The Journey of a Japanese & TESOL student

The Final Month

2010-07-17T03:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's already been 10 months since I arrived in Japan!
I've got 5 weeks left before I land in the UK.
I've still got a fair bit I need to do before then!

I'm taking the JLPT2, now known as the N2, in 2 days time.
So all of my focus has been on studying for the test.

Grammar wise, listening wise and maybe even kanji wise - I'm ready.
However, as far as vocabulary and idiomatic phrases go, I'm probably going to fail ><

They've changed it so you have to score 60% in each section of the test (rather than 60% of the total score).
This is to prevent Chinese people from passing based purely on their kanji knowledge. :S

After the test is over I have to write a report for the international centre, although I'll probably just copy the report I wrote for my home university since all the same stuff they want to know about is in there anyway....and there's no grade for it.

I also need to box all of my books and send them back home. £_£

Most importantly I need to complete my dissertation research, which has been completely neglected since January for JLPT revision T__T
I'm a baaaaaaaaad student!!!

Hetalia Movie

2010-07-07T03:13:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna make this really fast, cos I have to go to class...and I'll probably add some more later. XD

The movie was really awesome <3
Kinda wierd, but that made it more interesting XD
I won't let out any spoilers, just in case :P

The cinema was packed out and the tickets were selling out really fast!!!

Animate was also packed out. They have tons of new merchandise, especially Hetalia merchandise|
They had a Hetalia stamp rally event. It's going to be on for a while now, so I'm going to go back to finish collecting stamps and get some nicer photos of the exhibit.

I got a really cute t-shirt (the Hetalia football picture)!
It was quite cheap and I never expected it to fit because it says size M on the packet. They only had the one size O_o

Doll Show

2010-05-03T03:16:00.000-07:00

GOLDEN WEEK IS HERE AND THE WEATHER IS 26 degrees C/75 degrees F OF SUMMER-Y GOODNESS!

Yesterday, despite being full of cold and asthma-y nastiness, I went to Hamamatsucho in Tokyo for Dollshow.

I met up with Donnoir and Mizuzu from DOA and we went together.
I'm kind of worse for it now, but I'm still glad I went in the end!

I took some awesome photos, bought some cheap MSD fur wigs (500yen/$5) and a violin for tiny size (I thought it was a bargain at 1000yen/$10).

My digital camera battery decided to die about 5 photos into the show, but I continued taking photos with my Softbank mobile phone.
Some of those mobile phone photos actually came out better than the ones from my digital camera - my digital camera's flash tends to white out doll faces in most light :/

I'm not sure whether I should post the nicer photos on DA or not.
Obviously, they're NOT my dolls, but they ARE my photographs
I did post them up on Facebook though, so my friends could see my Japan adventuring.

Tomorrow is the Volks Dolpa 23!
I plan to get there early, so I can meet up with people and have a chance to get little Kakeru.

My health isn't really up to it at the moment, but I already bought the guidebook and I think I would kick myself for missing the chance to go while I'm here.

So I will bring my inhalers and cold medicine and try to make the best out of the event while I'm here!

Being ill does come with a slight advantage...no appetite = 3 inches off my waist XD

Dolpa 23 & Dollshow are coming!

2010-04-23T03:18:00.000-07:00

Dolpa 23 is in 1 week and 5 days time!
I should probably be more excited about this.
If I had real money to spend I totally would be!

At the moment I'm hoping my credit card will work.
I haven't used it for many years and noticed some spending space. XD
Try calling he credit card company in the UK from Japan to let them know?
Do you have any idea how much that'd cost from my mobile phone??? O_O

We had classes last week in uni. They were more like into classes rather than actual classes, so there wasn't really much work involved.

This Mon-Wed they were performing medical examinations on every student in the uni.
I didn't like it much to be honest...some of the questions were too personal.
I have my first badminton class tomorrow. I haven't played for a very long time, so I'm a little nervous.

Next week classes are normal. I ended up with 7 classes rather than 8:
German class
Tennis class
Kanji class
Japanese expressions class
Japanese reading comprehension class A
Japanese reading comprehension class B
Badminton class

The following week is Golden Week. I only have plans to go to Dolpa and Dollshow that week...if you count Sunday 2nd as being the start of the week XD

After that it's back to the grindstone until August!
I'm starting a 2 hour a week job on the 19th May, but the pay is pretty decent at 5000yen for the 2 hours.
Would be nice to be able to do more hours though!

