New Apartment and Starting Work, Also My Awesome Boss

November 13, 2011

Sunday

6:53PM JST

This is my 2^nd entry for my blog since arriving in Japan. I am writing this entry in Microsoft Word because I don’t have access to the internet at my apartment yet and I don’t have enough time to write everything out at work since I’m, well, working when I’m at the office.

Here is the rundown of what has happened since my last post. I finished up training last Wednesday and I moved here, to Miyagi Prefecture, on Thursday via Shinkansen. One of my supervisors (at least I think he is…) brought my baggage with him via his car later in the day. So basically I arrived first then had to wait for him to get here. I also paid for the Shinkansen and connecting trains with my own money, though I did get quickly reimbursed thanks to my super kind manager. Anyways as soon as I arrived at the Sendai (Train) Station the manager picked me up. We went to the office and talked and I did some work (which I need to finish when I have the time) reorganizing some vocabulary cards that had been disorganized by the previous teacher who was fired for not, well, teaching.

Later that night (Thursday) my manager, the manager of the ALTs and the supervisor from Tochigi Prefecture who brought my luggage all went out to eat at an Izakaya. OMG. OMG. OH. MY. GOSH. I cannot describe how absolutely DELICIOUS the food was there. The first person who visits me is going straight there after I pick you up from the airport or the train station, depending on how you get here. Of course since I 1) have no money and 2) will start work the next day (Friday) my coworkers paid for all of it J. Also, before that the manager took me to a 100 yen shop and bought me like $30 worth of stuff for my apartment… little did I know that he was going to actually be the one paying for it! I was planning to buy all the stuff myself but then when we get to the register he takes out his wallet and buys it for me!!!!

My manager is awesome! He also set up everything for me, my apartment, my futon (floor bed), my refrigerator, my washing machine and then my mini oven/stove and the kotatsu (table with blankets and a heater underneath it, for not, you know, freezing to death in the winter). Now, I’m renting the futon, fridge and the washing machine for about $13 a month!! They’re also ALL new! My manager gave me his kotatsu that he can no longer use because he’s living in the office (I don’t know why…). He also got me the mini stove/oven and I think that’s probably going to come out of my paycheck too (I don’t know if I’m renting it…). Oh and he got curtains too.

With my own money (reimbursement and advance on my paycheck) + ~$100 the manager gave me (I did not ask! But by now I’ve thanked him at least 15 times), I went and bought some dishes, some food, a calendar, a towel, forks, knives, etc. The only things I really need now are zabutons (floor pillows) and more containers to organize my stuff.

In other news, I love my apartment!! I have a great view of the mountains in the distant AND my 1 bedroom, 1 kitchen (no dining room, the kotatsu is the dining table in my bedroom) has a tatami floor in the bedroom!! Not only that but I’m also within walking distance to all sorts of places to shop and eat. I don’t need a car at all here. I’m only about 20 minutes walking distance from my job and I don’t start work until noon or later. So happy!

That’s all for now!

日本到着~ Nihon Touchaku ~ Arrival in Japan

I have arrived in Japan!

The trip took me almost 30 hours. First I went to Denver, then to LAX then to Narita. I left the house around 5:30 AM on the 26th and arrived at around 5pm on the 27th. There IS a 14 hour time difference though.

I met my best friend 親友　（しんゆう）　shinyuu Izumi at the airport. Izumi went to school with me in Niigata. She's working at a hotel in Tokyo now.

Anyways we hugged, I spoke in less-than-polished Japanese but it was fine. She speaks some English now since she works at a hotel. I got on the bus to Utsunomiya 宇都宮　（うつのみや）　which cost about 4,070 yen and rode that for about 3 hours. I passed out sometime past the 1:30 mark. I then tranferred to a train at Utsunomiya Station 宇都宮駅 （うつのみやえき） Utsunomiya-eki on the 宇都宮線　（うつのみやせん）　Utsunomiya-sen.

Then I got on the Kurosoi-bound train 黒磯行き　（くろそいゆき） Kurosoi-yuki. I had to ask a high school student on the previous train which one was the right one for Ujiie 氏家 （うじいえ） which is where I am in now. I am actually in Sakura-city, Tochigi, Japan 日本栃木県さくら市　（にほんとちぎけんさくらし）　Nihon Tochigi-ken Sakura-shi　right now.

