Two parties down, one to go...
Practically no schoolwork down, many hours' worth to go. >_>
So, for the Halloween party, Etienne, Hana(fusa) and I used some costumes Hana already had and were the Sou Desu Ne Rangers. We had some practiced moves (after watching Rolling Bomber Special for inspiration) and formations. I think we were quite successful at the Mitaka Ryou party. Hopefully some more good pictures will find their way from peoples' cameras to Facebook eventually.
Today was a field trip for Boccha sensei's class. On the one hand I was rather unhappy that he neglected to mention how much time and money it would cost... But it was cool to get out of Tokyo (not just the megalopolis, but the prefecture!) for the first time since I've been here. It's kind of ridiculous, but when we suddenly saw open fields out the train window, we all got excited and pointed and such. XD Funny how just a few weeks can change the way you see things.
Ultimately, we went the to the National History Museum in Sakura, Chiba, which was pretty cool (though between coming and going we spent more time in transit than actually at the museum). There was a headphone audio tour in English, which was great, since I could hardly read the plaques at all...
Afterward, when we finally got back we prepared for Alden's surprise birthday party. Umeshuu and temakizushi ingredients were bought, the common hall was decorated, and eventually we got him there. He wasn't 100% surprised (of course), but it we still great. +D
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Being busy is better, after all.
I can't seem to concentrate on my schoolwork right now, so I guess it's journal time!
I that life recently went from very busy to UUULTRA busy.
This weekend has a party on Friday (Mitaka Ryou), Saturday (Alden's birthday), and Sunday (Chabashira), all of which I have some vested interest in attending. XD
Next weekend some friends (mostly AIKOM) are planning an overnight trip to Yokohama for "shopping and onsen," which I definitely want to attend.
The weekend after next I've been invited by another friend to go... Somewhere (not yet really decided) around Tokyo on another possibly-overnight trip by rental car.
Also, upcoming first large test in Japanese, first big speech next week... XD Ah, this is great.
I that life recently went from very busy to UUULTRA busy.
This weekend has a party on Friday (Mitaka Ryou), Saturday (Alden's birthday), and Sunday (Chabashira), all of which I have some vested interest in attending. XD
Next weekend some friends (mostly AIKOM) are planning an overnight trip to Yokohama for "shopping and onsen," which I definitely want to attend.
The weekend after next I've been invited by another friend to go... Somewhere (not yet really decided) around Tokyo on another possibly-overnight trip by rental car.
Also, upcoming first large test in Japanese, first big speech next week... XD Ah, this is great.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Coping strategy #1
Living in a country and town whose institutions, cultural norms and topography I, at best, only partially understand presents many unexpected challenges in daily life.
One approach to dealing with situations for which I am not well-equipped is to, essentially, make a relatively large number of random shots into the area where I think the target might be most (or at least more) likely to be and hope that, with some patience, I can hit it. Even if you've only got a 1% chance, all you have to do is try 100 times, right?
For example: On Wednesday of last week I received my scholarship money. I really wanted to schedule a time to go with Miwa, my "tutor," to buy a mobile phone and electronic dictionary. Unfortunately, the only leads I had for contacting him were the mail address and number of his mobile phone (Japanese mobile phones use their own email addresses... Don't worry about it). Not having a phone, this wasn't terribly useful. So, on Thursday I decided that, since I didn't really want to eat lunch during the lunch-hour rush anyway, I'd try to find him. I had this much to go on:
1. I once saw him at lunch time shouting into a megaphone for some group or other on the corner of the little plaza/intersection where the long ginko-lined path ends in front of the cafeteria.
2. The day we met, he took me to the small food shop that's sort of between buildings 1 and 11, and commented that it was better to go there than the cafeteria or bigger co-op store, since the crowd is less oppressive.
3. On the same day, he then led me over to the benches around the fountain that's adjacent to the ginko-lined path, and we ate lunch there.
So, armed with these pieces of information about where he might be slightly more likely to be than other places else on the big campus at lunch time and also the feeling that maybe I could find him since, this campus having only somewhere around 9,000 students, compared to the 30,000+ I'm used to at UM, I tend to feel like I'm always bumping into people I know (which is a feeling I love, by the way).
And, after about ten minutes of walking between the cafeteria and fountain, I did in fact run right into Miwa, and we scheduled a time to meet on Saturday.
One approach to dealing with situations for which I am not well-equipped is to, essentially, make a relatively large number of random shots into the area where I think the target might be most (or at least more) likely to be and hope that, with some patience, I can hit it. Even if you've only got a 1% chance, all you have to do is try 100 times, right?
For example: On Wednesday of last week I received my scholarship money. I really wanted to schedule a time to go with Miwa, my "tutor," to buy a mobile phone and electronic dictionary. Unfortunately, the only leads I had for contacting him were the mail address and number of his mobile phone (Japanese mobile phones use their own email addresses... Don't worry about it). Not having a phone, this wasn't terribly useful. So, on Thursday I decided that, since I didn't really want to eat lunch during the lunch-hour rush anyway, I'd try to find him. I had this much to go on:
1. I once saw him at lunch time shouting into a megaphone for some group or other on the corner of the little plaza/intersection where the long ginko-lined path ends in front of the cafeteria.
2. The day we met, he took me to the small food shop that's sort of between buildings 1 and 11, and commented that it was better to go there than the cafeteria or bigger co-op store, since the crowd is less oppressive.
3. On the same day, he then led me over to the benches around the fountain that's adjacent to the ginko-lined path, and we ate lunch there.
So, armed with these pieces of information about where he might be slightly more likely to be than other places else on the big campus at lunch time and also the feeling that maybe I could find him since, this campus having only somewhere around 9,000 students, compared to the 30,000+ I'm used to at UM, I tend to feel like I'm always bumping into people I know (which is a feeling I love, by the way).
And, after about ten minutes of walking between the cafeteria and fountain, I did in fact run right into Miwa, and we scheduled a time to meet on Saturday.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
「新たな世界の入り口に立ち。。。」
Colin: *for no reason, skips over to the piano, where the group is gathered*
Di: アッ！ さすがお金持ち！ （~"Ah! As expected of the rich person!")
Colin: ワァァァァァァ～ うれしい～ （"Ahhhhh, so happy~")
Oh, AIKOM. <#
...Yeah, though everyone in AIKOM seems to be receiving some kind of scholarship, most are JASSO (though the Japanese government) and haven't arrived yet, and mine is largest. XD+
Although there was, as previously noted, no party on Friday, last night (Saturday night) made up for it, I guess. XD
It was the Mitaka Ryou Ongakusai (Music Festival). It started out with a lineup of all the people and groups that had signed up to perform, and that went for maybe an hour and a half or so. All the performances were pretty great. Highlights include Alden being a pop star, and Sarah, who I knew was a great singer, nevertheless surprising everyone and moving a couple people to tears. Fiona on piano was also great, and there was another pianist who played for, liek, everyone, and who I met and talked to afterward, but can't quite remember the name of... D+ I'll have to ask Sarah.
And, of course, the AIKOMers sang ３月９日 ("March 9th"). We weren't very good to listen to, perhaps, but it was still a great, moving experience to do it with everyone.
Afterward was the customary Mitaka Ryou food and drink, the customary drunk Miyamoto, and the customary crazy dancing AIKOMers (and largely too-shy-to-dance Japanese student XD+ ). We also played cards, and I met many new people, including the (in?)famous Daisuke, as well Akine, Aki, Sho, the piano guy, and several others I remember but am too fail at Japanese names to remember the names of. We also played Mafia, which was pretty amazing that the group we played it with had effectively English-only speakers, effectively Japanese-only speakers, and the rest of us all somewhere in-between. In fact, they were possibly some of the best games of Mafia I've ever played. XD
Also yesterday I met Miwa, and we went to Kichijouji to buy me a mobile phone and electronic dictionary. We accomplished both of these goals. I'd had my eye on a super-cool phone, but upon closer inspection found that, aside from looking really, really cool, the additional features it had weren't too useful to me. So, although I have more set-up money than I could ever need, I got, liek, the cheapest phone, instead (...it's still much cooler than any US phone I've ever had). XD Since I can't use it when I go back to the states anyway, I figure it's probably a good choice.
We also looked at toys, he bought a model, and we we had lunch at Gasto, which was pretty fun. Hooray~
Di: アッ！ さすがお金持ち！ （~"Ah! As expected of the rich person!")
Colin: ワァァァァァァ～ うれしい～ （"Ahhhhh, so happy~")
Oh, AIKOM. <#
...Yeah, though everyone in AIKOM seems to be receiving some kind of scholarship, most are JASSO (though the Japanese government) and haven't arrived yet, and mine is largest. XD+
Although there was, as previously noted, no party on Friday, last night (Saturday night) made up for it, I guess. XD
It was the Mitaka Ryou Ongakusai (Music Festival). It started out with a lineup of all the people and groups that had signed up to perform, and that went for maybe an hour and a half or so. All the performances were pretty great. Highlights include Alden being a pop star, and Sarah, who I knew was a great singer, nevertheless surprising everyone and moving a couple people to tears. Fiona on piano was also great, and there was another pianist who played for, liek, everyone, and who I met and talked to afterward, but can't quite remember the name of... D+ I'll have to ask Sarah.
