Mission 1: Purchase Bus Pass
Its 8:30am and I approach the bus terminal ticketing window. I pass my proof of student discount under the glass because I don't know how to say "Bus Pass" in Japanese. The 50-something woman, looks at me, frowns. "Here, fill this out over there." Taking the bus pass request slip that I was told I didn't need by my school yesterday morning, and begin to fill it out. It took me about 3 solid minutes of just scanning the sheet to figure out where my name, address, pass start date, and school info goes. Once I filled it out to my best ability, I go up to the window where the younger, and somewhat nicerlooking ticketing agent is--the older woman is still frowning at me. She smiles sweetly and I pass the form and proof of student discount to her. All seems to have been performed according to expectations because she starts making my pass.
It hits me, how much is this gonna cost? She finishes and tells me the price "27500円". Shit, I only have 12,000 on me.
"Can you hold on a second, I'm going to go to the ATM for more money. I'll be right back!"
I run to the ATM two blocks away and try to use my BofA card in the ATM. "This card cannot be used" flashes accross the screen. Shit. I switch cards and wow, it works! Here's where my idiocy (others would say bubbly nature) fucks up my day, I can't remember how much the pass was. I take out 10000yen and hope its enough. I run back, shit, still short by 2500yen. I run for the second time to and fro with 5000yen worth of fresh bills in my wallet.
Mission 1: Successfully completed.
Mission 2: International Money Transfer
After getting my bus pass, I walk for the 3rd time back to the bank and wait, it won't open 'til 9 (current time: 8:45). 9:00:00AM open! In I walk, and look around. Shit, where do I do this?. Awkwardly and in terribly broken Japanese, I ask a security guard "Where can I transfer funds?" He says the 2nd floor. Everyone in the room, during the duration of the 30 second conversation turned to look at me. A strange old man is standing 3 ft from me and asks in what I call Katakana English if there is a problem? No, I'm fine. Up to the second floor I go.
So, I've been sitting in front of the clerk for 30 minutes and we have successfully filled out 40% of the form. For every sentence she says, I use my dictionary at least twice to understand the keywords. This process is a long and drawn out one. Eventually I leave the bank an hour and a half after entering, feeling somewhat satisfied that I've successfully sent my money.
I was $500 short on my payment to my mom. damnitalltohell.
money matters + language barriers = frustration.
