So many things to do!! Really? No. It feels like there are many things to do but no, I found that I have more free time than back home but probably because classes haven't start yet. Nothing much happen on the way to Japan except whoever was throwing my luggage around ripped it! I'm furious! Both of my luggage is torn and dirty. And then I got lost cuz who knew you have to take the tram (like the max) to the other side of the airport to check in with immigration, but luckily I saw a group of young Caucasians. What are the chances they're not heading toward the same destination as me? So I follow them. Immigration is hella long! And this dude in a shiny business suit from first class just cut me in line and pretty much tons of people ahead of me too. Everyone was talking about it but no one says anything. I pretty much met jerks and gentlemen on a 17hrs trip. Oh by the way, immigration takes your picture and both your index fingers prints before you could pass through their gate due to fear of terrorism. Maybe U.S. should think about that too.
But my school has too many procedures too. On the first 2 days there aren't anything much to do but afterward, this is my schedule for the first week in Japan. 
I got orientations, labs, payments, loans, registrations, banking sessions, placement exam, and meeting sessions for traffic safety, STD (lol!) and women safety...while trying to find the school AND finding a supermarket. The first tour the dorm's resident assistants gave my roommate and I is a trip to the "shopping mall" which is basically two clothing stores (clothes are very cheap!). But I don't think clothes is an issue here...finding food is more important! I will show you Hirakata-shi (the city I live in) and shops and mall later. But here's what some of the houses look like. The city kind of reminded me of Vietnam because of the clothes hanging in the balcony, houses are close together, tons of power lines going various directions, and numerous small mise (shops). The major differences between Vietnam and Japan are the fresh air in Japan, the unexpected weather in Japan, the clean streets, and vending machines at every corner. I haven't been back in Vietnam so I don't know if it has change or not...
Anyways, my roommate, Stacy, is a pretty easy going gal from Florida. She's Caucasian and we already warmed up to each other despite the fact that we have different taste in food and interests but especially in food. The only commonality between us is that we're selfish. Just kidding. We have some things in common but not as much as the differences. But Stacy and I agreed on sharing food and our silverwares that we bought; oh and a bag of rice too! Rice is too expensive so we actually go look around at different supermarkets and compared prices. We're trying to budget our money even though we love to spend on things we first see (another quality in common ahaha). Actually…she spends on things she wants but I'm picky over if I should buy what I want…mostly if I should buy cakes and ice-creams or not. I've also met a couple people around the dorm, nice ones, weird ones, ones that talk a lot, and ones who don't talk at all. I'm hoping to meet more people when school starts.
This is my side of the room after our third roommate moved out. As you can see, I've already made myself at home...all those stuffs on the table is mine because Stacy doesn't use it much...or at least not yet since classes have not start until tomorrow.
This is my desk :D
Sooooo just like how it looks at home!
*wink* Oh yea those juice cartons are Aloe Vera juice with peach flavor. Japanese people call it Aroe Torinku (Aloe drink). The 'r' in Japanese is pronounced almost similar like a 'l'. It's basically a cross between a 'R' and a 'L'. They always give me a straw every time I buy a juice carton even though I can just chug it down like milk.
Behold! The magical toilet!!! The toilet seat is always warm so your buns never have to feel cold. I want a toilet like this in my house so I will never shiver while relieving myself in the winter lol.
Now this is the magical wand! The blue and purple button is a bidet (I think) so it squirts water up your but to clean those buns. Now, Japanese people don't like others to hear what they're doing in the bathroom (for example going #2), they would press the musical button so the toilet play not a tune but a fake flushing sound, which is very annoying. Moreover, this control also has a button that release air freshener for you know why lol...I think that's all the buttons. Next is the shower.
This is one of eight shower stalls in the dorm. I love taking showers here because it's free hot water! Of course I kind of pay for it but I mean I can use it as much as I want so why not use it often? One thing I don't like about taking a shower here is the button. Japanese people love to conserve water so the water only run for 10-20 seconds and then you would have to push the button again for water to come out. I keep on have to continuously pushing the button. It's worse when soap is in my eyes so I have to search for the button >.<
This concludes the mini tour of my room. Next time I will post the pics from the Kyoto trip to the famous Kiyomizu Temple. Below is the view from my room. Good thing I got this view because the view on the other side of the seminar house (dorm) is the cemetery....
