It's a Date?

Normally I'm not one to talk a whole lot about my love life, but trying to date in Japan presents some unusual problems that I thought might be interesting to some of you.

I recently met a girl and her 2 friends (one Japanese girl and one Indian guy who speaks fluent English) and we've all been hanging out bit. The two of us have been emailing (texting) each other a lot over the past few weeks. This is kind of difficult because I don't speak Japanese. Luckily, she's smarter than I am and can understand English, though it's rough at times. Long story short, we are hanging out tonight, but I still don't know if it's a date or who is all coming.

Anyway, here's the long story—our email conversations. Complete with emoji and original grammar ("C" represents her, "G" represents me):

Aug. 16, 7:32 PM

C: come back after sleep get up now

How meny lesson today?

G: Today is my holiday. what are you doing tonight?

C: holiday it good what are you doing?

This trip very tired I'd like to lie down tonight.

G: I think I will just watch a movie tonight

C: What movie is it?

I want to watch a night museum

G: I just watched a dvd. not a famous movie. maybe we can see night at the museum together sometime, what do you think?

C: It o k

I will go this time

(After much contemplating over what the hell that meant, I decided I had no idea if she was saying "yes" or if she already had plans to see it. So I just went with this:)

G: OK. have a good night Chieko!

C: good night

have a nice dream

Aug. 26, 10:23 PM (conversation in progress)

G: That is a hard swim! what are your plans for this weekend?

C: I have no plan.

Sunday is free

G: Did you see Night at the Museum yet?

C: ok

Do you wont to go another place Sunday?

(Thwarted once again! Did she see it or not?)

G: Sure, what do you think?

C: I do not hit

I takes you with a near place

(I finally think I've figured out that she saw the movie and we are making plans to do something else. Whether this is a date or if her friends that normally hang out with us are coming too is still up in the air.)

G: OK. We will think of something. sounds good! its a plan

C: I go to it to meet you Sunday

G: OK Have a good dream tonight, Chieko.

C: you tooGood nightGuy

G: Oyasuminasai

Aug. 28, 8:59 PM (conversation in progress)

G: I will eat soon. shower first.

What time should we meet on Sunday?

C: It is good anytime

G: Do you want to get dinner? maybe 18:30?

C: Yes I want to get dinner

When I watch a movie hungry

( ! So we are seeing a movie after all! Still unsure about the date thing.)

G: Sounds good!

C: ok

I go to your house at18:00

(Ok, I get it! You can drive and I can't!)

UPDATE:

It was totally a date (my first legit date since college) and the movie was much funnier than expected. Unfortunately I had to keep myself from laughing the whole time, because no one else was. I don't think American humor translates very well into Japanese subtitles.

Enjoy this likely unrelated quote:

"In science, 'fact' can only mean 'confirmed to such a degree that it would be perverse to withhold provisional assent.' I suppose that apples might start to rise tomorrow, but the possibility does not merit equal time in physics classrooms."

—Stephen Jay Gould