List of places I plan on getting to soon. Each weekend, one stop (at least), right?
Next stop: Asakusa. Should be fun for a person who's seen too much of the shopping scene (I don't really get why Akihabara is so famous...). And there's the Sensoji temple there too.
Minato-ku - Sengakuji - the temple/museum of the 47 Ronin
Harajuku on a Sunday (b/c that district is just awesome)
Tokyo Tower
Imperial Palace
Kamakura (the Kyoto of eastern Japan)
.
.
.
Anyways... there's a whole list of places at Japan-Guide.com. That link leads to the Tokyo City Guide... tourist attractions in and around Tokyo... since I probably won't be able to go too far past it to Nagoya/Osaka/Kyoto until school is out. At least business hostels are really cheap, yeah?
The good thing about that site is that it also tells you how to get to all these places so you won't spend your hole time just looking for it. Good right?
And now I won't get lost ^_^.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Culture Shock 101
All the frustrations I have with being here are found at this link:
Culture Shock 101
It's a long read, but I think it's well-worth it. Especially anyone interested in coming after me.
Oh and the colors on the site suck. It might hurt your eyes a bit.
Culture Shock 101
It's a long read, but I think it's well-worth it. Especially anyone interested in coming after me.
Oh and the colors on the site suck. It might hurt your eyes a bit.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Akihabara
I can sum up Akihabara in two word:
electronics and porn
And with that, here's the limited photos I took:
That's actually a skin-colored body suit, which I think my flash in my camera picked up. But these two people (yes, there's a guy in the gundam suit) were inside the Akiba Department Store.
A picture of one of the areas in Akihabara. Took me awhile to find it... I came out of the train on the other side.
And this is um... one of those stores. I made it up about 1/2 a floor before I turned right back around desperately wanting to laugh at the sheer perverseness of it all.
So... I get the feeling Akihabara is a place a girl shouldn't walk around in alone. Especially at night. Definitely almost walked in to a Maid Bar... and not the cutsey one, mind you. And then there's that store I walked into, thinking it might be a cosplay store like in Harajuku.
But my experience of Akihabara? Lots of porn and anime porn everywhere.
Although I will say in Akiba Department Store, it would be heaven to few friends I know (Hi Danielle!). An entire floor dedicated to photography with sections devoted entirely to Canon users. As well as others. But that was where I was. ^_^
But yeah, I can't say it was too special going. Mostly b/c it was pouring (those photos were taken between 3:00PM and 5:00PM) or threatening rain. So less people around. There were porns shops, and electronic stores... and food. I love electronics. I guess if I was only here a week, I would definitely take advantage of all the duty free shops and discount electronic items, but for the most part, I'm sick of shopping. Seems to be the only thing you can do here. Time for a change, yes?
Anyone know of where I can see some temples?
electronics and porn
And with that, here's the limited photos I took:
That's actually a skin-colored body suit, which I think my flash in my camera picked up. But these two people (yes, there's a guy in the gundam suit) were inside the Akiba Department Store.
A picture of one of the areas in Akihabara. Took me awhile to find it... I came out of the train on the other side.
And this is um... one of those stores. I made it up about 1/2 a floor before I turned right back around desperately wanting to laugh at the sheer perverseness of it all.So... I get the feeling Akihabara is a place a girl shouldn't walk around in alone. Especially at night. Definitely almost walked in to a Maid Bar... and not the cutsey one, mind you. And then there's that store I walked into, thinking it might be a cosplay store like in Harajuku.
But my experience of Akihabara? Lots of porn and anime porn everywhere.
Although I will say in Akiba Department Store, it would be heaven to few friends I know (Hi Danielle!). An entire floor dedicated to photography with sections devoted entirely to Canon users. As well as others. But that was where I was. ^_^
But yeah, I can't say it was too special going. Mostly b/c it was pouring (those photos were taken between 3:00PM and 5:00PM) or threatening rain. So less people around. There were porns shops, and electronic stores... and food. I love electronics. I guess if I was only here a week, I would definitely take advantage of all the duty free shops and discount electronic items, but for the most part, I'm sick of shopping. Seems to be the only thing you can do here. Time for a change, yes?
Anyone know of where I can see some temples?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Skinny people
My theory on why Japanese people are so skinny:
They aren't anorexic. I watch Japanese people eat a ton more than I do, especially rice.
