First Day of Classes!

So today was first day of classes.

It was rather uneventful. xD; My first class, Business in Asia: Korean Economic Development, was at 1:00pm...except not. The teacher didn't show up. I waited for fifteen minutes and then everyone else left, so I left too. I had another class at 2:30, and an hour and fifteen minutes is not really enough time to make a worthwhile trip back to the dorm, so I decided to wander around the town in the direction opposite from my dorm. I found the hundred yen store! Which was necessary for the long-awaited purchase of hangers. But other than that there was a 7-11 and some ramen/soba/udon restaurants...nothing really special. I did stop walking at the 100yen store though.

After that I still had an hour to kill so I sat around and attempted to read the Japanese guidebook that the university gave me (to little avail), until I got up to get a drink from the vending machine and found my friend Heather. Then we went to the other class, which was Japanese Studies IV, understanding Japanese society. It seems like a really cool class. The teacher, Umemoto-sensei, is really nice and has a lot of interesting things to talk about. She goes on tangents a lot but it's okay because they are interesting tangents. The main focus of the class is to discuss certain words in the Japanese language that don't really have an equivalent in English or other languages because they are ideas specific to Japanese society. It really was very interesting.

Also, it's a class in English, but there are many Japanese students in it who are taking it to practice English. Heather and I already met one who sat behind us. He was really nice and friendly, and apparently studied in Wisconsin (...I know right). But I'm excited to have more class sessions and meet more of the people.

Anyway that was all the classes I had today. If the business class actually exists, which I hope it does because I can definitely apply it towards my major, then I'll be a happy camper, because to me that also seems interesting. Tomorrow (which is Saturday....INORITE) I have a (potential) Japanese class at 9 am. D: Major sadness. But it's potential. Like, I'm trying it out to see if it's not too easy for me. Because that's what Tanaka-sensei, whom I met at orientation and who judged our placement tests, said I should do. So yeah. xD;

SPEAKING OF WHICH! Here's my (potential) schedule:
(Items in parenthesis means they are potential classes that will be determined by whether or not I feel that they are too easy or hard)
Monday:
10:40-12:10 - Japanese VII (Presentation and Speaking)
(1:00-2:30 - Japanese III [Grammar & Kanji])
4:20-7:30 - Japanese II (Listening by watching dramas....I am looking forward to this class)
Tuesday:
9:00-10:30 - Japanese Communication II (Reading Newspapers and Having Discussions)
2:40-4:10 - Japanese Studies IV (Understanding Japanese Society)
Wednesday:
10:40-12:10 - Japanese VII (Presentation and Speaking)
1:00-2:30 - International Relations II (International Criminal System and Prosecution of International Crimes)
Thursday:
9:00-10:30 - Japanese Communication II (Reading Newspapers and Having Discussions)
(1:00-2:30 - Japanese III [Grammar & Kanji])
Friday:
1:00-2:30 - Business Practices in Asia (Korean Economic Development)
2:40-4:10 - Japanese Studies IV (Understanding Japanese Society)
Saturday:
[9:00-12:10 - Japanese IV (Writing Reports)]

Soooo yeah it's kind of a full schedule. xD; Apparently the norm is 10 classes? But even with the extra classes (in parenthesis) I only have 8. Which is a lot. Generally, at Wittenberg you only have...like...5 max. Maybe an extra gym class or something. So this'll be different. On the other hand, most of them are language classes. And most of them are only once a week, as opposed to two or three times a week at Witt. It's an interesting change. We'll see how it goes.

Wish me luck! Especially for getting my butt out of bed on a Saturday to go to class. D;

I'm in Japan!

Well, here I am in Japan! It's already been a great first few days. I left America on Sunday and had three safe flights for a total of 17 hours, although they went by very quickly. I stayed in Narita for a night, then went on Tokyo, had a horrific time navigating my way through Tokyo with three suitcases, and found my tiny little Tokyo hotel room for the second night. I didn't see much of Tokyo because I was still jetlagged. Although I did explore Shinjuku a little, but only around the Shinjuku station. I kind of (?) got a jist of the Tokyo subway system, which was grand.

