New Years!

Haha, I know a lot of people are interested in my New Years plans and I hate to disappoint, LOL, but they were pretty quiet on the big scale of life! All of my friends had to return to their hometowns (New Years is huge here, a time to spend with family... not so much go out and get blasted with your friends!) but Miharu lives in Hamamtsu so she asked Gary and me to go to the Gaijin bar after she had dinner with her family.

I actually met two hysterical Australians (just visiting, darn it!) so I spent most of the night with them! We were given poppers for midnight and that was fun! Then there was a bar rat (52, hair dyed red, spoke little to no English) who wouldn't leave me alone, LOL, but I finally got rid of him. Side note: the only two times I've been to this bar, it's been easy to stop drinking *early* because I watch everyone else drink to excess (earlier and quicker) and make complete fools of themselves! I just don't understand the whole "enjoying blacking out" thing!

I had a really fun time and actually met a guy from UMass Amherst! Small world! (Don't get any ideas ladies, like all other American men here, he has a *gorgeous* girlfriend, LOL!) I just enjoy meeting new friends so much and when we're from the same neck of the woods and share the same points of view, it's very nice! Jeff's here on the JET programme and is apparently a regular at the bar and completely "the guy to know!" I feel like being his friend will open many doors for me socially! Hooray!!

And I met another girl on the JET named Gillian who gave me some AWESOME news: cell phones in Japan have payment plans! (Daryn told me this about her phone, but I didn't realize it applied to Apple phones, too!!) So I'm totally *thinking* of getting an iPhone (I know guys, I'm so sorry, but ever since I played with one when Marci and I went to the cell phone store I've been a little bit in love!) and it should only cost about $15 per month to pay it off! How can I go wrong? I just love Japan, LOL!

Alright, so I went to a bar on New Years (and a McDonalds around 3a.m.). Not terribly exciting but I hate crowds and there was plenty of room at the bar! Plus, it felt so nice to go out and speak with native English speakers! I can't tell you what a difference it makes!!! Good times!! I hope everyone else's night/day was/is just as nice as mine was!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D