Today was the Orientation day for all first year Himeji Dokkyo University students. Unfortunately for the exchange students, our orientation consisted of filling out various forms in Japanese and attaching many passport sized photos to everything. After this session, we asked if we could go for something to eat. We were taken to the campus cafeteria and shown how to use the sophisticated technology that allowed us to order our food.
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The process went a little like this: First, look at the plastic display food and choose what you want, then go to the ticket machines, put money in, and press the button corresponding to that food. Then take the ticket to one of three windows to the kitchen and give it to a cook. Wait around for your food to be cooked, and then go find a place to sit. Quite simple, really. But not when a hundred other people are trying to do it at the same time! When we had finished eating, we were shown how to hang up our glasses, rinse our plates, and put our trays away. Very efficient, this system where everyone cleans up after themselves. |
After lunch, there wasn't much else to do, so we followed like sheep after Vinny and Fil. They showed us the classrooms we would probably be sitting in almost every day for the next ten months. Not a pleasant thought. So we moved to greener pastures; the gymnasium. The place was abuzz with people already, setting up stalls to promote each of the after-class clubs on offer. So we went in, determined to
supplement our diets with some exercise. I figured that since I couldn't ride my bike on rainy days, I would have to find some other way to get some exercise. But of course the members are expected to show up for training three times a week. So in true gaijin (foreigner) style, we asked if once a week would be acceptable. Satisfied with the answer, Yenta and I vowed to turn up at 6 PM the following Monday to see if badminton was what we remembered it to be.
Most of us still had no access to any large amounts of money. So we asked Vinny to take us to the bank. After wobbling all the way to the city like a geeky biker gang, we found that Sumitomo Mitsui bank was already closed. It was only 3.20 PM! Scowling and muttering under our breath, we decided to return tomorrow, at a more reasonable time. So instead we went to the 'au' phone shop, recommended by Vinny as the cheapest place in Himeji to get a
cell phone due to the student discount available there. So we drank coffee while we waited for two people to choose a new phone! The graphics, tones, menus and accessories of Japanese phones surpass those of any other phones in the world. It was so much fun playing with Lillian's new toy, even though it didn't have an
built-in digital camera like most of the others. Just choosing the light pattern for the front cover was exciting ( I know, I need to get a life!).
We had all been invited to Matt's host family's house for dinner. We met at the apartments, and walked from there in the dark. It was so steep the whole way that we didn't think it could possibly get any worse. Then we came to the steepest stairs I have ever seen in my life. I actually said a prayer to myself before attempting to climb them. It felt like we were in an Indiana Jones movie, and that before we knew it a giant boulder would come bumping down the steps and threaten to crush us.
Related link: Dinner
at a Japanese home
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