That one time in Japan..... when I got hit by a car.

***New series*** "That one time in Japan..."!  I figured creating something like this will allow me to make up humorous titles and give me a way to categorize those random "Well I went to this one festival.." or "I traveled to Kyoto and Hiroshima in three days" or "That one time I got hit by a car" kind of posts. Hope you enjoy!

This post is about that one time in Japan when I got hit by a car. Yes, you read correctly. If you know me IRL, you probably know that I was hit by a car, but may not have heard the story. So, today, you can sit back and laugh at my bad luck [once again].


You may be wondering what made me decide to post this today. Well, recently I was injured at work.  Now begins the struggle for the getting my treatment paid for and all that fun stuff. Word to the wise: Do not ever get injured at work; it is way too much hassle and not fun and can result in many headaches not even associated with any real injury.


Now, onto the fun part... 
This is copied from my short-lived exchange blog that I had for part of my year abroad. I've added some things, which are noted by the "[" and "]" around them. Please enjoy and comment with any thoughts!


"So, I can tell everyone about my latest experience - being hit by a car!

Friday, the 23rd[of October], was a pretty typical day at school. I left a little earlier than usual, and was riding my bike home when I came to the dangerous road that freaks me out and I always take my time crossing. It’s not big at all, but you can’t see if cars are coming so it’s scary.[I ususally avoided this road but I was staring at some hot Japanese schoolboys and missed my light to go to the other side so I just went straight, onto the "death path" as I've now dubbed it.]

Paint/Gimp 2 Created Map, lol

I stopped my bike, paused my iPod, made sure I couldn’t hear anything and that I didn’t see anything, and braced myself. Then I started to cross. Suddenly I hear this engine, so I look and there’s this smaller VW Van lookalike only about three inches from me, not speeding but not slowing down either. All I could think was, “Oh crap.. That’s a car, isn't it?” before boom! My left side hit the car and then boom! My right side hit the ground.

Like this, but orange.

It really wasn’t that bad. I got right up afterwards and thought “Ah, this is gonna be a little complicated.” The lady got out and kept asking if I was okay, and I said yes and then she asked for my address but after just being hit by a car, my head was not recalling much English, let alone Japanese. Luckily, a group of people were picking up trash nearby and one spoke a little English. I managed to give her my host mom’s card with her cell phone number and rode my bike home.

I came home and tried communicating it to my host mom. I said, "Car... Bike... BOOM!" Anything. I tried looking it up. Eventually she just said she got it and said, "Okay, well now get ready for the party." I just thought, "Uh.... okay then..." and then told her the lady would call her the next day. Then I got ready.

That night was a Rotary party at the hotel, but it was on the 15th floor of the hotel. I was put next to Ishizu-san, whose son goes to Seishin and he had me check his English homework. It was so cute. We ate dinner, and played a few games. One was writing a haiku. Yeah, like I can accomplish that. But, the drunk guy sitting across from me wrote two and put my name on one of them and it won a prize. Probably just because it had my name on it, though.

Saturday, I went shopping. And then when my host mom came home, she told me the lady that hit me called her (just like I told her she would.....) and my host mom fussed over me for a long time, checking all over my body for bruises and asking me why I didn't tell her. I kept repeating, "I DID tell you... I DID tell you..." but she still doesn't think I did. [I eventually talked about it again in January with her and we laughed about our miscommunication. If only I could have had THAT level of Japanese in October!]

Sunday was I told not to go anywhere. Yeah, it was really fun. Not. I talked to JoAnna on Skype for awhile and studied. That was it.

Monday, I didn’t go to school and I went to the hospital, watched something about fireworks on the hospital TVs, had x-rays and waited around, a lot.. Note about Japanese x-rays: You have to get completely naked for them. Of course, you have a kimono-style robe, but you still gotta be naked. Awkward much? When they were trying to tell my to take off all my clothes, I was like…. “uh… you want me to WHAT?”

Tuesday was another day of being condemned to the house. Not fun. And from then on, I’ve started going to the hospital every day. I have to go to this massage place close to my school and have them massaged for around an hour every day. It’s kinda cool, but sometimes it hurts. They hook these suction-cup thingers to my legs and then it sends like electric shocks or something that feels like tiny little needles puncturing my skin. And lack of knowing how to say, "uh.. can you turn it down juuuust a tad?" is really making me have to learn to deal with the awkward slightly painfulness of it. The only doctor says, "Okay" about 100 times every time he massages me, but the other one is kind of hot. I guess I get to stop at the end of the week, which will be nice because it’ll free up some more time to study."


