Tokyo American Club

Konbanwa Minna-San! (Good Evening Everyone!)

Brittney and I just got back from the Tokyo American Club--boy did we luck out.
But let me backtrack a little...
Around noon Steve came to pick Brittney and I up at the apartment, he purchased a suica card (metro card) for each of us and put enough money on to last us a few weeks. The train systems in Japan are excellent--always on time, clean and (best of all) convenient. The train station is only a 10 minute walk from our apartment, and the TAC is another 10 minute walk from Shinagawa station (one of the largest stations in Tokyo).
Today we got our first real look at Tokyo proper. Kamata is big and there is tons of stuff to do, but it doesn't even compare to Shinagawa. Huge buildings, 5 star hotels and specialty shops alongside mom and pop restaurants and convenience stores: this is Shinagawa.
The Tokyo American Club, Shinagawa is a temporary club. The club is actually located in Akasaka near the Tokyo Tower and the U.S. Embassy, but the club has been under construction for the last few years. Inside the temporary club there are mock-ups of what the multi-million dollar club will look like. I can't wait to come back and see it, it looks amazing.
The TAC's current location, as I said, is temporary--but you would never guess it. The club's facilities are excellent and clean, the staff is bilingual and polite. Everyone is extremely nice and we have been given TONS of resources. Did I mention that Brittney and I get to eat at a 4 Star restaurant whenever we want, FREE OF CHARGE? Did I also mention that we get free use of most of the club facilities including their extensive DVD library!? Unbelievable, right? I can't believe how lucky we are--it seems like we have the best site in Camp A! Also, the Camp A program here has gone on without an incident for 15 years; Steve says it is mostly due to the high calibre kids in the program!
We stayed at the TAC for a while to take inventory and to do a little programming. Tomorrow we will go back for more rigorous planning and we will meet our Japanese counselor Shuu who is bilingual (which will be a great help since my Japanese is coming slowly).
When we finally left the club it was pouring outside. We've been in a bit of a dry spell in Yolo County, so it has been a while since I have been in such a torrential storm. When we got off in Kamata, though, the conditions worsened and we heard the loudest lightning cracks I have ever heard in my life. Before we left the station we explored the 5-story mall that sits right above it. We found the Japanese equivalent of an Ikea, and though the club said they would reimburse us for any apartment-related purchases, we were reluctant to get anything when we saw how expensive the products were. Tokyo certainly is an expensive place--no doubt about it.
I would write more, but I have a terrible headache (I am probably still a bit jet lagged). I will upload some photos tomorrow before we leave for the club.

P.S. Does anyone know if AmEx cards have pin numbers? I can't recall ever having one, but the atm machines insist that I must!

P.P.S. We moved the fridge today and accidentally unplugged it. There was no food inside but there WAS water everywhere from melted ice. Luckily I brought my shammie which helped a lot, but I certainly won't be using it for personal use until I can get it washed. I still haven't exchanged any money yet, but I need to tomorrow. Ok, my head is killing me--Good Morning, America and Good Night, Japan.