It isn't the food quality. Even though they don't have canned or frozen foods, they instead have dried. And while most things are bought fresh, most of the Japanese dishes I come across are either soaked in sauces or deep fried, causing me to cook more often.
They're all dehydrated.
That's the reason all the Japanese people are skinny.
Try going to a restaurant here. They always give you an amount of water that equates to 1 cup. And never offer refills. That is, if they give you water.
However, they supply the rice and food like ur gonna starve the rest of the day.
Of course, this is me. I'm used to having a bottle of water with me always and eating not even a full bowl of rice. And that's the tiny Chinese rice bowls we're talking about.
^_^
They aren't anorexic. I watch Japanese people eat a ton more than I do, especially rice.
It isn't the food quality. Even though they don't have canned or frozen foods, they instead have dried. And while most things are bought fresh, most of the Japanese dishes I come across are either soaked in sauces or deep fried, causing me to cook more often.
They're all dehydrated.
That's the reason all the Japanese people are skinny.
Try going to a restaurant here. They always give you an amount of water that equates to 1 cup. And never offer refills. That is, if they give you water.
However, they supply the rice and food like ur gonna starve the rest of the day.
Of course, this is me. I'm used to having a bottle of water with me always and eating not even a full bowl of rice. And that's the tiny Chinese rice bowls we're talking about.
^_^
Friday, April 20, 2007
1 Week Past
Well, one week has passed and I can say it's definitely an improvement. Meeting people isn't too hard, especially in Japanese Language I. Meeting Japanese people is another story though. I think it's an interesting experience, seeing Japan while looking Japanese. They treat non-Asians very differently, which is very apparent if you watch them. They like the non-Asians and approach them with eagerness. They couldn't give a crap about the Asian foreign students. So if I tell them I'm American, they don't really care b/c I look Chinese (or Japanese to some of them). I'm not too sure it's a racial thing though as much as a commonality issue. I guess it's good to think of it in terms of Koreans in CMU. If a Korean student came up to you and told you he or she was actually from, say, the Phillipines, instead of Korea, for most people, it probably wouldn't matter so much. There's too many Asians here to really care.
So in a way, while a bit lonlier (especially w/ the language barriers), it's very interesting to not always be singled out.
But in Japanese I, there are a few Chinese-speakers. From Taiwan. So thank god for the years of Chinese exposure. I can communicate with them fairly well. And unlike the Japanese, they are very open to meeting new people. Probably b/c they're new too. Remember Freshman year? (And quite literally, a guy from that class randomnly approached me afterwards and said, in English, "Hello. My name is Ha Yunbin. I would like to be friends with you.")
But speaking of being American... b/c of the Virginia Tech issue, I have been asked more than once if I own a gun. Because in Japan, all Japanese people think all Americans own guns and shooting and drivebys and events like Virginia Tech happen all the time.
I guess we can't blame them for that assumption. While I never encounter guns and most people I know don't, a lot of households own at least one. And I was told it's actually very easy to buy one too. And when you add to the fact that a lot of schools have metal detectors and the fact Japan's laws forbid anyone to own one and also include all the disasters that have been coming out of America in the past years... can't blame them for thinking America is an ungodly dangerous place.
Well, I'm bumming out for day in my apartment. Stupid of me since it's absolutely gorgeous outside.
Don't think I'll be going anywhere this weekend either. I'd like to know for sure my scholarship money is in the bank first. Ah well... maybe I'll call someone.
So in a way, while a bit lonlier (especially w/ the language barriers), it's very interesting to not always be singled out.
But in Japanese I, there are a few Chinese-speakers. From Taiwan. So thank god for the years of Chinese exposure. I can communicate with them fairly well. And unlike the Japanese, they are very open to meeting new people. Probably b/c they're new too. Remember Freshman year? (And quite literally, a guy from that class randomnly approached me afterwards and said, in English, "Hello. My name is Ha Yunbin. I would like to be friends with you.")
But speaking of being American... b/c of the Virginia Tech issue, I have been asked more than once if I own a gun. Because in Japan, all Japanese people think all Americans own guns and shooting and drivebys and events like Virginia Tech happen all the time.
