First LJ post from Japan ! YAY ! ~o~
Hi everyone ! It's been a while since the last time I showed myself here, don't you think ? "~^
So now, since I finally have Internet at my home in Japan, I can finally update again my LJ.
Yes indeed, the trip I was talking about since this Summer has begun : I'm in Japan since a month now. And I have to say that so far, it's a wonderful and exciting experience. ~o~
Those who happened to check my forum, les 4F, have noticed I got the Internet in my appartment since last week's Wednesday. Sorry to keep you waiting here on LJ guys, it's because I wanted to share you the same travel report I wrote in French for my friends at the 4F. But since the original French version of it is a real Wall'o'Text (and thus a real pain to translate in English, especially since I have some personal speaking patterns I use when I'm talking in French), and since the rest of last week was quite busy with homeworks, household duties and shopping, I didn't had the time to fully translate it until today.
By the way, if you can read French, I strongly advise you to read the French version of this report on my forum, at the aforemented link. The English translation is quite okay IMO (I have to admit I used Google Translation for the bulk of it and correct myself a bunch of places the Googe Translation was wrong, because I would have gone mad if I had to translate the whole thing from scratch, and I wouldn't have been able to update my LJ and tell to you I'm fine until SEVERAL more days), but because it loses a good chunk of my French speaking pattern, aside from a few select passages where the English version is better, it's not as amusing IMO.
Since that report is very long, LJ-cut is needed.
Tuesday, September 16 : Air travel to Japan. I arrive at Narita Airport in Tokyo after a 11h-long flight, a flight which also was the first in my life: I'm never gone further than England and Spain in the past (and only for 15 days each, as part of a school trip when I was in high school, in other words since a long time ago ; I crossed the Channel by ferry, since at the time Eurotunnel wasn't opened yet, and as for Spain, we went by bus). This aircraft was relatively comfortable : OK, there was a TV incorporated on the seat in front of myself and proposing recent films (like Indiana Jones 4 -I had already seen this movie on theaters-, Sex and the City, Speed Racer, Kung Fu Panda... By the way, Speed Racer is teh suck >_<), but I felt a little cramped. The flight went smoothly, except for a bad surprise that I was not expecting and was going to declare two days later ... More details on this point a bit later.
I went through the customs formalities smoothly, but th airport guys said me that my checked baggage wouldn't be handed to me immediately, but the next day at my (future) home. I didn't really understood why so, but hey, nothing I could do. But again, that would be a nasty surprise thereafter, this too. I will ramble on it just a few lines after.
Once all these formalities done, I enter the lobby of the airport. Here, among the many people with signs waiting for arriving passengers, I find three female Japanese students with the sign of the Japanese university I will participate in for one year. So I go to them, and I talk a little with them, half Japanese-half in English, while waiting for the other students they expect to come (there were three other exchange students coming that day aside from me).
Once everyone gathered, we take various subways, trains and buses (which cost an arm and a leg, by the way: just to go from Narita to the area where I live, I had to pay 6000 yen, i.e. roughly 42 Euros), and after a few hours in these crowded public transports, while being heavily loaded with two bags in hand (so that was a rather painful experience, as you could guess), I arrive at my apartment, guided by one of three students (at a point of the trip, they spread to each of them the task of bringing all students to their respective apartment).
She proposes, after showing to me the inside of the apartment, to show me the way to go to the univ' from the apartment. I agree, but I asked if I could quickly use the shower, because I was drenched with sweat with this exhausting journey. There came the first bad surprise : my towels were in the checked baggage, which is still at the airport, and there is no towel in the apartment ! And almost all my clothes are also in my checked baggage, I have only one t-shirt in my hand luggage ! Oopsie !
Without anything better in hand, I dry myself as best I could with the glove available in the toiletry bag, which was itself was in my hand luggage, fortunately. I'm still a bit wet when I put on the clean t-shirt, but that's fine, it's hot outside even though it is late (it is something like 22h at this time), I'll be dry on the way to the univ'. Given that I'll have to buy pants and a little food to hold out for this evening, nutrition-wise, the student proposes to stop by a Convinience Store (aka a convini), small shops with a bit of everything in terms of daily life items, opened 24H on 24H in Japan, to get all of this.
So we walk towards univ', and on the way we talk a little of everything and nothing, using English so we can understand each other more easily. So we go to the university and back, and on the way back to my appartment, we go to one of a the Convinis in the area, where I buy what I need in the immediate future until I get my checked luggage. Then we returned to the apartment, and after she explained to me that I must be at the univ' the next morning 9.00 AM, she goes back to her home. It bothered me to let her go alone at night, but I couldn't do much in those circumstances. Fortunately, I met her the next day at the Univ' and the following days, so do not worry about it. "~ ^
I go to the apartment, get to eat what food I bought, took a shower now that I bought towels, and get to bed.
Wednesday, September 17 : I was at an inch of waking up too late, all of this because of that shitty alarm clock that I specially bought just before my trip : its alarm sound is weak, stops by itself after a few seconds instead of keeping ringing, and tends not to work at all even if the time is correctly set !! Fortunately, on the evening of that day, by pure luck, I'll come across an alarm clock in one of the drawers of my bed, which works perfectly.
