Nicole's Adventures in Japan

On Tuesday on my way home from school, I was hit by a taxi. I was headed across the street and he was coming up the street and neither of us saw each other in time to stop. He did hit me with the Taxi, but mostly he knocked me over so my right side is a bit sore. I have a lot of bruises but no broken bones, which I am very thankful for. After getting hit I think I was in a bit of shock, but then I slowly got better and nothing was broken the Taxi driver was very helpful. No English so I called the company who hired me so that I could figure out what he was talking about. Then his boss came and I tried to explain. Shortly after a police officer came and took down information from me and the taxi driver. It was about this time Crystal was coming past, she works at the Jr. High stopped by, and while she doesn't speak a lot of Japanese she speaks way more then me. She was very helpful. Shortly after that 2 more police officers came to look at the scene take pictures, and inspect the scene. About then it was determined that I should go to the hospital. I don't think I have ever scene a doctor more quickly. Their system is very efficient. The Taxi driver drove Crystal and I to the hospital and then talked to the staff there. With- in five minutes they cleaned the lovely scrape on my arm and bandaged it, which I will take a picture of as soon as the bandage can come off. Then they took x-rays and in like five minutes later they showed my the x-rays. Nothing was broken!!! Good news, but I am still hurting some. Then I was done and they were sending me home. Except the Taxi Driver showed us where the closest drug store was so I could get a prescription for these magic pads that make my shoulder stop hurting. I don't know what is on them but they are nice. Then the taxi drove me and Crystal home. And then I ate a little dinner and fell asleep.
Oh as a side note, my bike was fine and Crystal was kind enough to put both are bikes at the Jr. High since we were not to far from the Jr. High. So I had to walk to school this morning, which should be proof to any Grandmother or Grandfathers who maybe worried about me. I am going to the hospital again so they can change the bandage this afternoon. Cause it was a scrape but it was pretty deep, but it will be good in couple weeks. Truly I am fine and will be better in couple days.

Hey Everyone,

Well since last writing, I have learned a lot. It is still very overwhelming

Bike riding- there are no rules, as you can see in the picture there are lines on the sidewalk and markings for pedestrians and bikes. In Japan cars drive on the left side of the road like in England and Australia. So one might think that bikes and people would walk on the left side of the sidewalk. However this is not true, from my brief experience there does not appear to be any rules that are strictly followed. It is very crazy and at times a bit frightening. Just the other day I was biking down the sidewalk headed home from school when two kids about 6 or 7 darted out of the building I nearly ran them over. I can’t believe more people don’t get hurt in bike accidents. Oh yeah helmets like don’t exist. (oh wait I saw one person wearing helmet today, but he was riding a 10 speed bike) All new bike come with a lock already built into the bike and you have to register them with the city. If yours gets stolen you can report it to the police and maybe, but not likely get it back.
This morning I was at the Subway/train station near my apartment on my way to Tokyo, where lots of people ride there bikes to the station and catch a train. While I was sitting there waiting for my friend I saw the oddest thing. I almost took a picture maybe some other morning. People had parked their bikes near each other, but then four guys who must work at the station came along and piled in one next to the other leaning against the wall your bike might be in five or 6 deep by the time you get home from work or school, good luck. It’s like a needle in a haystack.
Finding your bike would be even more difficult because many of them are all the same color and there are two styles of bikes. So essentially everyone’s bike looks like each others making it important to personalize yours some how. I am still working on that.

Another cool feature your bike comes with is a light. It runs on friction, when you switch it on it touches the front tire and works when you are riding your bike. But during the day if you leave it on people give you funny looks. Well that could also be the fact that I have blue eyes, brown hair and am white. I have also discovered that the dollar store or the 100 Yen store down the street from my apartment has some very handy bike accessories, I haven’t figured out what they all are. I did buy a seat cover for the rain that is going to start in a couple months, so far this week though the weather has been beautiful. Sunny and low 60’s

Since writing the above it has rained and man when it rains it pours. Next time it rains I will have to try and take a picture. Portland gets rain, maybe every once in a while we get it like this but seriously even with an umbrella you are drenched, it started about 2pm and did not stop till after 8pm. A little taste of what is to come later I guess.

Another side Note: I stayed this last weekend in Tokyo. I was helping WYS the company that hired me with an introduction weekend for inbound and outbound exchange students. It was a quiet weekend, and good practice for school. We all stayed in the Olympic village from the 1960’s I think. They keep up the facilities and use it for all kinds of meeting and things. There is a park next to the village, part of has a Japanese Shrine that was really neat. I saw a wedding party leaving part of the shrine, the whole group was in traditional Japanese dress. It was beautiful. Then the other part of the park is open to the public, to have picnics, bike ride, walk around. Since it was the last real weekend of the Cherry Blossom festival there were tons of people out and about, some picnicking, others playing pick up games of soccer, volleyball, throwing baseballs around. It was great fun to people watch. The most exciting part of the whole weekend was my first earthquake in Japan. They are more common then back home. I was up in my room on the eighth floor of the building, laying on my bed watching a movie on my computer when I first noticed my bed shaking and then the whole room was shaking. When I asked about it later no one seemed to be bothered by it. It was the biggest one I had ever felt. Don’t ask because I don’t know how big it was.

PS: I totally recommend coming to a Cherry Blossom festival in Japan. Beautiful and the park is an experience.