June 28, 2009, 11pm: Onuma Park

This weekend, HIF sent all the students to Onuma park so we could get to know each other a bit better. Of course, they know that this involves drinking every year, they warned us to not throw up on the tatami mat on our room floor, but to do it in the toilet if we must (or we get charged like $100).

Onuma park was kind of like an amusement park. I went on this outdoor slide. You sit on this black flat thing and hold onto one rod that allows you to control the speed. It brings you to the top of the hill, then you literally fly down on the slide and through the tunnels. I do not know why it didn’t occur to me to bring my camera with me and videotape the way down. Then again, I am glad I didn’t do that. It was fun and I was going so fast, I was kind of scared I would fly off the slide, so a little scream caused a spider-like bug to swerve into my mouth. Disgusted I tried spitting, but it didn’t leave, so I reached my hand in and yanked it out, but as I swept my arm to the side to get rid of the vermin, I leaned and skidded across the inside of the tunnel. It hurt a bit, and as I struggled to rebalance myself so I would not flip over, my arm felt the burn 2 minutes later. Ow! Now, it feels like I lifted weights the whole weekend, my left arm is completely sore. It hurts to lift it above my head. I paid $4 for a scrape and a couple bruises. But, it was worth it!

Next I went on this jungle gym. Felt like a kid again. Then my friends and I rented 2 person buggies (with 4 wheels) and bicycles. We rode up a hill to feel the thrill of the downward danger. Momentum made the going down feel like we were riding on one side of the buggy, two wheels in midair for a few seconds. It was hella fun.

Then we swam in the pool that had a slide. Apart from the correct way to slide down, I decided to get a little more creative, thus dangerous. I went belly down face first, holding onto a person, and also backwards.

Then we had an amazing dinner at the hotel because of HIF, with tons of different Japanese foods, and all of it was delicious, especially the raw fish/baby shrimp. They had some performances, and every class had to sing a song in Japanese. Videos will be posted soon. (Should I post my videos on youtube?)

Then we drank some wine and beer, and hit up Karaoke in the hotel. We wanted to bowl, but it was 10pm and they had closed. I was tipsy, but absolutely coherent, of course, as I sang Britney Spears, Thriller, and etc. Then we all decided to take a dip in the hot Onsen.

After we were sooo hungry, but nothing in the hotel was open. And there is no life outside of the hotel at all. If we would have stepped outside though, we might have been devoured by insects. I’m so used to New York and being able to get a slice at Koronets at midnight.

So we chilled in the hallway of the hotel and I was quite amused by how drunk some people were. After Karaoke, I was totally 100% sober. I was never drunk in the first place anyway. How can you get drunk off of wine that’s 6% and beer that is 5% alcohol?
I really don’t want to go to school tomorrow.

I haven't uploaded the pics to my labtop. When I do, I'll post them as Onuma Park pics.