And, of course, the AIKOMers sang ３月９日 ("March 9th"). We weren't very good to listen to, perhaps, but it was still a great, moving experience to do it with everyone.
Afterward was the customary Mitaka Ryou food and drink, the customary drunk Miyamoto, and the customary crazy dancing AIKOMers (and largely too-shy-to-dance Japanese student XD+ ). We also played cards, and I met many new people, including the (in?)famous Daisuke, as well Akine, Aki, Sho, the piano guy, and several others I remember but am too fail at Japanese names to remember the names of. We also played Mafia, which was pretty amazing that the group we played it with had effectively English-only speakers, effectively Japanese-only speakers, and the rest of us all somewhere in-between. In fact, they were possibly some of the best games of Mafia I've ever played. XD
Also yesterday I met Miwa, and we went to Kichijouji to buy me a mobile phone and electronic dictionary. We accomplished both of these goals. I'd had my eye on a super-cool phone, but upon closer inspection found that, aside from looking really, really cool, the additional features it had weren't too useful to me. So, although I have more set-up money than I could ever need, I got, liek, the cheapest phone, instead (...it's still much cooler than any US phone I've ever had). XD Since I can't use it when I go back to the states anyway, I figure it's probably a good choice.
We also looked at toys, he bought a model, and we we had lunch at Gasto, which was pretty fun. Hooray~
Friday, October 23, 2009
アメリカ
It's funny how my relationship with the University of Michigan and my relationship with the USA has changed by being here. I think they've both changed in similar ways. In some ways, I feel somewhat warmer toward both.
Not out of longing... I feel a great love for UofM, and would certainly miss it if I had time to do so, but I really haven't had it, and there have been so many great new things all the time that I haven't really been homesick at all. Being in America, in a more general sense, I really long for even less. The things that are different so far seem, more often than not, just sort of incidental and insignificant. The streets look different, people act differently... But at first Tokyo was so fascinating I just wanted to observe as much as possible, and now that I'm more used to it, I don't really feel like one place is more comfortable than the other.
I think the real difference is almost more about how I conceive of myself and the US and the University. As we AIKOMers, a small global community, talk about our lives and experiences amongst each other and with the Japanese, I speak about the US a lot. I haven't entirely pinned it down yet, but something about that, reflecting on my own life and observations in order to find truths, however inconsequential, about the country, has changed the way I feel about it. Although I still don't feel that I can speak for the country, and certainly still don't feel that it can speak for me, somehow, seeing it from the outside has led me to feel more aware and more accepting of my status as ~1/300000000th of it, where before I think I felt my self as being more apart from it. Similarly, with my school, though I loved my life there very much, I've always ultimately felt that my time there was mine, and the school and its institutions were more tools, apart myself, which I could use, and which, of course, I had to pay for in return.
It's kind of pleasant, this way. I always liked that I felt that I could choose to have or not have a sort of national personal identity, in that it was my attitude to reject the notion that people can't control something like that if they try. And I think much of the reason I never have really accepted an "American" identity is that I've felt myself a citizen of world and of humanity as a whole, far, far before being a citizen of the USA. I still definitely feel this way - my obligation to any one country is still, for me, basically zero, and my obligation to humankind is all-encompassing. But, besides this new feeling of myself as one part of the USA, I also now kind of feel that the USA is part of me. After all, I have to talk about the country (and my school) to talk about myself and my experiences, and vice versa. So, I still feel myself a citizen of the world, and I still do feel that I am not limited by my place of birth more than I choose to be - if anything, the feelings I'm developing toward Tokyo lead me to believe that things like "home" are something I get to construct and have a great say in myself - but, I also do now feel some kind of identity of origin and history and established, realized (as opposed to potential, or unrealized) connection that I didn't feel before. It is nice.
Not out of longing... I feel a great love for UofM, and would certainly miss it if I had time to do so, but I really haven't had it, and there have been so many great new things all the time that I haven't really been homesick at all. Being in America, in a more general sense, I really long for even less. The things that are different so far seem, more often than not, just sort of incidental and insignificant. The streets look different, people act differently... But at first Tokyo was so fascinating I just wanted to observe as much as possible, and now that I'm more used to it, I don't really feel like one place is more comfortable than the other.
I think the real difference is almost more about how I conceive of myself and the US and the University. As we AIKOMers, a small global community, talk about our lives and experiences amongst each other and with the Japanese, I speak about the US a lot. I haven't entirely pinned it down yet, but something about that, reflecting on my own life and observations in order to find truths, however inconsequential, about the country, has changed the way I feel about it. Although I still don't feel that I can speak for the country, and certainly still don't feel that it can speak for me, somehow, seeing it from the outside has led me to feel more aware and more accepting of my status as ~1/300000000th of it, where before I think I felt my self as being more apart from it. Similarly, with my school, though I loved my life there very much, I've always ultimately felt that my time there was mine, and the school and its institutions were more tools, apart myself, which I could use, and which, of course, I had to pay for in return.
It's kind of pleasant, this way. I always liked that I felt that I could choose to have or not have a sort of national personal identity, in that it was my attitude to reject the notion that people can't control something like that if they try. And I think much of the reason I never have really accepted an "American" identity is that I've felt myself a citizen of world and of humanity as a whole, far, far before being a citizen of the USA. I still definitely feel this way - my obligation to any one country is still, for me, basically zero, and my obligation to humankind is all-encompassing. But, besides this new feeling of myself as one part of the USA, I also now kind of feel that the USA is part of me. After all, I have to talk about the country (and my school) to talk about myself and my experiences, and vice versa. So, I still feel myself a citizen of the world, and I still do feel that I am not limited by my place of birth more than I choose to be - if anything, the feelings I'm developing toward Tokyo lead me to believe that things like "home" are something I get to construct and have a great say in myself - but, I also do now feel some kind of identity of origin and history and established, realized (as opposed to potential, or unrealized) connection that I didn't feel before. It is nice.
Burger in Japan.
Friday night and no party? What? Am I still at AIKOM?
Nah, actually it's kind of nice to have a night in that's not spent studying/working until midnight. XD This is only the second or third one since I've been here, I think.
Yesterday was a long day of classes (my longest of the week), then dinner at Freshness Burger. Etienne was joking that it should be like a taste of home for me (the American), and, indeed, it was really the first "American" food I'd had since being here.
Friday is my shortest day of classes of the week, so after Japanese and a visit to the AIKOM office (where I turned in my course registration sheet! No going back now...), I went with Sebastian, Aprille, Yisha and Fiona to Shimokitazawa where we got donuts and shopped the shops. Later, I came back, then went out to the little Uniqlo that's right here in Mitaka and bought a shirt. In the US, men's small shirts are generally just slightly too big for me, so that they're wearable, but don't look good. The small men's shirt here is perfect. Although, oddly, I note that it says it's for chest sizes 80-88 cm, and I measured myself at 88 with the measuring tape that was int he sewing kit I got at the 100en shop, so it ought to be just big enough... But there's definitely room to spare. Huh.
I probably shouldn't spend my scholarship money on clothes, at least not before I get into some kind of predictable rhythm of more important spending, so that I can budget accordingly, but I had been wanting a another nice-ish shirt for daily wear since before I came here, so I feel okay about it. It is, I think, a very Japanese shirt. Striped body with solid white collar and cuffs... I've seen them a lot here, but practically never in the US, so in my mind, anyway, it's kind of a Japanese style.
Nah, actually it's kind of nice to have a night in that's not spent studying/working until midnight. XD This is only the second or third one since I've been here, I think.
Yesterday was a long day of classes (my longest of the week), then dinner at Freshness Burger. Etienne was joking that it should be like a taste of home for me (the American), and, indeed, it was really the first "American" food I'd had since being here.
Friday is my shortest day of classes of the week, so after Japanese and a visit to the AIKOM office (where I turned in my course registration sheet! No going back now...), I went with Sebastian, Aprille, Yisha and Fiona to Shimokitazawa where we got donuts and shopped the shops. Later, I came back, then went out to the little Uniqlo that's right here in Mitaka and bought a shirt. In the US, men's small shirts are generally just slightly too big for me, so that they're wearable, but don't look good. The small men's shirt here is perfect. Although, oddly, I note that it says it's for chest sizes 80-88 cm, and I measured myself at 88 with the measuring tape that was int he sewing kit I got at the 100en shop, so it ought to be just big enough... But there's definitely room to spare. Huh.
I probably shouldn't spend my scholarship money on clothes, at least not before I get into some kind of predictable rhythm of more important spending, so that I can budget accordingly, but I had been wanting a another nice-ish shirt for daily wear since before I came here, so I feel okay about it. It is, I think, a very Japanese shirt. Striped body with solid white collar and cuffs... I've seen them a lot here, but practically never in the US, so in my mind, anyway, it's kind of a Japanese style.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Korin-sei tte... Nan darou...
