Internet Companies Are the Same the World Over

I was without Internet for the first two months that I was here in Okinawa. My neighbor, another JET, and I decided we would get WiFi and split the cost of the Internet, so, with the help of our supervisor he was able to make the call and get an appointment for them to come set up the Internet--a month later. Okay. Fine. I would live. Probably. Then I discovered that the manga house down the street had Internet, but I couldn't use my own computer. (In fact, I have yet to find an Internet cafe or any place with wireless so I can use my own computer, and if you're wondering what the big deal is, try learning how to use a Japanese keyboard on your own while trying to read Japanese web pages.)

A month passes. We wait with much anticipation for the delivery date of our connection to the world, and by world, of course I do mean America (says Anne). They don't come. My neighbor calls to find out why and is told that he didn't send in the required forms. My neighbor, very calmly, asks, "what forms?!?" To which the Internet company responds, "the forms we sent you." Again, "what forms?!?!?!?!" So, they tell him they will send the forms.  A week goes by without any forms arriving, so he calls again. Finally he gets the forms, sends them in, and waits for a phone call when they will ask when he wants them to come out. "As soon as possible! Are you kidding?!?!?! I am an American used to such necessities as Internet connection in my own home!!!! What is wrong with you people!?!?!?!" (No, he really didn't say all that...to the Internet people.) He finally gets a date for another month later, and it arrives. Yea! 

And there was much rejoicing...until the service becomes intermittent. WHAT?!? ARGH! (with much pulling and tearing of hair) he calmly calls the Internet company to say, "Dude!" To which the Internet company responds with, "dude. We'll get you a new modem in a week." So he sets the date to wait for the modem. They said they'd be there between six and nine on Tuesday, so he waits and waits and waits until...they don't show. Great. The next day we're both at our base school until late doing English conversation clubs. When we arrive home we see it. A notice in his mailbox saying, "dude, we were here. Where were you?" Really? Really.

Then, miraculously (his words) the Internet is working again. Yea! There is much rejoicing and the playing of Word Twist and anxiously typing this blog hoping it doesn't go out before I get a chance to post this explanation of why it has taken me so long to post new blogs: I haven't had Internet. However, I have been keeping a journal, so this blog might look a little funny for the next couple of weeks while I try to backtrack and enter all the stuff that happened between my last post and today. I will try to put dates in the titles to help or date the post itself. Does it really matter, though? I hope not as I tend to be forgetful. After all this, though, I will remember that all Internet companies are the same the world over.