So far I'm really enjoying uni here. Whilst I have one law module, its really nice to be having a break from real law and its great learning new things about Japan and the culture here. Of course however this has meant that there is less time to do other things during the day but ultimately this is a good thing as it means I am able to save for more travelling. Speaking of which, I am off to Osaka in two weeks!! And my flights are booked to spend new years eve in Thailand with my big sister and best friend!!! Lots of exciting things coming up! The ultimate highlight of the week for me was our field trip to the rice harvesting farm in the mountains and then trekking down a mountain in Kagamiyama. ... read more

The settling in process is still very much underway. I am adjusting to my new surroundings and way of life one day at a time and this week I've not had this overwhelming feeling to jump on the next plane home because I've been cultured shocked by something! So this is progress. It probably helps that I have done so much exploring and had so much fun this week. The next step now is try and view Japan as home and not just a holiday! The highlight of this week for me was visiting Nokonoshima Island. We decided as the weather was nice, we would visit a beach and after doing some research Nokonoshima seemed like a great place to go and explore since it had the famous park there too. Our journey there consisted of ... read more

After boarding the China Eastern Airlines flight to Shanghai at Heathrow, the nerves really set in. For a start, the first language on board was not English (something I knew I needed to get used to) and not only this, from where I was sat, I was the only White British person I could see. Whilst sat on the runway it really hit home what I was doing and as we took off I could help but shed a few tears. Nevertheless soon after, our first meal was served taking my mind off my nerves., I opted for the seafood option and although I couldnt tell you what it was with the noodles, it was very tasty... I guess putting obscure food in mouth is going to be something I should get used to... good job ... read more