It's already past my bedtime, but I think I'll update anyway.
1. Japanese class is oh so demanding. Srsly, a whole new vocab list, a reading and a worksheet each night? Man...
2. Today I went to lunch at Heiwa Nakajima's headquarters. Which was on the 33rd floor of a skyscraper in Roppongi (pretty central Tokyo), with, from the lunch table area, a stunning view of the sky-scraper filled area and a great view of Tokyo Tower (from that window was the first time I ever saw it, actually XD).
I got the first 200000 yen of my scholarship (the moving/set-up allowance). Holy cats. Now to buy a cell phone and denshi jisho.
We also had lunch, which was not just sushi, but great, expensive sushi. Man. I wasn't totally sure if I should wear a tie and get all dressed up, but as soon as I walked in and saw the oak paneling I knew I'd made the right decision.
I also got treated to a long lecture in Japanese about how the kanji for many newer words were determined by the Japanese, by combining old characters, of course, like 銀 and 行 to make ginkou ("bank" - a relatively new word in Japanese, which did not have kanji when it was introduced), not the Chinese, and how although some Chinese people know of this, most Japanese do not. I understood maybe 60% of it, tops, but he was so nice that I felt I had to keep listening.
Anyway, all in all it was a quite pleasant experience, I got the financial relief I was desperate for (having had only about 4000 yen left XD). Plus, though I had to take three trains to do it, I got to Roppongi all by myself. XD
3. We practiced our song tonight. +) I think our arrangement will be almost entirely all of us just singing in unison, since we have so little time to practice, but I'm still glad.
1. Japanese class is oh so demanding. Srsly, a whole new vocab list, a reading and a worksheet each night? Man...
2. Today I went to lunch at Heiwa Nakajima's headquarters. Which was on the 33rd floor of a skyscraper in Roppongi (pretty central Tokyo), with, from the lunch table area, a stunning view of the sky-scraper filled area and a great view of Tokyo Tower (from that window was the first time I ever saw it, actually XD).
I got the first 200000 yen of my scholarship (the moving/set-up allowance). Holy cats. Now to buy a cell phone and denshi jisho.
We also had lunch, which was not just sushi, but great, expensive sushi. Man. I wasn't totally sure if I should wear a tie and get all dressed up, but as soon as I walked in and saw the oak paneling I knew I'd made the right decision.
I also got treated to a long lecture in Japanese about how the kanji for many newer words were determined by the Japanese, by combining old characters, of course, like 銀 and 行 to make ginkou ("bank" - a relatively new word in Japanese, which did not have kanji when it was introduced), not the Chinese, and how although some Chinese people know of this, most Japanese do not. I understood maybe 60% of it, tops, but he was so nice that I felt I had to keep listening.
Anyway, all in all it was a quite pleasant experience, I got the financial relief I was desperate for (having had only about 4000 yen left XD). Plus, though I had to take three trains to do it, I got to Roppongi all by myself. XD
3. We practiced our song tonight. +) I think our arrangement will be almost entirely all of us just singing in unison, since we have so little time to practice, but I'm still glad.
Monday, October 19, 2009
We come in peace.
This morning I got my Alien Registration Card (basically my government-issued photo ID saying that I'm not just on vacation, and also not in the country illegally, also known as a Gaijin card). It's really sparkly and shimmery. I want my photo ID at home to be so cool...
Since today we finally had Monday class, I think I finalized my course selection. I'll be taking Japanese 5 (of course), Special Relay Lectures (compulsory) , Learning from Museums, Reading Japanese Novels, Dynamics of Japanese Cultural History, Japanese Literature, Culture and Film, and Japan's External Relations.
Classes in Japan tend to be (and all of mine are, except Japanese) a small number of credits each, meeting only once a week, so you have to take, as in my case, at least seven (or eight or nine). I did end up with class every day, but I'm done at noon on Tuesdays and Fridays, which is pretty pro.
Should be good, though. I'll have seventeen credits, which is quite respectable, I think. I kind of want to take that history class, and there's also that class about Corporate Finance that was pretty good, but alas, I doubt that I can take more than 18 credits. Probably better, anyway. I do want to have time to do all kinds of other things.
Tomorrow is Chabashira! I'm excited. +D I told a bunch of friends about it, and now it seems that a lot of AIKOMsei will go this week... XD I'm sure the Chabashira folks will be pleased.
Finally, it's been decided that the AIKOMsei will sing Sangatsu Kokonoka at the upcoming dorm music festival. This beautiful , meaningful song is, in fact, one of my favorite songs ever... And I wasn't even the one who suggested it. XD I'm really looking forward it.
Since today we finally had Monday class, I think I finalized my course selection. I'll be taking Japanese 5 (of course), Special Relay Lectures (compulsory) , Learning from Museums, Reading Japanese Novels, Dynamics of Japanese Cultural History, Japanese Literature, Culture and Film, and Japan's External Relations.
Classes in Japan tend to be (and all of mine are, except Japanese) a small number of credits each, meeting only once a week, so you have to take, as in my case, at least seven (or eight or nine). I did end up with class every day, but I'm done at noon on Tuesdays and Fridays, which is pretty pro.
Should be good, though. I'll have seventeen credits, which is quite respectable, I think. I kind of want to take that history class, and there's also that class about Corporate Finance that was pretty good, but alas, I doubt that I can take more than 18 credits. Probably better, anyway. I do want to have time to do all kinds of other things.
Tomorrow is Chabashira! I'm excited. +D I told a bunch of friends about it, and now it seems that a lot of AIKOMsei will go this week... XD I'm sure the Chabashira folks will be pleased.
Finally, it's been decided that the AIKOMsei will sing Sangatsu Kokonoka at the upcoming dorm music festival. This beautiful , meaningful song is, in fact, one of my favorite songs ever... And I wasn't even the one who suggested it. XD I'm really looking forward it.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
"Kanji all learned, I guess I can go to bed now.
...Or... I could practice my moonwalk a little, first."
I decided to practice. And then write here.
So, yesterday was a birthday for Kenji, who's actually on the Hongo campus, but hangs around with the AIKOMsei a lot. I'm not sure if he has any official affiliation, though he is the boyfriend of my senpai (the Michigan AIKOMsei from last year).
Anyway, all the AIKOMsei were invited, but only seven of us (six AIKOM-15 plus Sarah) ended up coming. He had reserved a "standing lounge" for the night, and we (the whole group) filled the whole place pretty well. XD
I had a good chat with Joon-woo, and talked to Clara and Di some, but best, I met one of Kenji's (many) friends, Akira, and we had a great conversation. XD Also, we both like a lot of the same music. XD There were also some other very notable meetings, including Taiga and Yoshiko. I'm going to go to a sort of international exchange club, Chabashira (which is apparently mostly Japanese students), to see several of the people from last night again, this week. +D
After that, the other AIKOMsei went home, but I decided to go to Karaoke with the rest of the group. It was fun, though not as good as it can be, since many of us didn't really know one another. Bu tonly afterward did the real adventure begin.
So, the party and karaoke were both in Shibuya, which is relatively close to Mitaka, where I live, but probably about a 20 to 40-minute train ride (plus 15-minute bike ride). After Karaoke, which we had wrapped up at the time we did because it was getting close to the time of the last trains, Taiga and Akira guided me to the station. But I got confused about which line to take. So, I floundered around for a few minutes, got scolded by a station officer, and then found my line (Inokashira). It seemed that the train coming was the last train of the night, judging by the great number of people waiting for it. But when it came, the display said it was bound for Fujimigaoka. Normally, I take the train for Kichijouji (and get off at Mitaka-dai, two stops before Kichijouji). So, I thought it wasn't the right train and was really confused, since I was pretty sure it was the right line, and it just goes back and forth between Kichijouji and Shibuya... So, after the massive crowd had crammed itself into the train and I was standing on the totally empty platform, I found and slowly walked over to a line map, all in Kanji, and worked on trying to read it, to figure out what was up. And then, at the last second, as the tone is ringing to announce that the train doors are about to close, I realize that Fujimigaoka, where the train is going, is on the line I want. I ran over and got inside the train just in time. Unfortunately, Fujimigaoka is, of course, not Kichijouji. So I studied the map inside the train more and found that it was two stops short of Mitaka-dai, where I was headed. I hoped that somehow I could continue on another train or something from there to Mitaka-dai... But, sure enough, when it got to Fujimigaoka the whole station was closing for the night.
So, what to do? It's one in the morning, and I'm two stops short of where my bike is, in an area I don't know at all, alone. I was pretty sure that it wasn't actually very far to Mitaka-dai station I decided that if I followed the railway, I could find it. But, of course, the roads don't actually run parallel to the rail line at all, so I just tried, as much as possible, to not lose sight of it for long, and walked through the surface streets, mainly though residential neighborhoods. Soon, though, I found the river that runs right next to Mitaka-dai station. Like most of the concrete-banked rivers in Tokyo (that is, like most of all of them), there was a sidewalk all down the side of it. Although it was a more meandering, less direct route, I decided it would be less risky than trying to take the streets and not lose track of the line. And, lo, perhaps forty minutes later, at about 1:30, I arrived at Mitaka-dai.
