Reason #577 I love Tokyo. Thanks to a visit from Korea's President, the uyoku were out with flags flying and their ear-piercing speakers in Juban yesterday. Right.in.the.middle.of.the.
LSAT. This did not please me or any of the other test takers. I don't know what kind of exciting distractions occur at testing sites in Canada or the States, but I would be willing to bet that they don't involve crazy right-wingers in old school black vans spouting their conservative Imperialist (or whatever it is they are actually saying) filth. And of course there wasn't a damn thing any of us could do. I think the whole of Tokyo's police force was out on the streets of Juban yesterday and none of them were actually doing anything. After the test we witnessed a pathetic mini-demonstration of less than ten people arguing and getting in each other's faces over a piece of paper on the ground that was rapidly disintegrating in the downpour. TV cameras were in on the action and around 30 po-po were hovering protectively around the commotion. Next thing we knew everyone was clapping and dispersing. I should have known something was up seeing a cop on every corner on my way to the test. I must have been too busy worrying about how crazy I looked carrying nothing more than a big plastic zip-lock filled with items not prohibited at the test.
After the test I found myself with a beer in hand at the ripe hour of 1 p.m. at a family restaurant, followed by more drinks in Pongi with a couple guys who had also taken the test. I felt much lighter than I have in a month, partly due to the buzz and partly owing to how good it was to speak with some people going the same way I am. And cool gaijin guys at that! Is it an ex-pat thing that you can spend the whole afternoon talking to people whose names you don't even know? After realizing I hadn't eaten anything more than an energy bar that morning, I scarfed some nachos, promptly got a headache, and turned in with the beau for an early night at 7. On the upside, no more Hostess cupcakes for a while.
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5 comments:
Otsukare sama! Congrats on being done!!
Stupd @#%&^*# vans blaring their stupid @#%&^*# propaganda!
I saw those guys in Shibuya last February. I didn't know such a thing existed. There was a man standing on top of a van shouting through a megaphone and the only word I could make out was "America". My husband was like, "my, my, what is this?" and I was like, "GET. ON. THE. TRAIN." I think it was the closest I ever came to feeling unsafe in Japan. I'd love to live in Japan, but maybe not as a hostage.
I hope you rocked the test! Have some celebratory cupcakes! :)
Congratulations on finishing the test. Ganbate!
Good work on the test, bet you're glad it's all over now. Sounds like Japan was not going to let you get away with an easy ride throughout, however.
Hopefully in some ironic way, the pathetic chanting that you heard from that crazy demonstration will have soothed you into doing really, really well..you never know..
Thanks for the comments all! I have a feeling it's not over yet though...
Lisa: They are loud and grating on the nerves but I don't think they do much more than over-use their megaphones. Despite all the bullshit they talk, I've never seen them engage with those around them (foreigners or Japanese).
ryan: Thanks for stopping by. Let's hope you're right and their chanting upped my brain power!
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