I could scream but I'm afraid I'd wake the neighbours.
Dear Japan,
I think we have to talk.
This is just me sadfacing at the prices a lot. I think everyone thinks their own country is expensive, but in comparison to all the countries that i have lived in and been to, japan really does break the lid off.
I mean, in many cases you do pay for proper quality, is just that there are no shabby alternatives even if you wanted them :p
You can save money on crap like sopa dispensers and guitars(!), but not the stuff you actually need to live.
Because of that however, I had to break into my savings. In my first. month. here.
I still have faith in my abilities of self-preservation and do see this month as an exception as I had to built a new household from scratch, and even hand creme is not something you have to buy every month.
Still, my budget is all mapped out until January, however, as next month I need to start buying winter clothes and in December I want to visit some friends and travel prices are the total tip of the iceberg.
Okay, I admit that today for once I bought things just because they are nice and I wanted them:
Recently I started thinking that living here for a while might be nice, but I still don't want to be teacher, plus the amount of money needed makes me feel faint. I wonder if I can get a chance?
Huge plus point today, however: I FOUND SPARKLING WATER. Like in the US, it is actually called soda, and they only sell it in 500ml bottles at the 711, which makes it unjustly expensive, but... the only thing I really missed is now in my possession!
I told the other Germans on my course about this and we all did a little happy dance XD;;
I have also formed an alliance with another German student, which I have dubbed 'Meat Eaters United' - I told him about not being able to eat out because of the vegetarian girl and we want to see if we can't go ouzt for food sometime. I really hope we do *___* Because of all the food I am missing out on because going out for food alone is just...
Other than that, this week really did have the potential to turn me quite bratty. I am really stressed and tired, one part because we have actual work to do within our courses now, and the other because I think I have too many options on how to spend my free time. Terrible, I know.
The thing is that there is an astounding variety of things to do and since so many are cetareing especially to exchange students I am scared to miss anything. Just a few of the things going on during the following weekends: Free Koto and Shakuhachi Practice, a flea market for international students, discounted entrance to the Toei Studio Movie Park, karaoke with friends, going to Nara with a friend...
I get overwhelmed easily so right now all I really want to do is sit on my arse and watch telly, but what if I never get a chance to go to xy again?
My meat eating friend lives over at the popular dorm that has most of the international students, and they hang out together all the time. He is not impressed by them at all because all they apparently do is get drunk (they have received an official warning for disturbing the neighbourhood already), and that is not what you would go to kyoto for, is it? I just... want to make the most of my time, but I fear I might be overdoing it.
Since thsi really wasn't my week though, all the stuff that I usually tolerate for the sake of politeness I ignored. I pushed my way onto the train, gave according responses to stupid questions (the guy at the home store cashier who asked me if I wanted a bag for the two pillows I bough because he assumed a woman buying big items would take a taxi anyway - I'm not made out of glass, thank you very much). And, I shamelessly stared back at anyone who stared at me.
Jesus Christ, I'm not a zeebra.
I think we have to talk.
This is just me sadfacing at the prices a lot. I think everyone thinks their own country is expensive, but in comparison to all the countries that i have lived in and been to, japan really does break the lid off.
I mean, in many cases you do pay for proper quality, is just that there are no shabby alternatives even if you wanted them :p
You can save money on crap like sopa dispensers and guitars(!), but not the stuff you actually need to live.
Because of that however, I had to break into my savings. In my first. month. here.
I still have faith in my abilities of self-preservation and do see this month as an exception as I had to built a new household from scratch, and even hand creme is not something you have to buy every month.
Still, my budget is all mapped out until January, however, as next month I need to start buying winter clothes and in December I want to visit some friends and travel prices are the total tip of the iceberg.
Okay, I admit that today for once I bought things just because they are nice and I wanted them:
Recently I started thinking that living here for a while might be nice, but I still don't want to be teacher, plus the amount of money needed makes me feel faint. I wonder if I can get a chance?
Huge plus point today, however: I FOUND SPARKLING WATER. Like in the US, it is actually called soda, and they only sell it in 500ml bottles at the 711, which makes it unjustly expensive, but... the only thing I really missed is now in my possession!
I told the other Germans on my course about this and we all did a little happy dance XD;;
I have also formed an alliance with another German student, which I have dubbed 'Meat Eaters United' - I told him about not being able to eat out because of the vegetarian girl and we want to see if we can't go ouzt for food sometime. I really hope we do *___* Because of all the food I am missing out on because going out for food alone is just...
Other than that, this week really did have the potential to turn me quite bratty. I am really stressed and tired, one part because we have actual work to do within our courses now, and the other because I think I have too many options on how to spend my free time. Terrible, I know.
The thing is that there is an astounding variety of things to do and since so many are cetareing especially to exchange students I am scared to miss anything. Just a few of the things going on during the following weekends: Free Koto and Shakuhachi Practice, a flea market for international students, discounted entrance to the Toei Studio Movie Park, karaoke with friends, going to Nara with a friend...
I get overwhelmed easily so right now all I really want to do is sit on my arse and watch telly, but what if I never get a chance to go to xy again?
My meat eating friend lives over at the popular dorm that has most of the international students, and they hang out together all the time. He is not impressed by them at all because all they apparently do is get drunk (they have received an official warning for disturbing the neighbourhood already), and that is not what you would go to kyoto for, is it? I just... want to make the most of my time, but I fear I might be overdoing it.
Since thsi really wasn't my week though, all the stuff that I usually tolerate for the sake of politeness I ignored. I pushed my way onto the train, gave according responses to stupid questions (the guy at the home store cashier who asked me if I wanted a bag for the two pillows I bough because he assumed a woman buying big items would take a taxi anyway - I'm not made out of glass, thank you very much). And, I shamelessly stared back at anyone who stared at me.
Jesus Christ, I'm not a zeebra.