Biking in Kyoto + HEALTH EXAM
So after about a week and a half of walking around Kyoto, I decided that it was time to get a bike! Thing is, I haven't been biking is over more then 10 years or so, so having to bike all of a sudden was definitely a hard thing for me at first. I decided that finally it was time to get a bike because taking the subway, I didn't even know what was up there, on the street! For example, I would NEVER want to miss some place that was selling yummy sushi! Haha.
In any case, we finally got bikes today and seriously, with all the people, the cars, other bikes and uneven pavement, biking is a serious business. A few tips. 1) Don't bike on a road. I was biking on the road without a bike lane and a bus drove by me. I felt like I was about to be crushed! Cars are okay, but buses are scary. 2) Use the bell often. When I first arrived in Japan, I never heard the bike bell, thus when bikes were behind me, I would just ignore them. However, once I got a bike and started using the bell, Japanese people do yield to the bell! Thus, to tell somebody to get out of the way, just ring the bell! 3) Don't bike in shopping areas. We tried to bike through Shijo on our way home. Shijo Karasuma is like Shibuya in Tokyo. Everyone goes there to go shopping, even on a Tuesday afternoon. Wayyyy too crowded and you can't possibly get anywhere with a bike. 4) Don't crash into people! I know, it's hard, but don't do it.
I'm looking forward to actually doing more discovering now since we have bikes! We as in 5/6 of us at the apartment. My bike looks kinda dingy, but I got it cheaper than everyone else, so hooray! ^_^
NOW TO THE HORRIBLE HEALTH EXAM.
I don't know about other countries, but in America, we've never had a health exam. Apparently, the Japanese do it every school year. What consists of the health exam you ask?
1) MMR. Did you get the shots or not.
2) Height and weight. Somehow they put me at 170.6 cm but at UCLA, they measured me to be 174. Hrm....
3) Eye sight with little Cs. I didn't understand the directions of it, but it was okay.
4) X ray!!!! This was by FAR the most culture shock I've had since coming to Japan. I'm not quite sure what the X ray was for but our theory is that it was if for TB. My guy friend who went on a different day for guys had told us to wear something black so that we wouldn't have to strip. However, I didn't own anything black, so wore something gray. Unfortunately, it was "dame" (no). So, I had to go into the changing room, and change into a kimono like shirt. Then, on top of that, everybody had to take off their bras. Thus, in the changing room, we could see boobs flying out everywhere because the kimono like shirt opened in the front. >.< Great invention huh. Haha. Then we went to into lines and waited to have our X rays taken. It was so weird to see everyone without their bras. >.< I'm not sure if it is entirely necessary to do this X-ray thing at all, since America doesn't do it. I felt so violated! T_T On top of that, the people taking the X rays were two guys, so..... -_-
Tomorrow is the first day of school for us! Because I didn't sign up for all the Japanese classes that were possible, I don't have class until 10:30. Hooray~ I am taking 27 UC units, so gotta look into the unit reduction stuff! :D
Until next time~
In any case, we finally got bikes today and seriously, with all the people, the cars, other bikes and uneven pavement, biking is a serious business. A few tips. 1) Don't bike on a road. I was biking on the road without a bike lane and a bus drove by me. I felt like I was about to be crushed! Cars are okay, but buses are scary. 2) Use the bell often. When I first arrived in Japan, I never heard the bike bell, thus when bikes were behind me, I would just ignore them. However, once I got a bike and started using the bell, Japanese people do yield to the bell! Thus, to tell somebody to get out of the way, just ring the bell! 3) Don't bike in shopping areas. We tried to bike through Shijo on our way home. Shijo Karasuma is like Shibuya in Tokyo. Everyone goes there to go shopping, even on a Tuesday afternoon. Wayyyy too crowded and you can't possibly get anywhere with a bike. 4) Don't crash into people! I know, it's hard, but don't do it.
I'm looking forward to actually doing more discovering now since we have bikes! We as in 5/6 of us at the apartment. My bike looks kinda dingy, but I got it cheaper than everyone else, so hooray! ^_^
NOW TO THE HORRIBLE HEALTH EXAM.
I don't know about other countries, but in America, we've never had a health exam. Apparently, the Japanese do it every school year. What consists of the health exam you ask?
1) MMR. Did you get the shots or not.
2) Height and weight. Somehow they put me at 170.6 cm but at UCLA, they measured me to be 174. Hrm....
3) Eye sight with little Cs. I didn't understand the directions of it, but it was okay.
4) X ray!!!! This was by FAR the most culture shock I've had since coming to Japan. I'm not quite sure what the X ray was for but our theory is that it was if for TB. My guy friend who went on a different day for guys had told us to wear something black so that we wouldn't have to strip. However, I didn't own anything black, so wore something gray. Unfortunately, it was "dame" (no). So, I had to go into the changing room, and change into a kimono like shirt. Then, on top of that, everybody had to take off their bras. Thus, in the changing room, we could see boobs flying out everywhere because the kimono like shirt opened in the front. >.< Great invention huh. Haha. Then we went to into lines and waited to have our X rays taken. It was so weird to see everyone without their bras. >.< I'm not sure if it is entirely necessary to do this X-ray thing at all, since America doesn't do it. I felt so violated! T_T On top of that, the people taking the X rays were two guys, so..... -_-
Tomorrow is the first day of school for us! Because I didn't sign up for all the Japanese classes that were possible, I don't have class until 10:30. Hooray~ I am taking 27 UC units, so gotta look into the unit reduction stuff! :D
Until next time~