Sleeping in for the next 18 months...

Training is over.

Today's my first real shift and will have 5 consequtive lessons, however, Duncan (a british guy who's been there a few years) had a look before leaving last night and tells me that I've two frees first up anyway. Should give me plenty of time to look over my arvo lessons and prepare. My days will have 5 40min lessons with a 10min break inbetween each; so, until I get my bearings, it may be a bit chaotic with only 10min prep time (we've had about an hour for prep over the last few days, but had 2 lots of 2 back-to-back lessons yesterday to help ease us into the real thing).

I'll start looking for a new apartment to move to soon and it sounds like I'll be able to easily find a place all to myself near work for less than I pay where I am now. Good stuff.

Am thinking I need to start now looking for stuff to fill in my days with now that training's over and I have the whole day to myself (will leave for work around 3:30-3:45pm). And that's not even thinking about the weekends.

Learning the Ropes

It rains in this place too.

The walk from the station last night left me soaked to the bone. It took me 10 mins to get my shoes off in the dark; not being able to reach the light without leaving a trail to clean up. Anyways...

Yesterday was a good day. I had given 3 full lessons by the end and feel reasonably happy with all of them; a group of 3 earlier in the day talking about deciding on a pet for your household, a 15 y/o highschool guy who had an incredible level of fluency and we talked about 'borrowing and lending', and lastly a young woman where we had a discussion/lesson about alternative medicines. This last woman was of a very high fluency and my trainer spent a bit of extra time trying to help me prepare for it (since the higher lessons tend to need a lot more time filler as well as losing the structure of the lower levels for which we'd been trained).

Today, my last day of training, will have me doing 4 full lessons with two lots of two consequtive classes (as in, less than 10 mins of prep time).

I went up to KICC (Kobe International Cultural C-something, or something) during lunch where I'm able to undertake free conversation classes with local volunteers. I'm a bit unsure about this as I've heard it's pot luck about getting a good person. It's a 6 month thing whether you like it or not.
I'm thinking I may just go pay for regular lessons for Japanese.

Need to head in a bit earlier today to set up my bank account. So...

Thrown in the Deep End

Today was Orientation day at work and I surprisingly made it there quite easily. So it seems my daily travel to and from work will be roughly an hour each way. I'm told that Sannomiya (where my branch is) is essentially the heart of Kobe. Heaps of shops and places to eat, as well as being directly across the road from the train station.

Training with me is a young Canadian woman and an American guy. As seems to be becoming a general pattern, the American guy kept to himself throughout the day and disappeared during lunch but I wasn't the only one to comment the oddity of it (couldn't really describe how I think about it without it sounding petty). Meanwhile, me and Averline spent our lunch break just chatting on about gibberish (and even invited me out for drinks with her housemates later this week). I'll be actually working at the branch I'm training at whilst these other two will be at other local branchs.

So... The actual purpose of the day. Orientation and training. It was exactly that. The structure used for every lesson was broken down into the most step-by-step guide possible whereby we then role-played it to the others.
The big wildcard thrown at me was that we'd actually be doing a real class with a real student... It wasn't exactly what I'd expected on Orientation day.
Somehow I managed to come out of it ok. We only had to do the first 20 mins of the 40 min lesson since we've yet to be taught the structure and activities done in the last 20 mins. So Yumiko was my only student (maximum is 3 for any lesson and it's completely random) who turned up a few mins late so was a bit flustered at the start. I'm quite glad she was late since it made her as unprepared as me. In truth, I think I did a decent job of teaching her how to buy tickets to events. Should only get easier from here.

Tomorrow is stepped up by teaching us the final parts of each lesson and then doing 3 more non-mock lessons.

Finishing work at 9pm every night will be able to have me home by 10pm (home by 11pm, Melb time). Sadly, really can't be too late home since the trains stop fairly early as best I remember; 11-12pm, or something.

I Found People!

I have neighbours!!

They tell me they've been waiting for me to say hi, but gave up and decided I didn't know they were there so came to visit. So I guess it was them who found me.

