Well, a lot has happened (well, at least a bit) since I moved yesterday but since I don not have internet yet I will update later. Apparently the entire school is closed today too, which means I can not use the international student center. Right now I am in an internet cafe that has everything (manga, pool, darts, etc). Quite handy actually. Well, while I wait for internet connection at home (might take weeks, sigh), the time between updates will vary.
Anyway, some things I noticed in Japan.
- While I knew that people drove on the left、still not that used to it. This comes up when I bike. The fact that people stand on the left while going up escalators feels different too.
- keys turn differently too. While in the US it is standard to turn the key towards the wall to lock it, it is the opposite in Japan. Not used to it as well.
- I HATE Japanese keyboards, the keys are in different locations and I can not type on these. I had literally close to one hundred typos just trying to write this entry. I will stop now so I don`t have to break something.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Day 6 - Moving Tomorrow
Woke up late because I could and went to this huge shopping mall place, rumored to be the largest in Eastern Japan. It was pretty nice but I was mostly trying to kill time and see what the place was like. Some nice shops so I will probably stop by some other time.
Finally finalized my housing paperwork and all I have to do tomorrow is pay the first month's rent (which, incidentally, is actually 4.05 times the actual rent) and get my key. Japanese rental system has a lot of "hidden" fees that everyone knows about. You usually pay an extra 1-2 months rent to the owner, put down 1-2 months for a deposit (which you will most likely not get back because the money is used to repair and damage, including wear and tear, after you move out, and around 1 month to the real estate agent (mine was 1.05). I was lucky because the deposit and gift money was only one month each. I feel sorry for people who have to pay up to half a year's rent for one month.
Played some volleyball with Taiwanese students there. First time since high school and I was not that good, though surprisingly I was not as bad as I thought I would be. My arms were really red though.
Once I move I should have more consistent internet. See you guys then!
Finally finalized my housing paperwork and all I have to do tomorrow is pay the first month's rent (which, incidentally, is actually 4.05 times the actual rent) and get my key. Japanese rental system has a lot of "hidden" fees that everyone knows about. You usually pay an extra 1-2 months rent to the owner, put down 1-2 months for a deposit (which you will most likely not get back because the money is used to repair and damage, including wear and tear, after you move out, and around 1 month to the real estate agent (mine was 1.05). I was lucky because the deposit and gift money was only one month each. I feel sorry for people who have to pay up to half a year's rent for one month.
Played some volleyball with Taiwanese students there. First time since high school and I was not that good, though surprisingly I was not as bad as I thought I would be. My arms were really red though.
Once I move I should have more consistent internet. See you guys then!
iPhone sadness
Ok, it is official, I regret not being patient and getting an iPhone. I love browsing electronic stores, and unfortunately that means I am bombarded with cell phone marketing. After finally looking at the iPhone plan today, I realized that I am not only missing out on a handy phone, I am not really saving much money anyway. If I am reading the signs correctly, a new 3Gs 16gb only costs around $125 (spread over two years), and users also get a huge discount ($15-20) off their monthly fees as well. My phone may be free, but I don’t get the special iPhone discount, which might end up being more than the cost of my phone. Of course, I am not sure how getting a one year contract or something changes the iPhone deal, but since I have to pay a $100 contract-breaking fee for my phone in the end anyway, it can’t be that big a difference. And, even if I don’t have AT&T in the US, I could have always used the iPhone as a Touch anyway. Sigh.
Note to self, be patient net time. Don’t rush into buying anything, especially a phone, even if you feel that you need it. I learned the lesson, but that does not change the bitter feeling I have now. I tend to dwell on stuff I can not change way too much. Oh well, at least I am in Japan.
Note to self, be patient net time. Don’t rush into buying anything, especially a phone, even if you feel that you need it. I learned the lesson, but that does not change the bitter feeling I have now. I tend to dwell on stuff I can not change way too much. Oh well, at least I am in Japan.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
HD TV or Monitor?
Disclaimer: This entry will probably be boring to many.
