The First Weeks

I've been in Japan now for nearly three weeks now, and I haven't written a blog. Well, I wrote a blog a couple of weeks ago, but I decided I wouldn't bore you guys with the small details of my first week here. Really, they would bore you.

So, instead of making a long blog catching you up with my life so far, I'd thought I'd utilize one of my favorite scheduling/organizing methods and make a list of things I have and haven't done.

What I have done:

• bought a bike
• bought an electronic dictionary
• registered as an alien resident
• organized my trash to comply with Nagoya's high standards
• visited the local super at least twice a day since I've moved in
• sipped mango juice out of a juice box while soaking my feet in 45 degree C water
• caught a cockroach in a cockroach trap made to look like a house
• become awesome at at using chopsticks
• become awesome at navigating the train and subway systems
• eaten four types of fish all in one meal (even though I hate fish)
• taught a German international student how to do the moonwalk in the middle of an electronics store
• regularly rode my bike to and from campus, a 15 to 20 ride and includes one hill
• seen a parade celebrating the four founders of Japan
  
• been asked twice to exchange information with English-speaking Japanese people who want to make foreigner friends...

Things I haven't done:

• gotten trash cans
• gotten internet in my apartment
• gotten a rice cooker
• gone to karaoke
  

I can't think of other things right now, but there is more, of course.

Classes haven't officially started yet. I mean, they've started, but we haven't registered.... Classes are in a shopping period until Wednesday, and Japanese language classes don't start until the week after next. I'm tired of being in this limbo where I either have too much to do or nothing to do. Today I have no classes, nothing to do all day. I've already done the homework for the classes I've already attended. Imagine that.

Here's something: a typhoon should be here this weekend. Awesome. My boyfriend's coming over to my apartment tonight to make sure the sliding glass doors will hold up if the storm comes here, and we're also going to buy food and water and flash lights.

I don't mean to sound apathetic or upset. It's just that the weather's been cloudy and crappy lately. I love being here. Even with the culture shock starting to develop, I'm glad I'm here.