First entry.

Weird URL? I couldn't think of anything else but I had to get the blog started so yeah, whatever.

So I had a heck of a plane ride from Singapore to Tokyo. Before that, big thanks to Timo, Regi and Nura for sending me off, and most of all my parents. Anyway, it was the new A380 with awesome seats (second deck yo). There were a couple of children on board too but they got quiet after midnight. Tired so must sleep lo. I fell asleep myself until the meal was served which I didn't finish. The new seat and the features were more than enough to make up for pathetic plane food.

Arrived half an hour in advance and waited at the meeting point till 9 for the Sophia University representative to pick me up. The fella' was actually standing right in front of me the entire time, holding up a sign with my name on it and I hadn't realized until I stood up and wanted to move my trolley directly outside the arrival area. I can't recall how he looks like and better still, his sole picture on fb is obscured by his hands or something. He was rather tall though. Anyway, got my luggage to be delivered by this delivery service which cost 5100yen (it sucked. More on that later).

So we took a couple of trains down to Nippori then to Nishikawa-guchi and walked down to the dormitory which took a grand total of 2 and a half hours. Reached the dorm before noon and my luggage hadn't arrived yet. Got my room key and entrance card key and went to my room to rot. Room's on the third floor. So I got the bedding provided out and set up my bed and fell asleep for a couple of hours before heading downstairs to check whether my luggage had arrived. Nope. So went out and walked around before heading back again. No luggage. Went upstairs and ended up dozing off again. No luggage. Went out to get a photocopy of my passport. Went back. No luggage. Finally...FINALLY. At around 8.30pm, it came. So I lugged my 50kg worth of clothes, plugs and other shit up three flights of stairs and dragged them to my room. I began unpacking immediately and finished that night. Am I awesome or what. Then again, there wasn't much to begin with.

And no, I hadn't eaten that entire day. Pictures of my room another day.

The first and fourth floors are for the guys and the second and third for the girls. Showers on the first floor; one for the guys and one for the girls. Two toilets and two laundry areas on each floor. Two kitchens. And yes, all close at certain times. No curfew. Bicycles available for rental. Meals not provided.

So basically my dorm isn't even in Tokyo itself; it's in Saitama. And it's really quiet here, despite it being in the middle of the residential district. There're a couple of elementary schools nearby, with one directly opposite the dorm. I must say, kids here seriously get good workouts every single day, morning and afternoon. No wonder they're so fit and tanned while the obesity rate for children in Singapore is getting higher, because the already limited P.E. lessons end up being replaced with "important" classes.

I hadn't tried travelling to the campus yet, but it roughly takes an hour, including walking because the trains are actually pretty fast. I won't even bother explaning the lines and the train names. And...it's expensive ):

The first day sucked and honestly, I cried because I didn't know what I had gotten myself into. The second day was better. I woke up early to shower and went down to the tatami room for orientation. Seriously alot of American, British and German students. There were about 4 actual Asians, including myself. As in, Asian Asians, not American-born/bred Asians, where there were easily half a dozen in the room then, and that was only the first orientation. Filled up some forms, submitted them and went for a brief tour around the dorm. Went with around twenty others to register for our alien thing. Because we're foreigners staying here for more than 90 days. That was when I met another Singaporean here. And he studies in Australia too. What were the odds. Speaking Singlish was awesome, but he's hardly ever around here because he has his local friends and local girlfriend so too bad. As in too bad that the other Singaporean isn't around to speak Singlish to, not any other reason. The walk to the city office took more than a hour and registering took another 2 hours; the journey back was shorter though and then, it was already 4ish so the 4 Asian Asians (a Hong Kong girl who has only studied Japanese for 30 hours but can speak fluent English, and a Taiwanese girl who has studied Japanese for 5 years but doesn't speak English wtf) decided to eat together. Ramen at this small shop we found. It was pretty cheap. Then went exploring to buy toiletries and some food before heading back. END.