Also, I was carrying all the remaining money I have to last me until my scholarship arrives, and my digital camera... Hopefully my parents won't ever read this. Thank god Japan is so safe... XD
Now, after that, I feel that nothing living in a foreign country can throw at me will be more than I can handle. Fun though it kind of was, I think I'll keep closer track of when the last train is and allow myself time to get confused and sorted out in the station, next time. XD
Anyway, today I went with Francesco and Zoe to a folk crafts museum in Komaba for our Museums class. It was pretty cool, I have to say. It's been remarked that this year's AIKOMsei seem to get along very well, and I'm very glad that it's so. It was quite lovely spending time with those two today, and always has been with everyone.
Then I came home and went to the supermarket where I ran into Erika and Ayu. I had only eggs (the sign of the cooking-inept male AIKOMsei, apparently XD) in my basket, but I saw that Ayu had all kinds of veggies and meats and things to do some serious cooking. So, feeling inspired, I bought some (raw) chicken, some broccoli, some curry, and other things. I came home and cooked something besides egg-and-"delicious sauce"-fried-rice for the first time... And it was not really good, but at least it was a good experience. XD
I decided to practice. And then write here.
So, yesterday was a birthday for Kenji, who's actually on the Hongo campus, but hangs around with the AIKOMsei a lot. I'm not sure if he has any official affiliation, though he is the boyfriend of my senpai (the Michigan AIKOMsei from last year).
Anyway, all the AIKOMsei were invited, but only seven of us (six AIKOM-15 plus Sarah) ended up coming. He had reserved a "standing lounge" for the night, and we (the whole group) filled the whole place pretty well. XD
I had a good chat with Joon-woo, and talked to Clara and Di some, but best, I met one of Kenji's (many) friends, Akira, and we had a great conversation. XD Also, we both like a lot of the same music. XD There were also some other very notable meetings, including Taiga and Yoshiko. I'm going to go to a sort of international exchange club, Chabashira (which is apparently mostly Japanese students), to see several of the people from last night again, this week. +D
After that, the other AIKOMsei went home, but I decided to go to Karaoke with the rest of the group. It was fun, though not as good as it can be, since many of us didn't really know one another. Bu tonly afterward did the real adventure begin.
So, the party and karaoke were both in Shibuya, which is relatively close to Mitaka, where I live, but probably about a 20 to 40-minute train ride (plus 15-minute bike ride). After Karaoke, which we had wrapped up at the time we did because it was getting close to the time of the last trains, Taiga and Akira guided me to the station. But I got confused about which line to take. So, I floundered around for a few minutes, got scolded by a station officer, and then found my line (Inokashira). It seemed that the train coming was the last train of the night, judging by the great number of people waiting for it. But when it came, the display said it was bound for Fujimigaoka. Normally, I take the train for Kichijouji (and get off at Mitaka-dai, two stops before Kichijouji). So, I thought it wasn't the right train and was really confused, since I was pretty sure it was the right line, and it just goes back and forth between Kichijouji and Shibuya... So, after the massive crowd had crammed itself into the train and I was standing on the totally empty platform, I found and slowly walked over to a line map, all in Kanji, and worked on trying to read it, to figure out what was up. And then, at the last second, as the tone is ringing to announce that the train doors are about to close, I realize that Fujimigaoka, where the train is going, is on the line I want. I ran over and got inside the train just in time. Unfortunately, Fujimigaoka is, of course, not Kichijouji. So I studied the map inside the train more and found that it was two stops short of Mitaka-dai, where I was headed. I hoped that somehow I could continue on another train or something from there to Mitaka-dai... But, sure enough, when it got to Fujimigaoka the whole station was closing for the night.
So, what to do? It's one in the morning, and I'm two stops short of where my bike is, in an area I don't know at all, alone. I was pretty sure that it wasn't actually very far to Mitaka-dai station I decided that if I followed the railway, I could find it. But, of course, the roads don't actually run parallel to the rail line at all, so I just tried, as much as possible, to not lose sight of it for long, and walked through the surface streets, mainly though residential neighborhoods. Soon, though, I found the river that runs right next to Mitaka-dai station. Like most of the concrete-banked rivers in Tokyo (that is, like most of all of them), there was a sidewalk all down the side of it. Although it was a more meandering, less direct route, I decided it would be less risky than trying to take the streets and not lose track of the line. And, lo, perhaps forty minutes later, at about 1:30, I arrived at Mitaka-dai.
Also, I was carrying all the remaining money I have to last me until my scholarship arrives, and my digital camera... Hopefully my parents won't ever read this. Thank god Japan is so safe... XD
Now, after that, I feel that nothing living in a foreign country can throw at me will be more than I can handle. Fun though it kind of was, I think I'll keep closer track of when the last train is and allow myself time to get confused and sorted out in the station, next time. XD
Anyway, today I went with Francesco and Zoe to a folk crafts museum in Komaba for our Museums class. It was pretty cool, I have to say. It's been remarked that this year's AIKOMsei seem to get along very well, and I'm very glad that it's so. It was quite lovely spending time with those two today, and always has been with everyone.
Then I came home and went to the supermarket where I ran into Erika and Ayu. I had only eggs (the sign of the cooking-inept male AIKOMsei, apparently XD) in my basket, but I saw that Ayu had all kinds of veggies and meats and things to do some serious cooking. So, feeling inspired, I bought some (raw) chicken, some broccoli, some curry, and other things. I came home and cooked something besides egg-and-"delicious sauce"-fried-rice for the first time... And it was not really good, but at least it was a good experience. XD
Friday, October 16, 2009
Nareteite...
Man, I've been here for kind of a while now. I think I'm really starting to settle in. I feel that sort of relief of being home when I pull into the dorm area from the street, finding difficulty in recapturing the sense of how I felt when seeing the narrow streets on the way to Mitaka-dai the first few times, how they looked to me, or actually spacing out and thinking about completely other things when riding my bicycle today... Things like that.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
More first classes and class shopping
I was considering not taking any classes on Wednesdays ( reaaaally considering), since it's the one day that that's possible, but I decided I'd check out the three offered in English today. Unfortunately for my plans, at least one of them is a definite keeper. Learning from Museums ffffff. Definitely the best first class I've had so far. The professor really impressed me, and raised so many genuinely interesting questions.
Japanese Literature, Culture and Film was okay and Environment in Everyday Life was pretty uninspiring. >_>
For the meantime I'm going to continue going to everything I can, then pick between those that weren't obviously winners after at least one class of each.
Japanese Literature, Culture and Film was okay and Environment in Everyday Life was pretty uninspiring. >_>
For the meantime I'm going to continue going to everything I can, then pick between those that weren't obviously winners after at least one class of each.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thanks, ojiisan!
First real Japanese class today - actually a double, so three hours of it. It was... Really hard. XD But I'm sure I'm gonna learn a ton. Kondou sensei, the sensei we had for the second half, seems so sweet, too. Reminds me of all my Michigan sensei. <#
I also went to a Japanese history class that I think may take, along with quite a few AIKOMsei.
Sunday was the welcome party for Mitaka dorm, especially celebrating the presence of the international students (mainly AIKOM), apparently. It was really weird to me to see a school-sponsored event where alcohol was not only allowed, but provided. XD It was quite fun, though.
Afterward, a rich alum of the dorm took everyone who wanted to go (I think around fifty of us) out to eat and drink. I actually got seated at a table with him, along with Yisha and Shahenda (and some other residents of the dorm), though, which kind of put a damper on much of the night, I think. Eventually we got away, guilty though I feel for saying it like that. It was pretty fun then, though. I also had sukiyaki for the first time, which was fantastic.
Then, yesterday was a national holiday, so we had no classes. I went with Zoe to Kichijouji an hour after a large group went to try to get cell phones, but they took much longer. We had a nice lunch at a pizza buffet, and then I came back and napped and wasted time.
I would have been able to get the first 200,000 yen of my scholarship tomorrow, but because I went along with the AIKOM office making my bank account, it'll take until at least next week. ;_;
Related, to save money I bought a lot more ingredients to cook today. Just now I did my first real cooking here, making a sort of fried rice with egg, bean sprouts and what might be Wooster sauce. All I know is that it's by Kikkoman (a very prevalent brand of soy sauce in the US) and it says "derishasu soosu" (delicious sauce). Since I couldn't really figure out many of the bottles (curse you, kanji!), a brand I know and the word "delicious" seemed as good a route to take as any.
Anyway, the end product is quite decent, surprisingly. XD
This reminds me of something I've noticed myself doing, and asked a few other AIKOMsei about, getting the report that they do it too. When in a store, shopping (especially somewhere like the 100yen shop, which has all kinds of things), it's terrible, but I very often find myself trying to figure out what a strange item is just by looking at it and handling it before even trying to read the label. XD+ Denshi jisho will help with that, hopefully.