So because of this shitty alarm clock, I get up by myself. And I am horrified at the sight of the time displayed on the clock, it is super late, I'll be late at this rate ! I take ASAP a shower, and put my clothes super fast. And here continues the checked baggage's nasty surprise, part 2. Indeed, the guy from the airport said they would send it to me today. And what if they send it during my absence, which is highly probable ? T_T Immediately, with what I have at hand, I write a note in English stating my absence and my return to the apartment around 16:30, asking them to return at this time. I stick this noted on my door, and that done, I run my way up the Univ. I arrive at the appointment exhausted, but on time.
There, during the morning, me and other students make acquaintance with the University's International Center's staff (and thus get to meet in person the person who already helped me by e-mail to various steps for university matters and trip preparation before my departure, and who would still immensely help me very kindly thereafter), as well as with each of the students themselves, and we receive information of various life and paperwork matters we would take care of now. During a break in the meeting during the morning, I go and introduce myself to that person of the staff (which I will name "X" thereafter, for simplicity), and after thanking that person for the help so far, I went on talking about the checked luggage problem. X promises me then to call the airport and tell them to come into effect around 16:30 ~ 17h.
Once the meeting ended (meeting which lasted the morning and part of the afternoon, which meant that we ate at one of the many restaurants of the university, guided by Japanese students who were with the staff : I ate that day a delicious hot Udon pasta dish), I immediately returned to the apartment after X confirmed to me that the guy from Narita will bring my luggage to my home at around 16:30. The guy comes at 18.30, and FINALLY I get my baggage, and with it all my clothes and toiletries.
Once everything organized, comes the question of dinner. I decide to go to a convini buy something to eat. Once this done, I eat while watching TV (one of the elements included in the apartment with a washing machine, refrigerator, desk, various cooking items and a few small trinkets). Then I go to bed.
And it was during this night, that the worst surprise of my trip so far, linked to my flight, would occur...
During the night, I began to feel, on some postures, a big pain in the left leg, followed a few hours after a kind of numbness to the right big toe. I tell myself that it's not too serious, surely a thing due to the travel's fatigue, it would be temporary. The result would prove me wrong, as I was going to drag this pain for a week before I decided myself to go see a doctor. I will go on detail on this later, but I would learn from the doctor that I had contracted during air travel something I had not been warned beforehand : a blood clot in the leg, due to prolonged immobilisation during the flight. I can reassure you right away, at the point where I went to see the doctor, it was still treatable, and it gave me an effective treatment, since now as I write this, I'm no more in pain. :)
Thursday, September 18 : This day at the univ' was dedicated to a Japanese language knowledge test, to see our level and to what level it was better we save for the future course of Japanese. Students are indeed divided into 6 types of classes, knowing that the two highest levels are for people EXTREMELY versed in Japanese language. For my part, I would learn on the following Monday, that I was able to enter the third highest level. Nice performance. ;)
The test was conducted in two parts: the morning, written test, and afternoon, conversation with a jury composed of several Japanese people.
In itself, this test waswasn't really an exam : it was really to see our level and thus help us improve our Japanese language level, so they could put us in the appropriate classes.
Once the test completed, I returned to the apartment after buying something to eat at a convini. But convinis' food is a bit too expensive for my tastes and moreover, I find it rather yucky, so I was quite fed up with it : I shared my opinion with one of the students during lunchtime, and toldhim my desire to buy an electric rice cooker, a microwave, and ingredients to cook my own food. This student, who happened to be knowledgeable with life in Tôkyô, since he already lived there last year, pointed me on the map of the area that Japanese student who guided me to my home gave me on the first day, various shops and supermarkets where I could find what I need. I can never thank him enough, because he shared me some very useful tips that helped me well for my installation !
I then promised myself to go to a general visit of these shops, despite my leg which then continued to make me suffer, especially while I walked, Saturday and Sunday.
It is also that day, thanks to X, who kindly offered me to use his office computer, I could contact for the first time since my arrival in Japan my family and friends.
Friday, 19 September : This time, in the morning at univ ', we completed papers to get the document named "Alien Registration Card" from the city hall of the district where I live, an administrative paper necessary to formalize my stay in Japan .
Between you and me, "Alien Registration" ... They weren't able to find a better name, like "Foreigner Registration", for example ? Because I dunno, with the space monsters of the movies of the same name, it gives the name of the thing a quite bizarre and funny feeling. ^^
Then, on the afternoon, led by Japanese students, we go to the city hall, where we complete the formalities. However, we can not receive the document immediately : we would have to go to another branch of the council mid-October for it. And that time, I would have to go on my own. Grmbl. > _ <
We also received papers about the city, and about measures to be take during natural disasters, such as earthquakes, which are common in Japan.
Once back to the univ' (again, I felt that public transport costs were a bit abused, not as much as previously but still), same routine as the other days, aka, convini, than appart'. Except that before returning home I get from X the ID and pass to use the university's computers. However, as usage time is limited to 15 minutes, it is only a temporary solution, web-wise. X proposed then to me to go together next Monday to store university to get a Web connection for my apartment.
Also, I learn on the evening that a typhoon, Typhoon No. 13, was likely to hit Tokyo on Saturday. This undermines my purchasing plans for this day, and I decided to buy some food in advance in case I wouldn't be able to go outside. Along the way, I discovered by pure chance the first of 4 video games and manga shop that I found in the district so far, and I found several games and manga (game-wise, Tokimeki Memorial 2, one of the Tokimeki Memorial 2 Substories, and Fire Emblem DS ; manga_wise, all the volumes of Star Ocean: Second Story, all volumes except the last of Star Ocean: Blue Sphere - I would find that voulme a few days later in another shop - , and the first 5 volumes of Fire Emblem: Hasha no Tsurugi - and I would find the rest of the series, with the exception of Volume 9, in the same shop where I found the final volume of Blue Sphere - ) I was looking desperately for in France, and at a low price to boot ! Every cloud has a silver lining indeed. ^ ^
And since I bought PS1 games, and I planned to buy also Yoake Mae Yori Ruriiro na (which I managed to find a few days after, and in a used but in top-shape First version Limited Edition Box to boot ! And at the low price of 2000 yen as well !! ~o~), I bought a PS2 while I was at it, the cheapest one I could find.
Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, 21 September : I join those two days by simplicity. These are the days when I went to the Red October microwave oven, the rice cooker, and cooking ingredients Hunt. ^^ Saturday was partly spoiled because it rained in the morning, but in the end, the typhoon went wide from Tokyo, so the rain was pretty standard, and in the middle of the afternoon it rained no more . So I could go to a used electrics items store the foreign student advised me, and I found the rice cooker and the microwave oven. I took the cheapest, smallest and more light of the ones available for each (for obvious reasons of space and transportation, given that I would have to carry them all the way by walking), and I went immediately back to my apartment, due to the weight of the things. It was quite a hard task, especially with this pain in the leg which was still as present as ever.
On Sunday, I was so tired of the week I had a disjointed rhythm of sleep: asleep at 23h, woke up at 5 am by myself without wanting to do so, then an other urge to sleep at 9.00 AM, which leaves me asleep until 2.00 PM. So I wasn't able to go to more than one supermarket of the two the student indicated me, and I could find all the ingredients I wanted to make me a rice salad, save for wine vinegar and olives. Okay if I couldn't find olives, but wine vinegar... That's a staple cooking item in France, and without it, impossible to make a good French dressing (= vinaigrette, in French). I tried with a wine made for cooking purposes, but the taste was horrible. The first misadventures of this rice salad did not end there, however... ^^''
In fact, you will have noticed, but I said that the supermarket was opened on Sunday. Yes, unlike in France (I do not know for Quebec, for USA, and for the respective countries of everyone who will read this, however), all or almost shops are open on Sunday! And some shops, such as video games shop, remain open until midnight! Wow, that's a big change from France, and it's rather convenient!
I also did my first laundry on Sunday evening. The result was not bad, but it was raining a bit at that time, so I let my clothes dry inside. Fortunately, the spin-drying function of the washing machine had done its job and the clothes, although wet, weren't dripping.
It is also this Sunday I had my first earthquake experience (indeed, France is not a seismic country). At 7:17 in the morning, a tremor of 4.2 on the Richter scale occured during a few seconds. The irony in all this is that 10 minutes before the earthquake, I said to myself : "Come on, read the paper on earthquakes that was given to you the town hall, so you'll be ready in the case there's an earthquake. " Talk about a premonition O_O ^^''
Don't worry though, the tremor wasn't powerful at all. It was just a feeling of surprise, even if I had the reflexe to throw myself under my desk as soon as recommended in the brochure.
Monday, September 22 : This day's morning at univ' is devoted to some additional information livehood-wise. Then in the afternoon, as promised, X helped me, me and three other students who also wanted to have the web home for the steps for installing the Web in my apartment. Once this done, I leave the univ' and return to the supermarket where I went the day before, and purchased what they call a "French dressing" for my rice salad. Unfortunately, that item they dared calling a French dressing woud turn to be, in fact, a miserable and disgusting mayonnaise sauce with a (VERY) slight vinegar taste ! >_< I admit that I was not happy (and felt rigged as well), and I decided to visit on the next day, which was a holiday, the second supermarket which the student talked about, to find a real wine vinegar.
Tuesday, September 23 : Day holiday in univ', no classes or things in particular to follow that day. So I take this opportunity to go to the second supermarket to supply myself with the food I could not find in the first, and to try and finally find the wine vinegar. Regarding this case, I still wasn't able to find it, so I took what looked like it the closest, which was a grape vinegar. Bad, BAD move, as the thing turned out to be a kind of grape juice lightly vinegared. How unlucky I was. T_T Then comes the idea of trying to combine this thing with the cooking wine, just so I see what results I get from that mix... The result was better than each of the two items, but it was still very far from a true wine vinegar, and therefore a real dressing. T_T
I therefore decided to try my luck again tomorrow by asking an employee of the store.
After that, the rest of the day consisted of stewardship in the apartment. Food, household, dishes' cooking. Incidentally, that day I wanted to cook a steak with peas, which I purchased at the second store. Between you and me, not only the canned peas were sold in tiny boxes, but in addition they tasted really bad, alas. T_T The steak was fine, though.
Wednesday, September 24 : Another information session in the morning at univ'. Classes start the following day.
I return in the second supermarket, and, to cite a certain Japanese from a famous TV show out there in the U.S., YATTA ! An employee shows me where the wine vinegar is, which was at a place I missed on my first run ! And this time it's a REAL wine vinegar, so I can eat a COMPLETE rice salad ! ~o~
After that, nothing special to report that day. Just that on my way back from the supermarket, I discovered two new video games stores, which I checked immediately. ^^''
Thursday, September 25 : Classes begin. For this day, 3h worth of courses in the morning and 1h30 of it as well in the afternoon. Rather than classes, those hours were dedicated to tests again, to test our level. I did rather well, with notes ranging from 70 to 85 out of 100 depending on the tests.
Then usual routines after the univ ', nothing to report.
