This morning I woke up feeling quite unwell; my chest hurt and it felt hard to breathe, my mouth was very dry and later in the morning my stomach began to hurt too. I'm not sure if it's just a cold or if it's still just my body becoming used to the cold temperatures, but I'm feeling better now that I've had a little to eat and a bit of a rest.
Anyway, I thought I'd use this blog to share with you some tips, as well as show you where I actually live now (via Google Maps, yay yay.)
Firstly, where I live:
In Hokkaido...
in Eniwa (between Sapporo/Chitose)...
In Town...
In Omachi... there's my apartment :)
In Omachi... there's my apartment :)
Ta da! It's a really nice place. I hope I can have a nice house like this one day (they have the BEST BATH).
Anyway, now for some tips;
1) School starts early. Like 8:25am, so getting up at 6am is the norm. Arrgh. And don't be surprised if you have to walk really far; for me, I leave home at about 7:10am, get driven to Eniwa station, catch the 7:23am train to Kaminopporo which takes around 20-25 mins, then from Kaminopporo I have to walk to school which takes around 25-30 mins. So I travel around 2 hours a day to and from school.
2) Credit cards and such are rarely used... so always have cash. Try to give exact cash as much as possible because otherwise you end up with loads of these (like me..);
...sort of like their version of 5c coins - annoying!
3) The coffee sucks. Just saying. If you're a big coffee fan, start weaning yourself off the stuff before you come to Japan.
4) As an exchange student, people always want to see where you're from, and what your life is like at home. I bought a small photo album that holds about 35 photos, and fits easily into my handbag or school bag. I've used it countless times already, so it's a great thing to have.
5) Always carry your Rotary business cards... and try to get rid of them all, because we get SO MANY.
6) Always smile :) it does wonders, seriously. And try your hardest to communicate well, even if it means speaking horrible Japanese (like me). As long as you keep smiling and trying, they know you're doing your best.
7) People are still allowed to smoke inside in Japan, so it may come as a little shock. Alot of people smoke so... if you're a non-smoker, also be prepared. I still have to try not to look twice when I see someone light up in a restaurant I'm in.
Well I think that's about it for now.. I just had my first Japanese tutor lesson which was fun, an hour and a half of talking Japanese; I had better be fluent when I come back or I'll be disappointed!!
For more photos, please visit my Facebook :)
Anyway, now for some tips;
1) School starts early. Like 8:25am, so getting up at 6am is the norm. Arrgh. And don't be surprised if you have to walk really far; for me, I leave home at about 7:10am, get driven to Eniwa station, catch the 7:23am train to Kaminopporo which takes around 20-25 mins, then from Kaminopporo I have to walk to school which takes around 25-30 mins. So I travel around 2 hours a day to and from school.
2) Credit cards and such are rarely used... so always have cash. Try to give exact cash as much as possible because otherwise you end up with loads of these (like me..);
...sort of like their version of 5c coins - annoying!3) The coffee sucks. Just saying. If you're a big coffee fan, start weaning yourself off the stuff before you come to Japan.
4) As an exchange student, people always want to see where you're from, and what your life is like at home. I bought a small photo album that holds about 35 photos, and fits easily into my handbag or school bag. I've used it countless times already, so it's a great thing to have.
5) Always carry your Rotary business cards... and try to get rid of them all, because we get SO MANY.
6) Always smile :) it does wonders, seriously. And try your hardest to communicate well, even if it means speaking horrible Japanese (like me). As long as you keep smiling and trying, they know you're doing your best.
7) People are still allowed to smoke inside in Japan, so it may come as a little shock. Alot of people smoke so... if you're a non-smoker, also be prepared. I still have to try not to look twice when I see someone light up in a restaurant I'm in.
Well I think that's about it for now.. I just had my first Japanese tutor lesson which was fun, an hour and a half of talking Japanese; I had better be fluent when I come back or I'll be disappointed!!
For more photos, please visit my Facebook :)
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