I met two very nice staff at the office. They took me there first then to my hotel. I love my hotel! It's tiny, tiny but awesome! I have internet and cable too!

I went out hunting and exploring for some food and google maps was no help at all. I had to ask directions. Fortunately I speak Japanese! So it was easy.

I had O~i ocha (green tea made by Ito En which can be found in the US at Whole Food's Market as Teas Tea Pure Green Tea for ~1.50 per 20 oz bottle), Motchi (NOT Mochi) Choco(late) Danish and Nikuman at a Lawson and 7/11 (I went to both). 7/11 has an ATM and I can get money out of that just as soon as someone sends me money, ha. I've got about 275 yen left in my account ;_;. I have about 3,000 yen left until then. (~$40) and I spent about 500 yen on lunch (~$5).

I'm waiting for a phone call from one of my bosses, I don't know what he's going to say to me or when he's going to call but when I get hungry I'm planning on leaving. I'll let the front desk know that I'll be out of course before I go.

Anyways below you are pictures of food and the town. More later!

Lunch. O~i ocha. Nikuman. Motchi Choco Danish. Salmon Onigiri.

Sake Onigiri = Salmon Onigiri = Delicious

 

 

出発日 ~ Shuppatsu Bi ~ Day of Departure

Today I leave for Japan!

For the last two days I spent time with my dad at his house and today we picked up my niece and visited my sister and her friend in north Texas.

My dad gave me a "new" camera so I will be able to post videos and photos once I get USB cable to transfer the files from the camera to my computer as the battery cover is broken and its being secured by a piece of wire and I'm afraid to move it to take out the SD card. Oh well. At least I can take over 1,000 pictures before I have to start deleting/uploading stuff ^_^.

I will be leaving this moring at 5:30 AM or so. It's 1:42 AM right now and I got home from my dad's place around 10 PM or so. I'm exhausted and sleepy but I doubt I'll be able to sleep.

I just finally finished packing and now I can take more stuff than planned originally because my dad gave me 2 large suitcases... unfortunately neither suitcase has the ability to stand up on its own (due in part to the fact that they're both very top heavy). I will weigh them before I leave just to make sure. I had to get rid of a bag I was planning on taking because I will already by lugging around 2 large suitcases plus an overstuffed backpack AND my laptop so I just don't have enough arms!

I calculated my journey and I will be travelling for just over 25 hours from the time I leave the house to the time I arrive at my hotel. Ugh.

I will make a post as soon as I get to my hotel and can figure out how to set up internet.

Oh and I had to ask my employer to give me some sort of stipend or something until I actually start getting paid. So poor ;_;

Until next time!
Toodles~

VISA! 査証ゲット！

I received my Japanese visa in the mail today! It looks so different from my previous visa when I went to Japan before.

I'm also planning a going away party for myself and 6 people beside myself are coming so far according to the facebook page. I just hope they actually show up!

Packing is 1/4th of the way done. I wish I had more room ;_;.

Longer posts for when I actually get to Japan! I promise!

Packing Packing Packing

I have begun to pack now. It looks like I'll be taking 2 checked bags and 1 carry on and 1 personal item. It's supposed to be free to travel from US to Japan for up to 2 checked bags. I'm going to call the airline today or tomorrow and ask.

I have 2 different types of work pants, a black dress that can be made to look like a long skirt and possibly some yoga pants. I need to buy more work clothes when I get to Japan.

So far I have filled up one small bag of clothes that are being washed right now. I'll pack them today.

I have 2 winter coats but I might not be able to bring the 2nd one because it's so big and I will have limited space in my bags.

More to come later.

16 days to go!

Plane ticket purchased!

Fantastic news everyone!

The plane ticket has been purchased and I will be leaving October 26th, 2011! I have already planned out my bus and train route from Narita to Ujiie. I will stay there for a week and then move on to Tomiya.

So excited!

News News News

So I will most likely be leaving at the end of this month. I found a cheaper flight for $646. I plan on sending off my visa application tomorrow and I will likely get it back by the end of the week.

SO excited!