Friday, September 26 : Classes all morning. But after class, the pain in my leg which never left me alone since last Thursday, reached a climax, so I began to seriously worry. I go search for information on Google. At the words "phlébite" (= phlebitis), "caillot de sang" (= blood clot) and "embolie" (= embolism) I SERIOUSLY panicked, and immediately decided to go see a doctor. I went to X, which gave me the address of a clinic in the vicinity. I go to the clinic, but people there don't know a word of English, and I do not have a high enough Japanese language level, especially for speaking Japanese medical jargon. They then tell me the address of a medical center, near the second supermarket, where doctors can speak English.
I go to the center, which quickly became crowded shortly after my arrival. I note that the majority of patients are elderly people, by the way. Finally, after 45 minutes of waiting, a doctor examine me and with the help of a little English, a few Japanese and my electronic translator French-Japanese, I can explain the situation. Then, after he examined me, he makes me understand what I feared : blood clot in the leg. But there is a treatment, which he gives me right away, and which consisted of the following : taking anti-coagulant pills for a week, and if I still have pain, go back and see him once the week elapsed.
I began treatment the same evening, and during the week, I was pleased to note that the pain faded away and eventually disappeared, and that with just 3 days of treatment. Everything is now okay as I write this, so I think I'm cured. :)
Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28 : Nothing special to report. Housework, laundry, dishwashing, cooking, shopping. Banal, really.
Week from September 29 to October 3 : Nothing special has occured. I attended classes Monday (one very interesting, that I've chosen to follow among the additional choices offered, on women and femininity seen through various media), Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (Japanese language classes). As for the rest, usual routine, along with talking from time to time with other exchange students and Japanese students. Otherwise, this week, with the help of X, we finalized the formalities of installing the web at the apartment: I receive the modem Saturday October 4, and the connection will be active Monday October 6.
Friday, 3 October was also the airing date of the first episode of Tales of the Abyss on Tokyo MX ! I wanted not to miss it, so that evening, I waited in front of my TV for it. After seeing the episode, I would say it was a good episode, but I'm waiting a bit for a more devinitve opinion on this anime, as this episode is really just an introduction to history.
Saturday, October 4: Two important events that day: morning, I receive the modem as planned. And the afternoon I go to a fire prevention and information on earthquakes day in a very modern prevention center, some of its facilities which would make the Futuroscope (for those who haven't heard of it, the Futuroscope is a theme park based in Poitiers, France, which relies on high-tech and advanced attractions and facilities) jealous! ^^''
In this prevention and information day, we were shown how to extinguish a fire debut with a fire extinguisher, we experienced a simulated earthquake of different levels of magnitude on a special simulator, we had to go through a maze filled smoke to simulate a situation of fire in a building filled with lots of smoke, so we had to go out of the labyrinth by walking crouching, and there were also video quiz games, including one that resembled a Bomberman game map-wise, a Pokemon game for the fighting / questions parts, and Panel de Pon (known in France under the name Pokemon Puzzle League) for associations of dangerous or non-dangerous items in case of fire. In all very entertaining, but one should not forget to take it seriously : after all, the Japanese are still waiting for the "Big One", you know.
Otherwise, once back, as usual.
Sunday, October 5 : nothing particularly noteworthy to note aside from the fact I went shopping (for food and daily items, not for fun), and I bought a large quantity of food so I don't have to go shopping for a while. I have also taken the opportunity to go take a look at an used games, cd, and manga shop I had spotted earlier in the week and explored superficially because of time constraints, a shop where I managed to find some very nice stuff I was looking for and which I missed on my first run (even though that first run was quite fruitful, as I managed, to only cite this one, to find one of the games I was looking for the most in France, Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series 1: Nijiro no Seishun ~o~).
Monday, October 6 : Day-wise, nothing to report, as usual class during the afternoon. In the evening, as the connection should be active, I try to install the web program on my computer. Not easy, the program being quite restive, but after several hours of resourcefulness, I finally get the Web in my apartment! ~ o ~ But it is 3.00 AM when I get there, and I am dead tired, so I leave the announcement of this to my family and friends for the next day.
Tuesday, October 7 : Classes all day until 15:30. But I'm so tired that, once back to the apartment, I can not help but sleep until 22H. Then, after eating a bit, being still tired, I decided to postpone the news to the next day, which is a day I don't have any class. Damn my weak physical resistance. T_T
Wednesday, October 8 : I get up in the morning at 10 am, and turn on my computer off its Sleep mode in which it was since early Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, after I restarted the computer to get a fresh start, I had the bad surprise to see the computer going super-slow ! I think I've pin-pointed the reason why it did so now, as it is the second time this happens and I've compared this situation to the previous one, so I think I will be able to avoid it to happen again in the future, but for now, unfortunately, I had to use the solution that I used the first time: formatting my computer. Fortunately, I anticipated an eventual computer problem, so I brought with me to Japan everything I needed for formating and reinstalling everything. But the operation was long, and I could not finish reinstalling everything, Web included, until the middle of the afternoon.
Here is the end of the report I wrote on my forum. Since then, nothing special occured : rest of last week went smoothly, with usual routines, and as for this week so far, the only highlight is me finally getting the Alien Registration Card, meaning that my stay in Japan is now fully official and complete ! ;)
Here goes, then. I'll post the goodies I've found during that month a bit later that night, since I have to translate the comments I did about them in the 4F as well, but for the impatient ones, they can already check them out at the 4F topic. ;)
Hope this didn't bored too much and you enjoyed it ! I'm glad to write to you again, guys ! ~o~
So now, since I finally have Internet at my home in Japan, I can finally update again my LJ.
