Orientation

I went to orientation on Tuesday.... a few things were cleared up, but over all I already knew most of that stuff.

A met a bunch of people who'll be staying at the Akasaka dorm, and they seem like cool people. We're gonna have a crazy time. =D

Made a fb group for us. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28415997145

Also, I paid for my fall semester =)

Participants~

Yesterday, the office released a participants list, which had a bunch of us emailing each other questions back and forth until someone made a facebook group just for us. ^_^

It's right here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17320829239

And also, I found another general one for this Fall, because the other one is supposed to be just for us study abroad kids: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=29863660135

So, it's really cool to know that there are gonna be people there from all ove the country, and not just Temple. Actually, off a 75 people participant's list, only about 30 were from school.

I've already talked to a bunch of these people, and even found a new buddy to take the flight to Japan with Joyce and I from Dulles to Narita!!! This is so much more exciting =D

TUJ SCHOLARSHIP!!!!!!!!

It took longer than I thought, but I got the scholarship from TUJ. Joyce did as well. Wooo!! That puts me right at the mark for my budget.

New checklist

As of now, here's all I have done:

+ Apply for and get accepted to TUJ
+ Send in FAFSA.
+ Certificate of Eligibility
+ Scholarship applications (if applying for any of these, keep an eye out for deadlines)
+ Temple Japan Scholarship {max $5,000}
_ Student Visa
+ Plane Ticket
_ Pay Tuition (already paid the $200 deposit)
+ Housing (I couldn't choose it yet, but I applied)
_ Pay Housing (already paid the $200 deposit)
+Pick Classes
+ Risk and Release form
+ Health Information and Emergency Contact Info form
_ Get Textbooks (can do after picking classes)
_ Life insurance (you have to get a Japanese one to go to TUJ)
+ Find cheap cellphone
_ Get supplies you can't get in Japan (such as a stock of perscription contacts, stronger medicine cause in Asia the doses are weaker, and deodorant because someone told me they don't sell under-arm deodorant in Japan because they don't sweat as much)
_ Get cheapest local transportation deals
_ Pack Luggage

Registered classes

A couple weeks ago, we received the classes for fall in Japan. I've been waiting for this sooo long!!

These are the classes I've chosen:
Intro to East Asia: Japan (MWF 10-11)
Japanese Advanced I (MWF 2:10-3:10)
Intellectual Heritage II (MWF 4:50-5:50)
Japan in a Changing World Order (TR 3:50-5:20)
International Politics (TR 5:30-7:00)

I BOOKED MY PLANE TICKET!!!

Today, I officially booked my plane ticket. With rising gas prices... I couldn't wait any longer.

Other stuff on my checklist that's done:
+ Scholarship applications
+ Find cheap cellphone http://mb.softbank.jp/mb/en/prepaid/about/charges.html
The phone plan sounds like a great deal, but I dunno if it's still available. I heard that the government is trying to get rid of pre-paid phones? We'll see....

Also, added some stuff to my Japan To Do list:
[ ] Yamanote Halloween Train
[ ] Sleep in a capsule hotel
[ ] Kiss a Japanese boy

Yamanote Halloween Train

Today, I met a guy who went to TUJ in 2006, and he mentioned this to me as something he did while he was there. It sounded like a lot of fun, so I looked it up.

http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=3014

Sounds pretty wild actually... and I don't know if I'd wanna risk it. From the looks of last year, it may get ugly this year. I'd only wanna go just to ride around a train in costume and take pictures, nothing else. But we'll see.....