Potential Class

Because I knew going into college that I wanted to study abroad, I took care of most of my difficult or required classes in the first two years. Finishing up the grunt work early would leave me pretty free to choose whatever courses struck my fancy when I was in Japan. Regrettably, I can't register for my classes ahead of time, so it will be a mad dash to sign up during my orientation. ICU was kind enough to send me a list of options for the fall and winter terms (they are on trimesters, so next year's spring term classes haven't been finalized yet).*

While I still need to take a Japanese language class each term, my only other restrictions would be that I have 2 history and 1 social institutions course to complete. Besides that I could take Japanese gym classes the whole time, if I wanted. Here is a list of courses that I am interested, ranked by my desire/need to take them:

Tier 1 - Readings in Japanese History, Aural: Advanced Japanese 2, History of the Mediterranean World, Interpreting in Sociology, Bilingualism & Multilingualism, and Language, Poitics, and Media

Tier 2 - Society & Culture, Cultural Studies 1, Area Studies in Ethnology, and History of Japan in Asia

Tier 3 - Individual Sports (PE), Intro to Japanese Sociology, and Culture in Contemporary Japan

Perhaps this list should be longer; I don't know what order they will let me pick my classes in, but, I want to try and work my way into Japanese (start with just English classes, move into Japanese/English taught course, and finishing in some classes taught just in Japanese). I don't want to get overwhelmed in the beginning, which is why the Aural class would be such a big help.

I'll post my actual class schedule later on. Who knows? I might get all of my first choices!

*While many schools, like ICU have changed their school year to start with Western universities, they still maintain the traditional start-and-end times for the school year. While we in the West start every school year in the fall, the Japanese believe that the school year begins in the spring time and end in winter (the minds of the students follow with the seasons; blooming in the spring, growing in the summer, maturing during fall, and resting in winter).

My Housing in Japan

I have a dorm!!

That's right! A few weeks ago, I received my acceptance letter to the newly-opened Zelkova House on ICU's campus! As of yesterday, I had completed my personality questionnaire ("Do you smoke? Do you play loud music? Are you a morning person?") and hopefully will know something about my roommate before I leave the states.

Now, I know what you are thinking: Alexandra, why does a Japanese dormitory have such a Russian looking name? I don't really know. Dorms and other buildings for colleges (especially in countries where land and building costs are high) tend to be gifted to the university by wealthy graduates trying to give back to their alma mater. The naming rights may also be sold to wealthy graduates who like the idea of having a building named after themselves or their family. Another thing to remember is that ICU is an international college, so maybe the funding came from an international graduate.

Since I am still in America, I don't have much information about the dorm or the campus. Let me instead direct you to what ICU had to say for its new dorm:

On March 18, ICU celebrated the completion of the new student dormitory Zelkova House. The co-ed, double-room dormitory has a capacity of 126, housing men on the first floor and women on the second and third floors. Freshmen can live in the dormitory for up to two years. Dormitories at ICU have traditionally been more than a housing facility, as part of the all-round international education the university provides its students. Construction of Zelkova House forms part of the academic reform in the CLA (2008) and the Graduate School (2010).

During the ceremony to lay the foundation stone, university pamphlets and newspapers were placed under the foundation stone near the entrance. Reverend Takeshi Nagata offered a prayer to bless the new dormitory as a place to harbor students in difficult times.

In the celebration that followed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mr. Toru Hashimoto and President Norihiko Suzuki made speeches. Mr. Yuzuru Hiraishi from the designing firm Nikken Sekkei told participants that the American architect George Yu designed the structure of the dormitory with emphasis on symbiosis with nature, communication and security, avoiding cutting down trees as much as possible, allowing for an airy feel with plenty of sunlight in the building, and providing a good security system. Mr. Hiroshi Tada of Taisei Corporation, the firm undertaking the construction, expressed his firm belief that the building would become a meaningful place for intercultural exchange. On March 27, part of the dormitory will be open to the public on Open Campus Day.

Needless to say, I am simply tickled to have a dorm room that comes completely furnished! Now I just need to find a place to stay for my first week in Japan...

Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan, the Basics

So that I can try to reset from jet-lag, I will be arriving in Mitaka about a week before my classes start. As far as I know, there isn't a major orientation for the September Students (so dubbed, because we all just show up in September), so I can wander around the city for a little bit. Hopefully, I can find my way back home, too. I could aimlessly stroll down the streets and jump on random buses to find something interesting, but I'm not that spontaneous. Wouldn't it be more fun to have Japanese Scavenger hunt?! Of course it would!!

Here are the things I need to find, photograph, and visit in my first week (I don't know what sort of batsu to give myself, but I'll think of something).

1. Locate a Lawson convenience store. I figure that this shouldn't be too difficult, since it is the second largest convenience chain in Japan with 1255 stores in Tokyo alone. Originally, it started in Ohio (my mother's family has fond Lawson memories) but now they can only be found in the land of the rising sun. Why is locating a Lawson also important? That is the ONLY place in Japan where you can buy tickets to the Studio Ghibli Museum!

2. Ramen shop. No, guys, I'm serious. A for-real-make-their-own-broth ramen shop. If you understand my need to find one, then you have probably already eaten at one before. I have only heard wonderful and great things about these places. Maybe I won't get some on the first day, but once I find it, I'll know where to go.

3. A dojo, maybe even THE dojo, I haven't decided yet. Every year, my dojo (at least, my teacher) goes to Japan to train with men and women who have been practicing Taijutsu for most of their lives. Our guys work with people (good and bad, skilled and .... lacking)from around the world. If I went with the dojo guys, they could show me how to get to a good Japanese dojo. But hopefully, I can spend a day to make it there on my own. I don't know how often I'll get to train in Japan, but I have to make the effort.

4. A second hand store. I'm told they are around, you just have to find them. And I'm not spending 10 months in Japan unless I can find some kind of Goodwill-look-alike.

5. The ocean. It is an island. Sure, I know that it isn't rivaling the surf of California or the beauty of the Bahamas, but I love water regardless. "Do they have any beaches in Japan?" - Silly blonde girl from New York

6. Cell phone company & Embassy. I'm not sure in which order I'll find these in, but they both need to get done.

If you have any suggestions, please let me know! I'll post the pictures to prove I've found the items in my list.