Crazy Day!

Last night Mom and I went to my very first Penguins Game!  It was so much fun.  They played the San Jose Sharks.  We tied it up with less than a minute left in the game and, unfortunately, lost with 4 seconds left in overtime.  During the first intermission, the house lights wouldn't come back on towards the start of the second period.  So, while the techs were trying to get the lights back on, there was a dance-off between 'Crazy guy' and 'Cotton-eye Joe man.'  They were two spectators that were dancing to the music that the cameras panned back and forth to for almost 15minutes.  Anyways.  Mom and I had a blast!  It was wonderful.  Now onto today and its insanity.

I woke up around 10am this morning.  Started organizing everything for Japan into a bigggg 3-ring binder.  It took me nearly 3 hours.  I then got everything gathered up to take to the Post Office.  On my way, I had to stop at Rite Aid to get a picture taken for my Visa Application. I finally got to the Post Office and the line was FOREVER long.  So, I started looking over all the envelopes and such that I'd need and all the various forms.

When I finally got up to the counter, I pulled all the Visa Application stuff from my, now rather large pile, of envelopes and paperwork.  The Visa Application requires a pre-paid, flat rate, Express Mail envelope that is self-addressed so they can mail back your visa.  Said envelope was $18.  The envelope that contained the application and my passport and the pre-paid envelope was $19.  It costs nearly $40 to mail in your Visa Application.  It's no wonder they waive the fees.  I'd have been upset if I had to pay more!  After I got that sorted out, I started to gather all my stuff to send to Kinjo Gakuin University.  This was simple and only cost me $5.  Now comes the troublesome package; my Yakkan Shoumei Application.

My Yakkan Shoumei Application  (I finally got my physical, chest x-rays and such for my application) needs sent to Japan but also needs a return envelope with pre-paid postage.  While, this was easy enough with the Visa Application (which is domestic mail), it was not easy with this.  International postage costs different in every country.  To create a solution to the problem of return international postage, the Postal Service created IRCs or International Reply Coupons.  Unfortunately, both Weirton Post Offices, the Follansbee Post Office and the Stuebenville Post Office do not deal with IRCs anymore.  Running out of options, I call UPS.  They wanted to charge $50 to mail my package to Japan and $50 for the return postage envelope.  $100 was a little much.  Stressed and starting to freak out because I don't want to pay $100 just to send in this application.  (I did as UPS if I could just purchase the return envelope and they told me to call them tomorrow because they weren't sure that they were allowed, aka, they want the money for both envelopes.) 

Anyways.  After dealing with all this, my head has started to pound and I've started seeing spots.  So, I go lay down.  After I lay down for a while and get some food in my stomach, I decided to look at other options.  I found out that the Post Office sells IRCs online.  So, I ordered one.  It should be here in a few days.  And then I'll be able to finally get my Yakkan Shoumei Application mailed out and be able to knock a few more things off my list.

So here's my updated list:

• Get Cell Phone Plan
• Get Overseas Bank Account
• Start stocking up on supplies (make-up, toiletries, etc)
• Get "American things" to take as presents into Japan

Can't think of anything else at the moment.  So, til next time.