I guess we can't blame them for that assumption. While I never encounter guns and most people I know don't, a lot of households own at least one. And I was told it's actually very easy to buy one too. And when you add to the fact that a lot of schools have metal detectors and the fact Japan's laws forbid anyone to own one and also include all the disasters that have been coming out of America in the past years... can't blame them for thinking America is an ungodly dangerous place.
Well, I'm bumming out for day in my apartment. Stupid of me since it's absolutely gorgeous outside.
Don't think I'll be going anywhere this weekend either. I'd like to know for sure my scholarship money is in the bank first. Ah well... maybe I'll call someone.
Monday, April 16, 2007
3rd day of class
So I did a stupid thing....
I told Prof. Furukawa that I couldn't find my classroom today and that it was Freshman Media Workshop B. So he called me this morning to tell me it was in the room McLaren.
I told him the wrong one. And it took me 1 hour in to the class to realize that hey, this isn't background illustration. So one of the professors who had been running around to each class checking in with all the teachers helped me out in finding my actual classroom. Where inside, a student named Yu proceeded to help me out in explaining what supplies I'd need and what the teacher wanted me to do. Kind of funny b/c it's not like he was translating. More like... repeating. He couldn't speak English so it wasn't helping much, but he was sweet and patient and all that, so in the end, it worked.
Mm... yeah. It's raining too. Lovely rain. All week.
So I have nothing to say.
I told Prof. Furukawa that I couldn't find my classroom today and that it was Freshman Media Workshop B. So he called me this morning to tell me it was in the room McLaren.
I told him the wrong one. And it took me 1 hour in to the class to realize that hey, this isn't background illustration. So one of the professors who had been running around to each class checking in with all the teachers helped me out in finding my actual classroom. Where inside, a student named Yu proceeded to help me out in explaining what supplies I'd need and what the teacher wanted me to do. Kind of funny b/c it's not like he was translating. More like... repeating. He couldn't speak English so it wasn't helping much, but he was sweet and patient and all that, so in the end, it worked.
Mm... yeah. It's raining too. Lovely rain. All week.
So I have nothing to say.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Harajuku!
Pictures from Harajuku!
The "entrance" to the shopping district.
The Snoopy store! ^_^ It's so cute in there!
The weirdest store you will ever see.
It was right next to this "hip hop" store which had 2 store owners from Ghana. They wre fun to talk to.
Japanese Hip Hop is so weird. It's like... hick meets streetwear. I mean... flannel? Since when was flannel considered hip hop?
These guys were just standing in the middle of the town square. Along w/ other interesting people (one being a goth guy doing card tricks and an old man dancing choreographed songs).
So I hugged these two people.
Took this b/c that's just funny. Of course... the Japanese ppl walking by had no idea what I was doing or why this place would be interesting. I got a lot of stares. Hehe.
The "entrance" to the shopping district.
The Snoopy store! ^_^ It's so cute in there!
The weirdest store you will ever see.It was right next to this "hip hop" store which had 2 store owners from Ghana. They wre fun to talk to.
Japanese Hip Hop is so weird. It's like... hick meets streetwear. I mean... flannel? Since when was flannel considered hip hop?
These guys were just standing in the middle of the town square. Along w/ other interesting people (one being a goth guy doing card tricks and an old man dancing choreographed songs).
So I hugged these two people.
Took this b/c that's just funny. Of course... the Japanese ppl walking by had no idea what I was doing or why this place would be interesting. I got a lot of stares. Hehe.Maybe I should make this a weekly routine. Go somewhere new every week. What do you think?
I wonder if my wallet can handle that?
Where do you think I should go next? Akibahara? Asakusa? Yokohama?
I wonder if my wallet can handle that?
Where do you think I should go next? Akibahara? Asakusa? Yokohama?
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
No Class...
So... no class today. Turns out, there was a faculty meeting. And today was also the senior class's day to register classes. So... no classes.
Sux because I woke up early to make it to school.
I also still have no idea where my classes are.
So instead, I spent the morning going to Yamada Denki, or Yamada Electronics, to shop for games. I got myself a Japanese-English Kanji dictionary for my new Nintendo DS. You have no idea how helpful this thing is. Even though it won't pronounce the Japanese words, it gives the hiragana spellings of all the kanji so I can stumble my way across it fairly well. And pretty accurate English definitions.