OMG I have people to talk to!
Three chicks; one from Adelaide and two from America; Monica who's been there a long time, Kate who just arrived yesterday and Louise (I think... something like that) who's the Aussie and has been there only 2 or so months [EDIT: So, it turns out I suck at names. Monica is the new one from California, Kate is from Adelaide and Michelle is the other American who's been there a while]. Really nice people and a relief to know there're other english people around who wont be locked in their bedrooms all day. They drilled me with questions in my lounge room and I then went and checked out their place. Was all a surprise, to be honest. Didn't expect 3 chicks to come ring my doorbell in the evening.
I learnt that our two apartments are the only Nova ones in the building as well as being educated on some of the local shops etc.

I also found that my cold showers weren't normal and the guys just seem to want to have the hot water turned off when they're done. Good to know...

Funny that I'd decided today wasn't really too hot and left my Air-Con off, settling just for the fan. So I greeted them as an unkempt, sweaty Aussie.

Good work, in my opinion, Aaron.

Assessing the Situation

I lay here in my room (which is a mess of computer cables and packaging from my new futon and bedding) while I try to think of things to do. I thought of doing my washing, but I'm in Japan... there must be something more interesting to do.

The reason the packaging from my futon is still sprawled out to one side of my room is because I'm yet to decide if the bags are recycled or non-combustables. I should as one of the other guys but I'm yet to work out a system of knowing if they're home or not. I have a feeling at least one of them is at the moment, but not sure which one and really am not that intersted in having a conversation about trash yet.

After about 3 hours of fiddling yesterday, I eventually managed to get QuickTime to install. It was having issues with the Japanese keyboard and the install directory but a few select windows updates resolved that. What this all means is that iTunes will now run. Go me!

I made a trip to the supermarket yesterday and found that bananas are surprisingly cheap at about $AU1.75. There's a lot of neat stuff at this supermarket but have avoided the fresh meat and fish for the moment til I decide how much food I'll actually need back here. I mainly just got stuff for breakfast and so ended up with a box of Kellogg's Cornflakes, some bad smelling but ok tasting milk and the biggest loaf of bread available, which has 6 slices... although they're thick. On top of this, a packet of udon noodles, a ramen kit and a big bottle of water. Still don't know if the tap water here is 100% ok; the kiwi guy who 'guided' me here said it tastes funny but he just uses a filter on his tap, and I'm yet to spring this question on my flatmates. Also need to work out if I'm using anyone's "special" bowls and/or cutlery and if they expect me to be buying some or not. At the moment, the impression I'm getting from these guys is that they come here to eat meals, sleep and watch tv. I'm thinking it'll end up being every man for himself, so I'm hoping I can find some other people over here who I can do stuff with. Guess I have to wait til I start work before I'm truly past the 'settling in' stage.

I'm thinking I'll need to sort a system of venting my room out. Smells too much of me in here, but I only gag on it when I come back in. Opening the window doesn't do much to keep the place cool, but a few hours each night should save anyone who visits sometime from dying on entry. Which would be bad.

Might go for a walk.

Yesterday: Take 2

It already feels like I left Melbourne weeks ago but I can probably account that to simply doing more in my last two days than I generally do in a month back home. It still feels too strange to so easily have just packed up and left everything behind. How much can change during a simple (18 month) holiday? I'm not too concerned about filling in my time here in Japan. Every street is just so impossibly full of houses, shops and people that I can't ever see myself completely knowing the area around me. And this is just Takarazuka, a tiny dot on the map. However, come 2008, how much will I have missed from back home? Will everyone still be there when I do finally come back? I can't be so naive to presume everything would remain unchanged, but it provides food for thought anyway.

Yesterday started off with me heading over to Sakasegawa by train to apply for my alien registration card. Again I found Nova's maps to be poor and later learnt the city office was actually faster to walk to than to train. I did manage to get there and only once backtracked then found my way to the correct level. It was a pretty simple thing in theory; just fill in the form after I let them know why I was there. The catch being that they spoke less english than I do Japanese. Honestly, I had a lot of fun and am slowly losing my fear to speak.

I stopped by Mos Burger on the walk back to the station and had a hearty cheeseburger meal set. Was good stuff, but may have been because it was my first actual meal since getting here...

Getting back to my apartment I found Brad to be up and about and managed to have a decent chat with him. He let me know where the best local supermarket is and I'll be headed there this arvo sometime. He also let me know where the nearest electronic store was and so I headed down there in my search for a laptop.