Uni Entrance Ceremony & Dolpa

2010-04-01T03:19:00.000-07:00

The university entrance ceremony is on Monday. I've been warned to wear something nice.
The teachers didn't say anything about that, but a senpai(who showed up in t-shirt and flip flops last time) did.

We're supposed to have a medical exam in a couple of weeks time as well.
Our schools/universities don't bother by the time you reach high school.
Only in Japan I guess :S
Just like in an anime XD

Really though, I don't fancy queuing up all day just so the doc can tell me I'm overweight...I can well see that myself! If I hadn't destroyed my knee a decade ago, there's lots of sports I'd love to do!

I went to the Akihabara Volks store the other day to reserve my guidebook for Dolpa!
I should be receiving a postcard to say I can go and collect it from the store.
I'm guessing around 10th April.
I know I won't be able to buy any dolls, but it should be an interesting day out!

oh yeh! Sakura viewing festival on Saturday evening! Looking forward to that ^__^

dewa! gokigenyou!

Tokyo Anime Fair

2010-03-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

Tokyo Anime Fair was open for the public last weekend.
I went on the Saturday, because I had to teach a lesson on Sunday.

I got the earliest possible train and arrived at Tokyo Big Sight around 8am.
I queued up for about an hour and a half. They started moving people in around 9:20, because the queue was so big.

The tickets were really cheap - only 800yen if you pre-book or 1000yen on the day.
The cost of getting to and from Tokyo Big Sight stung a bit though!

I expected more stalls selling things like at London Expo, but it was mostly displays and previews. I ended up with a ton of leaflets and postcards that were being given out.
I was really surprised at how small the Pokemon display area was.

There was an ad for the kimi ni todoke NDS game that's coming out soon.
I think I might have to get that!
There was a preview for the new Kuroshitsuji. I'm still excited to watch it, even if they've changed the characters.
Someone was dressed up as the Black Rider in the Durarara!! display area, there were so many people taking photos.

It would have been more fun if they'd allowed cosplay! I think they didn't want people parading the streets of Tokyo in cosplay...freaking people out.

I was glad they allowed photos in most areas, otherwise I wouldn't have a great deal to show for the day :S

Spring Break Adventures

2010-03-08T23:43:00.001-08:00

I've been out and about lately. So haven't gotten much revision or report work done XD

I went to a eikaiwa party in Shibuya. I was kind of nervous, but it wasn't bad.
There were many people of different English levels.
Although there was one guy who had been learning for 30 odd years who asked strange questions which made me feel rather intimidated.

Two weeks ago, I went to Chiba to visit my friend Ayako.
Her house is amazing! It's really old Japanese style.
She compared it first to a o-tera and then to an obake yashiki lol XD
I met her at Narita station and we drove to a park called "boso no mura".
I drank amazake and tried on a kimono!
Afterwards we watched a horror film called Mirrors and ate Gyuudon at her house.
Her mum and sister were really nice! I hope I can visit her house again before I return to the UK.

Last Wednesday Ayako and I went into Wakaba (nearby my town in Saitama).
After having lunch, making Purikura and looking around the shops, we went to BanBan Karaoke.
Even though I can really sing it was so much fun!
They had so many of my favourite songs, even ones from anime.
That would be impossible in the UK!

On Friday, I went on a Tobu line adventure with my flatmate.
We also stopped in Wakaba and made Purikura.
We went as far as Tobu Nerima and had a look in the big mall.
We had to come back quite early though. My cousin wanted to pick me up in Kawagoe at 7pm.

I spent Friday night, Saturday and Sunday at my cousins house in Fussa-shi.
He lives in the American military air base.
I was really surprised, because it was like being in an American town inside the base.
There were so many houses, flats, malls, a gym, cinema, swimming pool and a park inside the base.

My cousin's house was really nice and comfortable.
It had 4 bedrooms, kitchen, lounge, 2 bathrooms and 3 toilets.

He has 2 sons and a daughter. We went to watch his sons play basketball.
Their team lost by 1 point, but they played really well!
There were little blond identical twins playing in the match, who were adorable!

