So i’ve been back in Australia for almost 3 months now…  And i guess its important to inform any prospective Kansai Gaidai/Japan (or other) study abroaders about MY experience post-exchange.  Not only that, but it seems as though this blog, that you all know and love, is going to come back to life! Read on =)

I was looking forward to going back to Australia and seeing my friends again.  The other thing i was looking forward to was actually studying games and IT again, as i felt completely out of my element at Kansai Gaidai – ive never studied history or politics! lol

But i’m back now, my friends are awesome as ever, even made a few new ones.  I’m lovin University.  I see Australia the same way as i saw it before – even after being away from it for so long.  It still doesn’t make me want to be here.  It IS a great country – i have nothing bad to say about it.  My wanting to leave Australia has nothing to do with Australia, instead it has everything to do with how amazing Japan was.  I want the wacky way of life Japan gave me.  Riding bikes, not being able to read signs, constant politeness everywhere i went, the tiny cramped houses, beer vending machines… I also loved just stumbling across new cultural things that would just wow me.  I’ve lost so much of my Japanese language ability too because i have no one to talk to (in japanese) and i dont have 8 Japanese classes a week. I miss Hirakata…

Ok, so i havent updated in a while, and YES there is still 129387123 posts about the backpacking trip still to come, but i’ll still update you with the goings on of the beginning of semester.

First of all, i lost my apartment and (rage incoming) i don’t know what the fuck is up with the Japanese and giving away things that have been reserved.  It happened with my phone last semester, and now my apartment this semester.  I even paid my deposit, but they still gave my room away leaving Annie, Paul and I without accomodation on the first day back.  But! More details on that when I cover it via the backpacking posts.

I’m currently living in Seminar House 4, i’m actually enjoying the dorm layout a bit better than the apartment layout but everything still kinda feels the same as last semester – everyone’s full of energy!  (‘cept me)  But that energy dies down, as reality kicks in with the noobs and study pressure really starts the weigh everyone down.

Ok, so today is my last day in the Seminar House (student dorm) before checking out tomorrow and beginning my backpacking trip of Japan. I still need to “pack” my stuff… but a slight dilemma, Paul is bringing me a travel backpack from Australia, meaning I’m gonna put my suitcase into storage here at Seminar House 3.  This is a slight problem, because I need to put all my stuff (school backpack, suitcase) into storage today – the latest, then I’ll leave to go to a hostel tomorrow… but… what do I cart all my clothes and things I need for the trip in???

So the plan is that I’ll have to find a garbage bag of sorts, shove everything in there, and train my way to Tennoji station in Osaka – HOBO STYLE! Just thinkin if I should wear shoes or not… or better yet: wear ONE shoe… Meh, I think I get enough looks and stares just being a foreigner.

The seminar house is slowly emptying as people leave for home or travel.  Our apartment alone has been reduced down to 3 people (me, Mitch, and Sunny [or Sunshine as I call him]).  Only about a week ago it was full with 8 people + randoms who always seemed to sleep on our couches…

Ok ok, so the Korea post is going to take a while coz it’s gonna be huge and I have over 1 hour worth of footage to sift through and work into a video (or two).  So until then, allow me to keep my avid readers entertained with a little something.

The following movie is just footage of my bike ride to and from Kansai Gaidai.  There’s like 12839823 of them on Youtube, however none of them show the ride there AND back to Seminar House 3.  So… what I’m saying is that this is completely revolutionary! It’s gonna change the world!

Enjoy!

I haven’t really done a real post about how things are going so far, what i’m feeling and all that stuff, seeing as this is an area of the exchange I really wanted to focus on but haven’t been, and will be focusing more on in the future.

Ok so my time here in Japan has been… well to be honest, a bit awkward.  Things I thought were gonna happen but didn’t want to happen, most definitely happened.  Things I thought weren’t gonna happen, happened.  But then there were the odd things I did think were gonna happen, most definitely won’t be happening.

Confused? Me too.

Ok, so this isn’t the big post i was promising, that one is still kinda in the works.  But for the mean time i thought i’d just share a video of my bike ride back to the Seminar House through Makino after grabbing lunch.  Enjoy =D

Wow… What a week.  The curve balls my life continues to throw at me are almost as bad as the one’s i send flying back.  But this is Japan, and everything i’ve given up is now allowing me to take hold of my dream with both hands, and run as fast and as long as i possibly can.  Half assing this trip would have made every sacrifice i’ve made completely redundant.

Japan is slowling starting to feel more like home – which is what i wanted.  I’m slowly getting used to the lifestyle, the people, the weather and even the routine of everyday life.  I love it here, and i cant wait to learn more about this country.  I feel i’ve already learned so much.

The past weekend was a long weekend as Monday, Tueseday and Wednesday were public holidays – YAY 5 day weekend!  It’s called “Silver Week” and the public holidays for Monday through Wednesday are “Respect for the Aged Day”, “Autumnal Equinox Day” and “Kokumin no Kyuujitsu”, respectively.  No real clue what they mean (except Respect for the Aged – self explanatory) or who celebrates it or HOW the celebrate it – but the long weekend was a much needed rest.  Rest from what? Well… processing Japan, its people, and its culture takes up a lot of energy.  It’s not bad! but… it’s not what I’m used to, and adjustment requires effort.  But i feel well rested and relieved.

First of all i’d like to apologise for the lack of posting this week.  Spent this entire week getting on my feet and used to wtf is going on around me.  But all is well, i nearly have my laptop up and running (Borrowing my mates adapter) and things, as far as this blog goes, should be back to normal.

Found this whilst scavenging – ¥500

Ok so the first thing that all the new students had a hard-ish time coming to terms with was food.  why? because we couldnt cook! As in literally was not allowed to cook.  This was because we hadn’t technically “checked in” or something in the first week, plus there were temporary room mates (homestay students) and apparently that complicated things – UGH i dunno.  so we had to SCAVENGE!!! … ok not quite, but we started checkin out the local restaurants etc. to find some good eats.  It was kinda hard at first, i found myself going to sleep hungry because the shops were closed or one thing or another.  But now i’m starting to get the hang of trading hours, whats good, whats not, and things are coming a long smoothly atm.  In fact, i have a couple croissants out in the common area calling my name… i can hear them.. they need to be eaten.  Will do that soon.