Yes indeed, the trip I was talking about since this Summer has begun : I'm in Japan since a month now. And I have to say that so far, it's a wonderful and exciting experience. ~o~
Those who happened to check my forum, les 4F, have noticed I got the Internet in my appartment since last week's Wednesday. Sorry to keep you waiting here on LJ guys, it's because I wanted to share you the same travel report I wrote in French for my friends at the 4F. But since the original French version of it is a real Wall'o'Text (and thus a real pain to translate in English, especially since I have some personal speaking patterns I use when I'm talking in French), and since the rest of last week was quite busy with homeworks, household duties and shopping, I didn't had the time to fully translate it until today.
By the way, if you can read French, I strongly advise you to read the French version of this report on my forum, at the aforemented link. The English translation is quite okay IMO (I have to admit I used Google Translation for the bulk of it and correct myself a bunch of places the Googe Translation was wrong, because I would have gone mad if I had to translate the whole thing from scratch, and I wouldn't have been able to update my LJ and tell to you I'm fine until SEVERAL more days), but because it loses a good chunk of my French speaking pattern, aside from a few select passages where the English version is better, it's not as amusing IMO.
Since that report is very long, LJ-cut is needed.
Tuesday, September 16 : Air travel to Japan. I arrive at Narita Airport in Tokyo after a 11h-long flight, a flight which also was the first in my life: I'm never gone further than England and Spain in the past (and only for 15 days each, as part of a school trip when I was in high school, in other words since a long time ago ; I crossed the Channel by ferry, since at the time Eurotunnel wasn't opened yet, and as for Spain, we went by bus). This aircraft was relatively comfortable : OK, there was a TV incorporated on the seat in front of myself and proposing recent films (like Indiana Jones 4 -I had already seen this movie on theaters-, Sex and the City, Speed Racer, Kung Fu Panda... By the way, Speed Racer is teh suck >_<), but I felt a little cramped. The flight went smoothly, except for a bad surprise that I was not expecting and was going to declare two days later ... More details on this point a bit later.
I went through the customs formalities smoothly, but th airport guys said me that my checked baggage wouldn't be handed to me immediately, but the next day at my (future) home. I didn't really understood why so, but hey, nothing I could do. But again, that would be a nasty surprise thereafter, this too. I will ramble on it just a few lines after.
Once all these formalities done, I enter the lobby of the airport. Here, among the many people with signs waiting for arriving passengers, I find three female Japanese students with the sign of the Japanese university I will participate in for one year. So I go to them, and I talk a little with them, half Japanese-half in English, while waiting for the other students they expect to come (there were three other exchange students coming that day aside from me).
Once everyone gathered, we take various subways, trains and buses (which cost an arm and a leg, by the way: just to go from Narita to the area where I live, I had to pay 6000 yen, i.e. roughly 42 Euros), and after a few hours in these crowded public transports, while being heavily loaded with two bags in hand (so that was a rather painful experience, as you could guess), I arrive at my apartment, guided by one of three students (at a point of the trip, they spread to each of them the task of bringing all students to their respective apartment).
She proposes, after showing to me the inside of the apartment, to show me the way to go to the univ' from the apartment. I agree, but I asked if I could quickly use the shower, because I was drenched with sweat with this exhausting journey. There came the first bad surprise : my towels were in the checked baggage, which is still at the airport, and there is no towel in the apartment ! And almost all my clothes are also in my checked baggage, I have only one t-shirt in my hand luggage ! Oopsie !
Without anything better in hand, I dry myself as best I could with the glove available in the toiletry bag, which was itself was in my hand luggage, fortunately. I'm still a bit wet when I put on the clean t-shirt, but that's fine, it's hot outside even though it is late (it is something like 22h at this time), I'll be dry on the way to the univ'. Given that I'll have to buy pants and a little food to hold out for this evening, nutrition-wise, the student proposes to stop by a Convinience Store (aka a convini), small shops with a bit of everything in terms of daily life items, opened 24H on 24H in Japan, to get all of this.
So we walk towards univ', and on the way we talk a little of everything and nothing, using English so we can understand each other more easily. So we go to the university and back, and on the way back to my appartment, we go to one of a the Convinis in the area, where I buy what I need in the immediate future until I get my checked luggage. Then we returned to the apartment, and after she explained to me that I must be at the univ' the next morning 9.00 AM, she goes back to her home. It bothered me to let her go alone at night, but I couldn't do much in those circumstances. Fortunately, I met her the next day at the Univ' and the following days, so do not worry about it. "~ ^
I go to the apartment, get to eat what food I bought, took a shower now that I bought towels, and get to bed.
Wednesday, September 17 : I was at an inch of waking up too late, all of this because of that shitty alarm clock that I specially bought just before my trip : its alarm sound is weak, stops by itself after a few seconds instead of keeping ringing, and tends not to work at all even if the time is correctly set !! Fortunately, on the evening of that day, by pure luck, I'll come across an alarm clock in one of the drawers of my bed, which works perfectly.
So because of this shitty alarm clock, I get up by myself. And I am horrified at the sight of the time displayed on the clock, it is super late, I'll be late at this rate ! I take ASAP a shower, and put my clothes super fast. And here continues the checked baggage's nasty surprise, part 2. Indeed, the guy from the airport said they would send it to me today. And what if they send it during my absence, which is highly probable ? T_T Immediately, with what I have at hand, I write a note in English stating my absence and my return to the apartment around 16:30, asking them to return at this time. I stick this noted on my door, and that done, I run my way up the Univ. I arrive at the appointment exhausted, but on time.
