It couldn't have been easy- that's not Russia!

:-(

I arrived in Sapporo yesterday morning- alone.
Trac wasn't allowed to leave Russia, as she didn't have a re-entry visa. Kate had called the passport and visa office, as well as the airport the week before, to ask if Trac needed any paper work to come to Japan- no, no they said.

Well that was last week.

Folks, welcome to Russia

So I don't know if Trac got a re-entry permit today or not- I haven't been able to call her yet. I hope she will arrive in Sapporo tomorrow or the next day. Then we can get on with the fun!!

Aside from the fact that I'm alone when I wasn't supposed to be, I'm having a great time!

A week or two ago I emailed my friends in Japan, asking if they knew anyone in Sapporo I could stay with. My friend Dawn has some friends here, and two of them offered to host Trac and myself- which is fantastic! It's always more fun to stay with someone than in a hotel I think, even without the expense factor.

Well, I followed the directions Laura-Jane gave me, and took the train from the airport, and a taxi from the station, and I arrived at the Sapporo International church just in time for the message!! haha ;-)
It was SO GOOD to be in a church in Japan again- it's 4 months since I left Japan and I hadn't really missed it until NOW.

Cynthia was there- I'm staying with her for now. Maybe I'll meet Laura Jane later this week ;-)
We had lunch at the church, then attended the first part of an English cell group upstairs, then went to a different church to join an English monthly Bible study group- and being December it was a Christmas service! I have met so many people already!

I feel a bit overdressed here in Sapporo- it's only -3 degrees C today, but I'm wearing what I wore when it was -12 degrees in Sakhalin a couple of days ago. My coat is big and furry. I think that people here think I'm Russian ;-)

The purpose of my visit is, obviously, to get a Russian visa. But I can't do that yet- I don't have the letter of invitation from Russia that I need to apply. You know, the document we applied for in SEPTEMBER... If I had waited back in Australia to get it instead of going to the hastle of getting a last-minute tourist visa, I'd still be in Australia.

I wonder if it will be ready, so Trac can bring it over to Japan with her when she comes in a day or two. I hope so!!

oooh, it is so GOOD to be in Japan again! Life here is so easy- I know how everything works, I know the system! I can catch public transport alone, I'm not afraid to walk down the street alone at night, I can ASK FOR DIRECTIONS, I can pass the time of day with the taxi driver, I can read restaurant menus and signs and I LOVE IT!!!!

I was worried I'd have forgotten all my Japanese but no- it's still there! And people in Sapporo seem to be either less jaded about foreigners that Kobe people, or they naturally speak slower, maybe they're simply more patient- I find them easier to understand than Kansai-jin!!
-wierd **

Who could've known I'd be back here so soon?