January 14

I woke up at 7:05 today to DaftPunk and a room that had been heated for five minutes (so much better). I did have bizarre dreams though that I don’t even want to remember. お母さん made me scrambled eggs with ham in them. They were runny and お母さん thought they were salty, but I liked them a lot.

I met up with my friend at the 駅 as we had planned after going down the wrong street for a few seconds. She got off a station before me, but I think she got to class faster. Before we departed, she told me to keep January 30 open in my schedule because one of the other student’s host family owns a sushiya and it is “all you can eat and drink sushi night (said to be 1000円 and possibly only 500円 with student discount). I am very excited, I hope it is true and that I can go. When I got off at 名古屋大学駅, I was a victim of advertisement; I accepted a magazine that a Japanese girl was handing out to people as they exited. It’s alright, I suppose, because it seems to be a fashion magazine and I might be able to use the pictures for something (if not the text for studying).

I paid my bill today (oh how I miss the money) and started a long (to put it lightly) day of “internet” and “library” orientation. The staff walked us through turning on very old dell computers, reformatting floppies, and using a remedial version of e-mail (that we have to use because the instructors won’t use real internet e-mail addresses). In true Japanese style, there are applications for everything, one being access to the e-mail system outside of 南山 computers (gee) but I can’t fathom the worth being higher than the cost of trying again to make a transaction in Japanese with my remedial knowledge.

After the orientation, I planned to buy all ($80) of my books, so I stopped by the ATM on campus. Big surprise; it did not accept my card. I ended up being able to buy only one book, but luckily, it is probably all that I need until Friday (or hopefully, Monday). Bank of America is really failing me.

At 13:00, everyone went to the CJS building to get their course packets (the ones that didn’t cost money). After I got my few papers, I went again to check my mailbox (twice a day!) and found I had a memo (that I could not read). When I took it to the desk, the lady told me that I would have to give documentation when I had opened a bank account (no, really?). Of course, orientation for opening a bank account isn’t until the 19th, but, in addition to the multiple packets they handed out at orientation, the office thought it necessary to use a memo in my box to remind me (now).

After those ordeals, I spent a few hours roaming the campus with the other 留学生 until 15:00 when we went to the コーヒーホア welcome party. There were lots of Japanese snacks (heaven) and we played three games. The first was one where everyone sang a song and at the end, one person (the announcer) would say a word and everyone else would have to make groups of people; the number of people per group would have to match the number of syllables in the word announced. The people who couldn’t form groups had to stand in front of everyone else and do self-introductions. I had to do one and part of my introduction was to smile (最後スマイル). All the Japanese girls said I had a cute smile. D: They also liked my earrings a lot (they are chococat). The second game was for pairs; you would have to stack your fists with the other person (alternating fists) and depending on what the announcer said, the bottom fist would have to go to the top, the top would have to go to the bottom, or the bottom would have to slap the top. The coordination was kind of hard, so I kept thinking I had to move my fists every time. The third game was nanimo basket (fruits basket) which is kind of like Japanese musical chairs. There is one less chair than the number of people, but the number of chairs never changes. Instead, the person standing calls out a category and everyone who fits that category has to run to another seat. The person left standing has to choose the next category. It was a lot of fun. I met a couple of particularly friendly Japanese girls and we exchanged e-mail addresses (since my phone is so erratic).

Afterward, I rode the 地下鉄 with a few of the Japanese girls, then with two of the 留学生. I almost missed my exchange because I was talking with the Japanese girls, but I made it to my line on time. When I finally got of at 日赤駅, it was very dark outside and I was worried about losing my way once I entered my neighborhood (because I use a particular wooden house as my land mark to turn), but I didn’t get lost this time.

When I got home, my package from America was here (mainly my inkan, a day early). The Japanese government had opened it for me, but everything was inside (thankfully). At dinner, we had 魚 (grilled in soy sauce, but not overpowered), miso (which I am finding has many varieties), daikon with carrots (really tasty!), gohan (every night, but never old), salad (with curry), and for dessert; sweet beans in syrup with sweet potato and mochi (I just can’t escape it!) balls in it. It was ironic that we have sweet beans because earlier that day, I had been talking with another exchange student who said she hated sweet beans, but continually had to eat them because they go by so many different names and each time it was offered to her, it had a new name and she accepted, not knowing that she didn’t like it.