Busy Busy Busy

Woo...what a week it's been already.

I really, really, really, really, really, need to kick it into gear. Japanese is kicking my ass -hard- and now I finally have a tutor (who is totally kick ass, friendly, amazing...) and on top of that, I have three potential jobs lined up for this week at $15/hr this week, so I'm happy. I'm just hoping they follow through.

I bombed hard on my test and my last grammar quiz. It was simple mistakes. I'm saddened :<

Not quite what was expected...

Until I can figure out Blogspots hatred of my coding, I'll have to just link you to my images for now!

NipponRose Photodump!

Enjoy!

Gentlemen...BEHOLD!

I HAVE A WORKING LAPTOP! REJOICE, YON MORTALS!

Here's some highlights from the time when my laptop was down that I forgot to write about earlier!

• I got a 95% on my Lesson 12 Grammar Quiz
• I saw an Obama '08 Sticker on a car (IN JAPAN.)
• ¥98 Ramen Bowls at Don Quixote
  
• Dr. Pepper bottles here have really cool label art.
• Read a crapton of novels in the downtime (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Revenge of the Cold Machines, After Dark, The Elephant Vanishes, Norwegian Wood, Kouga Ninja Chinpou, etc, etc)
• Woke up on Sunday to a minor earthquake!
• Wrestled with my bank card the past weekend, wondering why the hell it wouldn't withdraw my funds for rent...(turns out I can only withdraw $400/day)
• The sound of a Japanese evening rain is the most peaceful and beautiful thing ever
• "Future Lounge" on 76.1 is AWESOME.

Also, for those of you wanting photos...the deluge will begin shortly!

ARGH!

Those four letters succintly summarize my exact feelings as of this moment. The past three days have sucked horrendously outside of the fact that I had the free time to study for Japanese, read my history books, study for the GRE, and lounge around. Saturdays have proven to be the bane of my existance as it has been now two, consecutive Saturday's that something near catastrophic has happened to me. A week or so ago, the fan in my laptop burned out. This time? My bank has (assumedly) but a hold on my account so I cannot withdraw any money whatsoever and my rent is due THIS SATURDAY.

Insert massive freaking out.

Doubly so since I have only 1300yen ($13 or so) on hand that needs to 1.) Buy food for Sunday and Tuesday when we are not fed at the dorm (we don't get fed on Sunday's and Tuesday is a national holiday) and 2.) Be able to take my bike out of the bike park (100 yen/day) in order to get to class everyday.

I was especially freaked out when the post office ATM said I had insufficient funds (WTF? I have more than enough money in there!), 7-11 said I had an invalid card...but at the same time it allowed me to look up my account balance @_@; Yeah, calling my bank tonight to go, "OMGWTFBBQ?!" since the card issuer (MasterCard) says there's no block on their end, meaning my bank's probably like, "Oh hay thar, we thought some1 stoled ur card :D"

So, yeah. I'm living on ramen and water for the next two days. Today sucked because I had no other choice but to ride my bike to school (the bus is 210 yen and I'd only have enough for one way in my pocket) and it was downpouring something fierce. My pants are soaked from Daisy Duke level on down, my shoes squeak when I walk on tile, my hair is a mess, and I will probably ride back home in another downpour.

Thank god that tomorrow is a holiday so I can wallow in angst at the fact that I've had to wear wet clothes all day and during my J2 test too. Here's hoping I don't catch a cold from having ridden in the rain for so long. That's the last thing I need =_=;

たくさん宿題があります。

For those playing the homegame sans Japanese language support, my subject for today's post is: I have a lot of homework.