Hmmm.... how wasteful should I be? Get an HDTV for probably around $350-450 or get a good monitor for around $150-200 and buy a cheap, regular, used TV (less than $100 for sure, might be close to 0) or a TV tuner (not sure about the prices but not too cheap).
HDTV is nice and saves space. If I decide to get a PS3 here (seriously considering, but waiting on FF13 and how social I want to/should be), I would need an HDTV. I want to hook the TV as a second monitor for my laptop as well. That means, however, that I will only have a second monitor or a TV, not both at the same time. The HDTV will probably be easier to sell when I leave, though probably at a huge discount.
Monitor+TV is obviously cheaper but takes up more space. I'm used to dual monitors and honestly, while HD is always nice I am used to crappy TV displays.
Of course, then there is the brand and size to consider. I used a 17'' in college but want at least a 19-22'' now. It seems that 22 is the norm now (bigger better for gaming) but 19 is cheaper and I can get a better brand. Of course, the brand always counts but since I am here only for one year, it might not matter that much. Better brand would be easier to resell though.
When you start living on your own you always have these urges to go out and splurge on something. First is was my phone, now it is this.
EDIT: Apparently I forgot about Monitor/HD TV hybrids that are cheaper. Can anyone explain to be how to use a built-in TV tuner to watch tv on a monitor?
EDIT: Or maybe just get a external HD TV tuner for a good monitor? You guys an see where I have been wasting my time....
Hmmm.... how wasteful should I be? Get an HDTV for probably around $350-450 or get a good monitor for around $150-200 and buy a cheap, regular, used TV (less than $100 for sure, might be close to 0) or a TV tuner (not sure about the prices but not too cheap).
HDTV is nice and saves space. If I decide to get a PS3 here (seriously considering, but waiting on FF13 and how social I want to/should be), I would need an HDTV. I want to hook the TV as a second monitor for my laptop as well. That means, however, that I will only have a second monitor or a TV, not both at the same time. The HDTV will probably be easier to sell when I leave, though probably at a huge discount.
Monitor+TV is obviously cheaper but takes up more space. I'm used to dual monitors and honestly, while HD is always nice I am used to crappy TV displays.
Of course, then there is the brand and size to consider. I used a 17'' in college but want at least a 19-22'' now. It seems that 22 is the norm now (bigger better for gaming) but 19 is cheaper and I can get a better brand. Of course, the brand always counts but since I am here only for one year, it might not matter that much. Better brand would be easier to resell though.
When you start living on your own you always have these urges to go out and splurge on something. First is was my phone, now it is this.
EDIT: Apparently I forgot about Monitor/HD TV hybrids that are cheaper. Can anyone explain to be how to use a built-in TV tuner to watch tv on a monitor?
EDIT: Or maybe just get a external HD TV tuner for a good monitor? You guys an see where I have been wasting my time....
Day Five (gotta make more interesting titles)
So, I didn't have much to do today.
- Woke up, checked some stuff, and then went to the real estae agent to pick up my housing contract. Brought it to be signed by my advisor, the International Student Center for them to look at it and become my guarantor, pay some insurance stuff, etc. Have to go pick up the contract again tomorrow and my future home is supposed to be cleaned as well. Hoping to move in on Saturday (but then I will have to get furniture and stuff, sigh).
- Meeting with my advisor for lunch (when I got him to sign to the housing stuff). He took me out for sushi (nice sushi, not 100 yen sushi. it was good but I doubt I will be go there many times. student budget, you know) and asked me many questions about myself. Actually, it was probably because I was being the typical bad conversational partner I am as I did not ask him many questions about himself. One reason, I was hella nervous and my Japanese SUCKED. I am not exaggerating either, I missed some of the most basic questions he was asking because I was overthinking it. I am rusty, but I also just suck at conversation.
EDIT: Also, he gave me copies of all of his books. Well, one book and three that he was editor for. He signed it personally as well, which was nice of him.