Also related to buying things, today I went into a bicycle shop because one of my bike's tires leaks air from the nozzle. Not really knowing anything about bikes or their tires, I thought maybe the little plastic cap on the end was defective, so I asked for one... And the guy let me have one for free. Whoa. I mean, sure, it's probably only worth five cents, but I was still really touched.
Of course, I then went back to the dorm, where my bike was, and actually poked around with it a bit more, and found that that cap doesn't really do anything anyway, and what I really need is a different little piece. So I'll definitely have to go back to that guy to buy it tomorrow. +)
I also went to a Japanese history class that I think may take, along with quite a few AIKOMsei.
Sunday was the welcome party for Mitaka dorm, especially celebrating the presence of the international students (mainly AIKOM), apparently. It was really weird to me to see a school-sponsored event where alcohol was not only allowed, but provided. XD It was quite fun, though.
Afterward, a rich alum of the dorm took everyone who wanted to go (I think around fifty of us) out to eat and drink. I actually got seated at a table with him, along with Yisha and Shahenda (and some other residents of the dorm), though, which kind of put a damper on much of the night, I think. Eventually we got away, guilty though I feel for saying it like that. It was pretty fun then, though. I also had sukiyaki for the first time, which was fantastic.
Then, yesterday was a national holiday, so we had no classes. I went with Zoe to Kichijouji an hour after a large group went to try to get cell phones, but they took much longer. We had a nice lunch at a pizza buffet, and then I came back and napped and wasted time.
I would have been able to get the first 200,000 yen of my scholarship tomorrow, but because I went along with the AIKOM office making my bank account, it'll take until at least next week. ;_;
Related, to save money I bought a lot more ingredients to cook today. Just now I did my first real cooking here, making a sort of fried rice with egg, bean sprouts and what might be Wooster sauce. All I know is that it's by Kikkoman (a very prevalent brand of soy sauce in the US) and it says "derishasu soosu" (delicious sauce). Since I couldn't really figure out many of the bottles (curse you, kanji!), a brand I know and the word "delicious" seemed as good a route to take as any.
Anyway, the end product is quite decent, surprisingly. XD
This reminds me of something I've noticed myself doing, and asked a few other AIKOMsei about, getting the report that they do it too. When in a store, shopping (especially somewhere like the 100yen shop, which has all kinds of things), it's terrible, but I very often find myself trying to figure out what a strange item is just by looking at it and handling it before even trying to read the label. XD+ Denshi jisho will help with that, hopefully.
Also related to buying things, today I went into a bicycle shop because one of my bike's tires leaks air from the nozzle. Not really knowing anything about bikes or their tires, I thought maybe the little plastic cap on the end was defective, so I asked for one... And the guy let me have one for free. Whoa. I mean, sure, it's probably only worth five cents, but I was still really touched.
Of course, I then went back to the dorm, where my bike was, and actually poked around with it a bit more, and found that that cap doesn't really do anything anyway, and what I really need is a different little piece. So I'll definitely have to go back to that guy to buy it tomorrow. +)
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Briefly: AIKOM field trip #1
So, I'm eating a Peanut Soft and strawberry jam sandwich. It's not exactly a pbj, but it's pretty close. <#
Yesterday's field trip (and 飲み会 afterward) was pretty awesome. We went to a 1300-year-old temple, I spent a lot more time with my tutor, Miwa, we visited TouDai's other big campus, Hongo, a museum about the Ueno area, a Denny's, a shrine to a goddess of scholarship, and several other things.
Yesterday's field trip (and 飲み会 afterward) was pretty awesome. We went to a 1300-year-old temple, I spent a lot more time with my tutor, Miwa, we visited TouDai's other big campus, Hongo, a museum about the Ueno area, a Denny's, a shrine to a goddess of scholarship, and several other things.
Friday, October 9, 2009
ミシガンパワー！！
The night before last a "once in ten years" big typhoon came. Originally classes were meant to start on Thursday, but they were canceled, apparently for the first time AIKOM history. I slept* through the worst of it (*it was really loud and woke me up, but I didn't get up >_>), and then it stormed for a while in the morning, then cleared up and was merely windy, but actually sunny for once. By the afternoon it became maybe the nicest days yet, in terms of weather.
The AIKOMsei that gathered for lunch split up, and I went with a smaller group to Don Quixote (a discount store), where I bought a wallet, since Japanese bills are wider and don't really fit properly in my American wallet. XD+
Afterward, Yisha, Zhemin, Sebastian, Erika, Francesco and I biked to Inokashira kouen (Inokashira park). Akai-san had recommended it highly to me, so I was expecting it to be nice, but even so, I was surprised by how beautiful it was. We walked around, then up to Kichijouji, which is right next to it, for dinner. It was really excellent.
When we finally got back at night, the placement tests were at last posted, and I saw that I'd been put in the advanced level (as opposed to intermediate), as I'd hoped. XD Delightful. 安心した！
Actually, I think the only surprises were pleasant ones: a couple people who thought they'd be in intermediate getting into advanced. XD
So, today was the first day of class. A group of five or six of us who didn't have class until 10:30 rode to Mitaka-dai more or less together, which was nice. I may have mentioned it before, but I really like the bike route there. XD
Our first Japanese class was quite nice. The sensei today (we have a different one every class of the week!) was really nice, and we basically introduced and talked about each other and the course.
Afterward, we finally met our individually-assigned tutors. Mine was really nice, though I was a little shy, I guess. XD+ I'll see him tomorrow, though. I was really happy, though. I've heard of some really bad tutors, but I think I've got nothing to fear (and, on the contrary, much to hope for!) . Again, 安心した. XD We only got to talk, for, liek, 20 minutes, though, since I had another class.
Class number two was just.... wtf. In the booklet we have of the classes designed for AIKOMsei (also open to s normal TouDaisei) it's titled "Aspects of Japanese Society" and the course description says it "covers contemporary issues in Japanese politics, society and economy." It's also a special class conducted in Partnership with Seoul National University, where we basically video-conference with a class there every class, and have discussion/lecture together (the only AIKOM class like this).
So then we're there... And the lecture, delivered by the professor in Korea, is really weird. It's all about globalization and sustainable growth for companies... Nothing particularly to do with Japan, and certain not its society and politics... So, eventually we get a syllabus, on which the class is titled "Modern Management and Economics in the Global Society." Wat. This is a totally different course. Add to this the fact that it's three hours long (but only gives the same credit as a normal 90-minute class), all the weird abstract generalities thrown out without real support, a kind of crazy project assigned straight-off, and the obvious lack of communication and proper coordination between the two professors and I don't think many of us are going back. >_>;
Third class was much better, though. Corporate Value Enhancement Strategy and the Case Study, this time the sensei actually basically stuck to what we'd been told the course was. He seems really knowledgeable (resume is really impressive), and I do actually feel that I can learn a lot in there. Sux that it goes to 5:50pm on Fridays, but I think I may take it.
Tomorrow is our first AIKOM field trip! I'm suuuuuper excited.
Also, I'll hopefully be able to get the first 200,000 yen (~$2,250) of my scholarship mid-week! Most excellent. Especially since my US bank account is getting a little low.
I'm enjoying myself so much, here, everything seems enchanted, too good to be true. I was never exactly nervous, but I did have some anxieties before coming. But now I am so, so glad I'm here. I know it's only been a week, but still. XD
The AIKOMsei that gathered for lunch split up, and I went with a smaller group to Don Quixote (a discount store), where I bought a wallet, since Japanese bills are wider and don't really fit properly in my American wallet. XD+
Afterward, Yisha, Zhemin, Sebastian, Erika, Francesco and I biked to Inokashira kouen (Inokashira park). Akai-san had recommended it highly to me, so I was expecting it to be nice, but even so, I was surprised by how beautiful it was. We walked around, then up to Kichijouji, which is right next to it, for dinner. It was really excellent.
When we finally got back at night, the placement tests were at last posted, and I saw that I'd been put in the advanced level (as opposed to intermediate), as I'd hoped. XD Delightful. 安心した！
Actually, I think the only surprises were pleasant ones: a couple people who thought they'd be in intermediate getting into advanced. XD
So, today was the first day of class. A group of five or six of us who didn't have class until 10:30 rode to Mitaka-dai more or less together, which was nice. I may have mentioned it before, but I really like the bike route there. XD
Our first Japanese class was quite nice. The sensei today (we have a different one every class of the week!) was really nice, and we basically introduced and talked about each other and the course.
Afterward, we finally met our individually-assigned tutors. Mine was really nice, though I was a little shy, I guess. XD+ I'll see him tomorrow, though. I was really happy, though. I've heard of some really bad tutors, but I think I've got nothing to fear (and, on the contrary, much to hope for!) . Again, 安心した. XD We only got to talk, for, liek, 20 minutes, though, since I had another class.
Class number two was just.... wtf. In the booklet we have of the classes designed for AIKOMsei (also open to s normal TouDaisei) it's titled "Aspects of Japanese Society" and the course description says it "covers contemporary issues in Japanese politics, society and economy." It's also a special class conducted in Partnership with Seoul National University, where we basically video-conference with a class there every class, and have discussion/lecture together (the only AIKOM class like this).
