- "Stalker" - ... Yes, oddly enough a young high school boy rang the doorbell of my apartment twice within two weeks. The first time I thought he had the wrong apartment, and was looking for someone. He did not understand English from what I could gather, and I don't know Japanese... The second time he came to my apartment I was flabbergasted and shocked. He handed me a DVD, which I assumed was porn. I quickly gave it back to him and told him to go away and shut the door. He knocked on my door for about 5 minutes until my coworker came and shooed him away... I haven't heard from him since.
- "Torn Ligament" - It was a chilly morning, and I haven't been getting much sleep since it was the last full week of the semester. I quickly walked up the stairs, and in one swoop step I twisted my left ankle. I didn't fall, but I collapsed down in the stop that I took the step. I was in pain, but I thought, "It's just a small sprain. I'll be okay." As I gathered myself and got up and walked, it was painful, but I made it to me office and continued on with my day. Five hours later I was in much more pain. I couldn't even stand or walk on the ankle... I went to the school nurse and she wrapped it up for me. I went on with my duties in the English PLAZA, then I decided to go to a clinic to check my ankle... They did an x-ray and the ligament was swollen, so they quickly wrapped it and gave me medicine. I had work the next day, and I slowly crutched my way to work. I went back to the clinic and they checked if it was swollen. It wasn't. It's not easy to get around with crutches. So I asked about getting a wheelchair. They said, no... I had another visit last week on Tuesday. I asked to get a copy of my receipt that was reimbursed, but they said they didn't have a copy machine. Then I asked if I could take a picture. They said, no. Maybe they thought I was going to do something with the receipt??? Not sure... I had another appointment on Thursday... They said they were going to do an x-ray again... they did, but then right away they put a cast over my leg. I was disturbed because I think that I don't need a cast, but they insisted on it. The language barrier doesn't help. I was very upset... and they wanted me to come in the next day. Like I said, it's not easy to get around on crutches... I complied and went in... It didn't take long, but they checked if the cast was okay. Then they said to come in on Monday... I complied again. "No remarkable changes." I have another appointment this week. Hopefully, I get this off my leg by next Thursday. Luckily, I was able to borrow a wheelchair from school yesterday. Now I can wheel around, but the streets aren't paved well, and there aren't many sidewalks. You hardly see anyone in a wheelchair or anyone with "disabilities" around... Maybe they stay indoors all day...?
- "Visas" - No, not the credit card visa, but the travel VISA. I am planning to travel around China next month... I knew I had to pay for the visa since I am a U.S. Citizen, but since I also have a Japanese work visa... I have to pay more than I expected because I am supposed to go through a travel agency to apply for the visa. I don't understand why I need to go through a travel agency... Is it just another step to make money for the travel agency? Is it a security issue since there's "bad blood" between China and Japan? This left me feeling dejected... because I think there is already some discrimination against "gaijin" (foreigners) in Japan already. -OR- it could be totally unrelated. I'm not sure how I feel about this... I tried to look at the other side of the story, and think about how I usually don't have to pay for VISAs to go into some countries like other nationalities do. I just don't like the feeling of being treated unfairly... I would think no one wants to be treated differently because of their background/ ethnicity/ nationality/ race/ gender/ gender orientation/ etc. Am I totally off on this topic??? I'm not sure where I stand...
Any comments? suggestions? advice?
