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Published: April 3rd 2009
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Day 20: Sophia University Orientation 8:00am: I woke up because I thought Jon, Mr. Ng, and I were going to talk on Skype. Then, I thought we were going to talk at 8:30am, so I washed my face and brushed my teeth.
8:30am: I sent a message to Jon saying let's make it 9:30am, so I can eat breakfast. I finished getting ready and I ate breakfast, which was a slice of bread with ham and egg on it, salad, and water. I received the host house key. 😊 My host parents just got the key.
9:30am: Jon says that his dad won't be available until 1:00pm my time, but I will be at Sophia University's orientation! Oh no! So, Jon decided to put his dad and I on speaker phone and Mr. Ng and I talked like that. We were discussing about Jon coming to Japan. Jon is really coming!! When we hung up, I realized that I could have had a conference call using Skype.
10:30: I watched tv and played with Yuzuki.
12:00pm: I left to go to Sophia University Building 2. The trains were quick.
1:00pm: I was really
hungry, so I bought a $4 BLT sandwich and a water bottle, it was SO GOOD.
1:30pm: Building 2 looks like old Japanese schools from anime / Japanese dramas. The room looked old and cramped, so I felt like I was in a Harry Potter scene or in a poor Japanese school scene. I got A LOT of papers!! I have to read a lot! Some flyers were in Japanese, so I can't read them. I was really bored because the orientation presenters spoke English that I couldn't comprehend. I wanted to leave and just read the papers myself. I think I will avoid non-native English speaking professors when choosing my classes.
3:20pm: Orientation was FINALLY finished. I learned nothing but to read the important papers. I went straight to Building 11 (CIEE Office) to figure out what I need to do to get the commuter pass. The orientation was VERY HARD to understand for EVERYTHING.
3:30pm: I see a LONG line in front of the CIEE Office. When I finally got in the CIEE Office, I got my travel reimbursement money from the past few days, filled out my commuter pass ID sticker, and headed for
Keihin-Tohoku is Also in Delay
Good thing I was taking the OTHER way.Yotsuya station.
4:00pm: There was a LONG LONG line at Yotsuya station trying to get the commuter pass. The commuter pass form was in Japanese ONLY and I had to play "match the kanji" because I cannot read. I used the English directions about the form from my CIEE handbook but it had an old version of the form. It took me 1 hour to fill out such a small sheet of paper. Then, I waited in the LONG line to get the commuter pass.
5:30pm: I finally got my commuter pass. It allows me to travel from my host house to school unlimited times. I can also get off in any station in the middle for free. I rushed home.
6:30pm: I made it to my host family. My host family already ate dinner, so I ate my food, meat with this sauce, rice, and miso soup.
7:30pm: I talked to my host family.
8:00pm: I took a shower, entered the ofuro, and brushed my teeth. I said good night and went to my room. I read a lot of the orientation papers, course schedules, UIC scheduling this Fall, and called Jon. I realized
Lunch Place
It has vending machines like the Sophia University cafeteria but it's cheaper and better tasting. It's very close by Sophia University. that the course that I need isn't offered this year. The only TRUE credit I will get is history credit. Everything else are extras. At least I still graduate on time.
11:30pm: I went to sleep.
Day 21: Japanese Test 3:30am: Jon calls me to wake me up to register for my fall classes on the UIC website (for 2:40pm Chicago time). I talked to my family on Jon's webcam. There's video clips on this. We talk for a while.
4:37am: Jon and I hung up, so I can be prepared to click on the courses that I want for UIC.
4:40am: At 2:40pm, Chicago time, I quickly registered. Total time was 1 minute. I got all the classes I wanted. I'm thinking I will also take Japanese at UIC, but I'm not sure. I think I should focus on accounting first.
4:45am: I read the Japanese Intensive Requirements...I got surprised! I NEED to know 200 kanji for the intensive program?! I didn't study kanji at all!! I cram like crazy to know 200 kanji.
6:50am: I took a nap.
7:20am: I woke up, washed my face, brushed my teeth, fixed myself,
Lunch Place
Tiny but worth the price. called Jon, and ate breakfast (slice of bread with egg & ham and apple juice).
8:30am: I left to go to Sophia University. While on the Keikyu Line, my friend texts me and says that the Yamanote Line is NOT running. Good thing I can also take Keihin-Tohoku to get to school.
9:00am: Shinagawa station was PACKED with people running around!! Lots were asking the police what to do. Whenever you have a question on how to get somewhere, you ask the Japanese police. They know absolutely where everything is (the club Muse, the ice-skating rinks, parks, schools, etc.). I took a picture of the kanji stickers place under the Yamanote and one way of the Keihin-Tohoku lines. Good thing my train wasn't delayed or anything. BUT all the Yamanote riders rushed to get into Keihin-Tohoku. People couldn't move on the stairs and I was being pushed around. I wish I recorded it...but it was so PACKED that even I couldn't move my arms. I was squished in the station. I was MORE squished in the actual train.