So then we're there... And the lecture, delivered by the professor in Korea, is really weird. It's all about globalization and sustainable growth for companies... Nothing particularly to do with Japan, and certain not its society and politics... So, eventually we get a syllabus, on which the class is titled "Modern Management and Economics in the Global Society." Wat. This is a totally different course. Add to this the fact that it's three hours long (but only gives the same credit as a normal 90-minute class), all the weird abstract generalities thrown out without real support, a kind of crazy project assigned straight-off, and the obvious lack of communication and proper coordination between the two professors and I don't think many of us are going back. >_>;
Third class was much better, though. Corporate Value Enhancement Strategy and the Case Study, this time the sensei actually basically stuck to what we'd been told the course was. He seems really knowledgeable (resume is really impressive), and I do actually feel that I can learn a lot in there. Sux that it goes to 5:50pm on Fridays, but I think I may take it.
Tomorrow is our first AIKOM field trip! I'm suuuuuper excited.
Also, I'll hopefully be able to get the first 200,000 yen (~$2,250) of my scholarship mid-week! Most excellent. Especially since my US bank account is getting a little low.
I'm enjoying myself so much, here, everything seems enchanted, too good to be true. I was never exactly nervous, but I did have some anxieties before coming. But now I am so, so glad I'm here. I know it's only been a week, but still. XD
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Pasmo, saikou!
The day before yesterday was the oral portion of the Japanese placement test. I really feel that I didn't display my full ability. Sigh. A lot of the problem was that I was really nervous, and a large portion was also the questions themselves. "Discuss the dilemma facing developing countries between economic development and environmental protection. Take a stand and defend your position." I guess that's to see how advanced our vocabulary and such is, but that's a tough question to articulate a strong answer with examples in English for me. XD+ And, naturally, after she turned the tape recorder off and asked me more conversational questions, I spoke really fluently.
The results of the placement should be posted today. In fact, I might go check after writing this.
After the test a group of us who had interviews around the same time had lunch in the cafeteria on campus, conducted some business in the AIKOM office, then walked to Shibuya. We couldn't remember the way we took a few days ago, so we just took a little side street through a neighborhood, following the rail, and it was a really lovely walk. I bought some things from a stationary store, but I think I must have lost them later in the day, because I haven't been able to find them. Only a few hundred yen, though.
Later on there was an orientation for using the campus computers, and then eventually dinner in the cafeteria. We were considering buying cellphones, but ultimately decided we needed to do some more research first.
The cafeteria is pretty great. I'm definitely a fan. It's generally quite cheap (usually under 500 yen, for me), and the food is varied and delicious.
Yesterday we had to go to campus for our medical check. I was really surprised at how thorough it was, but apparently these compulsory exams are quite common in Asia. We had to have a chest x-ray, blood work, a cardiogram, urinalysis, and plenty of paperwork. Afterward was another lunch in the cafeteria, then many of us AIKOMsei went and got Pasmo, for unlimited use of the train to school (for three months, in my case). As international students we technically weren't eligible for the student commuter rate, but we all managed to get it.
Excellent because it's a huge savings, but it's also a time-saver. The cards have a chip in them, so you just touch your wallet (which contains the card) to a sensor at the gate and walk through. Ffff So cool. You can also load money onto it and touch it on buses for bus fair, and at some vending machines and fast food restaurants, to pay. Why don't we use this technology more in the states?
Went shopping in Kichijouji for a little while, where I finally got a new umbrella. <# Not only is it not broken, as the one I was using was, but it looks much more Japanese, in that it's like the ones that everyone uses here. Since we were celebrating Di's birthday (which we missed a few days ago), Francesco's (which was actually yesterday), and Sarah's (today, but with the typhoon we didn't think we'd be able to do anything), all the AIKOMsei plus Miriam ate together in a really cool restaurant. It was underground, on Sunroad. I can't for the life of me come up witht he name of the type of restaurant right now, but it was a shoes-off, sitting on tatami place, where your table orders lots of little dishes and passes them around. It was such a blast. XD
We had bought cheap-ish chiffon cakes for the three (cakes are generally, based on our experience trying to buy some yesterday, decadent and beautiful and delicious in Japan, but also extremely expensive), and Sarah showed up with another two cakes for Di and Francesco. XD
I've decided to try anything and try to experience as much as I possibly can while I'm here, so in this case it included Japanese beer, which was my first time drinking at all. I only had about a drink and a half, but it did feel quite strange, though not unpleasant. I got a headache afterward, though. XD+
The results of the placement should be posted today. In fact, I might go check after writing this.
After the test a group of us who had interviews around the same time had lunch in the cafeteria on campus, conducted some business in the AIKOM office, then walked to Shibuya. We couldn't remember the way we took a few days ago, so we just took a little side street through a neighborhood, following the rail, and it was a really lovely walk. I bought some things from a stationary store, but I think I must have lost them later in the day, because I haven't been able to find them. Only a few hundred yen, though.
Later on there was an orientation for using the campus computers, and then eventually dinner in the cafeteria. We were considering buying cellphones, but ultimately decided we needed to do some more research first.
The cafeteria is pretty great. I'm definitely a fan. It's generally quite cheap (usually under 500 yen, for me), and the food is varied and delicious.
Yesterday we had to go to campus for our medical check. I was really surprised at how thorough it was, but apparently these compulsory exams are quite common in Asia. We had to have a chest x-ray, blood work, a cardiogram, urinalysis, and plenty of paperwork. Afterward was another lunch in the cafeteria, then many of us AIKOMsei went and got Pasmo, for unlimited use of the train to school (for three months, in my case). As international students we technically weren't eligible for the student commuter rate, but we all managed to get it.
Excellent because it's a huge savings, but it's also a time-saver. The cards have a chip in them, so you just touch your wallet (which contains the card) to a sensor at the gate and walk through. Ffff So cool. You can also load money onto it and touch it on buses for bus fair, and at some vending machines and fast food restaurants, to pay. Why don't we use this technology more in the states?
Went shopping in Kichijouji for a little while, where I finally got a new umbrella. <# Not only is it not broken, as the one I was using was, but it looks much more Japanese, in that it's like the ones that everyone uses here. Since we were celebrating Di's birthday (which we missed a few days ago), Francesco's (which was actually yesterday), and Sarah's (today, but with the typhoon we didn't think we'd be able to do anything), all the AIKOMsei plus Miriam ate together in a really cool restaurant. It was underground, on Sunroad. I can't for the life of me come up witht he name of the type of restaurant right now, but it was a shoes-off, sitting on tatami place, where your table orders lots of little dishes and passes them around. It was such a blast. XD
We had bought cheap-ish chiffon cakes for the three (cakes are generally, based on our experience trying to buy some yesterday, decadent and beautiful and delicious in Japan, but also extremely expensive), and Sarah showed up with another two cakes for Di and Francesco. XD
I've decided to try anything and try to experience as much as I possibly can while I'm here, so in this case it included Japanese beer, which was my first time drinking at all. I only had about a drink and a half, but it did feel quite strange, though not unpleasant. I got a headache afterward, though. XD+
Monday, October 5, 2009
Let's get placed!
"Sumimasen," meaning something like "excuse me," is definitely the most useful phrase I know in Japanese for living in Japan. Someone walking in your way when biking? Call out, sumimasen! He'll notice you and move to the side of the path. Can't understand what the cashier is offering you? Just say sumimasen, and she'll just let you order. Get lost? Hail someone to ask for directions - "Sumimasen!" Bump into someone? Sumimasen. It's like magic. In a pinch? Sumimasen.
But really, I haven't been in any terrible pinches so far. XD It helps, perhaps that I've mostly been with groups of various size of other AIKOMsei. Between us, even if the time it takes to decide or figure anything out goes up by a factor of the number of people present, squared, with our collective resources and awareness we can usually get by without bothering anyone much.
Yesterday, for example, as I mentioned the plans for previously, a large group of us biked to Mitakadai station to practice the complicated route. We did get a little lost once, and did end up asking directions from a nice man, but aside from that one intersection, we did it on our own. Then we went back to the hall, then to kichijouji, and from there to Ochanomizu where we changed trains to go to Akihabara (Electric town!), all without the help of any tutors. We pretty much all price-checked denshi jisho (electric dictionary), and between us (a group of fourteen) a computer and camera were actually purchased. Akihabara didn't really floor me in the same way Shibuya did, but I only saw a small area near the station, and there's also the fact that I'd already been to Shibuya. Besides those two things and train/bus fair, though, the only things I know for sure that were bought on the trip were western tea for Sebastian and a coffee float for me.
It's funny, I really never drink coffee normally, but I've done so on two occasions already, here. Like yogurt, I find that the first few sips tend to taste rather bad, but then it sort of settles into your mouth and is enjoyable. Of course, most drinks are made more palatable by putting a scoop of ice cream in them. I am also steered toward ordering it when I can't read/understand half the other options.