I've already used it a lot translating my class guide books. And the kanji for my classrooms that I don't know? It says "special subject classroom". Which means, it doesn't know either. I have to find out myself.
Oh, I also bought Mario64 for the DS. So cute! You start out as Yoshi and you have to chase a bunny and eat it to get a key. It's sooooo cute! Same world, same moves (in some ways... ), but different characters n stuff.
But I reached Furukawa-sensei, my "animation advisor". And through his broken English, my broken Japanese, and my lack of understanding of conversation etiquette (any sound you make and the person on the other side will stop to hear what you say, unless it's a shart "un"-sound. I haven't caught on yet), he has now told me I don't have classes tomorrow or Friday either.
That doesn't make sense. Thursday I'm supposed to attend a theory class, but maybe he didn't remember that? Class scheduling was a very confusing time. I wasn't sure which theory class I was supposed to attend, but now, w/ my lovely DS, I figured out that there's Animation Psychology and Game Theory. Guess I'll go sit in on both for now (I'm hoping I can kill my Academic Art Electives back at CMU with credits from here. I really don't want to take "Russian Ballet art history" when I get back).
And I suppose Friday's manga-drawing class is still an uncertainty.
Eitherway, I'm supposed to meet with him on Friday. If only I knew where. He said the name in Japanized-English. I told him I didn't understand, but that only resulted in him repeating the Japanized word over and over. So I have no idea... other than it's probably in Building #2 since that building has all the English-named rooms. I hope he's in one of them. I can ask around, I suppose.
But pictures of Tokyo!
Shibuya during the day.
The famous dog of Shibuya. A big meeting spot and tourist attraction (i.e. lots of photos being taken).
Shinjuku at night.
Sux because I woke up early to make it to school.
I also still have no idea where my classes are.
So instead, I spent the morning going to Yamada Denki, or Yamada Electronics, to shop for games. I got myself a Japanese-English Kanji dictionary for my new Nintendo DS. You have no idea how helpful this thing is. Even though it won't pronounce the Japanese words, it gives the hiragana spellings of all the kanji so I can stumble my way across it fairly well. And pretty accurate English definitions.
I've already used it a lot translating my class guide books. And the kanji for my classrooms that I don't know? It says "special subject classroom". Which means, it doesn't know either. I have to find out myself.
Oh, I also bought Mario64 for the DS. So cute! You start out as Yoshi and you have to chase a bunny and eat it to get a key. It's sooooo cute! Same world, same moves (in some ways... ), but different characters n stuff.
But I reached Furukawa-sensei, my "animation advisor". And through his broken English, my broken Japanese, and my lack of understanding of conversation etiquette (any sound you make and the person on the other side will stop to hear what you say, unless it's a shart "un"-sound. I haven't caught on yet), he has now told me I don't have classes tomorrow or Friday either.
That doesn't make sense. Thursday I'm supposed to attend a theory class, but maybe he didn't remember that? Class scheduling was a very confusing time. I wasn't sure which theory class I was supposed to attend, but now, w/ my lovely DS, I figured out that there's Animation Psychology and Game Theory. Guess I'll go sit in on both for now (I'm hoping I can kill my Academic Art Electives back at CMU with credits from here. I really don't want to take "Russian Ballet art history" when I get back).
And I suppose Friday's manga-drawing class is still an uncertainty.
Eitherway, I'm supposed to meet with him on Friday. If only I knew where. He said the name in Japanized-English. I told him I didn't understand, but that only resulted in him repeating the Japanized word over and over. So I have no idea... other than it's probably in Building #2 since that building has all the English-named rooms. I hope he's in one of them. I can ask around, I suppose.
But pictures of Tokyo!
Shibuya during the day.
The famous dog of Shibuya. A big meeting spot and tourist attraction (i.e. lots of photos being taken).
Shinjuku at night.Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Shinjuku & Shibuya
Ah... so I've spent the last two days in my apartment. Literally sitting her staring at my computer screen. I got sick... and as a result, I'm stuck indoors.
Well, I did attempt to go out shopping yesterday on my own at the local discount store, but... even that bike ride was exhausting.
So for now, I'm resting up.