Later that evening we had a BBQ, but it was raining so we had to eat the BBQ inside.
One of the guests was a Japanese lady and her son. I practiced speaking Japanese with her.
I was a little nervous because everyone else was listening too.
I forgot that most the Americans in the base don't speak Japanese - so they wouldn't have been able to understand anyway.
The son spoke very clear Japanese. Unlike a lot of young Japanese males I've listened to.

My cousin let me use his wireless internet. I'm so glad I brought my laptop and NDS!
It was an unsecured network, so I was able to access the Pokemon GTS and download the Shiny Pichu mystery gift. With Shiny Pichu I was able to obtain Spiky Eared Pichu as well!

I came back to Sakado on Sunday and haven't really done anything constructive since.
I've been sleeping too much, playing video games (Pokemon Ranger 3), updating my blogs, uploading photos, listening to music, watching Heroes and various yaoi titles.

oh yeah...the spring weather we had last week has now vanished and it's snowing quite heavily!
WTF XD

Spring Break & Future Plans

2010-02-16T22:17:00.000-08:00

PRESENTLY:

Spring break goes on XD
I have to say I've become remarkably lazy lately. Getting up at 11am and proceeding to do nothing but watch J-DRAMA and anime whilst being heated by the kotatsu! I blame the weather XD

I'm also reading a lot of manga. I suppose that's quite good in a way, since it's in Japanese. I'm making an Excel spreadsheet with new vocabulary and kanji from the books.

I'm reading various series at the moment. I'm flicking through "boku no hatsukoi wo kimi ni sasagu" by Kotomi Aoki, so I can record the vocab.
I'm also reading "kanojo wa uso wo ai shitesugiteiru" (that's a real pain to say out loud XD). Which is also by Kotomi Aoki.
I need more of her stuff, I really like her drawing style, but I don't think she has published much.

I'm working on Shin Tenipuri, I have volumes 1 and 2, but I've kind of put this series on hold - especially since they are so slow at releasing volumes!

I taught my last lesson in Ikebukuro last week. My student is going to be moving to Holland soon, so he's going to be too busy to have another lesson.

However, I have a new money making idea.
I tried selling one of my Hetalia keyring/phone charms on Ebay, since I had about 5 of him XD

Surprisingly, he sold for $10.50 in the end!
So I listed another and he already had bids up to $4.50 - and he still has 5 days left on the marketplace.

If I can buy other characters to list and they keep selling this well...I don't think I'll need a job XD

FUTURE PLANS:

I haven't really told anyone, but my boyfriend has become really wierd lately (complete personality transplant) and has repeatedly upset me.

Even he said that he really has changed a lot and decided to break up with me, so he wouldn't upset me again.

I guess that kind of changes my future plans, not greatly but slightly.

I'd planned to graduate and work in the UK until we could afford to move to Japan or Australia.

Although, if I'm going to be on my own....I might as well sign up with a teaching programme and go and live in Japan for a while to make some money, improve my Japanese and see the rest of Japan.

I quite fancy living in the kansai area!

When I return home, I really want to take up violin lessons!
I have looked into lessons - they're quite steep here and there is the issue getting the violin home XD
It wouldn't be a huge issue if I didn't have my laptop, doll and tennis racket to take on as hand luggage as well :S

Yu-Gi-Oh 3D

2010-01-23T17:33:00.000-08:00

I went to see the Yu-Gi-Oh 3D movie in the Warner Brothers Michel cinema today.
I was surprised that this cinema was cheaper than the one I usually go to and it's pretty impressive looking too!

When I bought my ticket they gave me a card - Sin Red Eyes Black Dragon.
I'm not sure if everyone got the same card or if they had the other Sin Dragons as well.

I haven't collected Japanese version Yu-Gi-Oh cards before, just the English versions. Maybe I should go to the card shops in Akiba and compile one!(There was a word there but I've been in Japan for so long I think I'm forgetting how to speak English - now that I have a Japanese card it gives me more....something...to build a Japanese deck XD)

It makes me wish I had my decks....they're all in the UK still.

The movie was awesome!!! It was pretty short though, only 64 minutes according to the cinema guide.
I think Judai has done something with his hair, it's more sticky uppy at the back than I remember from the dubs.
It was totally nostalgic seeing the Pharaoh playing his old faves and Pegasus appeared (although he didn't have much screentime XD).

