Sakura and Studies
Nothing is as far away as one minute ago.
Wow I haven't realized that it has been almost a year since my last post. And what a year has it been.
Just few days back, on the 4th of April, it turned 1 year since I arrived in Japan. I can not even remember Narita airport, just the Yamanote station in Nippori and my friend asking me: "Now how much is the ticket to Komabatodaimae?". Extremely difficult question to a person who sets foot in Japan for the first time ( and whose knowledge in Japanese can be described as basic the best). But I managed somehow and I even complain when I have to use the bus. Something sadly I have to do 3 days per week.
You know when people are telling you how expensive and prestigious Keio University is, they tend not to mention Keio University Shonan-Fujisawa Campus (or affectionately known as SFC). This campus is the home for the single most expensive graduate school of Keio - "The Graduate School of Media and Governance". And also is the campus that offers really different kind of student experience.
First and foremost its location - though located in Fujisawa city the campus itself is 4.5 km from the closest station, in this case Shonandai station. To get to the campus you have to use a bus, which is actually not included in the student discount pass. So basically for those 3.5 km you pay roughly the same as the 50 km train ride from Tokyo. The campus is surrounded by crop fields and animal farms. Which lead us to Experience number 2 - the smell of animals. You know my mom comes from a small village in Bulgaria and there is this time of the day when the take the cattle out. That's how SFC smells like. And the last surprise for me was the curriculum. I am part of an advance international degree program, officially, but imagine my surprise when all of the classes turn out to be in Japanese. So I guess I have to gambarimasu.
I know that I am complaining a lot but truth to be told being student in Japan is fun at least when you don't have to deal with the fact that you are foreigner. Every society has its problems and Japan us no different but so far for me life is peaceful, secure and very fun. I got to meet people from countries so far from my own, got a glimpse of so many different cultures and learnt to appreciate my own.
I will probably continue to complain about many stuff but don't take me too seriously.