Drats! Foiled again!

Today was pretty much me sitting in the teacher’s room, working on things that are not school related. I got to school and found a note saying my fourth period class was canceled because the teacher had a doctor’s appointment. It specifically said he had a “Complete Physical Examination”, but I don’t know why he had to be so detailed in his note. I was asked to wait in the teacher’s room at the beginning of the first period class because the teacher wanted to discuss a test with the students and she would send for me when she was ready. 40 minutes later, she came and got me, leaving us just about 10 minutes to teach. Second period is always free on Friday, so I started working on a video about my lunches. Third period was the same as first, wait for her to retrieve me. Again she arrived after about 40 minutes and we walked to class to teach for the remaining 10 minutes.

One of the teachers arranges flowers

Fourth period is right before lunch and the whole school smells good right before lunch, so I had to smell tasty dishes while I waited and waited for the clock to do its magic time thing. After lunch I was supposed to leave school so I could get to the City Office and collect my Gaijin Card, then hop a train for Omiya and open up a bank account. I wasn’t sure whether the email was sent from Heart to the school, informing them of my early departure. I was hoping it had been…

It wasn't

I got the pleasure of trying to explain my desire to leave early to Kyoto-sensei. He was not sure why Heart didn't e-mail them. He suggested we call Heart and tell them what was going down. We got my coordinator on the phone and he told her what was up, and he also told her I was doing "really, really, really, really, really, really, really," well. She and I talked and she told me how pleased she was that I was getting such a glowing review. With that taken care of, I went to the city office, but not before I delivered an omiyage to the elementary school. At the city office I got my gaijin card with ease and got on the next train to Omiya. Omiya is $11 away from my station.

$11

I went to the bank in Omiya, $11 away, and tried yet again to open a bank account. If you remember correctly from before: I was turned away the first time because I didn't have the physical gaijin card. I had a piece of paper whose sole purpose was to allow me to do things that required the card while I was in the process of receiving it. This was not acceptable.

This time I had the card! Nothing was going to stop me now!

I was denied a bank account.

I don't have a cell phone or a house phone. I need a phone number to open the account. I don't have a house phone because they are expensive, and I don't yet have a cell phone because you need a gaijin card and a bank account to get one.

Wait.

What?

You need a bank account to get a cell phone and you need a phone number to get a bank account?

I can technically get a cellphone without a bank account, but I need a credit card for the phone company to bill me on. I just finished paying off my credit card and I don't want to use it anymore. I guess I'm going to have to.

So, $11 later I was back in my home station, still without a bank account.

Poo.