The third day. Saturday. 18th Sept. Second day of orientation (more ABAs) and Welcome Party. Fun to meet more people who live on the same floor (Jessica lives next to me yay). Cooked our own lunch; Japanese curry rice and salad. I cut the meat with several other people. Can't imagine 30odd people in the kitchen. Met a Californian girl who is a pescatarian, like Sue-mae. After the meal, Miss Hong Kong (Tina), Miss Chinese Taipei (Yifen) and little ol' me went bike-riding to find, would you believe it, the library. Borrowed Coraline at the children's section (don't laugh). I totally found it by accident 'cause I was picking through random books without reading the titles and that one happened to fall out. Fate lo. So I only managed to read the first page, but hey, that's an achievement. Hah. Then Yifen and I went to Belc Supermarket, went back and went out again with Tina for Okinawan food at this small place next to the ramen shop from the previous night.

The fourth day. Today. Sunday. 19th Sept. First day heading out to the city itself.
Woke up early to take the train down to Harajuku to meet Yifen's airport escort, Aoki. We arrived early and walked around abit. Ate awesome udon at yet another small place. Even though my speaking is crap, I was so glad I at least remembered some basic vocab hah. Aoki was great. He speaks Japanese, English and some Mandarin, in addition to Spanish which he is currently majoring in Sophia. And he was really patient throughout the day. It was rather amusing though. There isn't a language which all 4 of us could communicate fluently with; if it was Japanese, only Yifen and Aoki; Mandarin, Yifen, Tina and myself; English, Tina, Aoki and myself. Regardless, it was thoroughly enjoyable, except the crazy crowds.

This small street at Harajuku kind of reminded me of Bugis Street in certain ways, except that the former was cleaner and more atas. Went down to the Meiji Shrine and witnessed the beginning part of a Shinto wedding. Got an amulet. Victory yo. Then went down to Yoyogi Park and saw groups of Elvis-impersonating dancers. Milled around at the Vietnam Festival (would Singapore Festival ever come here, or maybe there isn't a big enough population in Tokyo). Went down to Shibuya to get some electronics. Failed to get any cellphone, for now. Witnessed, as Yifen described, some Japanese New Year thing with hordes of people dressed in blue garb carrying these huge miniature (the oxymoron) golden carriages. I know I should really be the one researching on this, so more on that another time. Stopped for tea and desserts at a Shibuya mall (Shibuya Mark City I think) and explored it. Then went to Shinjuku in an attempt to find a shower basket at Tokyu Hands (omg that place I totally loved back in 2006) but failed so we toured the floors. Went for ramen at a not-big-yet-not-small alley, with the vending machines to choose your food and get a ticket to pass to the waitresses. There was a small family sitting next to us, whom I suspect the father and grandmother are from Singapore. The kid was making irritable noises, to which the father said he wanted to take him for a walk outside, to the pachinko parlour to which the mother got irritated and absolutely refused to let the father do so. When I mentioned this to the others, none of them seemed to have realized it. Meh, I too kaypoh for my own good.

Speaking of kids, why are Japanese children just so cute. Even the junior high school boys are. For real. Fudge.

Anyway, we headed back the dorm after that, in which the walk back seemed never-ending.

Tomorrow's gonna be a new day. An even better day. Relaxed morning. And probably heading down to Akiba in the afternoon. This is going great. Life is great. Was great. Until I saw the fucking cockroach in the toilet earlier when I was going to wash up. I swear, it was staring at me through the mirror and edged behind the taps in an attempt to fly at me once I turned back. But I was too quick and escaped before it could carry out its masterplan. Muahaha.

Sorry for the long post without any visual aid. Pictures should be up on fb soon for reference, that is, if you had even bothered to read this in the first place.

By the way, Japan is one hour ahead of Singapore, which currently puts it one hour behind Melbourne, until daylight savings start again.

Okay. Love you everybody!
Good night!