- I really need to step it up or I might be put into beginning Japanese classes here .They make a note that they don't test your knowledge of Japanese but how well you can survive in Japan. In other words, they are not testing my strength but focusing on my weakness, not good.
- stuff i needed to do ended kind of early, so I went.....shopping. Haha, seriously, I really did. Well, I went looking at electronics at first (sadly, Tsukuba is not Tokyo so my options were kind of limited). Also, PRICEY! Mainly I got a wireless transmitter (or whatever they are called) so I can share internet with my neighbor (his internet, I am splitting the cost I guess). Got some clothes too, surprise surprise! And not only sports stuff too, a pair of regular shorts and a shirt too. Since it is the end of summer sale in Japan now stuff was discounted like crazy, otherwise you would never see John actually shop for clothes. Haha.
- Going to the electronic store might have been a mistake as I saw that the iPhone was available there. Now I am trying to convince myself that I made the right choice by not going to another store and holding out for the iPhone.
Pros: I got a cheaper phone, can spend money on TV/monitor without feeling as guilty, even if I did get an iPhone I have Verizon in the US and switching networks could be a pain.
Cons: iPhone could be used in the US, some apps would be helpful in Japan, especially dictionary/Japanese phrases database. It has a nice interface.
Well, whatever, I can't change my plan now anyway. I have a knack of worrying about stuff that is out of my control. Also, I am pretty sure that Japan phones run differently from US phones so most phones bought in Japan will not work in the United States (or so I have been told). iPhone is an exception because it is US-made I believe.
- Woke up, checked some stuff, and then went to the real estae agent to pick up my housing contract. Brought it to be signed by my advisor, the International Student Center for them to look at it and become my guarantor, pay some insurance stuff, etc. Have to go pick up the contract again tomorrow and my future home is supposed to be cleaned as well. Hoping to move in on Saturday (but then I will have to get furniture and stuff, sigh).
- Meeting with my advisor for lunch (when I got him to sign to the housing stuff). He took me out for sushi (nice sushi, not 100 yen sushi. it was good but I doubt I will be go there many times. student budget, you know) and asked me many questions about myself. Actually, it was probably because I was being the typical bad conversational partner I am as I did not ask him many questions about himself. One reason, I was hella nervous and my Japanese SUCKED. I am not exaggerating either, I missed some of the most basic questions he was asking because I was overthinking it. I am rusty, but I also just suck at conversation.
EDIT: Also, he gave me copies of all of his books. Well, one book and three that he was editor for. He signed it personally as well, which was nice of him.
- I really need to step it up or I might be put into beginning Japanese classes here .They make a note that they don't test your knowledge of Japanese but how well you can survive in Japan. In other words, they are not testing my strength but focusing on my weakness, not good.
- stuff i needed to do ended kind of early, so I went.....shopping. Haha, seriously, I really did. Well, I went looking at electronics at first (sadly, Tsukuba is not Tokyo so my options were kind of limited). Also, PRICEY! Mainly I got a wireless transmitter (or whatever they are called) so I can share internet with my neighbor (his internet, I am splitting the cost I guess). Got some clothes too, surprise surprise! And not only sports stuff too, a pair of regular shorts and a shirt too. Since it is the end of summer sale in Japan now stuff was discounted like crazy, otherwise you would never see John actually shop for clothes. Haha.
- Going to the electronic store might have been a mistake as I saw that the iPhone was available there. Now I am trying to convince myself that I made the right choice by not going to another store and holding out for the iPhone.
Pros: I got a cheaper phone, can spend money on TV/monitor without feeling as guilty, even if I did get an iPhone I have Verizon in the US and switching networks could be a pain.
Cons: iPhone could be used in the US, some apps would be helpful in Japan, especially dictionary/Japanese phrases database. It has a nice interface.
Well, whatever, I can't change my plan now anyway. I have a knack of worrying about stuff that is out of my control. Also, I am pretty sure that Japan phones run differently from US phones so most phones bought in Japan will not work in the United States (or so I have been told). iPhone is an exception because it is US-made I believe.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Fourth Day
I realized that my last entry was wayyyyy too long and people tend not to read entries like that (from personal experience as well). So I will stick to highlights now.