Class starts tomorrow, and I only just realized that hey, I don't know where these classes are. Reading the class guide does not help. All it will say is that my classes are in Building 1 and 2. Not either or, but rather, both. For each class. The line above it, which I can only assume is my room number... is kanji. And since all the room on the campus guide are numbered, I can only assume it means "not assigned".
I am also confused. Mr. Shimada, my contact in student affairs, told me classes start Wednesday. But during class registration, Prof. Furukawa, one of the people helping me schedule my classes, told me classes will start Thursday. So should I even be going tomorrow?
Ah well... someone is getting bugged by me tomorrow.
Anyways, as for my weekend, I went to Tokyo to meet Midori! For those that didn't know who she was, Midori was the girl who came to CMU last semester from TPU as a foreign exchange student. She's the one who convinced me to come! ^_^ The train ride from Atsugi to Tokyo is 45 minutes and around $5 one way. And also insanely crowded. I was half-sitting on a sleeping guy at one point b/c ppl kept packing themselves into the train to the point that you really could not even turn around.
Midori and I went to Shibuya and Shinjuku (we were with her friend Akane (I think that's how i'd spell it?) for awhile, but she left pretty early to do some work). We went to Shibuya to go see Linkin Park in a radio interview. Well, Chester from Linkin Park anyways. We waited in line for an hour just to spend 5 min in a room watching him talk. They let the fans in in groups of about 20 or so. Midori and I were lucky. We were one of the first in our group so we were standing right in front of him when we got in. It was kinda fun, but I kept thinking "zoo exhibit" because of the soundproof glass and bar separating us from him. I think he said the same too.
But hey! Got to see a celebrity. That's pretty cool.
I want his shoes.... Hehe.
We spent a lot of time in Shinjuku shopping around. Namely, we were looking for a Nintendo DS for me. They've got a lot more programs here for it, and not all are games. I was looking for this Japanese-English dictionary that let you write in the the kanji and it would translate for you in to English. Beats the electronic dictionary the school lent me. If you don't already know how to pronounce the kanji in front of you (and each one has many pronunciations based on sentence structure), then you can't input the hiragana to get a translation.
But the DS is a hot HOT item here. Like the Wii, people wait in line to get it. Although, I think the craze for it has been pretty recent. Midori's friend had gotten one once and didn't have any problems buying it.
But we checked 3 stores. All sold out.
Eventually, w/ Midori's help, I purchased one online. I now have a DS! Now to get that program. Hehe.
But let's see... went clothes shopping. And other stores. Let's just say I now know the difference between anime/manga fan and otaku. And trust me, otaku isn't a socially good thing. I get the stigma surrounding the word.
Pictures later. Sleepy.. kinda. Class tomorrow.
Well, I did attempt to go out shopping yesterday on my own at the local discount store, but... even that bike ride was exhausting.
So for now, I'm resting up.
Class starts tomorrow, and I only just realized that hey, I don't know where these classes are. Reading the class guide does not help. All it will say is that my classes are in Building 1 and 2. Not either or, but rather, both. For each class. The line above it, which I can only assume is my room number... is kanji. And since all the room on the campus guide are numbered, I can only assume it means "not assigned".
I am also confused. Mr. Shimada, my contact in student affairs, told me classes start Wednesday. But during class registration, Prof. Furukawa, one of the people helping me schedule my classes, told me classes will start Thursday. So should I even be going tomorrow?
Ah well... someone is getting bugged by me tomorrow.
Anyways, as for my weekend, I went to Tokyo to meet Midori! For those that didn't know who she was, Midori was the girl who came to CMU last semester from TPU as a foreign exchange student. She's the one who convinced me to come! ^_^ The train ride from Atsugi to Tokyo is 45 minutes and around $5 one way. And also insanely crowded. I was half-sitting on a sleeping guy at one point b/c ppl kept packing themselves into the train to the point that you really could not even turn around.
Midori and I went to Shibuya and Shinjuku (we were with her friend Akane (I think that's how i'd spell it?) for awhile, but she left pretty early to do some work). We went to Shibuya to go see Linkin Park in a radio interview. Well, Chester from Linkin Park anyways. We waited in line for an hour just to spend 5 min in a room watching him talk. They let the fans in in groups of about 20 or so. Midori and I were lucky. We were one of the first in our group so we were standing right in front of him when we got in. It was kinda fun, but I kept thinking "zoo exhibit" because of the soundproof glass and bar separating us from him. I think he said the same too.