Then on Sunday, I departed for Mishima! I arrive safe and sound around 10:20, just 10 minutes before the designated time to meet, where I met Kelly, a Japanese exchange student, and Jiyoon, and Korean exchange student, as well as Erika (who is super cool) and Shinohara-san from the CIELD office of Nihon Daigaku. Everyone has been wonderful.

Mishima is a medium size city. There's a lot to explore! Already I have been to the university, the station, a store called PC Depot (so as to buy an ethernet cord and achieve internets), the supermarket, and various other small stores. The dorms (which are more like apartments) are quite nice, with great amenities, and although there is no washing machines, you can rent one for 800 yen a month, which is AMAZINGLY cheap. I think I will also rent a television, which is 600 yen a month, because one cannot live in Japan without enjoying periodic Japanese television, I mean please.

It is ridiculously hot here. The 15-20 minute walk from the dorm to the university (or any walk in general) is awful. You feel like a shower after every trip. But hopefully it will get cooler soon. Hopefully.

And now, without further ado, pictures! I know that's what you've been waiting for. :)

View from the hotel room in Narita

Garden behind the hotel in Narita

Cramped Tokyo hotel room with a totally different view!


The bullet train! Much more comfy than an airplane.

My Apartment!





It's nice! It has air conditioning, which is 1000000000x plus, and it has all the basic amenities I could ever need. Plus it's like a 5 minute walk to the super market and other things. I like it! =]

So that's the lowdown! I have yet to take any pictures of Mishima itself or the school, but tomorrow is a day off so I will go exploring for a 100yen shop (equivalent to a dollar store) because I need hangers and other miscellaneous equipment, and then I will take pictures. 8D

TTYL!

2 Days Left!

So it's now Thursday. I'm leaving on Saturday. THAT MEANS ONLY TWO DAYS. AHHHHHH.

Yes, that about sums up how I feel right now. It's insane. All summer long I've been waiting for this, and now it's here. I'm RIDICULOUSLY excited, but like I mentioned before, a bit nervous. Living in a foreign country for a year is going to be crazy.

I was able to get a hold of the friend who volunteered to house me the other day. She can't, after all, house me, which is fine. I asked a few other friends but no one could take me, so I booked some hotels for the two nights that I plan to be in Tokyo: one by Narita for the first night so I can crash when I get there (plus it has free Breakfast so that's a major plus), and one by the Tokyo Station so I can be in the center of the city and be able to get to Mishima by 10:30 without waking up super early and having to commute to the bullet train station from a far away place.

I tell ya, there were so many hotels to choose from. >_>; It was kind of hard. But I got it done! And yesterday I went and got some Yen for my beginnings, so I should be good to go.

Now I just need to finish up some last minute laundry, finish packing, and be on my way!

One week to go!

Oh my goodness, it's now September 10th and I have but one week left before I leave. I can't say that I'm not at this point freaking out because goodness knows that I am! I keep thinking about going there and I get all nervous excited and it's like aklfhskgjh.

Yeah. So I haven't posted in like a month and a half, but I haven't had anything to post about since then. But now I do! I now have a new luggage set to take with me to Japan! With 4 wheels for maximum convenience. It's going to be so smooth traveling with them. 8D

Now, with my Passport, Visa, and ticket in hand, all I have left to do is: get some yen and travelers checks, buy some basic toiletries, and pack. I honestly am not sure if I can fit all of my things into two bags and a carry-on and make it within 50 pounds each bag. But all I'm really bringing are clothes, some notebooks and maybe a Japanese textbook, and a towel or two. Plus a hair straightener and toiletries. And shoes. Oh yeah, shoes are important.

Listing it off it all seems like a lot. =/ I'm going to have a very fun time packing all of this next week.

Oh, and I think I might have to look into another place to stay in Tokyo for two days. I can't seem to get in contact with the friend who volunteered to let me stay at her house. D: So I'll implore other friends, and then resort to hotels. Wish me luck!