Earthquake!

There was an earthquake today around noon. The room started shaking and everyone was going jishin da! It kept going for a long time, prompting comments of nagai naa. It was pretty far from Yokohama, though, so although we all noticed it, nothing fell off the shelves or anything. So I am fine, and rather excited that what had me mildly panicked this afternoon (I hate earthquakes!) was top news in the States. Let's hope that the Big One that's supposedly due for this area holds off, though.

I'm getting more settled in. Yesterday I picked up my gaijin card (aka Alien Registration Card), and then my superviser took me to open a bank account. That was completed successfully, and I now have a lovely Felix the Cat bank book. (I don't understand either.) But they wouldn't take that stupid bank check I got in America. Mom, should I rip it up or send it back to America (along with a polite but annoyed letter to the bank)?

Sunday was very nice. Darren had the bright idea to walk from Shibuya through Harajuku to Shinjuku and the flea market. So we did, and it took a few hours because we made a few detours. I do love Kiddyland. By the time we got to the flea market it was pretty much over. We went to a big bookstore instead, and I bought one pleasure book and two kanji study books, because I feel very stupid and illiterate. I also got the registration form for the big test in December.

Now I get to have fun for the rest of the week. I took my half-day study leave. Basically, if school isn't in session, I can take half the work days off for study. So I wrote that I wanted to become familiar with my new home. Last night Antje, the German ALT, posted on the K-town web page that there was a festival in Fujisawa tomorrow and that she and another ALT were going to Kamakura on Thursday, so I'm going to try and tag along. I don't have to go into work until next Tuesday, which will be a nice mental break.