- got my bank account, seemed relatively painless
- got my cell phone! unfortunately, the store was out of iPhones, so I decided to get the cheapest cell phone available, which is still quite good compared to US phones (Softbank 830P). I charged it to my US credit card in order to get a discount and hopefully BoA is not overzealous again and blocks a transaction from Japan. At least I can continue to complain about iPhone prices without sounding like a hypocrite and I can feel better about buying a nice TV/monitor since I probably saved close to $400.
- did some basic shopping, met some more students from Taiwan (not much interaction though), came back to find two boxes of misc. stuff outside my door (left from previous Fulbrighters, one who already left and one who is leaving tomorrow). At least I should be able to save on small things.
- noticed that summer clothing is on super-sales right now in Japan as we enter fall. Maybe I should get some stuff? Sounds very un-John-like, shopping and all. Some nice deals on athletic apparel though. That is more like it.
- meeting with my advisor tomorrow for lunch. Not sure what to expect and hoping not to sound like an idiot with my broken Japanese and my sadly, still incomplete knowledge of my own topic. I wish I knew more about Japanese baseball going in to tomorrow's meeting.
Anyways, hoping that things will go well. Later people.
- got my bank account, seemed relatively painless
- got my cell phone! unfortunately, the store was out of iPhones, so I decided to get the cheapest cell phone available, which is still quite good compared to US phones (Softbank 830P). I charged it to my US credit card in order to get a discount and hopefully BoA is not overzealous again and blocks a transaction from Japan. At least I can continue to complain about iPhone prices without sounding like a hypocrite and I can feel better about buying a nice TV/monitor since I probably saved close to $400.
- did some basic shopping, met some more students from Taiwan (not much interaction though), came back to find two boxes of misc. stuff outside my door (left from previous Fulbrighters, one who already left and one who is leaving tomorrow). At least I should be able to save on small things.
- noticed that summer clothing is on super-sales right now in Japan as we enter fall. Maybe I should get some stuff? Sounds very un-John-like, shopping and all. Some nice deals on athletic apparel though. That is more like it.
- meeting with my advisor tomorrow for lunch. Not sure what to expect and hoping not to sound like an idiot with my broken Japanese and my sadly, still incomplete knowledge of my own topic. I wish I knew more about Japanese baseball going in to tomorrow's meeting.
Anyways, hoping that things will go well. Later people.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Third Day, up and down
So my third day started with something unrelated to Japan. Recurring dreams are a weird thing, especially ones which end up badly. Sometimes you realize early on that you have had the same dream before, but this time I didn't until the very end (the bad plot twist) because it had been a while. I don't want to get into too much detail but yeah, dreams can be a no-win situation if they are about something that didn't happen but you wished it did. If the dream goes bad (like this time) you wake up with a sour taste in your mouth; if it continues well you wake up and realize it is all fake (and still get a sour taste). So yeah, not the most promising start of the day.
Got some free stuff from Dan (previous Fulbrighter) in the morning before meeting up with Luo (the grad student here who is helping me) before lunch. Went to the International Student Center and got some info about house hunting (and how the university can act as my guarantor). Next, bike! You pretty much need a bike if you want to go anywhere in Japan (except maybe in Tokyo and some select cities?). Got one used at 7500 yen, which isn't the cheapest I could have gotten but it was in better condition than some of the other ones I saw and I pretty much needed to bike to get around. Convenience was probably worth the extra money.