In the last week I added an additional class, making it three I am taking this term for a total of 12 credit hours so that in the next two terms I can focus solely on Intensive Japanese II and III. Which, both in and of themselves are 12 credit hours each. So now my schedule looks like this:

Monday:

Japanese 2 - 10:10-12:40

Tuesday:

Japanese 2 - 10:10-12:40

Wednesday, aka "ZOMG WTF CLASSES ALL DAY":

Japanese 2 - 10:10-12:40
Contemporary Japanese History - 13:15-15:00
Readings in Japanese History I - 15:10-19:00

Thursday:

Japanese 2 - 10:10-12:40

Friday:

Japanese 2 - 10:10-12:40
Contemporary Japanese History - 13:15-15:00
ICU Festival Committee Meeting - 18:00-20:00

I'm not even adding in the potential for Archery or Tea Ceremony Club just yet. I can't do Flower Arranging (Ikebana) due to it taking place while I'm in class on Friday. Sad Panda.

My Japanese class is fairly consistant in homework, and you really do need to study a minimum of two hours a night. And I've been slacking. My Contemporary History class has a good amount of readings and work to keep up with, meanwhile my Readings in Japanese History is pretty laisez-faire. No weekly writings, no real discussion on the readings, a single self-propelled fieldtrip to Yasukuni and a 15 page research paper later...Yarp. All good.

I have to go to Kichijouji again for my Japanese project with Mark, John, and Stewart, which should be fun. One of these days I need to go out to Akihabara and Asakusa...

But for now, homework and preparing for a house-bound weekend as the Typhoon hits. Weee~!

It's Dead, Jim.

Today I woke up to a dead laptop. "Fan Error" in white letters across a black, soul crushing abyss. Despite this dismal revelation, I feel no panic, no distress. I have the wisdom and foresight to realize that this issue, like many others, is merely temporary. In short, my laptop is down until Mike gets the replacement part and ships it out to me. Thankfully, it's just a fan and nothing else; very simple to replace. The only thing that sucks in the wait...

In the meantime, being without a laptop forces me to be more social (GASP!) or to do more leisurely things like read a book, decorate my room, or shop. I went down to Fuchu today to purchase my commuter pass for the train and at the station was a Daiso 100¥ store. Think of like a dollar store crossed with a Big Lots and that's about the idea. I bought a lot of organizational containers from them and only spent about $20 to help further organize my room, as well as a notebook, a new wallet, and various other sundries. Had I had more money, I would've bought out all of the housewares section. They had so many pretties...

This afternoon, I went to Kichijouji with Debra and Eyrun, and it was awesome. I'm glad I decided to go instead of wussing out and going home. What an amazing place. I went to the Sunroad Plaza which is a stretch of road that is canopied and filled with shops, restuarants, everything. I finally was able to find a decent book store and cookies to the first person who can guess what my first manga purchase was. (Hint: It had three movies, a live action series, and has always been dear to my heart ♥!)

Also found an awesome boutique with cute and cheap street style clothing. $10 for something that at the department store would've cost about ten times as much? Yes please! It was a small place called Jam*Pixy (http://www.jampixy.jp). I'll probably be shopping there more often.

What was unexpectedly spectacular about this trip to Kichijouji was that the local shrine festival was in full swing and the mikoshi (port-a-shrine with the Kami Hachiman inside) made its way around town before arriving back at the main shrine proper to be placed inside.

You know those cliche summer shrine festival episodes you see in some anime? THAT WAS ME. I WAS THERE! Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Yakisoba, Kakigouri, all of the Japanese festival food was there. It was so delicious. I visited the shrine proper and asked Hachiman-okamisama to grant me courage while I am in Japan and thanked him for his protection.

It was quite a moment, praying at my first Shinto Shrine ♥!

Afterwards, me, Debra, and Eyrun went hunting for Kaiten Sushi, but alas, we could not find a single establishment. Heading back towards the station, we stopped to watch a local band perform live. (Saturday Night Bremen - http://www.satabure.com) It was great music and the band had a great energy that went into their music. I ended up buying their EP, which I will get to listen to when my laptop lives again!

All in all, it was an awesome night!

