Day 278 { Licence Exam #2 / Main School Nomikai } - Monday, December 22, 2008

Day 278 { Licence Exam #2 / Main School Nomikai }

Today I woke up at about 5:30 am and hurried to the train station. I parked my car and was about to buy a ticket to get on the train. But there was no one in the station for me to purchase the train ticket from nor to leave my car key with. So I ran on the train and got to Okayama city at a 7:33 am without a ticket. So I purchased the ticket when I got to Okayama city and told the people where I took the train... I started to wonder to myself if I couldn't tell them that I got on the train somewhere nearby, and pay less money....hmmmm .. But naah im a good guy ;) But I see where it's possible that it can be done.

So I met my Independent Contractor and we went to the licence centre again. When we got there, she said we will be doing course #2... The one that I know and the one which is the harder of the 2. My IC said that most times when she come there, its course #2 they give the foreigners to do...WHY???? Why does so many things have to be so difficult for foreigners here??? Anyway, I walked around the course twice, to make certain that I have it correctly in my head...
I think I do...and in my head, there was nothing that could prevent me from passing today, except if the people don't want me to pass... Well I get the feeling that they don't want us to pass. Because I remember my friend told me that when she was going for her licence, some men there were talking to each other and asking stuff like, "Why do all these foreigners need a licence for?" ... She further said that a foreign lady who was nearby, understood what they were saying and spoke back to them in Japanese.... The men of course were shocked that she could speak the language...Anyway, so after walking around the course, and full of confidence that this time I must pass, it was time to take the exam again. So the examiner came in and explained what we should do... She then asked if everyone was ok with what she said...So, 2 of us there asked her a question... And the lady did not answer us properly... I was number 4 out of 5 people.... All foreigners...

It was now my time to take the exam... I did everything that I was told at the driving lesson then started the course. In my head, I did everything smoothly and was waiting to hear that I need to sign up the papers to get my licence....ha ha ha...The following were the reasons why the examiner said I failed:

1) I need to turn around my head more than once when changing lines

2) I should only turn my neck and not my shoulder and neck when changing lanes

3) I need to slow down "just a little bit more" before approaching a blind corner

So these were the reasons why I failed my friends...I cannot tell you how shocked I was ... Shocked firstly because I actually failed and secondly because of the reasons why they said I failed... Even now I am still in disbelief at these people at the licence centre....It's strange how most Japanese persons that take this driving exam, pass on their first or second attempt but MOST (certainly not all) foreigners have to take the test 5, 6 and 7 times...Sorry it's just too much of a coincidence not to talk about this. Yes so this was the first half of my bad day...

The second half was that I was again suckered into going to a Nomekai (drinking Party) that I somehow didn't know that I was to pay for. So this is how it happened. Some persons at my main school invited me to this thing about 3 weeks ago...And I said "SURE, I will come" ... Not one mention was made of cost, because I thought this was them inviting me to just have a good time with them...I remember when they invited me, I heard a teacher mentioned TOFU... So I said, "TOFU??? You know I don't eat that right"... And they said, "Soka soka (oooh yes yes)" ... So at that time I said "Well I guess I should not come then?" ... and they were like..."NO NO. PLEASE COME ON COME ON" so I said, "ok I will"... again, totally oblivious of the cost involved...

When they said come on, I thought they would take me into consideration that I DO NOT LIKE TOFU...OR they would change the venue... ha ha ha... When the teachers picked me up at my apartment today and we went to the place, it was very much the "TOFU" Restaurant. And when I got there, my food was already pre-ordered and placed on a table ready for me.... ahhh, I must admit that this style is very unlike the West and I personally don't like it... I much prefer to have some sort of idea of what I am going to eat OR order what I want to eat myself. Not to come and see a bunch of stuff that I have no idea what it is, placed in front of me.... Then the worst thing about it was that... I had to pay 5000 yen for it.... What can be worst than paying 5000 yen to get some food that you don't want to eat??? The Nomikai on Day 272, (last Tuesday), with my Tuesday ekaiwa friends was different because the organiser told us from early what the cost was. And this place had some western style food that we could get like pizza and fries.

So yes...I felt a little bad at this nomekai today because most of the food was tofu-based, and or raw fish (Sashimi)... that I don't really like either.... and I had to pay 5000 yen for it.... I come from a country where every single thing is cooked... If its not cooked, then chances are I am not going to like it very much... and some of the persons there STILL can't get it that "I DONT LIKE TOFU"... someone was even still trying to force me to eat it and telling me that its delicious...and I had to tell him "noooo"... Somebody else said "try it" .. I said "I tried it a long time ago and I JUST DONT LIKE IT".... The taste is not going to change...

I must admit though that it was fun hanging out and talking and laughing with them... So in my head, I paid the 5000 yen for the fun and laughter but not the food...I went to karaoke afterwards with a few of them... then went home...