I doubt I'll become much of a coffee drinker any time soon, though. Every time I drink some I am hyper-aware of the fact that coffee can stain teeth. It's probably a very slight effect, but I really like my braces-straightened, white-ish teeth.
Which reminds me of something else. There are many people here with crooked teeth. I didn't understand immediately why something seemed to catch my attention, but I realized that it's because adults with crooked teeth are pretty uncommon in the USA now. On the one hand, that there's not such a culture of cosmetic orthodontics seems kind of more healthy. I mean, braces and the like are both expensive and physically painful. On the other hand, I'm kind of glad that it does exist in the USA, since I suppose it's to thank for my teeth that are extra-excellent here in Japan.
Anywho... Today was the first official day of orientation. We met some of the AIKOM staff, got several pounds of documents and things, ate lunch and then had our placement test.
The Japanese courses for AIKOM are said to be very intense, but I think I'll still order a copy of the Tobira textbook (I lost my other one with all my notes written in it a few days before coming here... Hopefully it'll turn up).
I'm absolutely sure that if I were closer to where I should be in my Japanese after third year (that is, if I'd retained more of what I studied) I'd have been placed in the advanced class. As it is... I'm not sure. It'll certainly be either the advanced or the intermediate. Either way, it'll be okay. I'm sure I'll learn a huge amount no matter what, as long as I put in the time.
Ganbarou!
On the way back from campus some of us rode our bikes back from Mitakadai in the rain. It was maybe a bit foolish, and I don't know about the others, but I enjoyed it. XD Getting wet (or completely soaked) on a warm day isn't so bad when you're going home anyway.
This evening a bunch of AIKOMsei (past and present) went to Karaoke, the first time ever for many, including myself (Asian-style karaoke doesn't exist in the mainstream in the US). Oh lawd. Almost no one actually drank, but you wouldn't know it. XD It was really a blast, for me. For now I should probably save my money, but I look forward to going again. I feel like I've really started to bond with some of the AIKOMsei. I'm really glad. XD Of course, hopefully I can make some more Japanese friends, but that'll be easier when classes start and I'm actually on campus more.
Tomorrow is the oral portion of the placement test. Like most of us not raised with kanji, I generally feel much better about speaking and listening than reading and writing when it comes to Japanese, so I'm not as concerned about it as I was for today's portion.
But really, I haven't been in any terrible pinches so far. XD It helps, perhaps that I've mostly been with groups of various size of other AIKOMsei. Between us, even if the time it takes to decide or figure anything out goes up by a factor of the number of people present, squared, with our collective resources and awareness we can usually get by without bothering anyone much.
Yesterday, for example, as I mentioned the plans for previously, a large group of us biked to Mitakadai station to practice the complicated route. We did get a little lost once, and did end up asking directions from a nice man, but aside from that one intersection, we did it on our own. Then we went back to the hall, then to kichijouji, and from there to Ochanomizu where we changed trains to go to Akihabara (Electric town!), all without the help of any tutors. We pretty much all price-checked denshi jisho (electric dictionary), and between us (a group of fourteen) a computer and camera were actually purchased. Akihabara didn't really floor me in the same way Shibuya did, but I only saw a small area near the station, and there's also the fact that I'd already been to Shibuya. Besides those two things and train/bus fair, though, the only things I know for sure that were bought on the trip were western tea for Sebastian and a coffee float for me.
It's funny, I really never drink coffee normally, but I've done so on two occasions already, here. Like yogurt, I find that the first few sips tend to taste rather bad, but then it sort of settles into your mouth and is enjoyable. Of course, most drinks are made more palatable by putting a scoop of ice cream in them. I am also steered toward ordering it when I can't read/understand half the other options.
I doubt I'll become much of a coffee drinker any time soon, though. Every time I drink some I am hyper-aware of the fact that coffee can stain teeth. It's probably a very slight effect, but I really like my braces-straightened, white-ish teeth.
Which reminds me of something else. There are many people here with crooked teeth. I didn't understand immediately why something seemed to catch my attention, but I realized that it's because adults with crooked teeth are pretty uncommon in the USA now. On the one hand, that there's not such a culture of cosmetic orthodontics seems kind of more healthy. I mean, braces and the like are both expensive and physically painful. On the other hand, I'm kind of glad that it does exist in the USA, since I suppose it's to thank for my teeth that are extra-excellent here in Japan.
Anywho... Today was the first official day of orientation. We met some of the AIKOM staff, got several pounds of documents and things, ate lunch and then had our placement test.
The Japanese courses for AIKOM are said to be very intense, but I think I'll still order a copy of the Tobira textbook (I lost my other one with all my notes written in it a few days before coming here... Hopefully it'll turn up).
I'm absolutely sure that if I were closer to where I should be in my Japanese after third year (that is, if I'd retained more of what I studied) I'd have been placed in the advanced class. As it is... I'm not sure. It'll certainly be either the advanced or the intermediate. Either way, it'll be okay. I'm sure I'll learn a huge amount no matter what, as long as I put in the time.
Ganbarou!
On the way back from campus some of us rode our bikes back from Mitakadai in the rain. It was maybe a bit foolish, and I don't know about the others, but I enjoyed it. XD Getting wet (or completely soaked) on a warm day isn't so bad when you're going home anyway.
This evening a bunch of AIKOMsei (past and present) went to Karaoke, the first time ever for many, including myself (Asian-style karaoke doesn't exist in the mainstream in the US). Oh lawd. Almost no one actually drank, but you wouldn't know it. XD It was really a blast, for me. For now I should probably save my money, but I look forward to going again. I feel like I've really started to bond with some of the AIKOMsei. I'm really glad. XD Of course, hopefully I can make some more Japanese friends, but that'll be easier when classes start and I'm actually on campus more.
Tomorrow is the oral portion of the placement test. Like most of us not raised with kanji, I generally feel much better about speaking and listening than reading and writing when it comes to Japanese, so I'm not as concerned about it as I was for today's portion.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
First trip to Komaba and Shibuya
Fff, jetlag is the worst. I was absolutely exhausted last night (really, really wanted to sleep around 8pm), but stayed up until a more normal bedtime (11:30 or so), and still woke up at 5:30. XD+
Today was to be the "bike tour" to Mitakadai station. It was raining at ten, but since so many of us had gathered we decided we would take the bus to Kichijoji and then those who wanted to could take the train to Komaba (campus), to see it. But it was a big group, so we were moving slowly, and by the time we got to the bus stop the rain had stopped. So, most of us (seventeen AIKOMsei and two tutors, I think) went back to the hall to get our bikes, and biked to Mitaka-dai station, after all. We then all got on the train to Komaba for the first time.
What we saw of the campus was exciting. As we walked down the steps from the station and the main gate tot he campuseveryone suddenly sort of gasped.
I guess it's to be expected from TouDai, but the campus was really pretty. The trees are especially pretty, though right now the ginko nuts are falling and smell bad. We ate in the dining hall there, then walked to Shibuya, which is a very short walk from one side of the campus. '
Shibuya was just amazing. I really couldn't even take it in. There's just so much. At the same time, though, it was actually easier to get around and navigate than I expected. We saw the famous statue of Hachikou (pictures later...), then split up to shop/explore/etc. for two hours. I went with Robert (Norway/New Zealand), Bastien (France), and Zhemin (and maybe one more person?) to an electronics store, since Robert and Bastien both had things they needed. We ended up mixing with some other AIKOMsei there, and I ultimately left with Hanika and Etienne (both France). It was the first time I really talked to Etienne, so I was very glad for that. We explored a Book-Off there, where I bought a Spitz CD, Etienne bought a bunch of CDs, and Anika bought a dictionary and little stuffed animal thing. We looked though all the floors of the building (all used merchandise), including the clothing shop int he basement. I also found a Mameshiba keychain in a Gahapon machine. Since I was thinking just this morning that I needed something to put my keys on, since having loose keys makes me nervous about losing them, and since I love Mameshiba, I bought one. <# It was really very much fun, and I got to know Etienne and Anika much more. We finally met everyone back at Hachikou, then rode the train from the Shibuya station back to Mitakadai, and biked back (this time on the more dangerous/difficult, but straightforward route). After we got back to the dorm Sebastian and I were going to meet with some others at seven to go out to eat, but then he came and got me from my room when they left early to try to go put some money in toward our internet. The two konbini we went to both required Japanese bank accounts (which we don't have yet), so we went back to hall, met a bunch more AIKOMsei (to make 17 of us, I think), and then went to eat. Some went off to try to go to a nearby Ramen shop, but since it was too small for all of us the rest of us tried to go to the nearby kaitenzushi restaurant. But, this being Saturday night, it was really busy, with a long wait, so we ended up going to Gassto(?), the restaurant many of us went to two days ago. The way the seating ended up, I talked mostly to Erica and Francesco, which was really nice because I hadn't really talked to Francesco much yet at all. Afterward we met the ramenya folks and all went to a Supermarket, which is something I've been wanting to do since I arrived. XD I bought some bananas (craving fresh food after so much packages and restaurant food), a package of anman, some milk, some dish soap and a kettle. Yisha, Shahenda myself and someone else (>_>) also talked to a really friendly local woman a bit, in Japanese, which was really cool.