But hey! Got to see a celebrity. That's pretty cool.
I want his shoes.... Hehe.
We spent a lot of time in Shinjuku shopping around. Namely, we were looking for a Nintendo DS for me. They've got a lot more programs here for it, and not all are games. I was looking for this Japanese-English dictionary that let you write in the the kanji and it would translate for you in to English. Beats the electronic dictionary the school lent me. If you don't already know how to pronounce the kanji in front of you (and each one has many pronunciations based on sentence structure), then you can't input the hiragana to get a translation.
But the DS is a hot HOT item here. Like the Wii, people wait in line to get it. Although, I think the craze for it has been pretty recent. Midori's friend had gotten one once and didn't have any problems buying it.
But we checked 3 stores. All sold out.
Eventually, w/ Midori's help, I purchased one online. I now have a DS! Now to get that program. Hehe.
But let's see... went clothes shopping. And other stores. Let's just say I now know the difference between anime/manga fan and otaku. And trust me, otaku isn't a socially good thing. I get the stigma surrounding the word.
Pictures later. Sleepy.. kinda. Class tomorrow.
Friday, April 6, 2007
The Political Stuff
This isn't anything special, but I feel like sharing anyways. Here's my day:
I went to Atsugi City Hall after spending an hour trying to find it on the map so I wouldn't get myself lost like that one day. Hehe. And after that hour, I realized "duh! City Hall is that big red circle smack in the middle of Atsugi macchi!" It helps being able to read the words 市役所 （しやくしょ（shiyakusho) = city hall).
But my lack of Japanese knowledge made for a interesting trip of trying to explain I needed to pick up my alien registration card and fill out a change of address form. I still don't know how to say it. It's a lot of これをしたい (I want to do this) and pointing. Most people at Atsugi City Hall know a few words of English, so after much trouble for the assistant, we got my papers done. She was very nice and helpful. Even helped me out after my number was called and I was with a desk clerk finalizing the forms. The helpless foreigner! Hehe.
I did the same in the bank. The assistant was so cute! She figured out I was foreign and American (how did she know American? Maybe it was my accent) so proceded to help me fill out the change-of-address form line by line. With little words of ”凄い！(amazing)” and ”がんばって！（do your best!)”. And then I think she tried to compliment me on my Japanese, but I'm not too sure. She was speaking in English and I couldn't understand what she was saying. So I did the typical foreigner thing and said "hai" to everything.
Found that bread store I really liked from before when I went to Saty to get my hair cut. It's called Macaroni Market. And in the back is an Italian-style cafe. So I went in, had coffee and cake. So good! I hope I don't make it a regular trip. They have awesome bread and the cake and coffee only makes the place more awesome! I'll get fat off of it if I listen to temptation and keep going there. Good thing I'm not in Europe then, I think.
Maybe, then, it's a good thing they're kinda pricey. A little. A cup of ice coffee was ￥３００. About $2.50. That's cheap for Japan, I think. And just a little above normal for America. It's really good though, so I think it's worth the extra cents.
Anyways, I got a headache after that (probably from the coffee... although I'm not sure why). So now I'm back in the apartment, doing laundry and going online to type this mediocre story.
I'm still not too comfortable on the idea of hanging underwear outside to dry for all who walk by to see. Everyone does it, but it still seems so embarrassing to me.
Also, anyone know how to ride a bike in Japan? Like who has right of way? The pedestrian, the bicyclist, or the driver? And even though on the streets all the cars drive on the left side of the road, when do you know that's the case with a bike on the sidewalk? And when should you ride on the street as opposed to the sidewalk?
Riding a bike is a lot of weaving onto and off of the sidewalk, between walkers, etc etc. It's a lot of near misses of hitting people and getting hit by cars. I see it with other people too, so it's not just my lack of skill on a bicycle (and no, I haven't gotten hit by a car or hit anyone I've passed by).
It's just... for a society that's very big on order, bike riding is very disorganized and seems to be without rules. Or else there are rules that no one follows.
Anyways, there's my story for the day.