Surprisingly, I found the place pretty easily. After staring for about 45mins at this beast of a cheapass laptop that just called out to me, I summoned the gall to flag down a sales guy. For the next 30 odd mins I drowned, picking up about 5% of the long answers he gave me. Somehow I actually managed to walk out of there with my laptop. I wonder if he spoke English... never actually thought to ask.

Now that the rest of my luggage has arrived I feel more settled in (and clean). Just need some food now.

Sweaty, baked and burnt

So tired...

Spent the last part of my night catching up with a few people online and then setting this blog up.

Today in a nutshell:

I am now a registered alien.
Mos Burger is better than Maccas (although anywhere is better than Maccas).
I worked out that speaking Japanese is just as easy as buying a computer. At least I knew what I was on about.
I can't imagine I'd be able chafe anywhere else after a day of solid walking, but it's still a shit spot. Have you ever had uber-carpet burn? You don't want to.
I (surprisingly) turn bright red after spending the day walking in the blistering sun.
After having my luggage arrive I can shower and remove the dried layers of concentrated sweat from me. Seriously, sweat like that getting in your eyes burns like hell.
I'm hungry and need to find the closest ramen joint.

Today was a good day and not as bitter as it could sound.

Two Yanks, an Aussie and a Shoebox

So...
I didn't pack my address with me.
Completing my papers for Japan's Customs led to me simply leaving it blank.

The immigration officer loved that and gave me a curt 'dame da' (think of 'bad' used without any formailty in a very formal situation) and sent me away to a lady to get myself sorted out. Over 30 mins later, having a few good conversations with this lady official about how we're going to work out where I'm living in Japan, it was finally decided I'd be able to get computer access by heading up to the International Transfers level. I was able to get my address from there, thankfully. In the end the delay didn't make much of a difference as the Nova guy meeting us turned up about 20mins later after waiting ages for the meeting time anyway. At least I had a nice chick who'd helped me sort out customs.

When the Nova guy did actually turn up, there were 8 of us waiting; 4 from my same flight group and 4 more from no idea where. We piled up our luggage for this Nova guy to have sent (free) ahead of us after which left me on an hour bus ride to meet up with my Nova local area manager, a kiwi by the name of Glen. He was a pretty cool chap, though did dress like a mormon. After a short train ride we proceeded to get ourselves incredibly lost by following Noba's map to my apartment using details given such as "Toyoto", "Suzuki/Honda", convenience store, pedestrian overpass etc. The trick to it seems to have had something to do with some special order of the many "Toyoto", "Suzuki/Honda", convenience stores and pedestrian overpasses, which we didn't understand. So we overshot our turn a that pedestrian overpass by about 20mins. Deciding we'd possibly gone too far, he suggested we cut through the streets til we hit the 2nd rail crossing. And so we veered off the main road and ended up at my place about an hour later.

I sit here in my room pretty damn tired (got about 3 hours sleep on the flight over, coupled with my journey thereafter) and listen to what is almost a dead house. My flatmates hadn't expected me til tomorrow, which resulted in a rather stiff and odd welcome.
Brad was headed out and left shortly after I arrived while the other guy, Josh, locked himself back in his room after saying 'hi'. Not really sure what's left for me to interpret.

I went out and picked up some food from the nearby convenience store and later found there to be no microwave back here. Meh... So my chicken 'karage' is still sitting in the fridge until I probably find something in a supermarket to cook it up with.

Hoping to head into Kobe tomorrow to pick up a laptop.

Transcribed from pen and paper

In Transit

I've arrived at Kuala Lumpar International Airport. My watch says it's 12am; local time is 10pm. I've 1hr45 before my connecting flight to Kansai. I've again met the English-accented chick here (who I'd first met at our pre-departure seminar and was the only other there to be leaving on the 22nd of August and be heading to Osaka) as I arrived here in KL, but I've yet to see anyone else I'd guess to be coming over for Nova.

Transcribed from pen and paper

Suddenly gone

It's been so long since I've put my thoughts to paper. Now is as good a time as any.

I'm currently flying over Central Australia; so far yet to go. My watch says 6:10pm.
My thoughts are consumed by everything I've left behind and I wonder if I am truly ready for this. 18 months is a very long time. It's so hard to walk away to then wonder at the finality of it.

Transcribed from pen and paper