House hunting we go! Since I am not very picky about housing, we looked over some places and finally decided that renting a place next to Luo could be beneficial to me. It is cheap (30,000 yen) with decent facilities (shared washing machine, but in some ways itis better than having your own since you don't pay for the water), relatively clean and in a decent neighborhood. I am slightly apprehensive that I did not look at many other options but I rationalized that another place would most likely be similar in price and size (I could get a bigger, more expensive place, but I have lived in so many small rooms before the standard small Japanese rooms should work for me) and would not be significantly different in other aspects. With the place I "have" now, there is someone next door who can help me with most problems I will encounter here (he is fluent, a Ph.D student studying Japan-Taiwan IR history). As he said, outside of your own country people have to help each other. I guess I have an advantage in that I can tap into the Taiwanese student connection (60-70 strong I hear) and the Western student connection (have not really met anyone yet). I'll probably go more into detail when I actually move in. I technically do not have the contract yet but I should finalize everything in a few days. Since I have never rented my own place elsewhere I can't say how the house hunting procedure is compared to other countries but it seemed a bit complex for me.
Went to lunch feeling pretty productive but that soon ended after I realized I lost the key for my bike lock (after 2 hours?!). To be fair the bike keys in Japan are SUPER light, like less than a pencil and really small. It must have fell out of my pocket when I took my wallet out to pay for lunch but I could not find it at all. Needless to say, I sort of panicked. Thankfully Luo was there and he helped me find a bike shop which was willing to help me with my problem. Some more important info, you need to register your bike (like you do for a car in the US) in Japan in order to stop theft. I guess there is such a big demand for used bikes in Japan that the industry is quite strong. Since I just bought my bike in the morning, the bike was not technically registered to me yet (doubt a shop owner is that diligent as they have to go to the police station and all). Thankfully, with some smooth talking by Luo (and pity of me?)I was able to get the lock removed and get a new one. Not the drama I planned to have so early in my stay but thankfully it ended relatively quickly.
Went to City Hall and registered as an Alien and got my Health Insurance. According to statistics from February, 2009, there are about 2200 registered Chinese Aliens (apparently Taiwan counts as China in Japan, but that is not unexpected) but only ~150 Americans. I guess that is what you get when your prefecture is known for its agriculture (btw, the rice fields are pretty). However, it seems that there are foreigners from literally almost every country in the world, including the African ones. Did not see that coming either.
Did some more paperwork, contacted my advisor, was shown around the campus/city a bit, blah blah blah. I applaud you if you are still reading. Pretty long day and pretty productive, now I just need to open my bank account, get a cell phone, and finish the paperwork for my apartment. Planning to do the first two tomorrow (can't touch 3 until Thursday).
Oh, and despite my distaste for Apple products (not the actual products but the price and advertising), I am thinking of getting an iPhone here. Reasoning, there is a huge discount on iPhones in Japan and phones are usually hella expensive in Japan. With the discount the price o the iPhone is really low (or so I hear, i have to check myself tomorrow). Jamie said his iPhone 3G 8gb is pretty much going to be free after his discount. I am hoping for a 3Gs (more future proof) so I will see what the prices look like, but it looks decent now. However, I have one more worry. Getting an iPhone means signing up for the data packet, which is basically ~$40 a month. I could get a nice phone and pay the extra money ($500+ for the year) or just get a simple phone and pay pretty much nothing for the entire year (student discount plus low usage, excluding the price of the phone). I have never been a huge cellphone user (sent...less than 10 texts in the past two years, reached 20-40 minutes of calling per month in college). However, it would be nice to have internet with you where you go, plus now I am actually living by myself I might need to use my phone more? One Fulbrighter suggested getting one while the other said he never really used his phone, so tie there as well. I want to save the money but I am tempted by the perks (plus, I might be able to use the iPhone when I leave Japan, unlike almost all other Japanese phones). Leaning towards iPhone but I do not want to be wasteful, especially since I want to get a good TV/monitor as well (I need two screens to watch my shows and work at the same time!). You can't really buy them used either.
This is wayyyyy too long and boring, so I will end it now. I'll update with more useless info later on when the battery og my laptop is not dangerously low. Oh, and a big shout out to Luo, who is literally saving my butt here in Japan. Without him translating for me and helping me get used to the environment, I would have probably gotten only 10% of what I did today done. Thanks!
