Day 270 - 27th of May

8:12am　浅草スマイル

I’m in the main building of the hostel, on the third floor, sitting in front of the computer. My flight’s booked for today; I did it soon after we got here a little before 7. Remarkably, as soon as I had booked, mum rang up telling me that dad was just about to book the same flight, so luckily I let them know just in time. Carly’s sleeping in her room now, and we’ll probably be leaving here at about 10; back to the airport again. At least I can get some sleep on the train there; I got about an hour this morning coming back from Tsudanuma at a quarter to 5; it was too cold in Makkas to sleep. Anyway, the worst is over, and now I can look forward to going home tonight…

12:39pm　押上

We’re on the platform at Oshiage, waiting for the rapid to Narita Airport. Carly’s flight is at 5:30, so we’re leaving plenty of leeway just in case; it does take a long time to get to the airport, and we don’t want the same thing happening again. In fact, Carly too had had the wrong flight time in her head, and it was only because her mum sent her the itinerary, that she realised the actual time; so lucky!!! At almost 10, we went downstairs, and made our way over to the 7/11 for some breakfast; last jelly cup in Japan. We sat in the empty bar to eat, and then I got my itinerary printed off; my flights not till 20:55. So, I have a little while longer to wait around, but that’s okay; still have to write out the last set of postcards. Anyway, after breakfast, I noticed there was a keyboard in the room, and couldn’t resist banging on it for a while; I tried out my new sheet music. Time past swiftly, and soon it was 12. This was when we made our leave for the Toei Line; it wasn’t much fun at all. We had to talk all the way over to the other side of the station to find the elevator, and then walk all the way back underground to get to the tracks; Japan, you really aren’t very wheelchair friendly, or for that matter, unbelievably luggage-laden people friendly. Well, we did it and now the hardest part is over. Now all we have to do is ride the train to the airport, get off and wait. Perhaps they’ll have showers and I’ll be able to freshen up; I haven’t had a shower in over 24 hours!!!

4:28pm　成田空港

Carly has just gone through security, so she’s on her way; I still have a while to wait. I’m sitting here in the waiting area, reading some of the readings on the wall and they’re just great – ‘To “Samurai”, no sword allowed into aircraft,’ and ‘To business people of the world, sharp objects are prohibited on board except for your sharp brains.’ Just a little bit of amusement to keep me occupied… After arriving at the airport (it took well over an hour), we went through “security” (they were so lax, all we had to do was show our passports), and then Carly went to check in; Jetstar staff hadn’t arrived at that point as I soon found out. So, Carly got to get rid of all her checked baggage, but I had to continue lugging around mine. We found the toilets, and took it in turns, changing and freshening up. They didn’t have any showers, but I still feel way better now that I’ve changed clothes and brushed my teeth. I also got my carryon bag packed a bit better; it was very rushed last night. After that, we had lunch and I felt it only right to once again indulge in Japanese cuisine, and what better meal than gyudon and miso soup; I’m feeling good now. Now I just have to wait until 5:30 before the Jetstar check in begins, so I think I’ll write out these postcards…

7:57pm　成田空港

It feels good to sit down; I’m nearby gate 88, the very farthest in the airport; tells you something about Jetstar right. After checking in, I did some last minute souvenir shopping and mailed my postcards, before getting through customs smoothly. I bought some sweets and sake in the duty free area, and then had omu rice for dinner; my last meal in Japan. I;m glad it was nice, though a tad expensive; it’s airport food after all. Basically straight after dinner I came here; had to take the shuttle. I realised I’m an hour early, but I really don’t feel like doing anything else; I’m absolutely beat. We’ll probably start boarding pretty soon anyway. I’ll be happy when I’m on the plane, and hopefully I’ll be able to get some sleep. Well, it’s been a long day, and an even longer journey. This will be my last blog entry; of this I will be very glad. I feel this blog has helped me in many ways, and may provide others with an inside perspective on ryugakusei life. It’s been a big job though, and it’ll probably be weird not to feel obligated to write an entry every day. A lot of things will feel weird going back. While I felt very little culture shock, I think the reverse culture shock will hit me hard; at least I don’t have to worry about jet lag. I can’t wait to see my family tomorrow; one day too late! It’s my nan’s birthday tomorrow and I think hugging her will be the best present of all. Well, it’s been a pleasure. Hopefully you have gotten something out of reading this, as I have got out of experiencing it all. Until next time,