In the movie the antagonist "Paradox" uses "Sin cards", he messes around with time causing the time paradox that allows the 3 Yu-Gi-Oh stories to meld.

Pharaoh, Jaden/Judai and Yusei team up and fight him 3 on 1 to try and prevent Paradox's evil plans.
I won't tell you about the duel and ending...you'll have to watch it!!!
Although, a move in the duel reminded me of my own duel style and made me laugh my ass off XD

I'm quite old school when it comes to Yu-Gi-oh. All of my cards are from the Yugi season. So I'm not sure if any Sin cards have been released yet.
I wasn't really completely captured by Yu-Gi-Oh GX, but I'm gonna give it another chance to impress me.
This time I'll see if I can find the Japanese versions - I think there are more episodes than what has been dubbed so far.

But even though I've seen a lot of good movies lately - this was best!

Spring Break Is Here!

2010-01-21T17:31:00.000-08:00

I'm done for this semester! Now I'm on holiday until April!
I haven't really made any specific plans yet.
Although I do plan to go and see the Yu-Gi-Oh 3D movie that's going to be in the cinema this Saturday!
http://www.yugioh10th.com/

I think I'm going to visit some shrines and get some good blog photos!
I'm going to try and spend as little money as possible, but still have some good experiences.

Of course I still have my teaching job.
I only have 1 student so far, so I'll only be teaching once a week.
I'm teaching a trial lesson with a new student on Friday.
So I might have 2 permenant students by the end of this week ^__^
I think my 3rd student has decided not to sign up to the conversation school.
At least I haven't heard back from him after his trial lesson last Saturday.

Comiket Update, Damn Cold and New Doll Clothes

2010-01-07T19:49:00.000-08:00

Yuk! As I type this I'm full of cold (I refuse to say flu) >_<
Sneezing is no longer a safe action XD

I bought some all purpose cold medicine this afternoon called "Shin Ruru A".
I had some after dinner...it seems to be VERY slowly kicking in.
I would love some real Western cold medicine (elephant tranquilizer) right now XD

I knew all of those beautiful Japanese handkerchiefs I bought would come in handy for something other than drying my hands in improperly equipped Japanese public facilities one of these day!!!

My doll photos seem to suck lately. I think when the weather gets nicer, I'll get a doll carrier so I can take Ryoma out to find some good photo spots!

I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of my dolls when I return to the UK.
I think I mentioned before that I commissioned a DOA member to do some Yukata for me.
She's finished making them now...they were $5 each and THEY ARE SO FABULOUS <3
Blue with lilac for Yuki and black with red for Yue

Comiket was pretty good! I got some nice pieces including Hetalia, Hayate no Gotoku, Toradora, Prince of Tennis, Gintama and some originals that I've never heard of (but I liked the artwork). It was so crowded, but it was just bareable!
Seriously, I've seen my fill of anime boobs in that exhibition centre to last me a lifetime XD

It was so freezing ass cold at first! I left Saitama at 5:30am, so that I could queue up before the opening time. It took quite some time to get there, I arrived at Tokyo Big Sight at 8am.
By 10am, the sun was shining bright and warm! You wouldn't have believed it was December 31st!!!

I finished all of my reports last week. I posted them up on Lang-8 (I LOVE this website) for grammar corrections, because my Japanese is not yet perfect!
Even if it is understandable, it doesn't mean it's grammatically correct! XD

I have to revise for the German test, revise for the kanji test, memorise my British superstitions (written in Japanese) essay and try to revise for another essay (which we weren't even given a clue as to what the topic will be).
BUT after the exams are over I'll be on holiday until April yay!!!

I really thought I had more to update....but I don't remember right now, oops XD

Christmas, Doll Plans and Comiket

2009-12-25T04:14:00.001-08:00

Christmas has nearly past Japan now...it's 9pm 25th December.
It was more of a Sunny Christmas than a White Christmas.

I didn't do much...just eat and watch Jigoku Shoujo.
My parcel from my mum has been delayed in Tokyo customs since 3am on Thursday. -__-

I've had my MSN and Skype on waiting for my mum and boyfriend to come online.
So far, I've talked to my mum...but my boyfriend has yet to contact me,
which is unusual since he's always early to rise on Christmas and it's nearly 12pm in the UK ;__;

I have 2 weeks+ off now!
I have 1 exam and 1 report due on the 12th January, 2 exams on the 13th of January
and a report due on the 18th January.
After that is over I'm off for Spring Break (just over 2 months holiday) until sometime in April, when the new semester starts.

