(no subject)
I am so glad to be done with this semester. I finished the last of my papers yesterday morning, and manged to get all the work that I get paid for (ie videos for Residence Services, Curriculum development for the department, grading) on Friday. Now I'm hanging at Edmonton's airport, waiting for my flight home.
Things moved really quickly after I found out I won the scholarship. Thankfully, planning a Japan trip this time was super easy since I've done it once before, and it's not like I have to deal with getting visas and all that. I'm flying from Philadelphia on May 2nd, so I arrive in Tokyo May 3rd, right in the middle of Golden Week. I'll be heading to the Historiographical Institute at Tokyo University as a Foreign Research Scholar starting on May 7th. I'm really glad that my advisor has great connections; I'm actually studying with the professor he studied with the first time he went to Japan. It actually was a formal process to get admitted as a visiting scholar, where I had to submit extra forms and a project proposal to the university, but everything is set and I'm in.
I'll be staying at a guest house for the two months in Higashi Ikebukuro, very close to Ikebukuro (ie the best area in all of Tokyo.) The room I'm in is tiny (7.5 square meters) but it's a tatami floor with a futon. I figured since I had a Western-style room last time, I should try a Japanese style for the short stay. My mom will be flying in June 21st, and we'll bounce around Tokyo/Kyoto/Hiroshima/Yokohama till we fly back to Philly together on July 1st. Then July 6th I'm back to Edmonton.
I was officially asked to teach a course for the summer session, so I will begin planning the Japanese Pop Culture course this week. It's going to be a challenge to be the instructor, but I'm really excited for the opportunity. Plus, I get a pretty nice pay check for the whole experience, which will cover all the expenses not covered by my stipend for the year.
It'll only be a short stay in Philly this time, but I'm really excited to be going home. Looking forward to seeing my family and friends, curling up to watch bad tv with the dog, and just do nothing for a few days. This summer will be all heavy thesis research in kanbun, so getting the recharge will be well worth it.
Maybe at some point I should stay in one country for an extended period of time. o.O By the looks of it I may only spend about a month and a half total in the US in 2012...
Things moved really quickly after I found out I won the scholarship. Thankfully, planning a Japan trip this time was super easy since I've done it once before, and it's not like I have to deal with getting visas and all that. I'm flying from Philadelphia on May 2nd, so I arrive in Tokyo May 3rd, right in the middle of Golden Week. I'll be heading to the Historiographical Institute at Tokyo University as a Foreign Research Scholar starting on May 7th. I'm really glad that my advisor has great connections; I'm actually studying with the professor he studied with the first time he went to Japan. It actually was a formal process to get admitted as a visiting scholar, where I had to submit extra forms and a project proposal to the university, but everything is set and I'm in.
I'll be staying at a guest house for the two months in Higashi Ikebukuro, very close to Ikebukuro (ie the best area in all of Tokyo.) The room I'm in is tiny (7.5 square meters) but it's a tatami floor with a futon. I figured since I had a Western-style room last time, I should try a Japanese style for the short stay. My mom will be flying in June 21st, and we'll bounce around Tokyo/Kyoto/Hiroshima/Yokohama till we fly back to Philly together on July 1st. Then July 6th I'm back to Edmonton.
I was officially asked to teach a course for the summer session, so I will begin planning the Japanese Pop Culture course this week. It's going to be a challenge to be the instructor, but I'm really excited for the opportunity. Plus, I get a pretty nice pay check for the whole experience, which will cover all the expenses not covered by my stipend for the year.
It'll only be a short stay in Philly this time, but I'm really excited to be going home. Looking forward to seeing my family and friends, curling up to watch bad tv with the dog, and just do nothing for a few days. This summer will be all heavy thesis research in kanbun, so getting the recharge will be well worth it.
Maybe at some point I should stay in one country for an extended period of time. o.O By the looks of it I may only spend about a month and a half total in the US in 2012...