Setting up my apartment
So I left the hotel Saturday morning with a plan. First drop off my bags at KuroNeko (a delivery service). Then go pick up the key. Drop off my carry-on & laptop bag, then pick up the necessities (futon, dishes, food, etc), and be back in time for the power, water and gas guys around 5pm. Then set up my internet and be set.... well it didn't go quite as planned.
The drop off was fine. However I got to the office to pick up the key too early, and had about 30 mins to wait until they opened. Luckily there was a department store nearby, so I headed in to see what kind of futons, etc. they had. As I was looking at some, a clerk came up to me and when I admitted I only knew a little Japanese, she spoke to me in English. Turns out she'd spend a few months in California and vacationed in BC, so that worked for me. I told her that I had an apartment to set up, but I was just looking at the moment. She showed me some good futons, and understood when I said that I'd needed 3 futons last time due to the booty making it uncomfortable to sleep on my back. She told me that if I came back she'd give me a discount.
I headed back to the office, and got my key. I made my way to the apartment and dropped off my stuff. I'd been told of a discount store to try, which was within walking distance, called Don Quijote. I went, and found a great bike for a decent price, so I got that but had forgotten that you need to register your bike when you buy it, so I had to try and remember my new address (which I'd forgotten to take with me). I didn't find a futon I liked so I decided to just take my new bike home. I got home and found out I had remembered my address correctly.
It was now later than I'd like so I went back to the department store and got a futon, linens, etc. and some stuff at the 100 yen store upstairs (plates, dishes, paper towels, etc). I looked for a taxi by the department store but there weren't any so I had to walk back to the station with my 4 huge bags where I found a taxi. I feared for my life on the way back and reminded myself why I didn't want to drive in Japan (scary narrow streets).
I got my stuff upstairs, and got the bedding unpacked and waited for the gas and power guys to arrive. I'd figured out the water was running when I had to use the bathroom earlier. I sat in the living area waiting, and reading while the sun set. I was now getting nervous. I was out on the balcony when the other teacher who's living in this apartment arrived. I asked him if I'd misunderstood, and had the housing rep said she'd set up the power and gas or was it just me. He thought so too, and tried calling her, but there was no answer.
Here's the area around my apartment. First the view from the balcony:
And from the front door of my apartment (I'm on the 3rd floor):
And the garden of the house next to us:
Eventually (around 7) I decided I'd head out to get some dinner. When I got outside I saw a truck that I suspected was the power guy, so I sat down on the steps to wait. He came up and asked if I was Michelle. I said yes, and asked, gas or denki (electricity). He said gas. I was disapointed, but at least I'd have hot water. When I told him there was no electricity, he asked if he could go in. I said sure and went in but came back out shortly shaking his head. It was at that moment I remembered that the housing lady had said we may have to flip the breaker ourselves. I went in and started searching and then above the washer I found a panel, and when I flipped the big switch, LIGHT!!!! I was happy, and the gas guy got to work.
The other teacher came up and I told him how to get power. He had my schedule since I'd said to send it to him if I didn't reply to an email. He was heading into Tokyo, but since I was (and still am) sick I said no. The gas guy told me that if there was an big earthquake, that the gas would turn off, and showed me how to restart it. He also showed me how to work my gas stove. He went off to get the other guy's gas going and I went to get dinner.
I came back and tried to figure out how to get the internet working. I had 2 boxes rather than 1, so I didn't have enough plugs to get everything working. I turned on the tv and found that I had cable, so I figured the rest could be dealt with today. I set up my bed on the floor rather than in the loft, as I was feeling lazy, and watched TV until about 10, when I fell asleep.
This morning I woke up and watched some TV while waiting for my luggage to arrive. I really hoped it would arrive early, as I was planning on going back to Don Quijote to get a clothes rack, drawer set, bookshelves, rug, toaster oven, etc. My luggage arrived about 10:30 and I was off. I got most of what I wanted, but couldn't fit any more on my cart (or bike) and figured I'd see how that was and get the rest later this week.
I got home, dropped everything off and headed for groceries. I got enough food to last me a few days, and came back. I got my tv/internet set up (with the powerbar I'd bought) and then finally I got my bags mostly emptied and started putting things away. I didn't get everything put away, but the rest will have to wait until I get some shelves. However I did take some pictures of the apartment both last night and today to share.
The view from the door to the living area:
The view from the window corner:
The loft/bedroom:
The kitchenette/fridge/microwave:
There's now a toaster oven on top of the microwave. I then did some laundry, made dinner and wrote this blog while watching some tv.
Tomorrow morning/early afternoon I am going to the schools I'll be working at to meet the teachers/vice-principals (I think). I'll get to use my introductions, then hopefully the teachers will speak a little bit of english. I will be at 2 elementary schools and 1 jr. high. I'll be at the jr. high the most, and is the reason I rushed on the bike buying, since it's far enough away (about 2k) that I wanted a bike so i wouldn't be all sweaty from walking in the sun during the summer.
