Monday, January 20, 2014

to Mitaka/ICU/CGS and back

Woke up this morning. felt like shit because of non-stop coughing last night. Then took shower (for the 2nd time here in Jpn), extremely hot water vs extremely cold weather outside, feels great. Mission today is to go to Mitaka and then to ICU (International Christian University), or CGS (Center for Gender Studies) department my host here. Fairly the whole trip was quite smooth, the bus company person was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction, what bus to take and the courage towards the unknown. Mitaka seems like a peaceful small town. Finally found ICU and asking some people and they pointing me to the right direction. I manage to come 1 hour early (from Ikoma sensei free time) and get to talk to her about my experience in the Philippines and Malaysia. Then she brought me to the CGS (Center for Gender Studies) and introduce to the members around. Get to know a transman, the first one i met here in Japan. He shares his story and i found his story quite similar to other transmen or transgender people like hate to be called the opposite gender label etc, his bad experience in some of the manga club where the men are sexist and he also shares his own manga about being transgender people in Japan. His work have a strong traditional manga looks. He also have done his mastectomy here in Japan. Then he he bit Odaijini and left pretty quickly. Then i ask the CGS people how to go back to Mitaka, and was told go to Musashisakai station which is more faster, its just another station before Mitaka. Found the station and ride back to Koenji. Walk back to Onigiri konbini, bought some Onigiri for dinner, 1 Onigiri is 180Yen (RM6) x2 = dinner. Went back to Village Vanguard and bought a mug (from the recce we did yesterday). Village Vanguard has tons of quirky and cool stuff. I feel like that's the place to go before leaving Japan and have extra money. Found a big pharmacy and bought the coughing tablet and head back home.

Yesterday i stayed overnight again at Genmai san house, it was real fun. The night before we met at Koenji station they fetch me and i bought some snacks and the hot coffee from the vending machine.
We talk and eat the healthy junkfood? from the Konbini and talk about stuff, Genmai san performing some song which is awesome. Then we slept at around 1 or 2am. Woke up and clean the house because the plan was to travel in a group with 2 other friends Anna san and Akama san that came later to have a lunch together and we went straight to Nishi Ogikubo station where Genmai san meeting his professor, she's a hero for him. After awhile at Genmai san's house i feel like he's very awesome gay person i've met. He studies or read and studies, researching about gender, he play cool songs on guitar, he cook very well, Izu san his partner was cared for by him, he's just a beautiful human being
and he also helping me connect with more people here in Japan.

































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