what up broskis
Whoo I have campus internet! Next up: internet in my actual room, which may not actually happen for a few weeks hurf. We're gonna contact the service tomorrow.
So anyway if you're interested here is a summary of my first week here!! Ok so the plane ride itself was uneventful and also long as fuck. They gave us two meals! I also watched two movies, Midnight in Paris (okay) and Rio (awful). And watched some Star Driver with my travel partner Iggy which this show I uh. Uh? I think I like it? It's trying to be Utena so hard that it's kind of embarrassing, but it's got this charming sort of self-aware sense of humor. I hear it gets more serious later on though which is dumb.
I am so glad I came here with somebody, though, I think if I'd been by myself I'd have had about thirty emotional breakdowns by now. Having someone else to derp around with does wonders for your self-confidence. First thing we did after we landed was get outsmarted by the train ticket machine. The train ride from Osaka to Kyoto was really nice, we didn't have anything to do but look at the scenery. It's so weird seeing things like tons and tons of apartment buildings where everyone hang-dries their clothing and plants crops in their backyard. Sort of an urban/rural hybrid feel that I don't think you get anywhere in the States.
My room's at the YWCA, which kind of sucks, I wish I'd thought to apply for co-ed housing. Oh well. It's kinda divey but in a way that's almost endearing, it's like baby's first shitty apartment. We get our own kitchenette and bathroom! The toilet is even western, thank god (Iggy's unfortunately is a squat). I am willing to make a lot of compromises to my dignity for the purpose of getting the most out of this cultural exchange experience but I draw the line at squat toilets. We also get a futon, which is harder than my tender gaijin back is used to but I am sleeping surprisingly well on it. And it mercifully has air conditioning because wow it is FUCKING HOT here, you can't go outside for ten minutes without exuding buckets of sweat. The only thing it is really lacking is a wi-fi connection, obviously.
We had nearly a week before orientation even started to sort of flail around and get our bearings, and we spent a large amount of that time getting lost. But now we sort of know where things are! There's even an internet cafe relatively nearby but that gets expensive, so I'm glad I've managed to connect to the campus signal at least.
I went ahead and got a bike a few days ago, which is pretty much essential for living in Japan, or at least Kyoto (but I'm pretty sure it's all of Japan). The alternative was walking everywhere, which was not happening, especially not when the goal is grocery shopping. Everyone rides their bikes on the sidewalks too, which you're not actually supposed to do, but I guess traffic police doesn't really give a shit. It's a lot harder than it looks when the sidewalk is made of brick and also sloped and you have things in the front basket which you are not used to even having because who the fuck even rides bikes with baskets in America, so when I get to sidewalks I just walk it rather than ride in the street. Which NOBODY DOES, but I'd rather be gawked at than crash into things thank you very much.
Speaking of groceries, it frustratingly seems that you can't really buy in bulk here. Even milk you can only get in the skinny cartons. I feel like I'm going to supermarkets every few days UGH MY WALLET. And shit's expensive here too! It took me forever to even find out where they kept the peanut butter and it's in this teeny jar sob. I think I am going to have to get a new wallet or an additional change purse or something, because Japan uses coins way more than America does and I am frankly running out of room for them all.
Oh but I had onigiri for the first time, it is really good and now I always try to keep one or two in my fridge. They are better than sandwiches and just as filling. Pickled plums weird me out though I just feel like...that's something that shouldn't be pickled...I don't know
ANYWAY my days have actually been really boring so far without classes or internet, so I don't actually have all that much to report. At least now that orientation has started I've had places to go during the day. Classes don't actually start until October though ugh. My schedule looks to be entirely language and culture classes which I am 100% ok with. Oh we had the placement test yesterday, I got into level 2 of 9 HAHA oops. Oh well whatever I knew my comprehension was piecemeal and apparently you advance REALLY quickly in the language classes they provide so hopefully I will be able to get to a decent level of competence relatively quickly. As it is I am pretty much just communicating with broken phrases and hand gestures which HEY I managed to buy an adapter with that at least
Man this is kind of dull without pictures so hopefully I can buy a camera soon and show you all pictures of my room and the campus and the nearby streets and etc.
While I have not had internet all I've been doing with my time is watching Eureka Seven and reading A Game of Thrones. I haven't watched E7 in so long that it's like I'm watching it again for the first time. I forgot how good it was, bullshit ending aside. Actually I have no idea what is going on with the plot at all but I don't even care because this cast is so fantastic.
