For better for worse

Wisnu has been asking to go to Chiku Senta where he can play with abundant toys with other Japanese children. Well, as a matter of fact it's not the children that he's looking forward to, but the slide and the train he can play wiith.

After we moved into our new apato, we found out that we live very far from Chiku senta. We only got a map and it's for Aji to find out the exact location. So, this is it. Friday morning, October 21, at 700 am Aji with Wisnu traced the map and got lost in the housing complex. They went back at 830 reporting that the Chiku Senta is by the free way and secluded. Since ibu has a very bad sense of directions, Aji tried to find an alternatively easier and closer short cut and went back there for the second time alone while ibu was preparing for breakfast and taking the kids to shower.

Listening to aji's explanation, it seemed very simple way to take: from apato, turn left, go straight and cross the bridge then turn right to the main street. Go straight until you find a traffic light, then turn right. You can see the grey building and the kanji character showing Niko Niko Tsumiki.

Did we manage to get there? We -- Akira on the sling and ibu pushed Wisnu's stroller 'coz aji had to attend yoga class--started at 10.15. Ibu missed the building and went around the area for 30 minutes until there was an old man to ask, and he said ibu should go straight ahead. We did and could not find the building either. Then we bumped into the second old man, this time he checked the brochure about the place and activities that ibu tried to show. He actually did not know the location but he did not mind asking many people passing by in his effort to help us . He walked with us until we came to the building. This old man showed a great relief and said "yokata ne" and we parted in front of the building.

Sweating and burned out, we knocked at the door. Ibu peeped at the window and saw some children were tidying the toys and the clock showed 11.30. GOSH! We came here for a long way only to find out that the play was over. Ibu approached a lady and said in English-of course- that we would like to see what they were doing there despite our being late. The lady said something but ibu could only catch ".... mate kudasai..tabemono...ju..." Guess what. It's break time for lunch and perhaps it'll take 10 minutes. We stayed there and they kindly shared their tea and snack with us who were dying in thirst after one hour walking. The volunteer even introduced us to the others and they bowed to us and said something sound like 'hajimme mashtay dohzoyoroshku" eventhough ibu could not reply but smile and bow.

After that they dismissed the program, ibu asked the volunteer about the fastest way to go to Yokohama because we need to be at the ward office by 1.15 for Akira's polio vaccination. She checked the bus schedule from the bus stop going to Yokohama and the train from Kamihoshikawa to Yokohama. There won't be any until 12.45 which means we could not make it there on time. Unexpectedly, she talked to another lady who happens to be Mrs. Sizue Hasegawa. Ibu did not understand what they were saying but only when she referred " Hasegawa-san...kuruma.." . Kuruma means car, so she would give us a ride. Ibu thought that she would take us to Yokohama station and we could take a train to Higashi Kanagawa and walk to the ward office from there but she drove us straight to the Kanagawa Ward Office. GEE...!!! A thank you very much will not be able to express our gratitude.

Eventhough wisnu could not play that day , I guess he understood that we tried so hard to grant his wish. He was happy to take a ride on a car to the ward office. He was also happy to be able to accompany his little brother to take the vaccination. Aji met us at the ward office and we stopped at Mister Donut for late lunch. Wisnu fell asleep on his stroller with a giant smile on his face but was awakened by the peculiar sound of the train at Higashi Kanagawa station.

We were all exhausted when we got home by 4 pm. Somehow, here we were together, for better for worse as a family.