I went to Atsugi City Hall after spending an hour trying to find it on the map so I wouldn't get myself lost like that one day. Hehe. And after that hour, I realized "duh! City Hall is that big red circle smack in the middle of Atsugi macchi!" It helps being able to read the words 市役所 （しやくしょ（shiyakusho) = city hall).
But my lack of Japanese knowledge made for a interesting trip of trying to explain I needed to pick up my alien registration card and fill out a change of address form. I still don't know how to say it. It's a lot of これをしたい (I want to do this) and pointing. Most people at Atsugi City Hall know a few words of English, so after much trouble for the assistant, we got my papers done. She was very nice and helpful. Even helped me out after my number was called and I was with a desk clerk finalizing the forms. The helpless foreigner! Hehe.
I did the same in the bank. The assistant was so cute! She figured out I was foreign and American (how did she know American? Maybe it was my accent) so proceded to help me fill out the change-of-address form line by line. With little words of ”凄い！(amazing)” and ”がんばって！（do your best!)”. And then I think she tried to compliment me on my Japanese, but I'm not too sure. She was speaking in English and I couldn't understand what she was saying. So I did the typical foreigner thing and said "hai" to everything.
Found that bread store I really liked from before when I went to Saty to get my hair cut. It's called Macaroni Market. And in the back is an Italian-style cafe. So I went in, had coffee and cake. So good! I hope I don't make it a regular trip. They have awesome bread and the cake and coffee only makes the place more awesome! I'll get fat off of it if I listen to temptation and keep going there. Good thing I'm not in Europe then, I think.
Maybe, then, it's a good thing they're kinda pricey. A little. A cup of ice coffee was ￥３００. About $2.50. That's cheap for Japan, I think. And just a little above normal for America. It's really good though, so I think it's worth the extra cents.
Anyways, I got a headache after that (probably from the coffee... although I'm not sure why). So now I'm back in the apartment, doing laundry and going online to type this mediocre story.
I'm still not too comfortable on the idea of hanging underwear outside to dry for all who walk by to see. Everyone does it, but it still seems so embarrassing to me.
Also, anyone know how to ride a bike in Japan? Like who has right of way? The pedestrian, the bicyclist, or the driver? And even though on the streets all the cars drive on the left side of the road, when do you know that's the case with a bike on the sidewalk? And when should you ride on the street as opposed to the sidewalk?
Riding a bike is a lot of weaving onto and off of the sidewalk, between walkers, etc etc. It's a lot of near misses of hitting people and getting hit by cars. I see it with other people too, so it's not just my lack of skill on a bicycle (and no, I haven't gotten hit by a car or hit anyone I've passed by).
It's just... for a society that's very big on order, bike riding is very disorganized and seems to be without rules. Or else there are rules that no one follows.
Anyways, there's my story for the day.
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Class Registration Day
OMG I am SOOOO screwed!
Class registration was also a "welcome freshman to the way college classes work" day. And I understood practically none of it. Except for the occasional word here and there. But then when I think back, a lot of those words were Japanized English.
Crap.
I also think one of the teachers helping me was wondering out loud whether Prof. Okubo's decision to let me come was a smart one. I could be paranoid, but then again, maybe not.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
Classes start on the 11th or the 12. Mr. Shimada told me the 11, but Prof. Furukawa said the 12. Whichever is a Monday then.
Recommendation to anyone who comes to TPU after me. Know your Japanese! Really really well! Don't just come after 1 semester of it at CMU.
As for meeting people, saw a lot of freshmen, but didn't meet anyone of them. Guess I need to wait another week?
Class registration was also a "welcome freshman to the way college classes work" day. And I understood practically none of it. Except for the occasional word here and there. But then when I think back, a lot of those words were Japanized English.
Crap.
I also think one of the teachers helping me was wondering out loud whether Prof. Okubo's decision to let me come was a smart one. I could be paranoid, but then again, maybe not.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
Classes start on the 11th or the 12. Mr. Shimada told me the 11, but Prof. Furukawa said the 12. Whichever is a Monday then.
Recommendation to anyone who comes to TPU after me. Know your Japanese! Really really well! Don't just come after 1 semester of it at CMU.
As for meeting people, saw a lot of freshmen, but didn't meet anyone of them. Guess I need to wait another week?
Freezing rains
OMG I've had a hell of a day.