I got orientations, labs, payments, loans, registrations, banking sessions, placement exam, and meeting sessions for traffic safety, STD (lol!) and women safety...while trying to find the school AND finding a supermarket. The first tour the dorm's resident assistants gave my roommate and I is a trip to the "shopping mall" which is basically two clothing stores (clothes are very cheap!). But I don't think clothes is an issue here...finding food is more important! I will show you Hirakata-shi (the city I live in) and shops and mall later. But here's what some of the houses look like. The city kind of reminded me of Vietnam because of the clothes hanging in the balcony, houses are close together, tons of power lines going various directions, and numerous small mise (shops). The major differences between Vietnam and Japan are the fresh air in Japan, the unexpected weather in Japan, the clean streets, and vending machines at every corner. I haven't been back in Vietnam so I don't know if it has change or not...
Anyways, my roommate, Stacy, is a pretty easy going gal from Florida. She's Caucasian and we already warmed up to each other despite the fact that we have different taste in food and interests but especially in food. The only commonality between us is that we're selfish. Just kidding. We have some things in common but not as much as the differences. But Stacy and I agreed on sharing food and our silverwares that we bought; oh and a bag of rice too! Rice is too expensive so we actually go look around at different supermarkets and compared prices. We're trying to budget our money even though we love to spend on things we first see (another quality in common ahaha). Actually…she spends on things she wants but I'm picky over if I should buy what I want…mostly if I should buy cakes and ice-creams or not. I've also met a couple people around the dorm, nice ones, weird ones, ones that talk a lot, and ones who don't talk at all. I'm hoping to meet more people when school starts.Next is a tour of my room!!
As you noticed, there's quiet hours...the walls can be quite thin and people in the house can hear others laughing outside if we are too loud because a lot of Japanese homes don't have insulation.
This is the room Stacy and I share with one other roommate who eventually move out to live with a Japanese family (homestay) on Saturday. Our third roommate is from Australia but she originally come from Hong Kong. There are a lot of students coming from different countries like Italy, Sweden, North and South Korea, Vietnam, Argentina, etc., but most students are from the U.S. like me, especially east coast and southern states.
This is the room Stacy and I share with one other roommate who eventually move out to live with a Japanese family (homestay) on Saturday. Our third roommate is from Australia but she originally come from Hong Kong. There are a lot of students coming from different countries like Italy, Sweden, North and South Korea, Vietnam, Argentina, etc., but most students are from the U.S. like me, especially east coast and southern states.
This is my side of the room after our third roommate moved out. As you can see, I've already made myself at home...all those stuffs on the table is mine because Stacy doesn't use it much...or at least not yet since classes have not start until tomorrow.
This is my desk :D
Sooooo just like how it looks at home!
*wink* Oh yea those juice cartons are Aloe Vera juice with peach flavor. Japanese people call it Aroe Torinku (Aloe drink). The 'r' in Japanese is pronounced almost similar like a 'l'. It's basically a cross between a 'R' and a 'L'. They always give me a straw every time I buy a juice carton even though I can just chug it down like milk.
Behold! The magical toilet!!! The toilet seat is always warm so your buns never have to feel cold. I want a toilet like this in my house so I will never shiver while relieving myself in the winter lol.
Now this is the magical wand! The blue and purple button is a bidet (I think) so it squirts water up your but to clean those buns. Now, Japanese people don't like others to hear what they're doing in the bathroom (for example going #2), they would press the musical button so the toilet play not a tune but a fake flushing sound, which is very annoying. Moreover, this control also has a button that release air freshener for you know why lol...I think that's all the buttons. Next is the shower.
This is one of eight shower stalls in the dorm. I love taking showers here because it's free hot water! Of course I kind of pay for it but I mean I can use it as much as I want so why not use it often? One thing I don't like about taking a shower here is the button. Japanese people love to conserve water so the water only run for 10-20 seconds and then you would have to push the button again for water to come out. I keep on have to continuously pushing the button. It's worse when soap is in my eyes so I have to search for the button >.<
This concludes the mini tour of my room. Next time I will post the pics from the Kyoto trip to the famous Kiyomizu Temple. Below is the view from my room. Good thing I got this view because the view on the other side of the seminar house (dorm) is the cemetery....