Unfortunately, after that week, it didn't stop. I had to continue going for two months. I would complain about it, but my host mom said it would look better to the insurance company.(Always looking out for me, Okaasan, haha) I would say I didn't care, I just wanted more time. I would get home from school at 5, have to leave by 5:30, and wouldn't get home until 7:30. I felt like I couldn't do anything, and I had to stop going to Tea Ceremony club because of it.


Looking back, I really wish I had fought a little more for tea ceremony club because I didn't make many friends that I could hang out with outside of school. I had my good friends (whom I love to death) but the people I actually hung out with were all college students.

In December we finally went to the police. I'm not sure why we waited so long, but we did. The police didn't even talk to me except to say that in the future we should contact the police as soon as something happens, like I knew how to do that!  The lady told them that I had actually hit her (which totally explains why I landed in front of her car, uh-huh) but because I was not Japanese, they didn't feel the need to talk to me. I tried to protest and say she was wrong, but my words became all jumbled and no one would listen! When we came home, I was so pissed and upset, I started yelling at my host dad and he told me that the police are stupid and didn't really want to listen to him, either.


I learned later on, that in Japan, if you are found to be the cause of an accident (ie: that you hit someone on their bike with your car), you will more than likely be highly fined and will have your license revoked. For how long, I forget but it's not taken lightly in Japan. But lying to save your own ass? How American of you, Nihonjin no obaachan. Honestly, I'd expect it out of CEOs, but not a sweet Japanese lady, but I guess those people are everywhere.

At the end of February I received about $900 in cash from the insurance company. I'll admit it, I had fun blowing some of it on a mini-shopping spree. But I came home with many items that I love a lot and wear often. So it wasn't all bad!


And besides, how many exchange students can say that a month and a half into exchange they got hit by a car?









Hope you enjoyed this post. I'm currently in the process of recovering, packing to move, and writing three different blog posts so please keep an eye out for more! You can always follow me on Twitter or add me on Facebook. Please also feel free to email me at x.sap09.x@gmail.com (for more quick replies).

Things I Learned in Japan: never let anyone dictate your life.

(I decided to post this blog first, because it really has a lot of importance to my life at the moment. It's something I feel is really worth talking about. I will update later about my entire trip, how you can help with earthquake  and will resume regular postings. 

Sorry for all the text too, I'm trying to save all my photos for Japan trip-related posts.)

On March 11th around 8PM Japan time, I was let off the plane. I headed through Immigration, Customs, baggage claim, etc etc and at long last, I was back in Japan - amid a national disaster, with a credit card that didn't work, without my bag of clothes, unable to get ahold of my friend in Kyoto, wondering what the f**k I was going to do, but I was back home.


And I've never been happier. 「やっと、ただいま！」感じでした。

From that moment on, I knew the direction my life was going to take - to work my (not-so-little) butt off to get back here, permanently.

I know most of you will go, "Huh?! I thought that WAS the plan?" Well, it was. And then I came home.


You see, when I first came home, I was so energized, so refreshed, so full of life. My experiences were amazing and held such meaning for me, I could barely contain myself. This lasted for about a month.


Then my post-Japan depression set in. For more info, check out this blog's introduction post which pretty much sums it up. I barely got out of bed. My Japanese boyfriend and I stopped talking. Most of my friends from Japan had gone on with their lives. I was too upset that I wasn't in Japan to make any effort to contact anyone in Japan. I felt lost. Misplaced. Confused. Is there a word for something like an anachronism of a country? I felt alien and unwanted and thoroughly homesick for Japan, which wasn't my home anymore.


Now, to be honest, I've suffered from depression and anxiety before. I was diagnosed at age 12 and was in therapy for many years following. I was "cured" and "cleared" long before I ever left for Japan, but the feeling of nothingness I felt was minimal compared to how I felt after coming home. I was trying to find a job, but with the dismal economy in an already dismal place, it was proving harder and harder every day.


And then a ray of light: I was finally hired at Dunkin Donuts. I get around 38 hours a week, and it was a new experience with new people and something to keep me busy. And so it provided something to knock the depression, if only temporarily.


Winter came, and with it, my application to an internship which, if I was accepted, would mean another year in Japan, and I would be getting PAID! I applied and frantically checked my email every day for news. Nothing. And nothing. And then a notice that due to the number of applicants, announcements would be delayed. Sigh. I knew it was a far shot, but I needed it. I needed this internship. I needed a way back to Japan - something concrete, something almost tangible.


