Mabuhai!
It's too bad that I only thought of updating this now. Anyway, I'm currently residing in Saijo and I've been here since the 28th of September. A lot of things happened. The first two weeks was just completely exciting, grueling, scary, but all-in-all it's just an amazing experience.
I'm staying in a small apartment where most of the residents are foreigners. I got a small kitchen, 2 tables, a bathroom and a tub. I got most of my electric appliances from Nina, my sempai who got her Doctor's degree here in Japan on MEXT scholarship. She gave me her old bike; it was for me, the most useful bike ever. I already had it on my first week here so I take it to school everyday. I still remember the days when I had to search for alternative routes going back to my apartment, so that I wouldn't have to bike uphill. I also had the experience of taking the wrong bus to school and I ended up in Hiroshima Kokusai Daigaku. My Japanese friends and Bessho Sensei thought that story was hilarious.
Everyday is a new experience for me. Just the fact that I go to the grocery by myself, that's something that I look forward everyday. All the new products at the stores, looking for the best bargains and understanding the kanji if it says half-priced or just discounted by a certain percentage... I love how it all makes me feel that hey, I'm really here in Japan!
I made a lot of friends in a span of 2 months. I first met Yoshi, a guy from Hospitality.org who then introduced me to Atsumi. She's so likeable, I think she just became my new bestfriend! Then I got some friends in IDEC, mostly foreigners like me. The thing is, I know I should be learning Japanese but most of my friends are speaking in English, so I feel like, everyone is speaking English anyway...
So my friend Julian is actually telling me why not get a job as an English teacher here in Japan? I'm still thinking about it. I think I have to get used to my daily living here in Saijo first. Comfortable rhythm is what Lester coined for that state. Anyway, at the moment, I have a one-on-one student who pays me 2000/hour! I wish I could have more students like her. Actually, I don't really want to have a whole class to teach English to. I'm leaning towards the one-on-one tutorial. In that way, I could budget my time between work and school.
On weekdays, I go to the university canteen to eat and usually with Yoshihara san. She's really nice and I like her a lot. I think we are on the same wavelength and she's just so funny. I always like to talk to her. She is actually my student tutor and at first, I felt like she's only trying to be friends with me because our professor *asked* her to take care of me, but in the end, we became friends. At least, that's how I'm feeling at the moment. She had a big presentation today so I brought her some spaghetti that I cooked yesterday.
I wouldn't survive a day if I don't eat DAIGAKUINMO! It's my favorite! Whoever is in charge of cooking of daigakuinmo at the Coop canteen, I just want to say Doumo arigatou gozaimasu!
Oh one of the best things here in Japan is their postal service. I bought 3 books from Amazon and they all came in a span of 4 days, from the US! I just bought some stuff online from Hongkong and I just hope it would arrive next week.
Ending this now, I gotta work on my thesis proposal. Maybe next time, I'd talk about my Second street and Tsutaya experience. And about my Christmas plans!
It's too bad that I only thought of updating this now. Anyway, I'm currently residing in Saijo and I've been here since the 28th of September. A lot of things happened. The first two weeks was just completely exciting, grueling, scary, but all-in-all it's just an amazing experience.
I'm staying in a small apartment where most of the residents are foreigners. I got a small kitchen, 2 tables, a bathroom and a tub. I got most of my electric appliances from Nina, my sempai who got her Doctor's degree here in Japan on MEXT scholarship. She gave me her old bike; it was for me, the most useful bike ever. I already had it on my first week here so I take it to school everyday. I still remember the days when I had to search for alternative routes going back to my apartment, so that I wouldn't have to bike uphill. I also had the experience of taking the wrong bus to school and I ended up in Hiroshima Kokusai Daigaku. My Japanese friends and Bessho Sensei thought that story was hilarious.
Everyday is a new experience for me. Just the fact that I go to the grocery by myself, that's something that I look forward everyday. All the new products at the stores, looking for the best bargains and understanding the kanji if it says half-priced or just discounted by a certain percentage... I love how it all makes me feel that hey, I'm really here in Japan!
I made a lot of friends in a span of 2 months. I first met Yoshi, a guy from Hospitality.org who then introduced me to Atsumi. She's so likeable, I think she just became my new bestfriend! Then I got some friends in IDEC, mostly foreigners like me. The thing is, I know I should be learning Japanese but most of my friends are speaking in English, so I feel like, everyone is speaking English anyway...
So my friend Julian is actually telling me why not get a job as an English teacher here in Japan? I'm still thinking about it. I think I have to get used to my daily living here in Saijo first. Comfortable rhythm is what Lester coined for that state. Anyway, at the moment, I have a one-on-one student who pays me 2000/hour! I wish I could have more students like her. Actually, I don't really want to have a whole class to teach English to. I'm leaning towards the one-on-one tutorial. In that way, I could budget my time between work and school.
On weekdays, I go to the university canteen to eat and usually with Yoshihara san. She's really nice and I like her a lot. I think we are on the same wavelength and she's just so funny. I always like to talk to her. She is actually my student tutor and at first, I felt like she's only trying to be friends with me because our professor *asked* her to take care of me, but in the end, we became friends. At least, that's how I'm feeling at the moment. She had a big presentation today so I brought her some spaghetti that I cooked yesterday.
I wouldn't survive a day if I don't eat DAIGAKUINMO! It's my favorite! Whoever is in charge of cooking of daigakuinmo at the Coop canteen, I just want to say Doumo arigatou gozaimasu!
Oh one of the best things here in Japan is their postal service. I bought 3 books from Amazon and they all came in a span of 4 days, from the US! I just bought some stuff online from Hongkong and I just hope it would arrive next week.
Ending this now, I gotta work on my thesis proposal. Maybe next time, I'd talk about my Second street and Tsutaya experience. And about my Christmas plans!