Being Blonde Has Its Perks

Today was a rather long day. Not due to courses, but due to the fact that I was on campus from 9:30am to about 7:20pm. Class went very well today, my second test (grammar) went a little poorer than expected (ie: I didn't know there was an exam and didn't study, because damn I need to buy a monthly planner to help me with homework tracking...) but I am determined. You can't learn if you don't make mistakes :)

After that, it was lunch time and I had more delicious curry because the pasta dish had some sauce that I was sort of afraid of and the special bowl was like katsudon curry and that would just...be weird. So regular curry it was. I ate it largely by myself before I trucking off to the library in search of Japanese grammar books to help me get by.

I also sneaked a peek at the Level 1 JLP book to steal its kanji and the more I look at the ICU Japanese books...the more I'm beginning to think that they think we're all some manner of intelligently impaired maroons. Now, J2 is keeping me challenged, which I like, but when the professor is telling me to not use a particular kanji due to it having not yet been learned in class...? Apparently a couple of my commonly used grammar structures are also not something generally learned until LEVEL 5.

Checked out my books and hiked over to the DMH Lounge to grab a Dr. Pepper and then do some reading before meeting up with Debra at Global House until six o'clock rolled around, which leads to my first meeting of the ICU Festival Committee.

A little background: in November in Japan, schools across the nation put on festivals. Like a big open house kind of thing where the students plan everything, organize entertainment, vendors, seminars, and displays of academia everywhere. The ICU Festival Committee has been doing a massive, massive festival every year and it literally takes over the ENTIRETY of campus, which is saying a lot since the campus is massive for being in Tokyo. Food stands, arts and crafts, you name it, the ICU Festival does it, and everything is student organized. It's a pretty important club too, since the Festival is perhaps one of the biggest shindigs and its members serve as primary community leaders at the school.

Earlier this week I inquired about joining and on Tuesday, I signed up. Today was a bit of an officers meeting/they wanted to get to know me. I can't recall how many jikoushoukai (personal introductions, Japanese style) I made, but by the end of the meeting all I could do was smile, nod, and act like the idiot I am since I am the only non-Japanese to ever be in the club.

Today did, however, mark the first time a group of Japanese people called me "Erykah-chan"... ♥♥♥

Toward the end of the meeting (which, save for some informal introductions of sub-committee heads in pretty good English, was all in Japanese), Yuma (Committee Leader) decided that a welcoming party in my honor was a necessity. So, October 10th, the Japanese are throwing me a party \o/ Go me!

Now to decide to whether or not to go to the Para Para Nomikai next weekend. $30 sounds like a lot for an entry fee to a club...

Busy Busy Bee

Classes are now in full swing. Photo's will be a bit rarer until I find an easier way to carry my camera around.

Had my first (last!) history class meeting today and I need to get cracking on a 15 page paper that will be due in mid November that has to be on a topic relevant to the end of the Sengoku Period in Japanese history.

The professor is very funny, and the course content is really engaging. I am so happy that I chose to study here :)

Second Day, First Quiz

Had my first quiz in Japanese class. All I can say is that I rocked its FACe. What a way to start off the new year :D

Sento is Awesome.

Tonight I had my first Sento (hot bath) experience in Japan. For those not in the know, a Sento is a large, public bath where people congregate to chit chat (yes, we're all naked) and relax in a nice, hot, hot bath to soothe away the worries of the world.

I feel like jelly right now. So relaxed and content.

Gooood Morning, ICU!

Live, from the University Library at ICU in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan...It's the...Crap. Yeah, totally don't know what I was shooting for here...Move along, move along.

Well. Today is my first day of class. Japanese II from 10:10 to 12:40, 5 days a week, with Professor Sato. I was a bit of a mess today trying to remember which room it was in and then trying to find the computer labs in the library was quite an adventure. But I found it, got my schedule, printed it out, and all is good.

With only two courses this term, I'm taking it easy peasy, probably best so I can better acclimate myself to living in Japan and also study hard on my Japanese. I want to do well. I know becoming fluent without staying here for another year on top of this year is next to impossible, but with the help of people kicking me in the bum (Dan, Shaye, Yoshi...I'm looking at you three) I will keep fighting to become fluent, one way or another.

Now what to do with myself for the next 40 minutes...

