Getting settled

2 comments

2010/07/02
192 words
by Fredrik Olsen

We went to an introduction at the school yesterday, got some basic information and got placed in the beginner class and stuff like that. Seems like a very nice school actually! Today (Friday) we got the day off, so it’s a 3-day weekend to help settle in. On monday the real studies begin.

I’ve gotten a bit more accustomed to the dorm here, the room is still very small and I don’t like to have to share a shower (that isn’t even on the same floor as my room) with 90 other people. I am quite spoiled when it comes to living-conditions.

People say that a small room and “bad conditions” are good for studying, but that’s not the case for me. I know when I can study and when I can’t. Give me room to think and I will think big.

The people in the dorm are extremely nice though, so it’s nice to interact a little with other people, something you’d only get in school once in a private apartment.

I’m not that stressed about finding an apartment anymore, but I still want to get closer to school and closer to town pretty fast.

2 comments

http://twitter.com/emanuelferm Emanuel Ferm

Ok, so I have a ton of questions.

The people in the dorm, are they all gaijins like yourself?
In what ways does the school encourage mixing with native Japanese people?
Are you able to use your huge MBP in the room, or do you need to go outside to unflip it?
Pictures dammit!
How's the neighborhood and district? What's there, what's not there?
Is there a jazz club?

That's that, for now.

http://tetrisrockstar.com/ Fredrik

I'm gonna answer a bit here and a bit when talking to you sometime or something

All gaijins like myself?
Not really, there's like 90 people here, a handful I think are Japanese just studying in Tokyo, probably half are Swedes and there's some chinese, french and italians. Unfortunately I've talked to and hung out with about 10 Swedish people except Emma, but no-one from a different country. They seems to shy away mostly.

School encouraged mixing:
I don't know yet, haven't really been to school. The dorm doesn't really encourage mixing that much, but it's supposed to happen naturally in the lunch-room here or whatever. There are supposed to be “field-days” in School where we actually use the Japanese we learn outside in real life.

The MBP: I can unflip it! I think it's started feeling pretty small when using it now, but still big-ass and heavy as fuck when wanting to move it around.

Pictures: yes yes, coming I guess. I'm just settling in, I have a year to take pictures

Neighborhood; pretty far from a station that's pretty far from what I consider the core of Tokyo. Not much happening, but we did go to a karaoke place yesterday out here so there are some things happening. It's not as small and boring as it seems at first, but it's still not tokyo center. I don't think anything is not here, it's just that it's more spread out and in fewer variations.

Jazz club: I have not seen one so far.