Japan - Day 5

Wow, been here almost a week already, doesn't seem like it...
Today I got online when I woke up to apologise to the people I'd been talking to last night, as my computer crashed and then wouldn't restart -_- I guess it's handling the heat even worse than I am. I then went over to the building where biology orientation was (very early, naturally ><) and waited for my tutor to arrive Once the orientation started, it was all in Japanese >< So I had to get my tutor to help me with what to write where on the sign-up sheets, and the 'koshi' kanji in 'Oikoshi' (my dorm), which is a bit fiddly. We figured out that, although Manchester doesn't require me to take credited courses, I could probably fill all the credits I WOULD require using Japanese and Kanji classes only, which is good. I sure need the practice anyway ^^'
After orientation, and showing me where to collect my student card on Friday, my tutor arranged to pick me up at 2pm and take me to Tsukuba City Hall to apply for alien registration and sign up for National Health Insurance. This took about an hour, mainly sitting and waiting, though because my tutor and the tutor of another Manchester student are friends, the four of us went together, so I spent most of the time listening to the two tutors talking and trying to decipher what they were saying XD
With the health insurance card in hand and the alien registration in the works, we then went to a mobile phone shop. However, as it turns out, it's a little hard to get a Japanese mobile phone as it's mostly contracts, I'm not sure yet if they have a 'pay as you go' system. So, for now, I'm not going to bother with a Japanese mobile phone, and I'll see how it goes
My tutor then took me back to the dorm, and I came up to my room and tried to study a little for tomorrow's Japanese placement test. However, once again I was hit by a wave of homesickness and loneliness, so I went online to find someone to talk to and found practically no-one was online, stupid time zones -_- Eventually people started getting online though, so I wasn't too lonely for too long :-)
Anyways, that's about all I have to report this time around. Like I said, placement test tomorrow, and then probably some photo-taking to pass the time, which I'll probably post to my Facebook in the afternoon/evening. So until then, bai-bai!

Japan - Days 2-4

Sorry for not posting all weekend, I never thought that the International Students' Centre would be closed on the weekend -_- Still, I have internet in my room now so yippee :-D
Anyways, Saturdaaaay *thinks* Walked around campus a few times, racking up about 30,000 steps on my pedometer (bear in mind that the recommended number per day is only 10,000), and went into the computer room next to the lab a couple of times to check my e-mails quickly. I got bored so I went in for some retail therapy - there's a Book Off in Tsukuba so I went and bought me a manga XD Then in the evening, I bumped into a friend who invited me to come along with a few people to go to the Tsukuba Matsuri (festival), which was pretty impressive. For anyone who reads manga/watches anime, it's the festivals where a lot of girls dress up in a yukata/kimono and they have stalls lining the street. There was a parade and fireworks too which was pretty nice.
On Sunday, I did a bit more walking around and exploring, then came back to my room and started reading my new manga, translating the words I didn't understand onto some flash cards. Then Jen came and found me, used my pass code to get into my building XD She told me about a party going on that night and we agreed to meet later in the evening. Then another friend came and asked if I wanted to go down to the matsuri again ^^' Anyway, after a bit more translation, I went out to wait for Jen, and a bunch of us waited around for the 'party', but it never happened ^^' Then Jen showed me a little 100 yen store behind my dorm (which I'm very grateful for)
Monday was orientation. I quickly checked my messages on the computer in the International Student Centre, before phoning my tutor from a pay-phone to make sure he knew when and where the orientation was today. Orientation was long and slow >< But at lunch break I had some nice noodles and curry :-) After orientation I signed up for the Japanese placement test on Wednesday (must study for that), handed in some paperwork at the accommodation office, then came back to set up my internet, which works fine :-D
Well, that's about all there is to report, except I've started having dreams more frequently again for some reason. I need to sort out my schedule now because it's going to be pretty hectic I think. So that's all from me for tonight :-)

Japan - Days 0-1

Hey all
As you may or may not know, I'm spending the next year in the Land of the Rising Sun. First impression - it's going to take some getting used to ^^'
The early morning was alright - I had a power nap in the car on the way to the airport. First flight was fairly uneventful. So uneventful that I can hardly remember it, in fact ^^ I remember I had an aisle seat on the right of the plane though XD. Once we reached Frankfurt, it was on to Narita. Long flight was loooooooong! :-O
[Edit: Crap, I've just realised that, because I was using >< as an emoticon, somehow it's cut out a bunch of my blog post, meaning I skipped most of the journey to Tsukuba. To summarise what I can remember, I watched Shrek 4, some Disney cartoons and a little bit of Alice in Wonderland on the plane, along with the in-flight aerobics video. I couldn't stretch my legs out, so I couldn't get comfy enough to sleep, but I played some DS and listened to some music on the way there too. Once we were at the airport, we went through immigration and were met at the airport by a couple of staff who directed us onto the bus to Tsukuba. When we stepped out of the door of the terminal, there was an immense heatwave - this is the Japanese summer. After the bus to Tsukuba Centre, we got on the bus to the University, where I was met at the bus-stop by my tutor (a guy in my lab). He first of all took me to the wrong accommodation office, before we finally checked in at the correct one and got my room key so I could dump my stuff in my room. As I needed some photos for my paperwork, we walked along to a drug store a little way away, then he left me to my own devices once he'd taken me back to the dorm.]
I then went to check on the toilet and kitchen facilities - the toilet has two urinals and two of those weird stalls which you have to squat to use, and the kitchen has a hob, a sink, and a few cupboards which explicitly say you can't put food in them. No fridge, no freezer, not even a microwave or kettle -_- No wonder the paperwork said to bring so much money to start with.
Well, by now I was so stressed I decided to sleep, or at least try - it was so hot that I was really uncomfortable, and was tossing and turning all night, waking up several times. When I woke up for the last time, it was about 7.30, so I decided to get up.
Today has been a much better day, however. In the morning, I took a shower and went down to the combini again, got a drink and then used the payphone to call my Japanese friend's mum, who seemed very pleased to hear from me. I asked her if she would be able to call my parents to let them know I was okay, which she said she would ^^
As I was heading back to my room to plan my next move, I was called over by one of my other friends from Manchester who, as luck would have it, is in the building next door. He showed me to the International Students' Centre (where I am now) so I was able to send a few e-mails, then we went down to the Library and the Science building, where he and a few friendly ladies in the Science office helped me locate my supervisor. He was very nice, as were all the other students and teachers in his lab. After meeting them, and having a quick meeting with my supervisor, we all went to lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. I still didn't have much of an appetite, but I had some chicken noodles as I realised that I had to eat. As it turns out, my supervisor paid for my lunch, which made me feel a little embarrassed ^^' After this, I took a look around the lab, and one of the other students printed off a scientific paper for me to read for background.
After this, it was around 1pm, so I decided to be productive. I went to my room and sorted out one of the forms which I was unable to complete yesterday because I didn't have a small enough photo. Then, I went to submit it and asked the lady there how I could locate my friend. She directed me to the International Student Centre, where the lady at the desk said she'd call my friend's tutor so we could get back in contact. Then I quickly walked to my room again, grabbed some papers so I could send a few e-mails, then I've been here for the past few hours, abusing the aircon and reading this scientific paper XD
Anyway, that's about it for today. I got my friend's e-mail so we can meet up tomorrow as planned ^^' よかった!
That's about all I can think of to say right now, so I'll update again in a few days to tell you about all the latest goings on ^^
お元気で!