Farewell dinner

I just came back from a/the farewell dinner organised by the Embassy of Japan at the Japanese Association. Not only was there a great deal of fun, it was nice to catch up with the other participants and to share some tips as well as common experiences of lack of information. Also is packing process and omiyage, gosh!

It was also interesting to hear about the statistics from the Embassy of Japan about the number of applicants, the number of people invited for interviews and the final number of participants. The ratio this year is around 34:8:5, meaning one has a chance of 15%. Is that figure true?

Meanwhile I got the air ticket as well as some luggage tags for the hotel in Japan as well as stickers I need to wear to identify myself as a participant at Narita Airport. Oh well.

MH called me on my mobile yesterday (surprise surprise) to tell me about the stuff he will like to sell to me. I asked for photos as well as a quotation from him but I have yet to hear from him so far. I hope he does not move the things into my new place and then insist I have to pay them when I haven't even given my consent.

This is so last minute, if you ask me.

First 3 days in Japan - Tokyo Orientation schedule

This is so exciting! I want to do lots of shopping and drink and dance and play!

Tokyo Orientation schedule

Keio Plaza Hotel

Which ones can I skip?

Meanwhile, I am overwhelmed by the train station so maybe I'll spend all the free time I have in Shinjuku.

This is a cool map with the major departmental stores marked neatly.

I spent this morning checking out cameras, comparing online between amazon.jp, Yodobashi and BicCamera. amazon.jp beats the competition, easily $100 lesser than the other 2!

Not sure about Map Camera though.

Digital camera

Canon

model comparisons

Ixus model no. - singapore price - Ixy model no. - amazon.jp price

1. 970IS - 669 - 820IS - 27, 800
2. 960IS - ? - 2000IS - 30, 800
3. 90IS - 599 - 95IS - 25, 800
4. 85IS - 529 - 25IS - 26, 500

Electronic dictionary

aim: 1. good J-E; 2. handwritten support; 3. backlight 4. trilingual

coneco: top-selling electronic dictionaries

model - amazon.jp price - WhiteRabbit price (USD)

Canon

Wordtank V90 - 23, 617 - 282 (J-E-C)

Casio

Ex-word XD-GP9700 - 40, 900 - 450 (kenkyusha, J-E)
Ex-word XD-GP7350 - 34, 279 - 378 (partial J-E-C)

Sharp

Papyrus PW-AT770 - 18, 500 (partial J-E-C-K)
Papyrus PW-AT780 - 25, 012

Omiyage/souvenirs

Although a Japanese teacher and UD himself said omiyage is not really necessary, I guess I better bring a few nuggets to foster relationships. I heard that Japanese really like pork floss so I got a whole assortment along. Hope that's enough!

1-2 years in Japan

Things I wanna do:

Japanese language

• Pass JLPT 2
• Pass JLPT1

Academia

• Visit prospective Japanese universities (Tokyo University ...)
• Visit prospective US universities (...)
• Apply for (and get accepted into) graduate school
• Take GRE

Travel

• Stroll in Japan
• Run around in South Korea
• Fly over to US

Personal

• Attend a concert/live performance - Avril Lavigne - 13 Sept (sat) (my birthday!)
• Attend a concert/live performance - John Mayer - ?
• Attend a concert/live performance - Jason Mraz -?
• Attend a concert/live performance - Dave Koz - 2 Oct (sat)
• Attend a concert/live performance - Simple Plan - ?
• Attend a concert/live performance - Brilliant Green
• Attend a concert/live performance - Yui - ?
• Attend a concert/live performance - Bump of Chicken - ?
• Attend a concert/live performance - Do As Infinity (?)
• Searching for my polestar

Singapore - the old days (good?)

Stomp - A glimpse of Singapore... in the 60s
Stomp - See how things look like in the past

Summary of apartment costs

I admit I'm a lousy mathematician so here's a dump of for the record:

Apartment No - move-in cost - monthly rental (in Yen)

1 - 200000 - 50000
2 - 148000 - 37000
3 - 200250 - 45000

School pays 1/2 of monthly rental, I pay the other 1/2 of monthly rental.

3rd apartment

UD says,

This is 1DK(one room with wooden floor and a  dining kitchen with amall counter)

I like this one. I want to live there!
This is clean, new,although it has one room, but wide. Toilet and shower sre separated. It has a big closet as Japanese apartment.
But this apartment is farest from the station. It's about 2.5 km.
If get the bike,I don't think it's not far.

The monthly rent is 45,000 yen.You will have to pay 200,250 yen first.
      Monthly rent, 45,000 yen.
      Sikikin,                             45,000 yen.
      Reikin,                             45,000 yen.
      Tyuukaitesuuryou(to estate agent)  47,250 yen.
      Fire Insurance                       18,000 yen.

I recommend this one, but how about money?

2nd Apartment

UD says,

This is 1K(one room with wooden floor and a kitchen)

This is the typical Japanese apartment. It has air condditioner, small refrigerator. The door is auto-rock. Toilet and shower in the same room.The width of the room is about3.5 m ×　2.5 m. not wide , standard room/The monthly rent is 37,000 yen.
the owner said you could pay on easy term.

