.... and I feel confident that coming here was an excellent decision!
I won't bore you with the details of settling in (lots of getting shuttled around in a van, shopping, apartment hunting, decorating decisions, exploring, sweating in the heat, meeting people and promptly forgetting their names, using only the Japanese words I'm confident with, jet lagging, and anything else you can imagine associated with moving).
Now I've moved on to more interesting pursuits - putting together the shelves, organizing my stuff, trying to figure out the various appliances (me + washing machine + translator app = clean clothes!), deciphering the garbage/recycling calendar and instructions (even in English, I was at first perplexed), learning how to ride my bike without crashing/falling over, and looking for the perfect local restaurant to by 'my place.'
My apartment is wonderful - very spacious and on a corner with lots of natural light (which includes, for better or worse, the 5 am sunrise!). Things are almost put together - just waiting for my couch to be delivered!
My neighborhood is excellent - very quiet (sometimes a bit too quiet), but close to both a main train line and the line that goes to school. There are restaurants and shops that I'm still getting to know, but I can also take the train a few stops to more happening areas if I feel the need.
I've done a bit of exploring downtown, yesterday there was a folk-dancing festival that was great entertainment, and a great opportunity to get the camera out:
School starts tomorrow, and I am ready for the return of a routine, and to see those smiling faces!
This was hardly a thorough post, but more will follow soon. There are of course some challenges (which can be amusing if you let them, but I'll get to those later. For now, I will leave you with a list of things I have been enjoying:
I won't bore you with the details of settling in (lots of getting shuttled around in a van, shopping, apartment hunting, decorating decisions, exploring, sweating in the heat, meeting people and promptly forgetting their names, using only the Japanese words I'm confident with, jet lagging, and anything else you can imagine associated with moving).
Now I've moved on to more interesting pursuits - putting together the shelves, organizing my stuff, trying to figure out the various appliances (me + washing machine + translator app = clean clothes!), deciphering the garbage/recycling calendar and instructions (even in English, I was at first perplexed), learning how to ride my bike without crashing/falling over, and looking for the perfect local restaurant to by 'my place.'
My apartment is wonderful - very spacious and on a corner with lots of natural light (which includes, for better or worse, the 5 am sunrise!). Things are almost put together - just waiting for my couch to be delivered!
(I'm on the top floor on the right).
(My couch is green, so that should make the room a lot more interesting!)
My neighborhood is excellent - very quiet (sometimes a bit too quiet), but close to both a main train line and the line that goes to school. There are restaurants and shops that I'm still getting to know, but I can also take the train a few stops to more happening areas if I feel the need.
I've done a bit of exploring downtown, yesterday there was a folk-dancing festival that was great entertainment, and a great opportunity to get the camera out:
School starts tomorrow, and I am ready for the return of a routine, and to see those smiling faces!
This was hardly a thorough post, but more will follow soon. There are of course some challenges (which can be amusing if you let them, but I'll get to those later. For now, I will leave you with a list of things I have been enjoying:
- Iced coffee in cans dispensed from vending machines, on average every 10 meters
- Noodles!
- Parks - my morning commute by bike or foot is 50% through the lovely Nogawa park.
- My window nook (I’m sitting there now!)
- The other new folks as well as the returning faculty - everyone has been so welcoming!
- Not falling off my bike (yet), and the freedom a bike gives me to get places.
- Constant discoveries - just turning one block earlier on the walk home brings surprises!
- Not having a car
- Efficiency! Lots of efficiency!
- The garbage collection truck plays a happy song to facilitate a last-minute bag
- Trees
- Rain
Sayounara for now!
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