There, during the morning, me and other students make acquaintance with the University's International Center's staff (and thus get to meet in person the person who already helped me by e-mail to various steps for university matters and trip preparation before my departure, and who would still immensely help me very kindly thereafter), as well as with each of the students themselves, and we receive information of various life and paperwork matters we would take care of now. During a break in the meeting during the morning, I go and introduce myself to that person of the staff (which I will name "X" thereafter, for simplicity), and after thanking that person for the help so far, I went on talking about the checked luggage problem. X promises me then to call the airport and tell them to come into effect around 16:30 ~ 17h.
Once the meeting ended (meeting which lasted the morning and part of the afternoon, which meant that we ate at one of the many restaurants of the university, guided by Japanese students who were with the staff : I ate that day a delicious hot Udon pasta dish), I immediately returned to the apartment after X confirmed to me that the guy from Narita will bring my luggage to my home at around 16:30. The guy comes at 18.30, and FINALLY I get my baggage, and with it all my clothes and toiletries.
Once everything organized, comes the question of dinner. I decide to go to a convini buy something to eat. Once this done, I eat while watching TV (one of the elements included in the apartment with a washing machine, refrigerator, desk, various cooking items and a few small trinkets). Then I go to bed.
And it was during this night, that the worst surprise of my trip so far, linked to my flight, would occur...
During the night, I began to feel, on some postures, a big pain in the left leg, followed a few hours after a kind of numbness to the right big toe. I tell myself that it's not too serious, surely a thing due to the travel's fatigue, it would be temporary. The result would prove me wrong, as I was going to drag this pain for a week before I decided myself to go see a doctor. I will go on detail on this later, but I would learn from the doctor that I had contracted during air travel something I had not been warned beforehand : a blood clot in the leg, due to prolonged immobilisation during the flight. I can reassure you right away, at the point where I went to see the doctor, it was still treatable, and it gave me an effective treatment, since now as I write this, I'm no more in pain. :)
Thursday, September 18 : This day at the univ' was dedicated to a Japanese language knowledge test, to see our level and to what level it was better we save for the future course of Japanese. Students are indeed divided into 6 types of classes, knowing that the two highest levels are for people EXTREMELY versed in Japanese language. For my part, I would learn on the following Monday, that I was able to enter the third highest level. Nice performance. ;)
The test was conducted in two parts: the morning, written test, and afternoon, conversation with a jury composed of several Japanese people.
In itself, this test waswasn't really an exam : it was really to see our level and thus help us improve our Japanese language level, so they could put us in the appropriate classes.
Once the test completed, I returned to the apartment after buying something to eat at a convini. But convinis' food is a bit too expensive for my tastes and moreover, I find it rather yucky, so I was quite fed up with it : I shared my opinion with one of the students during lunchtime, and toldhim my desire to buy an electric rice cooker, a microwave, and ingredients to cook my own food. This student, who happened to be knowledgeable with life in Tôkyô, since he already lived there last year, pointed me on the map of the area that Japanese student who guided me to my home gave me on the first day, various shops and supermarkets where I could find what I need. I can never thank him enough, because he shared me some very useful tips that helped me well for my installation !
I then promised myself to go to a general visit of these shops, despite my leg which then continued to make me suffer, especially while I walked, Saturday and Sunday.
It is also that day, thanks to X, who kindly offered me to use his office computer, I could contact for the first time since my arrival in Japan my family and friends.
Friday, 19 September : This time, in the morning at univ ', we completed papers to get the document named "Alien Registration Card" from the city hall of the district where I live, an administrative paper necessary to formalize my stay in Japan .
Between you and me, "Alien Registration" ... They weren't able to find a better name, like "Foreigner Registration", for example ? Because I dunno, with the space monsters of the movies of the same name, it gives the name of the thing a quite bizarre and funny feeling. ^^
Then, on the afternoon, led by Japanese students, we go to the city hall, where we complete the formalities. However, we can not receive the document immediately : we would have to go to another branch of the council mid-October for it. And that time, I would have to go on my own. Grmbl. > _ <
We also received papers about the city, and about measures to be take during natural disasters, such as earthquakes, which are common in Japan.
Once back to the univ' (again, I felt that public transport costs were a bit abused, not as much as previously but still), same routine as the other days, aka, convini, than appart'. Except that before returning home I get from X the ID and pass to use the university's computers. However, as usage time is limited to 15 minutes, it is only a temporary solution, web-wise. X proposed then to me to go together next Monday to store university to get a Web connection for my apartment.
Also, I learn on the evening that a typhoon, Typhoon No. 13, was likely to hit Tokyo on Saturday. This undermines my purchasing plans for this day, and I decided to buy some food in advance in case I wouldn't be able to go outside. Along the way, I discovered by pure chance the first of 4 video games and manga shop that I found in the district so far, and I found several games and manga (game-wise, Tokimeki Memorial 2, one of the Tokimeki Memorial 2 Substories, and Fire Emblem DS ; manga_wise, all the volumes of Star Ocean: Second Story, all volumes except the last of Star Ocean: Blue Sphere - I would find that voulme a few days later in another shop - , and the first 5 volumes of Fire Emblem: Hasha no Tsurugi - and I would find the rest of the series, with the exception of Volume 9, in the same shop where I found the final volume of Blue Sphere - ) I was looking desperately for in France, and at a low price to boot ! Every cloud has a silver lining indeed. ^ ^
And since I bought PS1 games, and I planned to buy also Yoake Mae Yori Ruriiro na (which I managed to find a few days after, and in a used but in top-shape First version Limited Edition Box to boot ! And at the low price of 2000 yen as well !! ~o~), I bought a PS2 while I was at it, the cheapest one I could find.