First thing I'm doing when I get my own internet connection is downloading the Game of Thrones TV series. If it doesn't have zombies in it I will be sorely disappointed.
So anyway if you're interested here is a summary of my first week here!! Ok so the plane ride itself was uneventful and also long as fuck. They gave us two meals! I also watched two movies, Midnight in Paris (okay) and Rio (awful). And watched some Star Driver with my travel partner Iggy which this show I uh. Uh? I think I like it? It's trying to be Utena so hard that it's kind of embarrassing, but it's got this charming sort of self-aware sense of humor. I hear it gets more serious later on though which is dumb.
I am so glad I came here with somebody, though, I think if I'd been by myself I'd have had about thirty emotional breakdowns by now. Having someone else to derp around with does wonders for your self-confidence. First thing we did after we landed was get outsmarted by the train ticket machine. The train ride from Osaka to Kyoto was really nice, we didn't have anything to do but look at the scenery. It's so weird seeing things like tons and tons of apartment buildings where everyone hang-dries their clothing and plants crops in their backyard. Sort of an urban/rural hybrid feel that I don't think you get anywhere in the States.
My room's at the YWCA, which kind of sucks, I wish I'd thought to apply for co-ed housing. Oh well. It's kinda divey but in a way that's almost endearing, it's like baby's first shitty apartment. We get our own kitchenette and bathroom! The toilet is even western, thank god (Iggy's unfortunately is a squat). I am willing to make a lot of compromises to my dignity for the purpose of getting the most out of this cultural exchange experience but I draw the line at squat toilets. We also get a futon, which is harder than my tender gaijin back is used to but I am sleeping surprisingly well on it. And it mercifully has air conditioning because wow it is FUCKING HOT here, you can't go outside for ten minutes without exuding buckets of sweat. The only thing it is really lacking is a wi-fi connection, obviously.
We had nearly a week before orientation even started to sort of flail around and get our bearings, and we spent a large amount of that time getting lost. But now we sort of know where things are! There's even an internet cafe relatively nearby but that gets expensive, so I'm glad I've managed to connect to the campus signal at least.
I went ahead and got a bike a few days ago, which is pretty much essential for living in Japan, or at least Kyoto (but I'm pretty sure it's all of Japan). The alternative was walking everywhere, which was not happening, especially not when the goal is grocery shopping. Everyone rides their bikes on the sidewalks too, which you're not actually supposed to do, but I guess traffic police doesn't really give a shit. It's a lot harder than it looks when the sidewalk is made of brick and also sloped and you have things in the front basket which you are not used to even having because who the fuck even rides bikes with baskets in America, so when I get to sidewalks I just walk it rather than ride in the street. Which NOBODY DOES, but I'd rather be gawked at than crash into things thank you very much.
Speaking of groceries, it frustratingly seems that you can't really buy in bulk here. Even milk you can only get in the skinny cartons. I feel like I'm going to supermarkets every few days UGH MY WALLET. And shit's expensive here too! It took me forever to even find out where they kept the peanut butter and it's in this teeny jar sob. I think I am going to have to get a new wallet or an additional change purse or something, because Japan uses coins way more than America does and I am frankly running out of room for them all.
Oh but I had onigiri for the first time, it is really good and now I always try to keep one or two in my fridge. They are better than sandwiches and just as filling. Pickled plums weird me out though I just feel like...that's something that shouldn't be pickled...I don't know
ANYWAY my days have actually been really boring so far without classes or internet, so I don't actually have all that much to report. At least now that orientation has started I've had places to go during the day. Classes don't actually start until October though ugh. My schedule looks to be entirely language and culture classes which I am 100% ok with. Oh we had the placement test yesterday, I got into level 2 of 9 HAHA oops. Oh well whatever I knew my comprehension was piecemeal and apparently you advance REALLY quickly in the language classes they provide so hopefully I will be able to get to a decent level of competence relatively quickly. As it is I am pretty much just communicating with broken phrases and hand gestures which HEY I managed to buy an adapter with that at least
Man this is kind of dull without pictures so hopefully I can buy a camera soon and show you all pictures of my room and the campus and the nearby streets and etc.
While I have not had internet all I've been doing with my time is watching Eureka Seven and reading A Game of Thrones. I haven't watched E7 in so long that it's like I'm watching it again for the first time. I forgot how good it was, bullshit ending aside. Actually I have no idea what is going on with the plot at all but I don't even care because this cast is so fantastic.
First thing I'm doing when I get my own internet connection is downloading the Game of Thrones TV series. If it doesn't have zombies in it I will be sorely disappointed.