Haven’t posted in a while, I’ve been busy planning out lots of fun little tidbits to share with my Tumblr fraaans.
Here’s a glimpse of a typical slightly-above poorman’s lunch around 早大 (the nickname for Waseda University, 早稲田大学).
Actually this place is apparently pretty famous for its ramen, and it certainly was a lip-smackin’ experience. Yes that is a giant vat of pork.
We had octopus for dinner. This is a fairly accurate reinterpretation of the event.
I finally start classes. Here’s what my Monday schedule looks like: 9-12: Japanese 1-2:30: Reading Japanese Novels 2:45-4:15: Biological Psychology Yayy!
Since I’ve waited so long to start updating about my Tokyo life, I’m going to combine the first two weeks here.
Week one was a whirlwind of activity. I came a day late because a luggage cart ran into the plane and put a hole in it…safe planes we fly eh? So instead of coming on a relaxing Sunday afternoon, I showed up Monday evening, and special arrangements had to be made to get me from Narita airport to the hotel in Ikebukuro (about a 1.5 hour train trip) and then to the campus of Waseda (where I’ll be going to school) for a little dinner meet and greet. I also missed arguably the most important day of orientation, housing interviews and the Japanese proficiency test. Yada yada yada, I got everything made up, and the world was right again.
The rest of the week consisted of Q&A sessions and trips to Yokohama, including a somewhat ironic excursion to Chinatown, and Kamakura (relatively decent pictures of which can be found in the link).
Week 2…moving in with my host family. I was of course a bit worried about meeting and moving in with a family that I would be living with for the better part of ten months, but my fears were quickly dismissed as I learned that the Shins were kind, welcoming, and lived in an awesome house about my host father’s dental office! Pictures of my family, etc. will follow soon.
Perhaps my most accomplished moment so far: finding my way from home to school and back, a 45-minute commute by bus and train each way. It’s kind of like throwing a little kid into a pool and letting him figure out how to swim, but with less water and more concrete and lights.
This is the Dai-Butsu, or “Big Buddha” in Kamakura…cuz it didn’t fit in the Facebook album.
Okay that’s all for now!
1) Medicine - it’ll run you $20 for a week’s worth, on a good day.
2) Haircuts - places I’ve seen range from $45-$60 for a normal cut.
You have been warned!
Welcome to my new blog! I’ll use it for various odds and ends, but mainly to chronicle my life in Tokyo over the next year! I’ve been a little delinquent up to now but I will try to update at least once a week from now on. I hope you all find it to be interesting!
