Roommate

In the last week before New Student week, imagine a beheaded chicken running around squawking throwing papers up in the air.

That was me.

I had no idea where I was living. Everytime someone asked me I had to stare at the blankly, blink, and say "I have absobloodylutely no idea."

So I finally logged onto the school website. And there was this lovely button that said "Residence and Food plan"

So I clicked.

And right there, it told me what dorm I was in, and with whom. It did NOT say what room, but that was okay with me. So I emailed both girls. One's name was Claire, and the other was Mikiko.

Wow, a japanese roommate. Mikiko responded. She sounded very nice. She said right off the bat that she was a Japanese exchange student, and had only been in the country since the 10th of September. That day was the 20th. She said that the dorm was very empty and that she was excited for me to get there.

So by the 22nd, move in day, I was very excited. I told everyone I could about my amazing roommate, and totally forgot about the fact that I hadn't wanted one in the first place :)

So I get to campus, fill out the pertinent forms, get a key, and haul the first of my stuff upstairs. After I open the door all I can say is "Mikiko?"

She's the cutest little thing I've ever seen. She's a few years older than I, but still. And you could tell she hadn't been here in America long by the way she responded. "HAI!"

Which is equilivent to "yes sir/ma'am, yes?" or something or rather.

I spooked her I think. After that, we got along very well. We stick together through most things. While I'm struggling to make (and keep) friends on campus, I know that I can come home everyday to sweet little Miki with her questions about my day and her enthusiasm or frustration about hers. And I think if we keep exchanging gifts like we have neither of us will be left with any of our belongings >.<

SO This weekend I visited home (up in Washington, good 5 hour drive) to do that paperwork. And Miki went on a trip to Crater Lake. I knew she was quiet. I KNOW she is quiet. But usually if something is wrong, or bugging her, she says something right away.

10 o'clock last night and I'm all tucked into bed about to crack open a good book and she comes skidding into the bedroom (no mean feet in socks on carpet) with her nightdress (never seen it before, odd) hiked up and itching herself agitatedly.

"Moe-nica!" She practically screeches. "I have SPOTS! I cannot stop itching"

Oh no, I groan. Why did she wait so long? I thought at first it was from stinging nettle, since she had been out in the woods and she had little red spots (no bumps that I could see) around her ankles. And then she asked "Should it be under my clothes too?"

Well not unless she rolled naked in the bloody stuff. But I didn't say that :)

So I think she had a close encounter with either Poison Ivy, or Oak (neither of which I've ever experienced cause we don't have it where I live) and the itching only got bad for her last night. I wish she had said something sooner. We coulda taken her to the doctor yesterday. Or even gotten some Aloe. All I had was Witch Hazel >.< Which just cleans what you've already scratched.

She's just come in the door now. Some fabulous health center we have. They made an appointment for her next Monday and said it should disappear by then. It's a good thing I stayed up half the night telling her not to itch. She says that the spots are better for it.

Now her new problem is the Children's Literature text that she bought for $70.

"Moe-nica! Books in America a SO expensive!"

I love how cute and girly her voice is :) I almost wish I could have her haircut. My hair is long enough for it, but my hair is too bushy for a sleek face framing page boy cut. >.< Shame, it looks adorable on her!

Mikiko is also on a mission to make 100 tiny paper cranes. So far there are almost 20 in the house. I think that is about as cluttered as I've seen her get. There's no way to make them organized, that's for sure. What do you invisible (more like nonexistent) watchers think? Should we hang them on something and string them up like Christmas lights? She says that 100 paper cranes is lucky, but that it's traditional to do 1000! She doesn't have enough origami paper though, thank goodness.

Well, until next time.
Regards from Purgatory,
Monica