And then I received the most devastating news. I was not accepted. They said, "...Your application was very strong, however, and we encourage you to apply in the future...". そっかと思ってて泣いちゃいました。I cried for a good hour. I was so disappointed that I couldn't answer my phone or talk to anyone for a couple hours. I managed to stop crying and when my sister-in-law asked why my face looked red, I just started crying again. I felt so cheated; robbed of the one thing I needed. Everyone goes on exchange, but how many people go back for anything more than a visit? I couldn't do that.


But then I thought, maybe that's exactly what I need. So, after shopping around sites, I managed to find a decently priced flight and I booked it. I was going to stay with one of my friends and then travel to my host city and see my friends graduate in March.

It was around this time I started seeing someone. Originally, I had only intended on dating casually and nothing serious, but it became quite obvious quickly that his intentions were very different. I hadn't realized then, but I was getting involved with a very selfish person. No matter how many times I explained what my exchange had meant to me, how much I loved Japan, how much I missed it, he just didn't get it. He would just get angry because he thought he would lose me to Japan.


I started to feel bad for wanting to go back so bad. I started to question if I wasn't being selfish, having all these dreams and aspirations that didn't include him. He certainly didn't help at all, almost feeding those feelings; probably his attempt to control me and to keep me from straying too far. I pretty much stopped going online, because he'd get angry if I blogged or anything because I'd "waste our time together".


My trip to Japan drew closer and closer, and I started to regret even buying the ticket. I got so caught up in the idea of us being together that I pretty much stopped doing everything else.


And then the day came. I got up, went to the airport, and I was on my way. The flight over was pretty uneventful, until we reached Sendai, but that's a story for another day.

While my trip was very uneventful, due to trains being closed, shops being closed, blackouts, etc, I still had a blast. I was happy again, the kind of happy I was during my exchange, the kind of happy I thought I'd never have again. Even amid the craziness, I managed to enjoy myself and even have a lot of fun. Just being back in the midst of it all - the faster pace, the trains, ramen, Sukiya, yakiniku, singing Ayaman Japan while walking in Shinjuku, visiting 109 again.... It was enough to make my heart swell with joy again.


I also received important news - that my sister-in-law had gotten a job in Maryland (about an hour and a half from Washington DC by train) making really good money, so we will be moving in May. With this comes a great opportunity for me, because we will live within short distance of a really good, affordable community college.


And so my plans were re-thought-out. I will be living with my brother, his wife and their 2 kids, watching the girls during the day, attending school in the afternoons, and possibly working weekends (depending on how things go). Once I have applied, been accepted, got all the visa crap figured out, I will hopefully be attending Temple University of Japan from January 2012 on.


Being back in Japan made me realize some important things:
I realized that being only 19, I shouldn't be so worried about taking care of everyone else. I'm young, full of life, and without so many scars that I can't afford to fall down a few more times. Anyone who deserves me should want me to reach for my dreams and should encourage me to do so, not try to bring me down. Did I mention my boyfriend had a son? I could just see myself getting attached to him (like I always do with kids) and feeling obligated to stay for the little boys sake.


I re-realized that I'm only going to be this young once, and I should seize all the opportunities I can while I'm still this free. Which is also why I went out a couple times with my friends in Japan, because I'm still young and stupid enough to wear heels from 10PM until 5AM two nights in a row, all in the name of fashion. Some people gave me flack for it, but honestly, why the hell not do it? I had no where else to be during that time and it was worth the experience.



I'm slowing starting to beat jet-lag and starting to pack things up that I won't need right now. I'm so excited to start over and start towards working to reach my new goals that I [momentarily] lost sight of. I'm going to continue this blog and hopefully continue to improve with each day. I feel so much better now that I'm single again, because I can focus on me and what I need to get done to better my future, which is never a bad thing.

I AM ALIVE!!! And safe but kinda maybe stuck in Osaka!

Hello everyone.
This is just an update for everyone concerned. I am alive and well and posting from an internet cafe in Osaka Kansai International Airport.
I am waiting to see if I can get a bullet train to Tokyo, where I will meet my friend and we will try to get back to Koga, Ibaraki where he lives.




Kashima was in the midst of the earthquake, and I currently cannot get in touch with any of my friends or host families.
This is my primary concern, and I will try to talk to them as soon as possible.


I've got half of a "What a way to start my return to Japan" post written so keep an eye out for when I post it.


No need to worry, I was flying when the earthquakes happened, so I am fine. Need to wash my hair. And shave. And pop a couple stress pimples. But I'm fine and I will post as much and as often as I can.


Thank you for all your messages, emails, etc.




see you~~