Video Update

(Yes, I know the syncing is off. I blame the camera :<)

Crazy Spaniard Yells At Windmill, Gets Discount Chain Store

Another day, another wake up at 5:30am or so. I am getting upset about this, since I cannot seem for the life of me to go to sleep at a decent hour. Ugh, this is pissing me off so much...

Well, today was my first free day and I spent most of it just trying to tidy up my room so it looks like a pleasant place to visit. However, this required me shopping for a few necessities, which leads us to today's adventure in Tokyo, and the reasoning behind today's subject line:

There is a chain of Big Lots-type stores here in Japan called Don Quioxte(ドン•キホテ), whose mascot is an all-too-happy penguin (drawn in the same style as King Deedidee from Kirby) in a Spanish conquistador helm and astride an equine of some indeterminate origin. The entire store, from the themed building to the jingle that played constantly over the P.A. system, was rather cool. It combines housewares, health and beauty, furniture, magazines and books, electronics, clothes, and just about anything you could think of for discounted prices. It's quite the trip.

I ended up buying a laundry basket, a trash can, some clothespins to hand my laundry from the racks on the roof of the dorm, jewelry cases for my earrings and necklaces, a cup, some minor groceries, batteries, 3M command strips, shampoo, a razor (god bless the Gillette Mach 3 Fusion!), and an umbrella...for far more than I had intended to spend, which makes me worried about what it would've cost had I gone elsewhere =_=;

The downside of today was that Microsoft's updates to Vista has now made it impossible for my Bluetooth mouse (manufactured by Microsoft) to not be recognized by the operating system. Or at least, it see's it, but won't allow it to work. At all. That sucks, since I like my mouse a lot :<

Sigh.

Tomorrow is Sunday and I think that's when Debra said that the French want to take us out to Shinjuku to go drink and karaoke. I'm not sure if I want to go, but hey...best to go out and live now rather than constantly worry about everything that I can't control.

Like the fact that it's only 7:30 and I want to sleeeeeep.

A Day of Leisure

I woke up at 5am again. Damn my sleep schedule being all maladjusted. It's been like this for a few days. I'd pass out around 8pm and wake up at 5am. No joke. At least that way I was able to talk to Mike before he went to class :) Today was *gasp* not an orientation day, but instead the day to register for classes and what not. Since I was a retard and forgot about yesterday being the day for GE courses, I am not taking any this trimester. But I signed up for Japanese 2 and HST 321: Readings in Japanese History I, which will satisfy my history cognate and set me on the path for graduation! HUZZAH!

After registering, meeting with adviser, running into German!Chris like 50-million times, hitting up the bank to pay for my optional insurance and to mail a letter to my dear Michael, me and Debra decided to have lunch at her place over in Global House. It was very sweet of her to treat me to spaghetti with pesto sauce. At least, now I know where to go for food when she wants to cook :)

We also kicked back and reviewed through our textbooks. Debra got placed in J1, so she's taking Intensive. This means we'll be studying together often since I will need help recalling stuff from level 1 and she'll be going through levels 1 and 2 this term alone. The Intensive program is highly accelerated and crazy, which is what I plan to do next term! UN! UN! FAI~TO~!

In short, Debra's performance in Intensive determines my future. Joy of Joys!

After futzing around Global House for awhile, playing Street Fighter II on ye olden Super Famicon (I totally didn't know that Balrog was really M. Bison, M. Bison was really Vega, and Vega was actually Balrog O_O) and reading through the first two volumes of NANA that they had in the library, we went to the April-September meet-n-greet and were split into our groups. I was in "AL" group, along with 6 other September students (Note: ICU has two separate entry times, April and September. September kids are mostly the exchange, transfers, or One Year Regulars like me). Annnnd....no April students showed up. At all. We were le'sad. I did, however, get the contact information of several of the September kids in my group so it's all good :)

We tracked down the coordinator and was all, "Dude, no one showed up!" he shoved us into another room with other students.

