Town festival!

I know two blogs in one day is a bit excessive, but I just had a wonderful, amazing experience!  Today I walked around town trying to figure out which store was what and where things are located.  I was almost home when this truck pulls into a driveway, and a guy gets out.  He tries to tell me something, but I have absolutely NO idea what he's talking about.  The other guy in the truck was trying to say something as well, but it didn't help.  Another car was going by, and they flagged the driver down.  It turned out to be the first guy's daughter who could speak English.  She told me that he wanted to invite me to the town festival tonight.  I said I would love to come!  She was like, "Okay, I'll pick you up at 6."  Wow.  I would have walked.  Do you understand now how the Japanese will seriously bend over backwards for you?

Miwa (the daughter) took me to the train station where the festival was.  She explained that her parents organize this festival every year for the town since the town is so small and doesn't have a lot of funds for a big shin dig.  As soon as I walked in, I was once again the town pet, lol.  Everyone wanted to introduce themselves to me.  I'll telling you, everyone is SOOOOOO FRIENDLY here! Miwa's father gave me coupons so that I could try the food and drink.  She asked if I drank, and I said no, so she offered me cider instead.  She made sure that I tried as much as possible.  There was a big potato thing that was kinda like a big fat hashbrown, edamame, little pieces of corn on the cob, some sort of fried meat, and fried potato french fry things.  It was all really good!  Miwa had to help cook, so she found me a family friend who could speak English, and told me I could sit next to her.  Yuka (the family friend) said that she had lived in New York for a while.  She had the cutest little girls.  She reminded me of my sister, Christina, b/c she was multi-tasking like no one's business trying to feed herself, the squirming girls, answer her phone, and talk to me all at the same time.  I was amazed, lol.  The guy next to me apparently also knew a bit of English.  He asked me where I was from, and I said America.  This began our conversation. 

There were different bands that played.  The first one was a mix of English and Japanese songs.  It was very funny for me to hear a Japanese band preform Journey's "Midnight Train" and other classics.  haha!  The next band was a traditional Japanese guitar band.  The guy next to me explained what it was.  It looked like a really skinny guitar but sounded like a banjo.  :)  The next group was a bunch of kids.  It was adorable!  The next group was electric guitars.  Rock on.


I sat there in the midst of people enjoying the food, music, and atmosphere.  In my town, I'm pretty much a celebrity.  ;)  I cannot tell you how many people came up to me and wanted to introduce themselves or say something to me in English.  I kept thinking that surely this isn't my life!  This is too cool of an experience.  It is so incredibly surreal that I'm here and actually doing these things!!!  I saw my host family again.  They seemed so excited to see me again!  The father wanted to show me a new app that he had for his iphone.  Ian, take note.  He could speak Japanese into it, and it would translate it in writing into English.  I heart technology!  :)  I showed him that I have my own American iphone, and he asked if he could see it.  The night ended w/fireworks.  Miwa's dad made an announcement on the microphone about something, but of course I didn't understand it.  However, he came over to me and made me follow him outside to where the fireworks were.  Japanese fireworks=awesome.  Even in a tiny town like Yunomae, the fireworks were better than at home.  I had such a wonderful time tonight!  And to think that all of this happened b/c I randomly ran into some guy on the street.  haha!  Life's an adventure in Japan!