So we're trying something new. Since I still don't have internet, I'm going to type entries in text edit and copy and paste later!
I'm convinced Maison still isn't the best living arrangement, but it got a little bit better today. I went down to do laundry and they'd unlocked the coin drawers on the laundry machines in addition to the dryers. I don't have to pay for laundry! Woo HOO! There are still only 4 washers and 2 dryers (2 are broken) for 5 floors of people, but at least it's free.
Mom and Dad offered to bring me home for Christmas yesterday. I would love nothing more than to see my family and friends for the holidays, but the idea worries me. It was hard enough acclimating to my new environment devoid of familiar faces; seeing them again for just a week and then having to come back might be a bad idea. Not to mention I'm only here for a year and I don't know when I'll be back again. It's not like Japan is just a hop skip and a jump away. It's a grueling 11 hour flight and about $1,500 round-trip airfare. I think I should experience life here to the fullest.
...
I do really miss my family. Especially my Grandma.
I don't know. I still need to do some considering.
On the school front, I've been going to millions of orientations and tours and the like. The bike ride to campus is 20-25 minutes with a slight incline. I'm going to have super legs by the end of the year.
There's this really cool building a little off campus called the Kanbaikan. It's the location of the law school, but there are lounge areas there too. One part of it is specifically meant to allow people to nap at school! Hello again nap time.
I'm looking at what classes to register for as I write this. A basic semester is comprised of 18 minimum units, each class is 1-2 units. The various classes meet 1 day a week for 1.5 hours each time. So far I'm taking a required 10 units of Japanese (they break down kanji, conversation, listening, grammar, and vocab into different classes), two language seminars meant to prepare me for JLPT 2, History and Feature of Manga and Anime in Japan, Japanese Traditions and Culture, and Japanese Culture 2. I'll be on campus every day of the week, but Tues. and Thurs. I'll be done after 12:15. Woo HOO! Right now I'm registering for the minimum amount of classes, but I might tack on another so I can drop one that I really don't like.
It's hard picking classes because from level 4 (the level I placed into) there's a limited selection of classes. As it is, two of the classes I'll be taking are ５程度. That means level 4 kids can take them, but the language level will be kind of intense. I've got one class taught in english. That's it. Which I'm okay with.
I was actually kind of disappointed. A couple of the really cool looking classes are only taught in Chinese and Korean. (T__T) Figures.
I'm excited for classes to start though. I particularly can't wait to join a サークル (circle). Circles are like clubs in America. They have clubs here too, but that's more akin to the intensity of club soccer you'd find at a country club. They're really strict.
Unfortunately they no longer have a Taiko club or サークル anywhere on Doshisha. I'm thinking I'll just join a random fun サークル and ask at the Taiko Center of Kyoto if there are any community groups around I can play with. I think that's going to be my best bet.
I really just want to be a kid this quarter. I might look into doing some tutoring next quarter, but this quarter I just want to live and go to school and enjoy not being an lady yet.
I'll try and write more to post more often. Hopefully the internet will be on at my place soon too.
Miss you!
Love until later,
Caitlin D.