Joel

Day 266 - 23rd of May

10:28am　浅草スマイル

天気：雨天

We’ve just checked into Asakusa Smile and are going to rest for a while; I’m beat!!! At least we don’t have to worry about hauling our luggage around for the next few days; the hard part is over. Wow, and is this room tiny or what; almost all the floor space is taken up by our luggage. The only other thing in the room is a bunk bed; I’m on top. Well, it is a hostel after all, so I guess this is expected. It is wonderful and cosy, and the price was amazing so it’s totally worth it…After getting off the night bus, we made our way over to Tokyo Station, and after a bit of asking around, we figured out how to get to the hostel. We took the 山手線 (Yamanote Line) to 上野 (Ueno), going past 秋葉原 (Akihabara) the electronics district; I can’t wait to go there! Then we took the 銀座 (Ginza) subway line to 浅草 (Asakusa). For some stupid reason, Asakusa station has no elevator connecting the platform to the ticket gates, so we had to lug our stuff up stairs; lucky it was only one flight. When we finally emerged onto the street (after finally finding an elevator), I soon recognised my surroundings. To my left, over a bridge was the “giant golden turd” building – even the locals refer to it as the turd building, but it’s actually the Asahi Beer Headquarters, and the statue on top’s supposed to represent yeast; I’m not convinced - and two my right was 雷門 (Kaminarimon – “Thunder Gate”), leading to the beautiful 浅草寺 (Sensouji) Temple complex I visited the first time I was here.

It was raining (it still is now), and we had our luggage, so Sensouji would have to wait. We needed to figure out where the hostel was located; unfortunately the information centre across the road wasn’t open until 10:00. So instead, we made our way over to a Denny’s just up the street for breakfast. Inside, I could access the internet on my iPod, and soon found the hostel using Google maps; YAY for technology. It was only about 10 minutes away, so after eating we made our way there. Crossing the bridge, we couldn’t help but to notice the Sky Tree, now Japan’s tallest building, looming in the distance; construction isn’t finished yet, but it’s looking awesome. Crossing the bridge, and going a short way down the road (seemed longer with all our stuff) we made it to Asakusa Smile. Here, we found out that we weren’t actually staying in this building but a newer one, so shortly after paying and receiving our linen and key, we made the short trek over to here; lucky we were allowed to check in so early. The guy at the reception was really lax and spoken English well; the bar was dominated by foreigners. Over here though, there’s no reception, and apart from the cleaning lady (who’s Chinese), no other staff come here; it’s actually really nice and quiet. Well, going to have a shower soon (haven’t had one in over 24 hours), and then go to Sensouji…

11:10pm　浅草スマイル

We’ve just finished watching Chicago; well, Carly fell asleep about halfway through. It’s been such a long day; the night bus trip feels like it took place a forever ago… After resting, we went out to check out Sensouji. It was still raining, so I held the umbrella, and Carly wore a raincoat for good measure. Out the front of Kaminarimon, we were approached by a group of Japanese students who were conducting tours of Sensouji to improve their English. They asked if we had time to go on a tour, and we said sure; I think they really appreciated it. After introductions, we made our way under the gate and through the sprawling market street (despite the rain) to the temple complex, with light conversation along the way; ducking and weaving through a sea of umbrellas. Past the Pagoda (the second tallest in Japan) and lecture halls, and through another huge gate (with an equally huge pair of scandals hanging on the back), we made our way right up to the main building, which was under renovation; the outside surrounded by scaffolding. It was beautiful on the inside though, with amazing murals of “Japanese angels” (as we were told), a dragon, and flowers on the ceiling. After praying, and photos, we parted ways with our guides, feeling a little bit more enlightened; although we had both already knowledgeable about what they were explaining, thanks to classes at Kansai Gaidai. And while I’m glad that they got to practice their English, I wish I could have practiced some Japanese.

Carly and I continued exploring, and although I’d already been here before, I found it just as interesting as the first time, if not more. This time around, I had a better understanding of what I was seeing, and so I could appreciate it so much more; knowledge is certainly empowering. We bought this really sweet that I can’t remember the name of (so much for knowledge), but it was like a meringue; melt-in-your-mouth goodness!!! After Sensouji, we wandered back through the shopping street (the first time through had been a blur), and got some ideas about what we wanted to buy, and getting hungry. We turned onto another street – simply called 新 (shin – “new”) – and found a Family Mart were we bought a cheap lunch; I just got a pork dumpling. We followed the road to the end, and went into a small department store; it was kinda boring. I found out that my socks were soaked through, and walking around had consequentially become very uncomfortable. So we soon went back to the hostel, picking up dinner on the way; cup noodles from 7/11. We had planned on going out for dinner, but it was utterly miserable outside; better to stay nice and cosy inside. After dinner, we got settled and then watched the movie of Carly’s laptop, which was whirring away by the end of it… Well, better get some sleep now; gotta get up early tomorrow; Studio Ghibli Museum!!!

