Still lacking a car, I've lately been learning certain other useful skills. No new skill comes easily here, but these are to a longish-term resident in Japan second in usefulness only to chopsticks: using public transportation, and riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella. Neither of these things are nearly as simple as they ought to be, but I've put off learning them far too long, and necessity has finally won.

Japan is a windy, rainy country, and a bike ride with an umbrella can be tricky. Uniformed schoolboys do it with cool nonchalant ease, old women pull it off with the grace of years, but my first time out got me only cramped wrists from battling windthrusts caught in my umbrella, a bicycle bell-shaped wound on my hand from over-gripping for balance, and futilely-soaked clothing after all. The ride back home was a little better, but I'm viewing my driver's license test retake on Wednesday with new desperation, especially after seeing this week's weather forecast.

Bike riding is fun for me as slow, sunny recreation, or even stress-releasing rockhopping rides over fast back country roads, but carless, if the weather's bad, I would really prefer to go on foot. Unfortunately, I don't live in one of those cool Japanese cities with subways. My bus ride to work involves catching an infrequent one from a stop half a kilometer away, a ride in the opposite direction from my destination, a transfer downtown after a lengthy wait, and a second bus which takes me back in the direction of my home, then finally another 10 minute walk up a busy street, all while carrying bagfuls of flashcards and toys, small children I know yelling my name from passing cars as I go. When I arrive, it's recess, and the children want to know why I'm too winded to chase them, and why I have such deep red bagstrap-shaped marks on my shoulders. I want to tell them to start studying NOW for their driving tests.

Bus riding is a complicated skill too, one which should ideally be tackled in steps, if at all possible. Finding out and remembering the name of the area you're going to is an admirable conquest, but it's not enough, you must also know which Chinese character represents it. You've got to find a bus stop, my advice: they're usually hidden behind bushes or in alleys, look there first. Find the Chinese character of your destination from among the hundreds written on the sign at the stop, or guess which alternate one might lead to one of the transfer points that will eventually get you there. Sometimes darts are useful for this, but make sure no one's too near when you start throwing them. Be sure to jump out of the bush your bus stop is in before the bus comes by so the driver will see you.

Get on at the back, get off at the front. It's no use standing in the doorway and asking the bus driver if he's going your way, because he won't be sitting there. Find the number on the ticket you should have known to grab when you got on, to find the distance ridden you must pay for when you go. Listen carefully for the name of your stop among the constant chattering of advertisements and event announcements from the P.A. Make sure you know exactly which stop to ring for, because the one after it won't be for several miles. And be sure to buy yourself the treat of your choice if you actually get to your destination, because by god, you deserve it.

Now go study for your driver's test.

Comments

[Karla]

I think I need to just buy one of those regardless. Fashion AND function, and so rarely are the two so simultaneously well-represented!

[sarah]

Good luck on your next exam. In the mean time, perhaps you should consider purchasing one of these:

http://www.funfolly.com/g/hats/humb2ord.gif

:)