Today I was ambitious (I had to be) and got a lot done! I went to my ward's office to add my address, and while I was there I confirmed my enrollment in the National Health Insurance. Apparently I will be getting a form in the mail in a week or so. After I did that I took the train to go open up a bank account. I get off the train and go outside only to see that to get where I need to go means walking probably eight times the amount than if I were able to walk in a straight line. To make things worse, when I was getting on the train to leave later that I saw an exit the exited into the building I wanted to go to. I still don't know what I'm doing half the time, but I guess it takes a while to get used to everything. I get to the location and the first floor is only for ATMs in the building that I wanted to go to. I decided to take the elevator up to the second floor. It doesn't look like I'm supposed to be there (not that it's off limits, but that it's not meant for what I want to do). Of course, this building is only meant for corporate account openings. I am told to go to another building and go to the second floor. Easy enough, I know where it is. I get the the location and am told that this is only an extension and that I want the 19th floor. Okay, again, I take the elevator up to the 19th floor. This is actually the right place! I start the process and tell them that I don't have a phone number yet because the website that I looked at for phones said I needed a bank account first. Nope, can't do that. I get pointed in the right direction for the phone company and go find it. The building that I am sent to has everything electronic you could need and then some. I had time to walk around it and didn't even go to every floor. The first floor is just dedicated to phones and has at least three of the largest phone companies in Japan right next to one another. This is very convenient! I try to get it where I pay off the phone over two years. Not my luck (but expected), I can't because my visa is only for one year. I have to pay for it all up front. The first two phones that I pick are sold out so I finally get my third choice. It is fairly cheap compared to other phones (in Japan), and I'm short on cash. After waiting a bit for the only fluent English speaker (the one I was talking to had enough to probably help her if she got lost in an English speaking country which is more than I can say about my Japanese skills), I finally get to go through everything. There was a lot of talking and paperwork (at least compared to when I got my last phone), but the woman who was taking care of me was incredibly nice and easy going. I actually talked to her about me being here and that she had gone to New Zealand in high school. She also mentioned having an exchange student living with her. She seemed older than college but not old enough to have high school aged kids. I didn't ask her age because I thought it would be rude but I was confused. To top it all off, they were playing Random Access Memories over the speakers! After I got my phone I went back to the bank and opened my account. It was very simple and, again, everyone was very nice. To finish my seemingly never ending trip I went to a department store and bought a shower curtain, a pan, and a notebook for work. I still don't have a pillow, cup, or rice cooker because my funds are running low. I've been using a (thinker) blanket they provided as a pillow and a towel and a blanket. The bed is springy and isn't very comfortable. The next month or two will be tight money-wise. I have to figure out when I get paid and when everything is due.
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