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.

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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...