For example, when you contract, you will pay a month fee and sikikin ,74,000 yen. In September,you will pay a month fee and reikin,74,00 yen. How is it?

1st Apartment

UD says,

This is 2DK(that means 2 Tatami rooms and a dining kitchen)

Frankly speaking, I cannot recommend it to you. the building itself is old and dirty. the monthly rent is 50,000 yen. When you contract , you need 200,000 yen.

Pre-departure process - update

A goal I have in this blog is also to keep track of the administrative processes that I have gone through during my entire journey in Japan. It will be a useful informal guide for my successor I guess, and hopefully he/she can gain some insights as to what he/she might experience or look out for when I leave the programme. It's also a mini-rant to clear my thoughts as well.

So what has transpired so far? Just a quick update on my status (together with the dates and source of the information):

• [260708] - confirmed apartment
• [140708, Embassy of Japan, event] - pre-departure orientation, obtain Visa
  
• [230608, IBRK BOE, snail mail] - received package with sample contract - posted to HTCNK city, KTT High School (a senior high school)/(base school)
  
• [200608, UD, email] - MH and my supervisor, English department head of KTT High School
  
• [190608, IBRK PA/CIR, email] - Successor's guide from MH (American from Oklahoma)
  
• [220508, Embassy of Japan, snail mail] - posted to IBRK prefecture

Here is a subsection on thoughts and communication that is ongoing:

[230708]

I am prone to eczema (a skin condition) and MH suggests a new apartment as the current apartment is old and molds easily. He suggests the neighbourhood of KTT HC as there are a couple of new apartments. UD is looking for an apartment for me through the estate agent, but the selections are limited as only a few choices are available for foreigners.

He has returned with the following solutions:

1. the current apartment MH is staying (2 rooms and kitchen, 2.5 m × 3.5 m, 2.5 m × 2.5 m with toilet and bath, 45, 000 yen, school pays 22, 000 yen, MH pays 23, 000 yen)
   
2. apartment with wooden floor (wooden floor, only 1 room(2.5 m × 3.5 m) and kitchen, cost unknown)
   
3. apartment with tatami (similar to MH, cost unknown)

I have requested for snapshots of all places and I have never been able to get any from UD nor MH.

We are also toying with the idea of changing tatami mats, but the cost is unknown.

There was then another situation that UD highlighted - my arrival. I was hoping to explore the possibility of doing a homestay for a week while we hunt for an apartment but it looks unlikely as:

[310708] MH vacates apartment

[310708] UD has to move furniture, TV, washing machine and many things to new apartment that day - room needs to be confirmed soonest

[060807] I move into apartment. Following week is Bon festival and UD needs to prepare his house for visiting relatives and festivities

He expressed it will be trouble for him to manage as ALTs of the school have been staying in the same apartment and they have never changed so therefore they did not have to move and clear out things.

During MH's time, he came to Japan in the end of July (Group A), so he could do home-staying about 5 days or so. However as I am coming in August (Group B), UD says it is very difficult to find the host in that week.

It has been difficult to solicit a response from MH as he is having a rough time sorting out departure issues with KTT. I am worried about souring relationships with UD even before I arrive in Japan.

I really hope I won't impose, but I won't want to compromise my living conditions as well. I hope to stay at least for 2 years!

Pre-departure orientation & Japan visa

後２９日 - 29 days left

It has been two months since my last entry, goodness! What has happened since then?

Firstly was resigning from my previous job. I never felt so loved in my life before in an office environment (not a surprise, since it's technically my first job and I have none others to compare with). I had countless treats to tea and a couple of high quality meals, on top of beautifully handmade farewell cards and gifts including a Sovil Titus watch which I absolutely adore! Not only do they come from fellow colleagues but also sweet students as well who gave me a scarf.

Maybe I should resign more often!

Secondly was catching up with family and friends. A lot of time is spent at home which means I face my mom almost all the time. Other than trying to convince her to pass on her secret recipes and allowing her son to invade her kitchen, there was also a lot of random outings to familiar nooks and crannies in HDB. Just yesterday did we go on a wild goose's chase around Bedok and Tampines trying to hunt for a teochew CD for their regular pilgrimage to Genting Highlands. Some of which are tiring, but I guess they are simple pleasures in life that we can ill afford when one works and time is not on our side.

Thirdly was packing and preparing. Horrendous! I have spent a bomb so far on macbook. winter clothes. luggage. spectacles. Time also, on going through all the junk I have collected throughout the years (sailormoon stickers? primary school test papers?)

Fourthly was finally getting in contact with the embassy, the travel agency, my Japanese supervisor, other people in Japan .etc. I just replied to my supervisor and contrary to my beliefs, their emails are actually very simple and straightforward! I am so not used to this - what happened to all that beating around the bush about weather? Or is it some language proficiency issue?

Fifthly was trying to get in shape. I have tried to swim 20 laps every day and it has worked so far. I don't see any difference in my body shape though.

29 days left!