Saturday April 16, 2005 - mock Earthquake!!!!

So today was super crazy. We woke up at 7:00 am to go to some orientation that's suppose to last two days. I woke up VERY groggy. I was also missing my Tim Horton's coffee. I miss it too much. So afterward Ana took FOREVER to get ready....heheh... girls girls girls... so I left without her. Basically all the international students here at Tottori for the first time had to go on the orientation.

We went to some cycling rest centre... basically to discuss logistics about travelling... like government documents and health services and stuff... So then we headed back to the residence to watch a fire drill... FIRE!!! in Japanese is KASHI!!!!!... and ambulance is KIU KIU. You dial 1-1-9 in Japan not 9-1-1.

Then we had an earthquake simulator, which teaches us what to do in the event of an earthquake. We were allowed to try the simulator in pairs... So Richard and I went. The simulator starts off at a Richtor scale of 6 then goes up to a 7. It was crazy. Knowing me, I would panic during the event of a real one.

Richard and I on the earthquake simulator... you can see the Richtor scale in the corner

Myself, Ana and Richard pretending to be Professor Woolford

Then we finally headed off the International Exchange Plaza... where we had ANOTHER welcome party. This time it was run by the International Friendship Association. So.. more FREE FOOD... Ana and I have been loving the free food considering we still DONT have our bank accounts set up. Then we headed back to the cycling centre, and stayed the night in tatami-bunk beds. I got a chance to make MOCHI... which is rice pounded into little circles.

Me pounding some rice to make mochi

A group of international students

The party put on by the IFA (Int'l Friendship Assoc.)

I've also noticed that the Sakura trees are turning green. So it was great that I went to the festival last week when they were in full bloom.

Sakura flowers turning green