Day 7: CIEE Orientation Day 1

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Day 7: CIEE Orientation Day 1

7:00am: I wake up, take shower, fix myself, packed

7:45am: Ate breakfast with Christie (my roommate). I ate a very small bowl of cereal, half a container of yogurt, and half a glass of apple juice. There was rice, fish, meats, fruits, and a bunch of stuff but I can't eat too much for breakfast. We meet a guy...that I forgot the name of.

8:05am: Christie and I went back to our room and got our stuff and went to the hotel lobby.

8:25am: I meet my group. The people are Lis, Lin, Scott, JT, and Jen. I am in Group B, Group 13.

8:30am: CIEE students boarded on two buses. I got on bus 2, with group 13.

9:00am: We hear some instructions from Hiroko and Ayako, the coordinators (I forgot in what). Group 13 picked the name, "Kumpai," and I became "group leader." I'm responsible for everyone, even though I'm really short!

11:00am: We made it to Sophia University. I was STARVING! We dropped off our luggage in Building 11, and we eat cafeteria food in Building 2 on the roof. It's okaaaaaay. I was just hungry. Then we got to see where the book store and the post office was and some exercising places. I just want to find out where the ice rink is. I WILL go to the book store and post office. I will definitely need those places. We also see a passport photo booth that charges about $6.00. That's pretty cool compared to going to Walgreens to get my passport photo. I still rather do the photos myself with my digital camera. Hey, the passport people at the embassy accepted my self-made photos!!

1:00pm: Team Kumpai goes back to Building 11 and listen to the LONG overview of the schedule and stuff we need to know that's in the handbook. I admit...I fell asleep. I was STARVING!! Since I have a Japanese passport, I was told to meet Hiroko at 4:30pm at the hotel lobby.

4:00pm: Everyone goes to the Green Palace Hotel. It's better than Marroad International Hotel. The internet is FREE!! I do some important stuff online, like check e-mail, facebook, called house and Jon on Skype, etc.

5:05pm: I look at the clock and panicked!!!!! I was supposed to be at the lobby at 4:30pm!!!!!! I rushed to the lobby. All the CIEE people were ready to leave to go to the Welcome Dinner. That's scheduled to be at 5:00pm.

5:15pm: We walk to the Yotsuya train station to get off at Ichidaba? something station to eat Japanese food. Half of the CIEE students got lost, I was part of that group. Apparently, the people in the front were following some random Japanese people. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! The CIEE staff finds us and directs us where to go. Safe! I found Hiroko and said sorry about the 4:30pm meeting ditch. I didn't mean to be like that... She was kind to say that she will tell me about it later.

6:00pm: We eat the food... chicken and veggies?...chicken and fries...tofu thing...sushi (I don't know what kind)...hot dog with potato thing... water... tea...orange juice...something like that. *made a face* I talked with some new people. I dropped my memory in the hotel room so I couldn't take a video or pictures. DARN IT!

7:00pm We leave the restaurant to back to Green Palace Hotel. Most of us went back on our own. It was VERY EASY.

7:30pm: I was back at the hotel. I got some new instructions from Hiroko about getting my Koseki Juminhyo (I still don't understand what that is). But I understand how to get it.

8:00pm: I go back to my hotel room (my new roommate: Karen Yoshida is not really here...) Lots of people went to explore the area. I'm really really tired and I have internet withdrawal, so I declined their invitations. I wanted to go but I am really tired. I wanted alone time for a bit. I AM NOT A HERMIT.

8:30pm: I used Skype to call back home. I spoke to Hide and then my mom. Hide said the house is very quiet. I'm that loud??? I know Jon's mind is quiet because I'm not nagging him. 😊 Aww....people miss me. I found out that Hiroshi got accepted to Taft Academic Center. Yey! I'm so proud of him. I went there too for 7th and 8th grade. He's SO smart. I want him to go to a school full of kids as smart or smarter than him, so he can feel "average." It'll be better for him.

9:30pm I used Sype to talk to Jon. Then, I responded to e-mails, Facebook, and now I'm updating.

Tomorrow I will meet my host family. I'm so nervous!! I hope they like me. I don't know about my internet connection, so I MIGHT not update. I don't know...but I will give a day-to-day update with pictures and videos. 😊

Thanks for reading! I hope you're not getting bored.

Note: The times are approximate only.

If you want a postcard, please send me your address.

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Photos

Handbook
Important book for the next 5 months

Classroom with red thing
I'm scared of the red thing...he's blind and his body fell off.

The food
Welcome Dinner

Comments

[Ashley]

YES, I AM BORED!! Kidding~ And I believe that red thing is called Daruma...? It has no eyes cause it's kind used to fulfill something? Sort of like new years resolution.....?? Anyways, you fill in the one eye when you figure out your goal/start it, ect. Once you've accomplished it, you fill in the other eye. So does a group of Americans draw attention?? *watches videos*