1: Communication's Lost

Continuing with the communicatino theme in class, I'm going to mention a few more experiences of communication problems I've had.

_:_:_
Firstly, an incident that happened last Sunday. I was at a festival with my choir club and all the other choirs of Kumamoto [the 60th one, apaprently]!
After rehearsals - which were from 9-6 and before which I'd had no time ot clean my teeth or wash or really do anything to make myself look vaguely presentable - , some people took bikes into town while myself and about 3/4 others took a bus in.

 On the way to the bus, I remember a conversation taking place between myself, the senpai and another member, both of whom were asking me whether I had a busy schedule. I remember saying that I'd planned on going home at half 7, but the senpai said something like "Heeee-eeee? But it starts at half 7".
 Apparently everyone was going for drinks, and I'd thought it would be a relatively peaceful (?!?!) 1 or 2 before heading home, which I would have had enough money for along with the bus there and back.

I just remember being in an utter panic and responding with the first thing that came into my mind because I thought not responding at all would be very rude. So I ended up saying I was going to go along for drinks.

HOWEVER.... when we got into town, it turned out that EVERY SINGLE PERSON who'd been at rehearsals that day was there and we were going for tabenomihoudai; but [in my mind at least] nobody had told me this.^

In the end, the only thing I felt able to do was fake a stomachache. The senpai from choir accompanied me on the bus all the way back to university and gave me a hug before I went upstairs to bed.

I felt a little bad that I was missing out on all the fun of tabenomihoudai, but frankly I'd been stressed enough at rehearsals without having to sit and talk and drink with a load of people who I'd never met before and would perhaps never meet again.

^ One thing I should add is that as part of being Aspie [I may or may not have mentioned that I have Asperger's Syndrome in a previous post], change and routine disturbances are not always appreciated.
 I can ususally handle change to routines and if something ends up cancelled at the last minute, I might get annoyed for a few minutes but then calm down and understand why.
 However, in this case as I was stressed about finances, my inability to speak Japanese, being so scruffy and being on a big stage in front of a load of people, I found that something was bugging my eye in the lifts on the way up to the tabenomihoudai place.
 Then there was the fact that I spent most of the time while I was there hiding in the toilets and calling a friend in tears.

_:_:_

I did tell a couple of people that I didn't have enough money to do much but I don't think they listened.  Or maybe my attempts at vaguely hinting I wanted an early night missed.
 But I'll tell you something I learned that day:

• Slow DOWN. Don't respond straight away with the first thing that you believe makes sense to you and the other party in a vain attempt to be polite - stop and think, even if it maybe means having to pull out a densji jisho in the middle of the road or something.
• Bulid up self-confidence in speaking Japanese. On reflection, I think this is by far the biggest hurdle I have facing me.
• If you say you're ill, then you will be looked after as best as possible!