A bit late on the update but another week has passed and boy, what a week.
I had another day off on the 5th of July, but it was largely uneventful - so let's talk about the big thing that did actually happen this week and that is Typhoon Neoguri.
So the news kept saying how Typhoon Neoguri (台風８号) here in Japan was going to be a "super typhoon" coming from the Philippines and would be one of the worst ones in 15 years...... and we still had to go to work. Although to be honest I wasn't complaining because our apartment actually ended up losing power - but still. So let me walk you through the experience I had with Typhoon Neoguri and how... to be honest I was expecting something a lot worse.
So at work on the 6th my manager told the staff that we might have to stay the night the next day (the 7th) and for everyone to bring a spare change of clothes etc. even though I had heard the typhoon was coming on the 8th. Well turns out it did roll in at night on the 7th - that's when the wind and rain started, and it was causing a huge racket. Apparently none of my roommates could sleep, but I slept like a log.
Fast forward to the 8th.
We get to work by a shuttle bus provided by the hotel. Two of my roomies normally leave at around 12:30 - except due to the typhoon instead of waiting outside for the bus they decided to stay inside the safety of the apartment. The wind was not a joke - we could literally feel our apartment shaking. We even taped up our windows just to be safe. Next thing you know, bus driver knocks on our door and tells our roomies the bus is ready and off they go. Power goes out. Fun. Great. I still have another 2 hours before I need to head to work.
Two hours pass and guess what. Bus doesn't come - or so we think. Apparently the bus did come, and had waited for us - but we didn't want to wait outside so it had driven away. Also someone actually told us the bus hadn't even bothered stopping for us (misinformation). So we had to make multiple phone calls, in which the hotel shows it's complete incompetence, to get another bus to come pick us up because honestly, none of us wanted to stay in our apartment with no power. Off to work we go, an hour late, at around 4:00 (my shift starts at 3). The 10minute drive to the hotel was an experience, our bus was shaking, our driver was driving incredibly slowly, and there was so much water on the ground we couldn't even look outside the window because of the spray the car was making.
Another funny story - it took two people to close the front door of our apartment when we left because the window was so strong. In fact the door nearly smacked my roomie in the face when she tried to get in after checking to see if the bus had arrived. Let's just say the wind was not fun.
After getting to work though the typhoon was largely uneventful. I guess the most interesting thing to point out would be that we ended up staying the night at the hotel. 6 of us in one room. They had originally stuck us with our Japanese co-workers, but I felt that was kind of awkward and I would have preferred to sleep with my roomies. It worked out, everyone got a bed, I slept like a log. The next day was incredibly boring though because my work doesn't start until 3 and we were forced to leave the room the hotel provided for us (guest room) by 11AM so... that meant I have 4 hours to kill in our hotel - which really isn't that fun. Let's just say I spent most of that time napping in the change room (fun fact: our change room has a tatami area in the back with a bunch of blankets and pillows for people to take a nap!). Reason being Japanese work hours suck and everyone only gets a 1HR break every day regardless of how long your actual work shift is. (fun fact 2: Marines - people who work on the beach/pool at the hotel have to work 13/15hrs and they still only get 1hr break).
So on the 9th, after work, we all went back home. Things were good. No windows were shattered, power was back, typhoon was over and the days passed until today in which I had another day off - spent uselessly.
Some new foreign staff came - one girl is Canadian and also in the same restaurant as me (yay!) - she seems really nervous, but I think that's pretty normal. Possibly her first time ever in Japan considering she seems very un-accustomed to speaking Japanese so we'll see how things go.
OH - big update at work. I got moved to managing the drinks - so now I make drinks for people (nothing fancy - just simple cocktails and pouring beer, juice, and pop) and when the restaurant closes I'm in charge of "washing things". So... it's actually more interesting, time passes a lot faster, but it is a bit nerve-wracking because I'm so afraid of messing up. Let's just say I can't wait until I get moved to the Aqua Bar on the 19th. I've also had chances to talk to a few of the staff more, but I'm such an awkward turtle I can never keep a conversation going.
Overall I think things are getting better - I mean, overall I kind of hate work because it's just not... suited for me I don't think, but the people are nice and I have fun roommates so I'm pretty happy.
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