In the job area of life, I've got 1 semi-permenant student! He says he wants lessons until March, but he might want to continue lessons longer than that.

Thanks to the 2000yen I got for our 1 hour lesson the other day, I was able to go and watch the Nodame Cantabile movie!

I really feel inspired to play since I watched it...but all of my instruments are at home in the UK. My playing is going to be soooo rusty!
I feel the need to take up violin too XD
When I can afford lessons and a violin!

As far as dolls go lately, I'm on the list for Minimee Eiri Yuki from Gravitation that's being ordered Feb or March.

I'm somehow hoping to save up for Dollmore Pado (boy) before I go back to the UK.
He's going to be my Tezuka ^__^
I'd really love the smirky Volks F-17 to be my Sebastian...but he's sooooo expensive!!!

I've been inspired by Jigoku Shoujo recently and I can't wait to get Yue cosplaying Enma Ai...so I've just requested a black and red Yukata commission.
The Yukata look really amazing in the photos and they're only $5!
I miss my dolls so much ;__;

As far as events go, I'm planning to go to Comiket next week.
Planning to buy a few doujin for myself and then some to make profit on Ebay with.
I hope I can survive the endless queuing!!!

Journal Update

2009-11-04T22:17:00.000-08:00

t's been a long time since I wrote a real entry.
Mostly because it's been same old thing...you know, go to classes, do homework, eat, sleep, play tennis XD

This week our classes were cancelled due to the university's cultural festival.
I went to check it out for at least one day. There was mostly food, but besides that not much else.

Although I was very surprised to see one of my tennis class team-mates, so I hung out with him for a while.
He was going to be there all day since he was working on one of the food stalls.
It's been really sunny yet quite cold outside, so I didn't stay for as long as I would have liked.

I went around Kawagoe for a bit. I needed some grip tape for my racket since the leather handle was slippy and therefore the friction was giving me blisters D:
I got the Wilson Pro-Overgrip - I love it, my hand doesn't slip on the racket at all!!!
I also got a little smiley face vibration dampener - it was cute and only 200yen.

All the setting up life in Japan was more expensive than I foresaw.
My travelling around and sightseeing etc didn't help.
And therefore my student loan ran out ;__;

So you can imagine my surprise when I was clearing out old paperwork in my drawers and discovered 20,000yen ($220 / £130) in my school diary (that I don't use cos it's pants XD)
LUCKY

I was also lucky enough to score a job with a teaching company.
Although I can't really make any money just yet - I have to wait for my boss to find me students that will fit in my free-time schedule.
I'm a bit nervous about teaching again - the last time I taught feels so long ago.

The trial lessons are 30mins and I get 1000yen per trial lesson.
If the student signs up for lessons permenantly, the lessons are 1 hour and
I get 2000yen per lesson (direct from the student).
If I teach 1 on 2 rather than one on one - I get 4000yen per lesson.
If I teach 1 on 3 - I get 6000yen per lesson.

I don't mind teaching 1-3 if they have 3 students that want to learn together.
I find teaching groups easier, since I taught classes with many more students last year.
It would certainly help me pay my rent if I could so that!!!

Although, I have no idea when I'm gonna get my homework done - since I told him when all of my free time is >_<

Escaping Days

2009-10-18T02:55:00.000-07:00

The days seem to be running away! It's already nearly the end of October!
I'm getting more confident with using Japanese spontaniously now :3
I've made a few new Japanese friends this weekend too!

I had so much kanji homework to do this week, but I finally finished it!

Actually come to think of it, kanji class seems to be the only class where we get regular homework.
Although, we get "influenza homework" incase the uni closes.

______________________________________________________________

This week during our Friday culture class we had the opportunity to try Shodo.
I found it quite difficult to get the strokes exactly right.
I did "geijutsu"as my kanji, I think I might have been watching to much Naruto lately...thanks Deidara!

_______________________________________________________________

Today, I went into Kawagoe to buy some shorts for Tennis class and Tennis club from the sports shop.

