Heather at Kansai Gaidai

Yes, in less than a month I will be in Japan! How exciting. I really feel like I should add an exclamation point to the end of that sentence, but I’m just not an exclamation point person. (^_^) Don’t get me wrong, I’m very, very happy to be doing, but I don’t think I’ll be “excited” until I’m on that flight from San Francisco to Kansai. Right now I’m concentrating on the things that need to be done before I leave (though that list is getting shorter and shorter).

My most recent achievement was going to my Portland State University general study abroad orientation and going to the Japanese consulate in Portland to get my visa. I dropped my passport and visa application off at the consulate on a Friday and picked it up on like a Thursday or something (though it was done earlier than that, but I wasn’t in Portland). No fuss, no muss.

The day I picked up my visa, I had my orientation. The general information wasn’t terribly helpful (mostly common sense things) but we need got to talk to past Kansai Gaidai students and I found that to be pretty interesting. They mostly re-enforced things I’ve heard about KG: Seminar House #4 is the party house, the Japanese girls dress like hookers to get American boyfriends, non-language classes are kept pretty easy so you can focus on learning the language, get a Softbank phone, etc. No big revelations, but it was nice to talk to people who just recently left.

Now all I have to do before I leave is:

• Notify my bank and exchange some dollars for yen
  This will hopefully happen on Monday, since I am going into town then and the yen is pretty high (1 USD = 97.555)
• Purchase the last of my travel needs (new pair of walking shoes, back-ups of make-up, dorm stuff, etc)
  Part of this will happen on Monday, but some will have to wait until my next trip up to Portland (which is like 2 hours away)
• Get temporary insurance info
  This is being worked on now. I plan to join the National health insurance plan in Japan, but students need other insurance that will cover their first month in Japan, since the National plan doesn’t kick in until a few weeks into the semester. My PSU study abroad advisor is working on my temporary insurance (through Wells Fargo) and I should get my policy info and card soon.
• Finalize packing
  Thought I don’t leave for 19 days, I already have a huge suitcase (not one of the other pictured in my Phew! I got in post, since United allows two checked bags and one of those pictured is my carry-on) layed out on my floor full of stuff I want to take. Probably next week I’m going to do a real preliminary packing, including clothes, to see what I can take.

It seems like a lot of things to do, but really the packing is the biggest part. The others will be done quickly.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention, I got some good news last weeks. Turns out, I will be receiving a JASSO scholarship. Go figure. (^_^) I didn’t even know my advisor had put in for it for me, but she did. I didn’t get it during the ‘first round’ of recipients, but JASSO added more scholarships to KG and I got one. Yippee me! (note the exclamation point…) I don’t have any info on the JASSO yet, but hey, free money = good.

Ok. I think that’s all I wanted to mention. (^_^)

I haven’t had a lot of new news lately, so forgive the lack of updates.

Anyway, I finally bought my plane ticket! I went through a local travel agent and it cost around $2,000. I bought a round-trip ticket, leaving August 28th and returning May 26th. On August 28th, I’m leaving from Portland (Oregon), with a layover in Los Angeles, then off to Kansai, arriving at 3:20pm August 29th. Anyone else getting to Kansai around that time? I’m flying United, btw. Oh, you know what’s shocking? United allows two checked bags!! Phew! That helped a lot with my packing anxiety.

I also recently bought a netbook for my trip. I got the blue ASUS 10″ EEE PC 1000HE from Target.com. It’s super lightweight and fast. I <3 it. Oh, and the battery lasts forever. Seriously. I'm currently getting like 9 hours. Awesome. And it fits in my purse (which is also new and awesome). So great.

And cause I'm crazy, I also bought a lighted make-up mirror from Target.com. I specifically got it cause it folds up so I can take it in my luggage. Yeah. It’s also awesome.

Lastly, there is an awesome new Kansai Gaidai network online that everyone should check out. It’s Kansai-Gaidai.com. It allows members to create their own blogs and features a forum where you can meet other future KG students. My user name is Heather, so if you see me their, say ‘Hi’. (^_^)