on any new members, contrary to what their website says. Oh, well. We'd better try and find another place.

Binks, Ciarán, James, Flick and I left after 40 minutes to go and have a coffee, before splitting up to go shopping. I went with the guys and we bought plastic top-hats and red-striped aprons for the barbershop tomorrow. Flick's been writing her opening speech and spent half of one of her conversation lessons having it translated into Japanese.

I had dinner back at Cambridge House with Rushen and Katherine and some friends that they'd made who had basically came up to them and said "friend, friend". I also spoke with Yuu from Tea Ceremony.

This evening I did my IBM aptitude test (I think I did well in it) but the last page didn't work and told me that some "serious techincal difficulties" had occurred. Not sure what's going to happen there as I don't particularly want to do it all again.

This evening we had another barbershop rehearsal, but in dress this time. We look completely stupid. We went downstairs to the reception where we sung for Hachi-san. He'd given us the music to the new Japanese song called Sakura, Sakura that we're doing and we thought it'd be nice to show him. There weren't many people around, since they have to go to their rooms at 11pm, but we still attracted a little crowd of night dwellers. Hachi made some good criticism and I think he enjoyed it. The funny thing is that, although we look like complete muppets, the Japanese around barely batted an eyelid.