However I got slightly sidetracked by the festival that was on,
So many food stands! I wish I could've afforded and had the stomach space to try a bit of everything! XD

I got some nice shots from the festival for my gallery.
So I'll upload them when I feel motivated :P

______________________________________________________________

I think this next week is going to go fast as well. `

I have tennis class tomorrow morning, which is always fun.
Advanced kanji in the afternoon (where all that homework came from @_@ )
And volunteering class (which is actually listening to various volunteering companies talk about their business and we have to write a small commentary and the end) after kanji class.

We are probably doing biwa again on Tuesday's culture experience class, although I think it's high time we did something new.
Japanese special expressions class in the afternoon - it's quite challenging, but always easy to understand since the teacher is great at explaining things and she's so funny!

Wednesday brings "Practial Use of Japanese" class. We started watching a film about sumo last week and we're going to finish it this week.
After that I have German - I'm ahead the class in the German textbook.
So I have no need to rush my work in that class.

Friday is a very easy day with basic kanji class
and then cultural experience class (this week will be Origami).
Not sure I'm looking forward to the origami - I've tried it before with instructions from a library book and I was terrible at it!

Typhoon and Cosplay plans

2009-10-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

The weather here has been pants recently. Humid yet raining.

On Tuesday they announced on the news that a typhoon was coming and showed the path they predict it was going to take.

Of course as the typhoon made it's journey these predictions changed.

Even though the typhoon has already passed our area, uni classes are cancelled for today.

The sun is now shining hot, like it's pretending the bad weather never happened lol!

_____________________________________________________

My cosplay arrived today! It came so fast, it took only 3 days!
When I was in the UK it took a whole month, coming from the same company!

It seems like we are going to be having a halloween party at the Ryuugakusei Kaikan, since many are planning their outifts.
So, it gives me a good excuse to cosplay :D

Also, there is going to be two manga/anime conventions in December in Tokyo that I don't want to miss!

Little Random Update

2009-09-27T00:23:00.000-07:00

As you can see my list of places to visit keeps growing XD

I've visited some of them already, but I'm sure I will go back again.

I want to visit Kasukabe as it was the setting for one of my favourite (and apparently very popular here!) anime called Lucky Star.

Also Washinomiya shrine that the girls from Lucky Star visited is on my list.
Apparently many fans of the series visit the shrine XD
It's good business for them I guess!

As I'm typing this I'm watching a program that is showing all of the stops on the Yamanote line and what you can find in each of these areas - so I'm watching out for interesting things to go and see ^__^

Tokyo Game Show

2009-09-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I went to Tokyo Game Show - supposedly the biggest video game convention :3

It was quite an expensive do with it costing 2500yen to get there, 1,200yen entrance fee, 500yen on food and then I spent nearly 7,000yen on merchendise (a Tokyo Game Show t-shirt and a K-ON hoodie).

It was a good day out though :3

I won't post all my photos -in the cosplay sections, they requested that we get the cosplayers permission to post the shots on personal websites.

They were quite strict with photographing in most areas, but it was difficult to stop the millions of people that must've passed through the venue from taking some photos.

Akihabara

2009-09-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

Well I finally made it - the otaku went to otaku land XD

I'll say it's probably not the place to take children - certainly a lot of not very well hidden hentai sections within shops.

I saw a maid cafe and also lots of maids advertising their shops, handing out leaflets in the street.

In all the shops there are signs everywhere indicating that photography is prohibited, so I had to take photos from the outside of buildings.

I didn't have much time to see all of it, but I raced up and down Chuo Doori and still managed to buy some nice little bits and pieces...

1. Kuroshitsuji stickers
2. Tezuka Prince of Tennis phone charm
3. Twilight (with English & Japanese audio options and English & Japanese subtitle options)
4. A Lucky Star Tsukasa figure (from a 200yen vending machine)
5. A K-ON Ui badge (also from a vending machine)

I'll definitely be going back to check for new merchendise throughout the year :3

I'll upload photos as soon as I can ^_^

Tokyo Trip #1 - Ikebukuro & Pokemon Center

2009-09-20T03:45:00.000-07:00

Hi!

Today I suppose has been the most eventful since we chose our classes.

I've been down with a sinus headache for a few days, so didn't do too much.
Although, some painkiller called Mogifen with like 3 anti-inflammatories in it, seems to be dampening down the pain, although it's making breathing a bit of a chore.