Saturday, September 20 and Sunday, 21 September : I join those two days by simplicity. These are the days when I went to the Red October microwave oven, the rice cooker, and cooking ingredients Hunt. ^^ Saturday was partly spoiled because it rained in the morning, but in the end, the typhoon went wide from Tokyo, so the rain was pretty standard, and in the middle of the afternoon it rained no more . So I could go to a used electrics items store the foreign student advised me, and I found the rice cooker and the microwave oven. I took the cheapest, smallest and more light of the ones available for each (for obvious reasons of space and transportation, given that I would have to carry them all the way by walking), and I went immediately back to my apartment, due to the weight of the things. It was quite a hard task, especially with this pain in the leg which was still as present as ever.
On Sunday, I was so tired of the week I had a disjointed rhythm of sleep: asleep at 23h, woke up at 5 am by myself without wanting to do so, then an other urge to sleep at 9.00 AM, which leaves me asleep until 2.00 PM. So I wasn't able to go to more than one supermarket of the two the student indicated me, and I could find all the ingredients I wanted to make me a rice salad, save for wine vinegar and olives. Okay if I couldn't find olives, but wine vinegar... That's a staple cooking item in France, and without it, impossible to make a good French dressing (= vinaigrette, in French). I tried with a wine made for cooking purposes, but the taste was horrible. The first misadventures of this rice salad did not end there, however... ^^''
In fact, you will have noticed, but I said that the supermarket was opened on Sunday. Yes, unlike in France (I do not know for Quebec, for USA, and for the respective countries of everyone who will read this, however), all or almost shops are open on Sunday! And some shops, such as video games shop, remain open until midnight! Wow, that's a big change from France, and it's rather convenient!
I also did my first laundry on Sunday evening. The result was not bad, but it was raining a bit at that time, so I let my clothes dry inside. Fortunately, the spin-drying function of the washing machine had done its job and the clothes, although wet, weren't dripping.
It is also this Sunday I had my first earthquake experience (indeed, France is not a seismic country). At 7:17 in the morning, a tremor of 4.2 on the Richter scale occured during a few seconds. The irony in all this is that 10 minutes before the earthquake, I said to myself : "Come on, read the paper on earthquakes that was given to you the town hall, so you'll be ready in the case there's an earthquake. " Talk about a premonition O_O ^^''
Don't worry though, the tremor wasn't powerful at all. It was just a feeling of surprise, even if I had the reflexe to throw myself under my desk as soon as recommended in the brochure.
Monday, September 22 : This day's morning at univ' is devoted to some additional information livehood-wise. Then in the afternoon, as promised, X helped me, me and three other students who also wanted to have the web home for the steps for installing the Web in my apartment. Once this done, I leave the univ' and return to the supermarket where I went the day before, and purchased what they call a "French dressing" for my rice salad. Unfortunately, that item they dared calling a French dressing woud turn to be, in fact, a miserable and disgusting mayonnaise sauce with a (VERY) slight vinegar taste ! >_< I admit that I was not happy (and felt rigged as well), and I decided to visit on the next day, which was a holiday, the second supermarket which the student talked about, to find a real wine vinegar.
Tuesday, September 23 : Day holiday in univ', no classes or things in particular to follow that day. So I take this opportunity to go to the second supermarket to supply myself with the food I could not find in the first, and to try and finally find the wine vinegar. Regarding this case, I still wasn't able to find it, so I took what looked like it the closest, which was a grape vinegar. Bad, BAD move, as the thing turned out to be a kind of grape juice lightly vinegared. How unlucky I was. T_T Then comes the idea of trying to combine this thing with the cooking wine, just so I see what results I get from that mix... The result was better than each of the two items, but it was still very far from a true wine vinegar, and therefore a real dressing. T_T
I therefore decided to try my luck again tomorrow by asking an employee of the store.
After that, the rest of the day consisted of stewardship in the apartment. Food, household, dishes' cooking. Incidentally, that day I wanted to cook a steak with peas, which I purchased at the second store. Between you and me, not only the canned peas were sold in tiny boxes, but in addition they tasted really bad, alas. T_T The steak was fine, though.
Wednesday, September 24 : Another information session in the morning at univ'. Classes start the following day.
I return in the second supermarket, and, to cite a certain Japanese from a famous TV show out there in the U.S., YATTA ! An employee shows me where the wine vinegar is, which was at a place I missed on my first run ! And this time it's a REAL wine vinegar, so I can eat a COMPLETE rice salad ! ~o~
After that, nothing special to report that day. Just that on my way back from the supermarket, I discovered two new video games stores, which I checked immediately. ^^''
Thursday, September 25 : Classes begin. For this day, 3h worth of courses in the morning and 1h30 of it as well in the afternoon. Rather than classes, those hours were dedicated to tests again, to test our level. I did rather well, with notes ranging from 70 to 85 out of 100 depending on the tests.
Then usual routines after the univ ', nothing to report.