9:30am: I was out of the train delay/accident/no running commotion. I went to Building 11 to take the Japanese
Higashi-Kanagawa
I took a picture of this map, just in case I got lost looking for the ice rink. intensive test.
10:00am: The test started. It was hard. I couldn't read nearly everything. I was pretty ashamed of being half Japanese, carrying a Japanese passport, having a Japanese name, looking Japanese, and have taken 3-4 years worth of Japanese classes...and I STILL can't finish the "BASIC" portion of the placement test. I could barely write sentences. It's been 3 years since I last wrote a long Japanese anything. I wish I studied harder... well, I'm not going to expect much when I see my results. It looks like I will be taking A LOT of extra courses for my UIC curriculum. Oh well...at least my adviser knows that I know that.
11:40am: I finished early because I gave up trying to read things that I know I can't read...no matter how long I looked.
12:00pm: I ate lunch with Elizabeth and we found this great cheap place that had the same vending machine as the Sophia University's cafeteria...but the food is cheaper and tastes WAY BETTER!! I will surely come back. But of course, I want to explore Sophia Univesity's surroundings before I commit going somewhere.
1:00pm: Elizabeth and I went to the book store
and I bought 2 Sophia University sweaters ($20 & $27) and 2 Sophia University handkerchiefs ($2/ea). They were in different colors. The store also had pants, bags, goggles, etc. Nothing was called by the university's Japanese name, Jochi Daigaku, only the English name, Sophia University. I would prefer the Japanese name for personal reasons...but the colors and stuff was too cute.
2:00pm: Elizabeth and I split at Shinjuku to take our own host home routes.
3:00pm: I decided to see the ice-skating rink that host dad, Daiki, found from the internet. I took the Keihin-Tohoku line to Higashi-Kanagawa. I had NO IDEA where the ice skating rink was, but I assumed that the police knows. I went straight to the Koban (police box) and asked where the ice rink was. I couldn't really understand Japanese...so I decided just to follow the first direction and keep asking people along the way.
3:15pm: I found the ice rink. I went inside to inquire about the rink and lesson times. It's hopeless. Japanese people can understand me, but I can't understand their answers! I decided to just take the forms and pretended to understand. I thanked the staff for helping
me. I went back to the train station.
3:45pm: I accidentally took the wrong train to go to Yokohama to transfer to the Keikyu Line to Zoshiki. I went back and rode on the correct trains. It's so easy to navigate with the trains! I ALWAYS get lost in Chicago, but I'm having such a easy time here in Japan!
4:15pm: I made it to Zoshiki station. I am still early to go home. I went to Lawson 100Yen to buy those white masks that Japanese people wear (6 pieces for a $1). Then, I went to the 100 Yen shop to buy supplies I needed, glue sticks, eraser, colored pens, white out, and post-its. All for a $1. Then, I went to the hair salon to have someone do my bushy eyebrows. I gave up looking for a salon that waxes or threads my eyebrows. This is my first time someone shaving to clean up my eyebrows. I really prefer waxing because these eyebrow shaves will only come back quickly. But my messy eyebrows were really irritating me, so I let the lady shave and cut stuff off. It's okay. I was starving and gave up on
Ice Rink
It says, "Ice Skate" being hungry. I went to 7eleven and bought onigiri with tuna inside. My stomach and head felt a relief. I was feeling dizzy from being hungry between meals. I must be using too much energy walking to trains and places. I never ate this much in Chicago.
5:00pm: I was at my host home. Host mom, Manami, read my ice-skating papers. She even called the ice rink to confirm details! I can indoor ice skate everyday from 10am-6pm for $11. That's a good deal compared to the $5 for 1.5 hour that McFetridge gives for indoor skating in Chicago.
6:00pm: Tokyo is dustier than Chicago. Weird right?! I vacuumed and wiped my room. I even opened my windows to get rid of the dust. I was actually coughing and choking from the dust during the last 2 days. I feel better now.
7:00pm: I was already suffering from being hungry again.
7:30pm: Dinner started! It was salad and pasta with fish sauce and tuna. It was so good! My host family and I talked. I played with Yuzuki.
8:00pm: I took a shower and bath. Manami finds it interesting that I switched my washing habits.
I just don't want to bother her in the morning when she's trying to do laundry and I want to shower. They're in the same area.
9:00pm: I played with Yuzuki. Manami and Daiki is like Jon and I when we're talking and playing around. It's so cute!
10:00pm: I began updating this again.
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Roger Caldwell
non-member comment
Sophia University Sweatshirt
I am a former student of Sophia University. I appreciated the education and understanding of life, I received while a student there. Where can I get a Sophia University sweatshirt? Please provide me information, throught my e-mail address. Thank you. Does anyone have the phone number, to the college bookstore?