Now, mind you, the groups were split up in a specific manner, primarily, based on language comprehension. I went from a group that was supposed to be good with English to a group that did not know enough to hold a conversation. Insert sad times, since these meet-n-greet's were supposed to help us September kids make friends that could help us around and all that jazz.

So that leaves me to here. I hopped the bus and train back home and now a delicious, home-made Japanese dinner awaits me. I wonder what it is...

It Is Relevant To Our Interests!

Today was filled with MOAR ORIENTATION, with a side of LOLZ and OMGWTF ALIEN REGISTRATION, as well as meeting one of the guys who was supposed to be one of the people to help me around in Japan. But first, lets get the dirty details out of the way.

During orientation we learned about important things like how to use the Library, Campus Life, and the crash course on life in Japan (Prof. McCagg: "The Japanese think all non-Japanese are big babies who don't know what they are doing. And for their part, they are largely correct!"). What was probably the best part (other than McCagg's candid insight on living in Japan, since he's been there 30 years) was when the head of the counseling center made us fill out a "First-Year's survey", which asks a bevy of questions as "What made you choose to study in Japan?" and "Why are you here?" The latter had such answers as "I want to learn Japanese" and "I am looking for a boyfriend/girlfriend". You might as well said, "I'm looking for the nearest weed spot in my area. Narcotics FTW."

The counseling center really wants to know what is inside the heads of the kids who just arrived, and trust me, I was so depressed that a lot of my answers (I had to leave the room a couple of times because I just broke down crying ;~;) probably is going to raise a hell of a red flag to them. We'll see in about a week or two when we get a followup message from them in our school mailboxes. Yes, that's right. We have inter-collegiate mailboxes where the professors can drop messages to us without having to post them. Pretty baller, I know.

After that it was lunchin' with the French (Gregory and Ira), Belgian (Chris) and German (Alex) guys before we learned the results of our placement tests.

...

...

To be honest, I'm not surprised that I was placed in J2. It's been a good two years since I solidly studied Japanese and longer since I actually was in a classroom that I would fall behind in the curve. However, looking at the textbook, I see kanji that I don't recognize 100% and I have my reservations.

What this means is that since they do not offer Intensive 2 this semester, and I'm too much of a pussy right now to handle Intensive 1 (and hey, I'm in J2, which is in the last half of Intensive 1), I'll take it easy this first term and take my history course as well, guaranteeing my graduation come this summer <3

After that, me, Ann (one of my dorm-mates who is hyperactive and LOUD), and her section mates (Japanese who help the settling in) Junko and Kana as well as one of mine that showed up, Takahiro, we decided to go on the grand adventure to Fuchu to do... ALIEN REGISTRATION (Nanu nanu?)

But first, allow me to insert mass squeeing because this was my first trip to Fuchu proper, and right next to the Government office are the grounds of a respectable sized 神社, or Shinto Shrine. Not to mention, central Fuchu is gorgeous and full of win. I think I'll prefer hanging around there than Chofu and it's only 1 stop on the Keio Line.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programing:

Most of the forms were bilingual and for the most part, the clerks knew enough English to give us the idea of what was needed to be done. However, it was still nice to have Junko, Kana, and Takahiro there to make sure everything went off without a hitch (I should find them and give them a gift...) So in two weeks, I will have my official GAIJIN CARD, MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. But until then, my temporary one as well as my health insurance card proves my identity so I can open bank account and get a cellphone if I can afford one.

Random Musings:

Tommy Lee Jones is the FACE of Boss Coffee
Long Haired Dachshunds are all the rage (I've seen like 5 alone today)
The Cats in Japan act more like Dogs and are everywhere
So many cute uniforms...

A Delay - Suntory is My Boss :(

I know I promised daily photo updates, but the itinerary for this week makes it neigh impossible to tote around a pretty meaty camera and take pictures in sweltering temperatures and crazy humidity.

So instead of a mass update of photos (which I will back post from the 1st of September at some point) I leave you with just this one: a vending machine in 1-Midori Chome, Higashi-Fuchu-shi, Tokyo, Japan.

Boss Coffee: FUCK YEAH.