Friday, September 26 : Classes all morning. But after class, the pain in my leg which never left me alone since last Thursday, reached a climax, so I began to seriously worry. I go search for information on Google. At the words "phlébite" (= phlebitis), "caillot de sang" (= blood clot) and "embolie" (= embolism) I SERIOUSLY panicked, and immediately decided to go see a doctor. I went to X, which gave me the address of a clinic in the vicinity. I go to the clinic, but people there don't know a word of English, and I do not have a high enough Japanese language level, especially for speaking Japanese medical jargon. They then tell me the address of a medical center, near the second supermarket, where doctors can speak English.
I go to the center, which quickly became crowded shortly after my arrival. I note that the majority of patients are elderly people, by the way. Finally, after 45 minutes of waiting, a doctor examine me and with the help of a little English, a few Japanese and my electronic translator French-Japanese, I can explain the situation. Then, after he examined me, he makes me understand what I feared : blood clot in the leg. But there is a treatment, which he gives me right away, and which consisted of the following : taking anti-coagulant pills for a week, and if I still have pain, go back and see him once the week elapsed.
I began treatment the same evening, and during the week, I was pleased to note that the pain faded away and eventually disappeared, and that with just 3 days of treatment. Everything is now okay as I write this, so I think I'm cured. :)
Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28 : Nothing special to report. Housework, laundry, dishwashing, cooking, shopping. Banal, really.
Week from September 29 to October 3 : Nothing special has occured. I attended classes Monday (one very interesting, that I've chosen to follow among the additional choices offered, on women and femininity seen through various media), Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (Japanese language classes). As for the rest, usual routine, along with talking from time to time with other exchange students and Japanese students. Otherwise, this week, with the help of X, we finalized the formalities of installing the web at the apartment: I receive the modem Saturday October 4, and the connection will be active Monday October 6.
Friday, 3 October was also the airing date of the first episode of Tales of the Abyss on Tokyo MX ! I wanted not to miss it, so that evening, I waited in front of my TV for it. After seeing the episode, I would say it was a good episode, but I'm waiting a bit for a more devinitve opinion on this anime, as this episode is really just an introduction to history.
Saturday, October 4: Two important events that day: morning, I receive the modem as planned. And the afternoon I go to a fire prevention and information on earthquakes day in a very modern prevention center, some of its facilities which would make the Futuroscope (for those who haven't heard of it, the Futuroscope is a theme park based in Poitiers, France, which relies on high-tech and advanced attractions and facilities) jealous! ^^''
In this prevention and information day, we were shown how to extinguish a fire debut with a fire extinguisher, we experienced a simulated earthquake of different levels of magnitude on a special simulator, we had to go through a maze filled smoke to simulate a situation of fire in a building filled with lots of smoke, so we had to go out of the labyrinth by walking crouching, and there were also video quiz games, including one that resembled a Bomberman game map-wise, a Pokemon game for the fighting / questions parts, and Panel de Pon (known in France under the name Pokemon Puzzle League) for associations of dangerous or non-dangerous items in case of fire. In all very entertaining, but one should not forget to take it seriously : after all, the Japanese are still waiting for the "Big One", you know.
Otherwise, once back, as usual.
Sunday, October 5 : nothing particularly noteworthy to note aside from the fact I went shopping (for food and daily items, not for fun), and I bought a large quantity of food so I don't have to go shopping for a while. I have also taken the opportunity to go take a look at an used games, cd, and manga shop I had spotted earlier in the week and explored superficially because of time constraints, a shop where I managed to find some very nice stuff I was looking for and which I missed on my first run (even though that first run was quite fruitful, as I managed, to only cite this one, to find one of the games I was looking for the most in France, Tokimeki Memorial Drama Series 1: Nijiro no Seishun ~o~).
Monday, October 6 : Day-wise, nothing to report, as usual class during the afternoon. In the evening, as the connection should be active, I try to install the web program on my computer. Not easy, the program being quite restive, but after several hours of resourcefulness, I finally get the Web in my apartment! ~ o ~ But it is 3.00 AM when I get there, and I am dead tired, so I leave the announcement of this to my family and friends for the next day.
Tuesday, October 7 : Classes all day until 15:30. But I'm so tired that, once back to the apartment, I can not help but sleep until 22H. Then, after eating a bit, being still tired, I decided to postpone the news to the next day, which is a day I don't have any class. Damn my weak physical resistance. T_T
Wednesday, October 8 : I get up in the morning at 10 am, and turn on my computer off its Sleep mode in which it was since early Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, after I restarted the computer to get a fresh start, I had the bad surprise to see the computer going super-slow ! I think I've pin-pointed the reason why it did so now, as it is the second time this happens and I've compared this situation to the previous one, so I think I will be able to avoid it to happen again in the future, but for now, unfortunately, I had to use the solution that I used the first time: formatting my computer. Fortunately, I anticipated an eventual computer problem, so I brought with me to Japan everything I needed for formating and reinstalling everything. But the operation was long, and I could not finish reinstalling everything, Web included, until the middle of the afternoon.
Here is the end of the report I wrote on my forum. Since then, nothing special occured : rest of last week went smoothly, with usual routines, and as for this week so far, the only highlight is me finally getting the Alien Registration Card, meaning that my stay in Japan is now fully official and complete ! ;)
Here goes, then. I'll post the goodies I've found during that month a bit later that night, since I have to translate the comments I did about them in the 4F as well, but for the impatient ones, they can already check them out at the 4F topic. ;)
Hope this didn't bored too much and you enjoyed it ! I'm glad to write to you again, guys ! ~o~