Today was a good day...

First off, I got my bike. It is the most hideous looking thing on the road, but I don't care. It rides smooth, the bell works, and the price was cheap.  I feel like a ray of sunshine riding down the road with my red hair blowing back. I like to say the color is Golden Rod. The one good thing about the color is that I can find it easily anywhere I go. Whoop whoop for Golden Rod!!

I got my application for health insurance done and for the pension here in Japan. I understood the stuff with the health insurance; the pension is another story. All I ask is "I pay?" If they say "yes" then I say "no". If they say "No", I say "Where do I sign?"  At the end of the meeting, the man was explaining what was going to happen next and there was some confusion for sure. I am still laughing about the language barrier and how much longer everything takes.  He was telling me that I will recieve a letter in the mail. I must bring the letter in to the office with my name stamp (which is called an INKAN).  I thought he kept saying with my INCOME.  I continued to tell him that I don't have any income, so I have nothing to bring.  This is all in broken Japanese and broken English, as well. This discussion went on for about 10 minutes. INKAN, INCOME, INKAN, INCOME.  We were just misunderstanding each other. Finally he said "your stamp",oh okay, the light bulb went off, INKAN not INCOME.  Gotcha!!!

I found the grocery store all by myself. I got there and got home without getting lost! This is a first, since I have been here and boy, did I feel accomplished!!!!

And, I took my bracelet to Tiffany's to be repaired yesterday. The work order required my phone number, but I did not know it. So...last night I wrote down everyone's phone number and my address, so that I have them on hand when someone needs asks for them. Anyway, I called Tiffany's today went through another round of Japanese, then me speaking back, then more Japanese, then me saying "I don't understand".  Finally, the girl that helped me yesterday got on the phone. I told her that I would like to give her my phone number and she started reciting the phone number to me!!! I was like, "WOW, you found it some how!" Not sure what she did, but some how the sales lady at Tiffany's found David's cell phone number...We may need to have a little talk when he gets home, just kidding. Really, though I have no idea how she got it!