Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve updated this blog here, and for that I am sorry. Ever since my wonderful girlfriend Zoe headed back to school, I’ve fallen into the groove of working two jobs which leave me with very little free time. I need to earn that cash for Japan! Anyway, I’ll get you up-to-speed on what’s been going on in the past couple of weeks.
First things first, I finally received my acceptance letter to Hirosaki. I’m relieved it came because that is final confirmation that I have been indeed accepted at the university as a foreign student. Before that, I was somewhat in limbo wondering if I really had been accepted. Had I not, I’d be down a semester at school and working at my terribly un-fun factory job for several more months. That, and I’d be an emotional wreck after all the time and effort I’ve put into applying and learning Japanese for this trip. Well, maybe “emotional wreck” is a bit strong, but I’d certainly be upset.
But why am I discussing all that dreary nonsense? I’ve been accepted so it’s all good! I got an email from Ace up at UMaine that my letter had come, so I asked for him to send it down to me. I got in the mail a couple days later and it has been sitting on my bedside table ever since. Really, I was able to read its contents in a matter of a minute. In the letter, they basically told me to expect more letters that would actually contain details about arriving on campus, housing, classes, etc. It also told me not to expect my visa information until March, mere weeks before I’m to leave. However, there was one critical piece of information that allowed me to get the ball rolling on traveling: my arrival time and date. I’m to show up at Hirosaki University on either April 2nd or 3rd between the hours of 9 A.M. and 5 P.M., so that means it’s time to buy plane tickets! Yep, I finally ordered my plane tickets for my flight over, so my plans are set in stone (barring changing them with an airline exchange fee). Final cost? $1728 -_-;;. Better keep working hard, amirite? I’ll be leaving on March 31st and arriving in Japan in the evening on April 1st, just in time for me to find some lodging for the night and show up at Hirosaki the next morning. I’ll be coming home on Wednesday, August 27th, so that means that you dear readers can expect to read of my adventures up to that day at least. :) I’ll have the whole month of August to travel, as classes will be ending on July 31st. I’ll then have to turn around and haul my jet-lagged body up to UMaine again to begin the fall semester. What fun! :P
So as of this moment, I’m waiting on that letter containing more details on my arrival. I’ve been working 60 hour weeks in the meantime between two jobs to make sure I have enough scratch to get around. I’ve been considering my options for traveling while there. It seems that the best way to get around, especially when I get my month off in August, will be to get a JR rail pass. They are about $550 or so for a 21-day pass, which seems quite reasonable considering I can use it to travel the entirety of Japan.
It really seems like this thing is coming together. At this point, it still feels somewhat surreal, like I’m just imaging that I’m going to be leaving in a scant couple months. I’m sure in the days and weeks ahead I’ll be running around more and more like a chicken separated from its neck trying to make all the arraignments I need to. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’m also promising that from this point forward, I’m going to be making more of a concerted effort to post in this blog. I know that I’m not there yet, but I’m sure I can come up with something relevant to post here. A blog just isn’t a blog with out frequent updates. With my current work schedule, I don’t think it will practical to update more than a couple times a week. Obviously, the closer I get to leaving, and then when I’m actually there, I will be posting daily at least. Look forward to it! :)