Another thing... So, last summer I think, I wrote about my experience with British friends, how I was sometimes involuntarily picking up their accent after being around them (really involuntarily- I was trying not to, since it was kind of embarrassing). It's definitely happening really strongly here. Today with Etienne and Hanika, and their French accents... And definitely with Zhemin and his Chinese accent (spiced with a British accent on a few words). I keep hearing really strange things come out of my mouth. XD+
On the other hand, though, it may be that this thing I do with accents has an upside. I think I can hear an improvement in my Japanese speaking, in terms of intonation and pronunciation, being around so many native speakers all the time. I guess that's worth it, if the price is a temporary loss of my normal ability to speak English with entirely my normal Midwest/Michigan SAE accent.
I mentioned to Sebastian that I wanted to practice riding to Mitaka-dai station on the "safe route" (complicated and harder to remember, but dramatically less stressful than the "dangerous route"), just make a dry run tomorrow, before I'm actually expected to get to Komaba on any schedule. And he mentioned it to someone, and now, after a few more iterations of this, it seems that a fairly large group of us will be going, with is pretty rad, I think. I've really enjoyed spending time time with the various AIKOMsei so far, so I'm looking forward to it.
Today was to be the "bike tour" to Mitakadai station. It was raining at ten, but since so many of us had gathered we decided we would take the bus to Kichijoji and then those who wanted to could take the train to Komaba (campus), to see it. But it was a big group, so we were moving slowly, and by the time we got to the bus stop the rain had stopped. So, most of us (seventeen AIKOMsei and two tutors, I think) went back to the hall to get our bikes, and biked to Mitaka-dai station, after all. We then all got on the train to Komaba for the first time.
What we saw of the campus was exciting. As we walked down the steps from the station and the main gate tot he campuseveryone suddenly sort of gasped.
I guess it's to be expected from TouDai, but the campus was really pretty. The trees are especially pretty, though right now the ginko nuts are falling and smell bad. We ate in the dining hall there, then walked to Shibuya, which is a very short walk from one side of the campus. '
Shibuya was just amazing. I really couldn't even take it in. There's just so much. At the same time, though, it was actually easier to get around and navigate than I expected. We saw the famous statue of Hachikou (pictures later...), then split up to shop/explore/etc. for two hours. I went with Robert (Norway/New Zealand), Bastien (France), and Zhemin (and maybe one more person?) to an electronics store, since Robert and Bastien both had things they needed. We ended up mixing with some other AIKOMsei there, and I ultimately left with Hanika and Etienne (both France). It was the first time I really talked to Etienne, so I was very glad for that. We explored a Book-Off there, where I bought a Spitz CD, Etienne bought a bunch of CDs, and Anika bought a dictionary and little stuffed animal thing. We looked though all the floors of the building (all used merchandise), including the clothing shop int he basement. I also found a Mameshiba keychain in a Gahapon machine. Since I was thinking just this morning that I needed something to put my keys on, since having loose keys makes me nervous about losing them, and since I love Mameshiba, I bought one. <# It was really very much fun, and I got to know Etienne and Anika much more. We finally met everyone back at Hachikou, then rode the train from the Shibuya station back to Mitakadai, and biked back (this time on the more dangerous/difficult, but straightforward route). After we got back to the dorm Sebastian and I were going to meet with some others at seven to go out to eat, but then he came and got me from my room when they left early to try to go put some money in toward our internet. The two konbini we went to both required Japanese bank accounts (which we don't have yet), so we went back to hall, met a bunch more AIKOMsei (to make 17 of us, I think), and then went to eat. Some went off to try to go to a nearby Ramen shop, but since it was too small for all of us the rest of us tried to go to the nearby kaitenzushi restaurant. But, this being Saturday night, it was really busy, with a long wait, so we ended up going to Gassto(?), the restaurant many of us went to two days ago. The way the seating ended up, I talked mostly to Erica and Francesco, which was really nice because I hadn't really talked to Francesco much yet at all. Afterward we met the ramenya folks and all went to a Supermarket, which is something I've been wanting to do since I arrived. XD I bought some bananas (craving fresh food after so much packages and restaurant food), a package of anman, some milk, some dish soap and a kettle. Yisha, Shahenda myself and someone else (>_>) also talked to a really friendly local woman a bit, in Japanese, which was really cool.
Another thing... So, last summer I think, I wrote about my experience with British friends, how I was sometimes involuntarily picking up their accent after being around them (really involuntarily- I was trying not to, since it was kind of embarrassing). It's definitely happening really strongly here. Today with Etienne and Hanika, and their French accents... And definitely with Zhemin and his Chinese accent (spiced with a British accent on a few words). I keep hearing really strange things come out of my mouth. XD+
On the other hand, though, it may be that this thing I do with accents has an upside. I think I can hear an improvement in my Japanese speaking, in terms of intonation and pronunciation, being around so many native speakers all the time. I guess that's worth it, if the price is a temporary loss of my normal ability to speak English with entirely my normal Midwest/Michigan SAE accent.
I mentioned to Sebastian that I wanted to practice riding to Mitaka-dai station on the "safe route" (complicated and harder to remember, but dramatically less stressful than the "dangerous route"), just make a dry run tomorrow, before I'm actually expected to get to Komaba on any schedule. And he mentioned it to someone, and now, after a few more iterations of this, it seems that a fairly large group of us will be going, with is pretty rad, I think. I've really enjoyed spending time time with the various AIKOMsei so far, so I'm looking forward to it.
Friday, October 2, 2009
First entry from Japan!
Originally posted 02 October 2009 @ 09:05 pm, Tokyo.
I started to write all about being here so far, since I felt like I should... But I guess because I didn't want to (I really just want to sleep, but I ought to stay up in order to overcome jetlag), it was coming out really dull. Here are a handful of bullet points instead, for the meantime.
-Thirteen hour flight oh mai gahh
---No one in the seat next to me!
---New Star Trek was one of the in-flight movies! I got to watch Sylar in space from the sky!
---THIRTEEN HOUR FLIGHT
-The AIKOM tutors (TouDai students) are awesome. <# -Tokyo is wtfhuge. Liek, endless metropolis. I can't even get my head around it. I learned something about this from the 2-hour bus ride through endless densely developed areas. -I have a microwave, fridge, some dishes, cables and other things... Thanks, senpai! <# -I met most of the other AIKOMsei (at least introductions). Really talked with a few of them, especially Zhemin and Sebastian. -It is much warmer here than in Michigan. Seeing how things were just getting colder, slowly moving toward winter, in Michgian, this is excellent. -Eating out is surprisingly reasonably priced. I've yet to really explore to price of food in stores, but I suspect the gap in cost of eating out vs. in is smaller here. -Speaking of eating out, it is a gift from god that all the restaurant menus (so far) have photos of each dish, not just textual lists, as in the USA. -The three times I've ventured out without any bilingual TouDai student guide, twice to a 7-11 konbini, and once with Sebastian to a kaitenzushi place right down the road, my Japanese was, if broken and pained, adequate. +D -People actually (and always) stopping and waiting at red cross-walk lights? What?
-Akai-san, Zhemin and I went to a Batting Center (batting cages)... On the roof of a building. Oh, Tokyo.
I started to write all about being here so far, since I felt like I should... But I guess because I didn't want to (I really just want to sleep, but I ought to stay up in order to overcome jetlag), it was coming out really dull. Here are a handful of bullet points instead, for the meantime.
-Thirteen hour flight oh mai gahh
---No one in the seat next to me!
---New Star Trek was one of the in-flight movies! I got to watch Sylar in space from the sky!
---THIRTEEN HOUR FLIGHT
-The AIKOM tutors (TouDai students) are awesome. <# -Tokyo is wtfhuge. Liek, endless metropolis. I can't even get my head around it. I learned something about this from the 2-hour bus ride through endless densely developed areas. -I have a microwave, fridge, some dishes, cables and other things... Thanks, senpai! <# -I met most of the other AIKOMsei (at least introductions). Really talked with a few of them, especially Zhemin and Sebastian. -It is much warmer here than in Michigan. Seeing how things were just getting colder, slowly moving toward winter, in Michgian, this is excellent. -Eating out is surprisingly reasonably priced. I've yet to really explore to price of food in stores, but I suspect the gap in cost of eating out vs. in is smaller here. -Speaking of eating out, it is a gift from god that all the restaurant menus (so far) have photos of each dish, not just textual lists, as in the USA. -The three times I've ventured out without any bilingual TouDai student guide, twice to a 7-11 konbini, and once with Sebastian to a kaitenzushi place right down the road, my Japanese was, if broken and pained, adequate. +D -People actually (and always) stopping and waiting at red cross-walk lights? What?
-Akai-san, Zhemin and I went to a Batting Center (batting cages)... On the roof of a building. Oh, Tokyo.
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