Got some free stuff from Dan (previous Fulbrighter) in the morning before meeting up with Luo (the grad student here who is helping me) before lunch. Went to the International Student Center and got some info about house hunting (and how the university can act as my guarantor). Next, bike! You pretty much need a bike if you want to go anywhere in Japan (except maybe in Tokyo and some select cities?). Got one used at 7500 yen, which isn't the cheapest I could have gotten but it was in better condition than some of the other ones I saw and I pretty much needed to bike to get around. Convenience was probably worth the extra money.
House hunting we go! Since I am not very picky about housing, we looked over some places and finally decided that renting a place next to Luo could be beneficial to me. It is cheap (30,000 yen) with decent facilities (shared washing machine, but in some ways itis better than having your own since you don't pay for the water), relatively clean and in a decent neighborhood. I am slightly apprehensive that I did not look at many other options but I rationalized that another place would most likely be similar in price and size (I could get a bigger, more expensive place, but I have lived in so many small rooms before the standard small Japanese rooms should work for me) and would not be significantly different in other aspects. With the place I "have" now, there is someone next door who can help me with most problems I will encounter here (he is fluent, a Ph.D student studying Japan-Taiwan IR history). As he said, outside of your own country people have to help each other. I guess I have an advantage in that I can tap into the Taiwanese student connection (60-70 strong I hear) and the Western student connection (have not really met anyone yet). I'll probably go more into detail when I actually move in. I technically do not have the contract yet but I should finalize everything in a few days. Since I have never rented my own place elsewhere I can't say how the house hunting procedure is compared to other countries but it seemed a bit complex for me.
Went to lunch feeling pretty productive but that soon ended after I realized I lost the key for my bike lock (after 2 hours?!). To be fair the bike keys in Japan are SUPER light, like less than a pencil and really small. It must have fell out of my pocket when I took my wallet out to pay for lunch but I could not find it at all. Needless to say, I sort of panicked. Thankfully Luo was there and he helped me find a bike shop which was willing to help me with my problem. Some more important info, you need to register your bike (like you do for a car in the US) in Japan in order to stop theft. I guess there is such a big demand for used bikes in Japan that the industry is quite strong. Since I just bought my bike in the morning, the bike was not technically registered to me yet (doubt a shop owner is that diligent as they have to go to the police station and all). Thankfully, with some smooth talking by Luo (and pity of me?)I was able to get the lock removed and get a new one. Not the drama I planned to have so early in my stay but thankfully it ended relatively quickly.
Went to City Hall and registered as an Alien and got my Health Insurance. According to statistics from February, 2009, there are about 2200 registered Chinese Aliens (apparently Taiwan counts as China in Japan, but that is not unexpected) but only ~150 Americans. I guess that is what you get when your prefecture is known for its agriculture (btw, the rice fields are pretty). However, it seems that there are foreigners from literally almost every country in the world, including the African ones. Did not see that coming either.
Did some more paperwork, contacted my advisor, was shown around the campus/city a bit, blah blah blah. I applaud you if you are still reading. Pretty long day and pretty productive, now I just need to open my bank account, get a cell phone, and finish the paperwork for my apartment. Planning to do the first two tomorrow (can't touch 3 until Thursday).
Oh, and despite my distaste for Apple products (not the actual products but the price and advertising), I am thinking of getting an iPhone here. Reasoning, there is a huge discount on iPhones in Japan and phones are usually hella expensive in Japan. With the discount the price o the iPhone is really low (or so I hear, i have to check myself tomorrow). Jamie said his iPhone 3G 8gb is pretty much going to be free after his discount. I am hoping for a 3Gs (more future proof) so I will see what the prices look like, but it looks decent now. However, I have one more worry. Getting an iPhone means signing up for the data packet, which is basically ~$40 a month. I could get a nice phone and pay the extra money ($500+ for the year) or just get a simple phone and pay pretty much nothing for the entire year (student discount plus low usage, excluding the price of the phone). I have never been a huge cellphone user (sent...less than 10 texts in the past two years, reached 20-40 minutes of calling per month in college). However, it would be nice to have internet with you where you go, plus now I am actually living by myself I might need to use my phone more? One Fulbrighter suggested getting one while the other said he never really used his phone, so tie there as well. I want to save the money but I am tempted by the perks (plus, I might be able to use the iPhone when I leave Japan, unlike almost all other Japanese phones). Leaning towards iPhone but I do not want to be wasteful, especially since I want to get a good TV/monitor as well (I need two screens to watch my shows and work at the same time!). You can't really buy them used either.
