"Kanji all learned, I guess I can go to bed now.

...Or... I could practice my moonwalk a little, first."

I decided to practice. And then write here.

So, yesterday was a birthday for Kenji, who's actually on the Hongo campus, but hangs around with the AIKOMsei a lot. I'm not sure if he has any official affiliation, though he is the boyfriend of my senpai (the Michigan AIKOMsei from last year).
Anyway, all the AIKOMsei were invited, but only seven of us (six AIKOM-15 plus Sarah) ended up coming. He had reserved a "standing lounge" for the night, and we (the whole group) filled the whole place pretty well. XD
I had a good chat with Joon-woo, and talked to Clara and Di some, but best, I met one of Kenji's (many) friends, Akira, and we had a great conversation. XD Also, we both like a lot of the same music. XD There were also some other very notable meetings, including Taiga and Yoshiko. I'm going to go to a sort of international exchange club, Chabashira (which is apparently mostly Japanese students), to see several of the people from last night again, this week. +D
After that, the other AIKOMsei went home, but I decided to go to Karaoke with the rest of the group. It was fun, though not as good as it can be, since many of us didn't really know one another. Bu tonly afterward did the real adventure begin.
So, the party and karaoke were both in Shibuya, which is relatively close to Mitaka, where I live, but probably about a 20 to 40-minute train ride (plus 15-minute bike ride). After Karaoke, which we had wrapped up at the time we did because it was getting close to the time of the last trains, Taiga and Akira guided me to the station. But I got confused about which line to take. So, I floundered around for a few minutes, got scolded by a station officer, and then found my line (Inokashira). It seemed that the train coming was the last train of the night, judging by the great number of people waiting for it. But when it came, the display said it was bound for Fujimigaoka. Normally, I take the train for Kichijouji (and get off at Mitaka-dai, two stops before Kichijouji). So, I thought it wasn't the right train and was really confused, since I was pretty sure it was the right line, and it just goes back and forth between Kichijouji and Shibuya... So, after the massive crowd had crammed itself into the train and I was standing on the totally empty platform, I found and slowly walked over to a line map, all in Kanji, and worked on trying to read it, to figure out what was up. And then, at the last second, as the tone is ringing to announce that the train doors are about to close, I realize that Fujimigaoka, where the train is going, is on the line I want. I ran over and got inside the train just in time. Unfortunately, Fujimigaoka is, of course, not Kichijouji. So I studied the map inside the train more and found that it was two stops short of Mitaka-dai, where I was headed. I hoped that somehow I could continue on another train or something from there to Mitaka-dai... But, sure enough, when it got to Fujimigaoka the whole station was closing for the night.
So, what to do? It's one in the morning, and I'm two stops short of where my bike is, in an area I don't know at all, alone. I was pretty sure that it wasn't actually very far to Mitaka-dai station I decided that if I followed the railway, I could find it. But, of course, the roads don't actually run parallel to the rail line at all, so I just tried, as much as possible, to not lose sight of it for long, and walked through the surface streets, mainly though residential neighborhoods. Soon, though, I found the river that runs right next to Mitaka-dai station. Like most of the concrete-banked rivers in Tokyo (that is, like most of all of them), there was a sidewalk all down the side of it. Although it was a more meandering, less direct route, I decided it would be less risky than trying to take the streets and not lose track of the line. And, lo, perhaps forty minutes later, at about 1:30, I arrived at Mitaka-dai.
Also, I was carrying all the remaining money I have to last me until my scholarship arrives, and my digital camera... Hopefully my parents won't ever read this. Thank god Japan is so safe... XD
Now, after that, I feel that nothing living in a foreign country can throw at me will be more than I can handle. Fun though it kind of was, I think I'll keep closer track of when the last train is and allow myself time to get confused and sorted out in the station, next time. XD

Anyway, today I went with Francesco and Zoe to a folk crafts museum in Komaba for our Museums class. It was pretty cool, I have to say. It's been remarked that this year's AIKOMsei seem to get along very well, and I'm very glad that it's so. It was quite lovely spending time with those two today, and always has been with everyone.
Then I came home and went to the supermarket where I ran into Erika and Ayu. I had only eggs (the sign of the cooking-inept male AIKOMsei, apparently XD) in my basket, but I saw that Ayu had all kinds of veggies and meats and things to do some serious cooking. So, feeling inspired, I bought some (raw) chicken, some broccoli, some curry, and other things. I came home and cooked something besides egg-and-"delicious sauce"-fried-rice for the first time... And it was not really good, but at least it was a good experience. XD