I got adventurous - charged up my PASMO and headed towards Tokyo.

I took the Tobu Tojou line from Kita Sakado to Ikebukuro and hung around there for a while to try and find CLOSET CHILD (a lolita clothing and BJD clothing shop) and MANDARAKE (a manga and cosplay shop).

Luckily as I was heading towards the train station there was some parade/fair on.
So I took some photos as the parade passed through.
I wish I knew what it was for though ^^;

After that, I got on the JR Yamanote line and went in search of the Pokemon Center in Hamamatsuchou.
Luckily it was well signposted from the Hamamatsuchou station and it was only opposite and slightly to the right of the station XD

I loved it there, even though it was packed! I'll definitely be going back, since it's so easy to find!!!

I managed to download some Pokemon event mystery gift for a special Pikachu field in the Heart Gold/Soul Silver walker while I was there.

There were lots of Pokemon Halloween merchandise, and there will be more in October!

See my gallery for new photos from Ikebukuro and the Pokemon Center <3

I feel rather ill now after adventuring, I hope I haven't made myself worse :/

Placement Test & Choosing Classes

2009-09-15T02:55:00.000-07:00

Monday

Well, the placement test wasn't the monster I expected.
There was one test for general grammar and one for comprehension.

However I was so hungry, headachy and tired by the time we got to the comprehension paper, I kind of skim read for the bits I needed so I could answer the questions quickly.

After the test I went to my flat to freshen up, dump my stuff and chill for a bit.

Then I went to Higashimatsuyama and made some Purikura and got ice cream with a friend. I love the Purikura, I wanna make lots while I'm here <3

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Tuesday

Well, today we got separated into our levels.

There are 4 levels - level 1 is for beginners and level 4 is for students who are capable enough to take other classes with the native Japanese students.

So how is it I ended up in level 4??? Especially when I didn't put all my effort into the test.

I'm going to give the level 4 classes a go, but I fear it may be too high a level for me.
I will most likely end up going into level 3, so I don't have a mental breakdown XD

I have to choose which classes I want to take before tomorrow morning.
So far, I have chosen: Japanese language, Japanese culture, 2 kanji classes (level 3 and level 4) and German.
I need to choose 2 more now :3

korekara ganbarimasu yo!

University and Placement Test

2009-09-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

We went to the university campus for the first time on Friday.

I saw a zoo next to the university on the way in. I really wanna go there ^_^

We had a meeting where everyone introduced themselves and the teacher talked to us about what would be happening next week.

We also got our mobile phones, they are very fancy!

I wish I had opted in for the mobile internet thing now. I think that's why I can send messages via SMS but not messages. Maybe I can sign up to it later.

I got my bank stuff sorted, it didn't take as long as I expected. Now I gotta figure out how to deposit and withdraw money O_o

We have a placement test tomorrow to determine what level class we should be put into.
I'm quite nervous, I wish I had felt like studying more this week.
My brain just doesn't want to move this week!

I suppose even if I do badly and end up in a low level class, I will still learn a lot due to being surrounded by the Japanese language.

ganbarimasu <3

Arrival

2009-09-07T16:34:00.001-07:00

I finally made it after a very long journey!

My suitcase will be catyching up with me soon, as a delivery company is bringing it.
I remembered to take some clothes out, but I didn't take out any pyjamas for last night >_<

I've taken lots of photos of my room. It's well cool, I wanna stay here forever <3

Although I'm in dire need of lots of things such as a kettle, spare bedding, stationary, food/drinks etc

I bought a french stick, miso soup and cup noodles. I just had to microwave the water instead of boiling it.

haha I just discovered a heater underneath the low down table (you well get pins and needles sat down here but the tatami is quite comfortable!).
Don't need it right now though, it is quite humid!

Photos of my accommodation have bee posted in the gallery (see menu on the right).

One Week to Go

2009-08-28T03:22:00.000-07:00

Not long now ^__^

I've packed my suitcase and I picked up my Yen and Travellers Cheques yesterday.

I really want to take more of my dolls with, but I know I'm gonna have to leave space so I can bring souvenirs back with me.

My Visa should be arriving in the post today by Special Delivery.

I really should get as much study done as possible this next week since I will be taking a level placement exam - so they can put me in the correct level class.