First I went to TPU's Freshman Orientation, in hopes of meeting people, but to no avail. Many reasons put together. It was a very formal occasion so there wasn't much room for socializing. And I was constantly in the presence of some staff member, so I ddn't have a chance to go it alone. Oh well... I will have more chances later.
But OMG that thing was boring. Almost all the parents were falling asleep. Does anyone remember CMU's orientation? Each time I think of it, I think of the guy running down the aisle with a giant condom on his head. But that's not it.
But still, it wasn't a formal occasion, wasn't it? There were definitely a lot of cheering and waving of balloons when each department had to stand and acknowledge their declared majors. Here it was a lot of stand up, bow at the waist, sit back down. Everyone wore business suits (except me b/c I didn't know). And it was so quiet.
But yeah, after that I rode my new bike (on loan by the school. BTW. Yesterday was the first day I've been on a bike since my sophomore year of high school) home to my apartment (which, btw... so awesome! I am spoiled so badly it's awesome). Because of the total restlessness of me not spending my days exploring this new country, I decided to take a route I didn't know and get myself a little lost in hopes of seeing something new.
So it rains today.
And me getting a little lost turns in to me getting really lost. And with the pouring rain, I really have no knowledge of how to navigate.
It's also around 45 degrees.
And then my bike breaks. So I have to stop and fix it for awhile.
I eventually give up trying to reorient myself and step into a Skylark (Japan's version of the 24-hr diner) and ask for directions. I'm a good half hour away from Midorigaoki, the region my apartment is in. And I head out in the rain.
Almost before getting to my street, I decide to stop at a Japanese food court and chow down b/c by then, I'm starved. And had been biking and feeling tired and cold for the last 2-3 hours. I ate a lot. A lot more than I'm used to around here.
But I made it! And decided it'd be a good idea to eat ice cream. Hehe.
But I took a hot bath, that was good.
Anyways, that's my day. Cold rain, broken bike, and getting lost in Atsugi.
I'm not pissed or anything. And for some reason, I wasn't freaked out. I guess I already felt lost anyways, so actually getting lost wasn't really any change. Hehe.
I was just really tired in the end. And cold.
First I went to TPU's Freshman Orientation, in hopes of meeting people, but to no avail. Many reasons put together. It was a very formal occasion so there wasn't much room for socializing. And I was constantly in the presence of some staff member, so I ddn't have a chance to go it alone. Oh well... I will have more chances later.
But OMG that thing was boring. Almost all the parents were falling asleep. Does anyone remember CMU's orientation? Each time I think of it, I think of the guy running down the aisle with a giant condom on his head. But that's not it.
But still, it wasn't a formal occasion, wasn't it? There were definitely a lot of cheering and waving of balloons when each department had to stand and acknowledge their declared majors. Here it was a lot of stand up, bow at the waist, sit back down. Everyone wore business suits (except me b/c I didn't know). And it was so quiet.
But yeah, after that I rode my new bike (on loan by the school. BTW. Yesterday was the first day I've been on a bike since my sophomore year of high school) home to my apartment (which, btw... so awesome! I am spoiled so badly it's awesome). Because of the total restlessness of me not spending my days exploring this new country, I decided to take a route I didn't know and get myself a little lost in hopes of seeing something new.
So it rains today.
And me getting a little lost turns in to me getting really lost. And with the pouring rain, I really have no knowledge of how to navigate.
It's also around 45 degrees.
And then my bike breaks. So I have to stop and fix it for awhile.
I eventually give up trying to reorient myself and step into a Skylark (Japan's version of the 24-hr diner) and ask for directions. I'm a good half hour away from Midorigaoki, the region my apartment is in. And I head out in the rain.
Almost before getting to my street, I decide to stop at a Japanese food court and chow down b/c by then, I'm starved. And had been biking and feeling tired and cold for the last 2-3 hours. I ate a lot. A lot more than I'm used to around here.
But I made it! And decided it'd be a good idea to eat ice cream. Hehe.
But I took a hot bath, that was good.
Anyways, that's my day. Cold rain, broken bike, and getting lost in Atsugi.
I'm not pissed or anything. And for some reason, I wasn't freaked out. I guess I already felt lost anyways, so actually getting lost wasn't really any change. Hehe.
I was just really tired in the end. And cold.
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