This is wayyyyy too long and boring, so I will end it now. I'll update with more useless info later on when the battery og my laptop is not dangerously low. Oh, and a big shout out to Luo, who is literally saving my butt here in Japan. Without him translating for me and helping me get used to the environment, I would have probably gotten only 10% of what I did today done. Thanks!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Second Day
It was my second day in Japan and yet I do not know if it has really hit me that I will be in this country for the next year.. Despite bring in a country that I am not totally familiar with, language or culture, besides the occasional time I find myself looking up to the sky and thinking, "I am really in Japan, wow," I don't really feel anything. Maybe it is my way of coping with my extreme nervousness. Does that make sense, feeling really nervous but nothing at the same time? It sounds weird, but that is what I feel.
Woke up at a decent time for once (8 AM! has not happened in a lonnnnnng time). After getting some breakfast, I set off to the Fulbright office in Japan and experienced first hand how crowded a subway can get. I thought the crowd in Taipei during New Years was bad, but now I see what Japanese people (or at least in Tokyo) have to deal with going to work. Let us just say that it is not comfortable getting pushed from behind until you are basically a sandwich, especially if you have a piece of luggage with you.
Since I was the first Fulbrighter to arrive in Japan (My university starts earlier than most Japanese ones; other people arrive mid-September), I got a quick, basic run-through of what to expect and what to do. I will still go to the group orientation in September but hopefully I won't really need it. I also got my first check and I now have huge wad of bills hiding somewhere in my hotel room (no bank account yet). I must admit that when you have a few thousand dollars on hand you are a lot more careful about where it is all the time. Met up with a current Fulbrighter (Dan) at Tsukuba who is leaving in a few days and he was very helpful in answering my questions and offering me advice. Also took me to Tsukuba after we meet up with his girlfriend (Mio?). Note to self, do not try to arrange a meeting with someone when you don't have a cellphone and you did not specify an exact meeting place.
Chinese extended families (including the numerous god-siblings that people from our parents' generation have) are notoriously large, but those connections can be really helpful sometimes. I found out this summer that my mom has a god-sister who works as the head of foreign languages at Zheng-Da University in Taiwan who, as luck has it, did her Ph.D work at Tsukuba University. She has a student who is currently doing his Ph.D work at Tsukuba and she give me his contact info. After Dan and Mio helped me find my hotel, I called and meet up with him and he was also really helpful in answering questions and giving advice. He offered to help me with finding a place to live (my primary concern) and all of the paperwork I have to do here. I can probably tap into the Taiwanese student network here as well, which might prove to be invaluable (since one has a car). I must say that as much as I stress out and worry about things, they do tend to work out for me in the end.
So now I am in the lobby of my current hotel (well, more like a cheap place to stay) using their wi-fi. I do miss the nice room I had last night in Tokyo with the huge and comfy bed, in-room internet, TV and all, but considering one night there costs the same as the 4 nights I will be staying here, yeah, I can live with bringing my laptop to the lobby to use the internet. Tomorrow I will check out the international student center to get some more info and start looking for an apartment, hope things go as well as things recently have (knock on wood).
Woke up at a decent time for once (8 AM! has not happened in a lonnnnnng time). After getting some breakfast, I set off to the Fulbright office in Japan and experienced first hand how crowded a subway can get. I thought the crowd in Taipei during New Years was bad, but now I see what Japanese people (or at least in Tokyo) have to deal with going to work. Let us just say that it is not comfortable getting pushed from behind until you are basically a sandwich, especially if you have a piece of luggage with you.
