Going Loco for Mexican

Day 3 already seemed more routine to me. I knew my way around the hotel better. (Didn’t wait for an elevator that only stopped on select floors, one of which was not mine.) Got some good information about team-teaching and living in Japan, all of which was prefaced and concluded with something to the effect of “everywhere is different and each school varies, so all of this stuff we are going to tell you/told you, you might as well just toss it out the window, hold on for your dear life, and pretend you know what is going on until you actually figure out what the hell is going on. And even then, once you think you know, it is probably not the case and in actuality you are still doing things messed up.” If that isn’t comforting to think about, lol.

The rest of the day went by pretty quickly and it was finally time for going out. I went out on an organized trip with my prefecture. The CIRs for our prefecture, Ben (Australian) and Brian (Irish), suggested this Mexican place on the top of a roof in the middle of Tokyo. Sounded like a good time and due to the weather it turned into an AMAZING time. We got there and it was something like $30 for all you can eat/drink. This was exciting because there was a lot to be eaten. The food, having been cooked by Japanese hands, was not too bad. (I, of course, am spoiled by Bethlehem having had some of the best Mexican foods I’ve ever had.) This was also my introduction to something called Melon Soda. Yep, it is exactly what it sounds like. Due to the Japanese fascination for melons around here, they have a melon-flavored soda that tastes freaking amazing. The catch…it is bright neon green. Think Mt. Dew on steroids but much more green. So, there I am tray of food in one hand, mug full of what looks like antifreeze and I get to our tables, where I find a tiny spot left open. Elbows smashing against my neighbors, I chow down, looking up casually to see neon signs probably telling me to buy tampons or something. My guess was as good as the next person’s. Meanwhile, it is looking stormy and sure enough within 15 minutes, it was raining…no, no…pouring. People fled the restaurant. With a “we paid for this, we aren’t leaving just yet” attitude, we all flocked to the two pavilions, one housing the alcohol, the other with the food. I made it to the one with alcohol, where we were literally on top of one another as the rain came down outside and consequently because of the slope of the roof, made its way into our shelter, creating a nice little splash pool for us to wade in.

Now, as the rain did not seem to be letting up anytime soon and there was now a nice level of alcohol in most people’s systems, the idea to compete with the 4 Japanese guys sharing the shelter with us became a reality. A relay race was set up around the tables of the restaurant requiring people to stop and drink a beer before returning. I will not go into more detail, just be aware that insanity ensued. The Japanese guys ended up beating us, 2-1 and in our struggle to not be defeated, we challenged them to arm wrestling, where our strongest guys (obviously not me, lol) were all disgraced by the home team. Thus, as a last resort, we resorted to thumb wars, which in the end was deemed our strong point. Yeah for the foreigners!!! I felt bad for the people who were with the food, as I don’t see how anyone could have had more fun than us just then.

Walked home in squishy shoes with everyone else staggering in their own wet foot apparel. Got to my room and was hair drying my shoes when I passed out from exhaustion. Japan can really take a lot out of someone, hehe.