Day 147 - 24th of January

8:26pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ　
Just got back from a really cheap restaurant in Makino; huge meals for 500 yen. When the eight of us arrived, there were already another group of international students, and several more flocked in throughout the time we were there. The place was obviously well know and very popular and for good reason. I recognised one of the guys (can’t remember his name for the life of me) from my old Japanese class back at USC; he’s moved into seminar house 4. He came over, and we chatted for a while, and he told me that, Simon and he were the only two coming to Kansai Gaidai; I’m wondering if there are any more going to other unis. He wants to go into level three, even though he probably is ready for level 4, having finished Genki II; just wait and see what happens. Anyway today… Even though I went to sleep so late, I still got up at 8:30; Hugo and Jamie were already up. I hung around for a while, and got one of Jamie’s bananas for breakfast and then went out to do grocery shopping.

I needed to get some money out first, so I made my way to the uni, and found the east gate closed. So I continued walking and took the back streets to get to the main road. It look a lot longer, but was certainly interesting. At the front gate, the guards totally misunderstood what I was saying, and ended up giving me directions to the seminar house. Rather the to protest, since the uni was indeed closed anyway, I just let them finish, and then went across the road to 7/11. I couldn’t resist buying another Final Fantasy XIII Elixir with model. I got Oerba Yun Fang and the same can again!!! I couldn’t believe it. Oh well, what can you do; give the duplicates to others as souvenirs I guess. With money, I made my way to Kirindo, then Fresco, then the 99円 store, and finally Top World.

Finally satisfied I had everything I needed, I made my way home; I noticed groups of new people everywhere. It was about 12:30, and time for lunch. Nobody was up in the kitchen, so I ate my avocado on toast in peace, watching something about the different percentages of pork and beef, Osakans and Tokyoites use in their curry; weird I know. Apparently, Osakans use way more beef than Tokyoites do. Then they were showing this restaurant that serves pig’s feet; not for me thanks. After that, I signed up for my classes this semester. I ended up choosing “Religion in Japan”, and “Monster, Ghosts, and the Making of Modern Japan” (mostly just cause I like the title). I’m pretty sure it’s a film course, since that’s what the professors two other classes focus on, so it should be really interesting. Ash and Katie, and Jamie for that matter have chosen it too; I’m sure it’s going to be very popular. It wasn’t offered last semester, but it all comes down to chance whether I get into it or not; since all the classes are decided on a lottery-based system. Failing that, I have Onna to Otoko: Gender and Sexuality in Japan”, as my next preference, which should be interesting too.

I talked with my family for a few hours, and chatted with Carly and Alex too. I also found out where the onsen is in Gotenyama; the one Nadezhda was talking about. I really want to go there sometime this week. At about 5, I started getting ready to go out, while Hugo was trying to get in touch with his new speaking partner. He had rung while I was talking with my parents, when Hugo wasn’t in, and then rung again at about 5:30. I wanted to wear my new pants tonight, but I didn’t have anything to go with them, so they’ll have to wait for another time. Out of time, I just got on whatever, and met Jo, Biancha, Ash, Katie, Liz, and two new girls whose names I’ve already forgotten, and we left for the restaurant just after 6. I’m so tired, so I’m thinking early night. I’ll go into uni tomorrow for lunch, and get my forms in and accommodation payed, and then go to koto practice. Probably just have cup noodles for dinner; that’ll be fine. Gosh I’m so full from dinner… anyway, time for shower, then sleep.

Day 126 - 3rd of January

6:57am　First Kitchen – 梅田
天気：曇り
I’m in First Kitchen with Tamblyn; just had some breakfast. Wow, last night was really great… I finally found the hotel in 道頓堀 (Dotonbori), after walking the streets for a while upon exiting Namba station. It was about 3, and they were all waiting out the front. It was so cool to see Peyton and Laine again; they’ve grown so much. And of course, seeing Tamblyn, Peter and Naomi was great. The kids instantly attached themselves to me, and I spent the majority of the day holding their hands, helping them up stairs (carrying Laine at times), and looking out for them; it was a lot of fun. Our first stop was Osaka castle; we went up to Umeda, and then across to Osakajokoen via the loop line. It was already pretty late when we got there, and by the time we got to the castle, it was only 20 minutes until closing time. Peter decided he’d go in anyway; the rest of us sat outside waiting.