Since I was the first Fulbrighter to arrive in Japan (My university starts earlier than most Japanese ones; other people arrive mid-September), I got a quick, basic run-through of what to expect and what to do. I will still go to the group orientation in September but hopefully I won't really need it. I also got my first check and I now have huge wad of bills hiding somewhere in my hotel room (no bank account yet). I must admit that when you have a few thousand dollars on hand you are a lot more careful about where it is all the time. Met up with a current Fulbrighter (Dan) at Tsukuba who is leaving in a few days and he was very helpful in answering my questions and offering me advice. Also took me to Tsukuba after we meet up with his girlfriend (Mio?). Note to self, do not try to arrange a meeting with someone when you don't have a cellphone and you did not specify an exact meeting place.
Chinese extended families (including the numerous god-siblings that people from our parents' generation have) are notoriously large, but those connections can be really helpful sometimes. I found out this summer that my mom has a god-sister who works as the head of foreign languages at Zheng-Da University in Taiwan who, as luck has it, did her Ph.D work at Tsukuba University. She has a student who is currently doing his Ph.D work at Tsukuba and she give me his contact info. After Dan and Mio helped me find my hotel, I called and meet up with him and he was also really helpful in answering questions and giving advice. He offered to help me with finding a place to live (my primary concern) and all of the paperwork I have to do here. I can probably tap into the Taiwanese student network here as well, which might prove to be invaluable (since one has a car). I must say that as much as I stress out and worry about things, they do tend to work out for me in the end.
So now I am in the lobby of my current hotel (well, more like a cheap place to stay) using their wi-fi. I do miss the nice room I had last night in Tokyo with the huge and comfy bed, in-room internet, TV and all, but considering one night there costs the same as the 4 nights I will be staying here, yeah, I can live with bringing my laptop to the lobby to use the internet. Tomorrow I will check out the international student center to get some more info and start looking for an apartment, hope things go as well as things recently have (knock on wood).
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Weight?
Failed to check out what amenities the hotel offered and bought a toothbrush and razor when I didn't have to. Oh well, at least it was only 300 yen. On the other hand, I hope the hotel's scale is broken or I would have lost over 20 pounds this summer (I know I have not been eating a lot this summer, but seriously, 127 pounds?!?).
I have always liked kids, but sitting next to two 3 years olds on the plane is not a pleasant situation when they are whining, crying, and yelling at the top of their lungs. I don't know whether they are spoiled are not (moms listened to them always but seemed embarrassed about their child's behavior) but those kids need to learn to quiet down. And I do realize this is slightly ironic considering I am pretty loud myself sometimes.
I have always liked kids, but sitting next to two 3 years olds on the plane is not a pleasant situation when they are whining, crying, and yelling at the top of their lungs. I don't know whether they are spoiled are not (moms listened to them always but seemed embarrassed about their child's behavior) but those kids need to learn to quiet down. And I do realize this is slightly ironic considering I am pretty loud myself sometimes.
At the Airport
Well, waiting for my flight with free internet at the airport after pulling an all-nighter in an attempt to correct my crazy sleep schedule (4-5 AM to 12-1 PM). Slight problem with my luggage while checking in. When I was reading the baggage allowance on Japan Airline's website, I read two pieces of luggage and 20 kg/44 pounds. Without reading it clearly, I assumed I had could bring two pieces of luggage at 20kg each. Unfortunately, it was two pieces of luggage for a total of 20kg. So yeah, I ended up with almost double of the weight limit (39 kg). The airline was kind enough to up the weight limit to 23 kg for me (the allowance for the flight to US) and cut the cost in half for me (which was originally ~$16/kg). Ended up paying ~$130, but at least I am on my way to Japan. Slight hit-tip to James, haha.
Leaving
T minus 5 hours. Don't know when the next time I return to Taiwan will be (my mom is pushing for Chinese New Year or next summer). Japan, you have an excited but extremely nervous Fulbrighter coming your way.
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