First Day of School

As my title suggest, today was my first day at Waseda University's School of Liberal Studies, aka SILS. It was a rough first day, since I had classes from 9 until 4, with only a 50 minute lunch break. What made it worse, was all the rain. I guess there is typhoon weather that has been sending us rain. Anyway, without further ado, I give you...my SCHEDULE!

Japanese 3a (Mon, Tues, Thurs 9-12:10)
Japan Anthropology (Mon 1-2:30; Wed 10:40-12:10)
History of Modern Japan (Mon and Thurs 2:40-4:10)
Art History (of Japan) (Tues 1-4:10)

Yes, I know, it is a lot of classes about Japan but let's not forget that I am a Japanese Studies major. Hopefully by the end of this year (if not by the end of this semester), I'll have figured out a direction I want to go in with my thesis. So far all I got is maybe I could write about social/cultural implications of food. I don't know, that does not really make sense, does it? Haha...I though I would get to take a class this semester that had that theme. It was Waseda's online course syllabus that gave me this idea.


Anyway, back to my day (and maybe about my week?). I woke up at 6:20 so I could shower and be ready before breakfast. I wasn't ready. I left my house about 7:40 and, of course, I did not miss rush hour. Luckily my station is not one of those that hires 'pushers' and by that I mean those men who politely, yet forcibly, push you into the train to make sure the doors will shut. Now, don't get the idea that my train is not crowded, because it is really crowded. Once, I let two trains pass because I was too afraid to get on them, they were so full. I finally managed to muscle my way onto the 'women's only' train. Everything you hear about Japan that sounds something like, "Oh, the Japanese are so polite" and other phrases that follow, you can just throw out the window during the period of 7:30-9:30. I do not know the exact time frames, but you get the general idea. Pushing is not optional, it's mandatory. If you want a place on any morning train, you have to pave your own way. With that said, I would like to say something about being a foreigner in such a homogeneous country...it sucks. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm liking Japan, but people [that don't know me] treat me like an obstacle. In the mornings, people assume I don't know the appropriate way of lining up for the trains, so they cut right in front of me. When I arrive at my station, people try to step around me when I'm walking forward. Once, a Japanese girl asked me where I was going, only to tell me I was, in fact, on the RIGHT train. Thanks!

The fact is, turning this pointless story into one with a point, that no matter how long I am here, I will always be just a gai koku jin, a person from a foreign country. There are plenty of foreigners who have made their lives here, but I am pretty sure that none of them are ever treated 100% the same as other Japanese. Now, I'm sure this happens all over the world, but I have never been on the other end of this. In America I am used to seeing people who do not look like me (Caucasian) and my first instinct is not usually, "Hey, look! Foreigner!" But, again, that's just because I've grown up in a country where I am surrounded by all sorts of different races. I am constantly being told, no matter if it is a psychology class or a pop. culture class, that Japan is an island separated from other cultures by the ocean and because of this they have remained homogeneous. Anyway, I think I'm raining, and I'm sure no one wants to read that.

On to something a little more (maybe not) exciting. One of our last group orientation sessions, we went to Kamakura, which is one of the old Capitals of Japan. If you are interested in it's exact history, please search it on wikipedia, because I've forgotten everything about it! I shall conclude with a few pictures from that day (Friday, September 26th).


I hope I don't sound like I'm complaining a lot. I think it's a mixture of the culture shock process (phase 2: unrealistic observations and other such ridiculousness) and adjusting to a new family and school life/schedule. I am looking forward to my year in Japan. So, please enjoy these pictures of the Kamakura temple and surrounding areas.

Byebye!

Home Sweet, Foreign, Home.

Hajimemashite. Atashi wa Rideia (Lydia) desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
How are you. I am Lydia. Nice to meet you. (lit This is our first time [meeting]. I am Lydia. Please take care of me)

Here I am. I have moved into my new home and met my family. They are super nice and, because they have hosted so many students in the past (15, my host mother said), they seem more open and playful than your average, 60 year olds.

Here are some quick facts: My mother is a traditional housewife. She does the shopping, cooking and cleaning (Except for mine, apparently. Ha!!). My father is a retired policeman turned 'government worker.' I'm not sure what he does, but he probably is behind a desk all day. My brothers, ages 33 and 29, are both policemen AND they still live at home. Take that, mom!

Right now, I'm chilling in my room, listening to someone play some sort of recorder (that instrument all of us learned in 4th grade). One thing that is similar to my home-stay experiences in Osaka and Tokyo is that the houses are squished together. They are all about three stories high but, using my house as an example, the bottom floor is used for the car. I think my family has a pretty sweet gig: They have a nice kitchen/dining room, a tatami mat room (6 mats in size), four bedrooms (mine, parents, brothers), a sweet entertainment area FILLED with manga, a bathroom and a shower/sink room (i think each floor has this, but I don't use the third floor, since that's where my brother's rooms are so I am not so sure).

Here are a few pics. I don't want to post too many, since it's kind of an invasion of my family's privacy:

View from the top of my house, main street, facing.....right.
My sweet, sweet dining area. You can't see the whole table where we eat, it's hidden by the small counter. This photo is taken standing in the kitchen area. It's a cute little double room. Heeh...
My little room. There's a little closet tucked away in the corner. I managed to shove all my luggage in there!!

Well, there you have it. That's a slice of my new little life. Sorry, no rhyme intended.

School starts Monday, and once I get my class schedule, I'll post that. Until then, I need to find a way and place to withdraw money. Tomorrow we go to Kamakura, then Friday I go to Waseda to have a final orientation/ home-stay language lesson AND get my Japanese cell-phone. I will also try to get the health check so I can use Waseda's gym and other facilities. Then this weekend, I will try to withdraw money, if I have not already done it Thursday or Friday. I am almost out!!

I'm outie!

Lydia

I`m finally here...

...so why has it taken so long for me to write?


Friends,

Today I experienced my first earthquake. Around 7:25, the morning of September 21st, I was in my bed and I was a little confused, but after realizing what it was, I was naturally excited. "Wow! This is pretty cool!" are pretty much the words I said. Hopefully, experiencing earthquakes remains a new and exciting experience, otherwise, well...You know.

So far, I`ve been to the following parts of Toyko:
Higashi-Yamatoshi-a smaller suburb-ish area where our dorm is, and most of the orientation sessions take place
Waseda-The area in and around Waseda University (the station exit is called `Takada no Baba`
Asakusa-A part of Tokyo with an older history; it houses a shrine to a really old Buddha statue, and the pathway leading up to it is filled with great, touristy shops.
Shinjuku- Lots of bright flashing light, various types of arcades and shops
Harajuku- Clothes, clothes and more clothes. I saw a few people dressed up in the extremes of Japanese fashion. Very interesting.

I have not had a long time in all of these places, except for Higashi-Yamatoshi. I`ll write more about all this later, when I`m not sharing 2 computers with 30 students.

Jya ne! (Later then)
Lydia