Wish me luck!
The drop off was fine. However I got to the office to pick up the key too early, and had about 30 mins to wait until they opened. Luckily there was a department store nearby, so I headed in to see what kind of futons, etc. they had. As I was looking at some, a clerk came up to me and when I admitted I only knew a little Japanese, she spoke to me in English. Turns out she'd spend a few months in California and vacationed in BC, so that worked for me. I told her that I had an apartment to set up, but I was just looking at the moment. She showed me some good futons, and understood when I said that I'd needed 3 futons last time due to the booty making it uncomfortable to sleep on my back. She told me that if I came back she'd give me a discount.
I headed back to the office, and got my key. I made my way to the apartment and dropped off my stuff. I'd been told of a discount store to try, which was within walking distance, called Don Quijote. I went, and found a great bike for a decent price, so I got that but had forgotten that you need to register your bike when you buy it, so I had to try and remember my new address (which I'd forgotten to take with me). I didn't find a futon I liked so I decided to just take my new bike home. I got home and found out I had remembered my address correctly.
It was now later than I'd like so I went back to the department store and got a futon, linens, etc. and some stuff at the 100 yen store upstairs (plates, dishes, paper towels, etc). I looked for a taxi by the department store but there weren't any so I had to walk back to the station with my 4 huge bags where I found a taxi. I feared for my life on the way back and reminded myself why I didn't want to drive in Japan (scary narrow streets).
I got my stuff upstairs, and got the bedding unpacked and waited for the gas and power guys to arrive. I'd figured out the water was running when I had to use the bathroom earlier. I sat in the living area waiting, and reading while the sun set. I was now getting nervous. I was out on the balcony when the other teacher who's living in this apartment arrived. I asked him if I'd misunderstood, and had the housing rep said she'd set up the power and gas or was it just me. He thought so too, and tried calling her, but there was no answer.
Here's the area around my apartment. First the view from the balcony:
And from the front door of my apartment (I'm on the 3rd floor):
And the garden of the house next to us:
Eventually (around 7) I decided I'd head out to get some dinner. When I got outside I saw a truck that I suspected was the power guy, so I sat down on the steps to wait. He came up and asked if I was Michelle. I said yes, and asked, gas or denki (electricity). He said gas. I was disapointed, but at least I'd have hot water. When I told him there was no electricity, he asked if he could go in. I said sure and went in but came back out shortly shaking his head. It was at that moment I remembered that the housing lady had said we may have to flip the breaker ourselves. I went in and started searching and then above the washer I found a panel, and when I flipped the big switch, LIGHT!!!! I was happy, and the gas guy got to work.
The other teacher came up and I told him how to get power. He had my schedule since I'd said to send it to him if I didn't reply to an email. He was heading into Tokyo, but since I was (and still am) sick I said no. The gas guy told me that if there was an big earthquake, that the gas would turn off, and showed me how to restart it. He also showed me how to work my gas stove. He went off to get the other guy's gas going and I went to get dinner.
I came back and tried to figure out how to get the internet working. I had 2 boxes rather than 1, so I didn't have enough plugs to get everything working. I turned on the tv and found that I had cable, so I figured the rest could be dealt with today. I set up my bed on the floor rather than in the loft, as I was feeling lazy, and watched TV until about 10, when I fell asleep.
This morning I woke up and watched some TV while waiting for my luggage to arrive. I really hoped it would arrive early, as I was planning on going back to Don Quijote to get a clothes rack, drawer set, bookshelves, rug, toaster oven, etc. My luggage arrived about 10:30 and I was off. I got most of what I wanted, but couldn't fit any more on my cart (or bike) and figured I'd see how that was and get the rest later this week.
I got home, dropped everything off and headed for groceries. I got enough food to last me a few days, and came back. I got my tv/internet set up (with the powerbar I'd bought) and then finally I got my bags mostly emptied and started putting things away. I didn't get everything put away, but the rest will have to wait until I get some shelves. However I did take some pictures of the apartment both last night and today to share.
The view from the door to the living area:
The view from the window corner:
The loft/bedroom:
The kitchenette/fridge/microwave:
There's now a toaster oven on top of the microwave. I then did some laundry, made dinner and wrote this blog while watching some tv.
Tomorrow morning/early afternoon I am going to the schools I'll be working at to meet the teachers/vice-principals (I think). I'll get to use my introductions, then hopefully the teachers will speak a little bit of english. I will be at 2 elementary schools and 1 jr. high. I'll be at the jr. high the most, and is the reason I rushed on the bike buying, since it's far enough away (about 2k) that I wanted a bike so i wouldn't be all sweaty from walking in the sun during the summer.
Wish me luck!