He emerged well after 5. The sun had already set, and the castle was all lit up. It was very beautiful, and since I’d never seen it close up at night before, I was really appreciative of coming. Tamblyn found one for his favourite drinks in a nearby vending machine, and decided he’d buy some for himself and his friends; meaning 8. It’s called Fanta furufuru; jelly and soft drink in a can. Since I had a bag, I was stuck carrying them around for the rest of the night. After the castle, we went to Shinsaibashi, and Peter and Tamblyn took Peyton to go and buy shoes, while Naomi, Laine and I went to design them! We went to the Nike shop, where you can create your own personalised shoes, and had fun choosing colours, styles and materials for what would be Tamblyn’s new shoes. Laine fell asleep on the stairs (so cute), and we had to drag him up when it came to finalizing the purchase. Since they wouldn’t ship the shoes overseas, Naomi needed a Japanese address, and that’s where I came in. It was all sorted out fine; I’ll be expecting shoes in a month.

Coming out of the shop, Laine was tired and said his feet were hurting a lot. Naomi and I took turns carrying him for a while, trying to track down Peter. Laine started to really complain, and we figured out that his shoes were causing the problem; they were new, and cutting into the top of his feet. We tried at first, to loosen them, but that did no good, so we took them off entirely and then went on a quest for slippers; getting many stares from the natives. After going to two shoe stores, a Disney merchandise store, and a convenience store, we finally found some in a pharmacy. They were too big, but Laine complied and did his best; such a battler. Still unsure of where Peter was, we continued down the street until we reached Dotonbori, before Laine insisted he go to the toilet, so I took him to Makkas. By luck, when we came out, Peter was there with Naomi.

Peter, Tamblyn and Peyton went on to the restaurant, and we made a quick stop at a specialty store to see if we could find the green tea air fresher that was used in their hotel. There were so many imported goods; they even had timtams!!! Unsuccessful (but still laden with goodies) we made our way to the restaurant; an okonomiyaki place. After a short wait, we were seated. The food was spectacular; best okonomiyaki I’ve ever had. Very satisfied, we went back to the hotel, and it was 11 before long. Tamblyn was supposed to return to his host family, but we sorted it out so he could come out to karaoke with me. We were in Umeda, and after a bit of searching we found a reasonably cheap place (the one with the huge dragon head coming out of it), considering it is New Years. We went from just after 12 till 6; another all-nighter. It was a lot of fun, but I’m so tired now; gonna get home soon and sleep…

9:55pm　セミナーハウス
Feeling tired still, even though I slept most of the day… I left Tambyln (I let hime know I was going), to sleep in First Kitchen at about 7:30, and made my way back home. I was tired the whole way back, and in the walk back from Makino, I was in a daze. Finally at home, I had a shower, and then crashed; Ryan wasn’t there. I woke at 1, and decided it would be a good idea to have some lunch. Almost immediately after, I went back to sleep again. Waking at 6, I went up and made dinner (chicken parmigiana with garlic bread), and watched TV for a while. These two Japanese guys were travelling the world and participating in unusual sports. They were in Estonia doing a sport involving flinging yourself around a swing standing, before going to Indonesia for the water oxen festival, where bulls are raced, chariot-like, across shallow water; both sports looked really challenging. Ryan’s still not back, so I guess I’m going to have a pretty early night; maybe go to Kuzaha hall tomorrow for the last day of sales.

Day 92 - 30th of November

10:20pm　セミナーハウス
天気：晴れ
Wow, the last day of November; it was an okay day. Still wiped out from Hokkaido, and had a bit of a headache in the day. We finished all our vocab quizzes in Speaking as of Friday (I obviously wasn't there, but I'm able to drop it so the 0 doesn't count toward my final grade). We're still learning new grammar though, from the wedding simulation movie. I had my writing composition in Reading and Writing, and was a little bummed out that I didn't write as much as a wanted. CEL was good. We had a short discussion about Koreans in Japan, as a continuation of our previous classes, and then watched a documentary for the rest of the class; "Sour Strawberries" - foreign workers in Japan. It shed a whole new light on Japan, telling of the struggles immigrants have getting into the workplace, especially those without qualifications, and some of the horror stories from the workers and people fighting against racial discrimination. One particular story hit hard - an activist went to negotiate with a boss of a worker from Bangladesh, over refusing to pay the employee their 5000円 wage (a very small amount), and the boss poured gasoline over him, and burnt him, almost killing him. It's really scary.

Japan's facing a crisis (declining population) which means less people for jobs and yet, there are no measures in place to protect the rights of the foreign immigrants they so desperately need. Anyway, it was certainly and eye-opener. Afterwards, my head throbbing, I decided not to go to koto, and walked home. Talked with my parents, and bro for most of the afternoon, then had dinner (udon with veggies). I'm feeling fine now, just really tired. Got the skit coming up on Thursday, so gotta practice hard for that. This weekend we're hopefully going into Kyoto again, to the Toji flea market, and then to see another of the temples lit up. Also on Friday, I'm going to the after party for my singing booth which should be fun. Got my suitcase all unpacked today, and my Christmas box is coming together nicely. Well, time for bed.