I guess I'll start with some first impressions.
One of the first things I've noticed in Japan is how genuinely friendly and helpful the people are, especially those who work in some kind of service profession. Everyone, from bus drivers to store clerks to train station attendants, has been extremely helpful so far, not to mention the wonderful friends I've already made who have already gone above and beyond the call of duty on multiple occasions. Sure, I get a few stares here and there (mostly from small children), but that's honestly no different from what I'm used to at home. I also came with the assumption that everyone would either speak to me like I was retarded(分かりやすい日本語で）or just figure I couldn't speak and use English, but most people still use Japanese which isn't too dumbed down. For the most part, I try to only use English with my international pals who don't know Japanese yet.
Another thing I've noticed is how "green" this country is. By this I mean it's covered with trees, grass, bushes and other plant life, as well as a ton of (noisy) insects. I'm also referring to how energy-saving they are. Japan is very big on recycling. I'm still not really used to having to separate my trash. Trash cans themselves are rare and hardly ever outside in public. I've yet to get a can for my room and have just been using a bag, which we take to designated trash areas when full. Also, lights are usually kept off most of the time. The street lights outside are a very dim blue, which looks pretty sweet, but is way darker than I am accustomed. Unlike OSU, every lab isn't kept running on full power with every light ever on 24/7. During the day, the hallways inside buildings can be a little dark and sometimes spooky depending on where you go, but at the same time, I kinda like it. It's definitely different from America.
Just some random nature shots from around the Ichinoya area of campus. You'll have to get on Google+ if you wanna see the comments, as I'm not recaptioning them.
I'll wrap up today's post with a couple of culture shock stories. I'm pretty much just killing time until a party at 19:00.
Let me tell you about the bus system. Since I don't have my student ID yet, I have to use change to pay. On the bus, you're first issued a ticket with a number. The number corresponds to the fare you need to pay, which is ever-changing on an electric board at the front of the bus. The most I've ever paid is 260 yen. I could go on a rant about how much I hate the change-centered aspect of this culture, but I'll save that for later.
Anyway, so the other day I was on the bus (a special one referred to as a One-Step/No-Step bus that has a ramp for wheelchairs) and when I went to get off, I paid the driver his fare. I told him the amount while handing him the money after he helped me off the bus, but for some reason he was surprised to be receiving the money and looked at me like I was crazy or something. Apparently, I need some kind of registration for my disability that nets me a bus discount. I've yet to get it.
There's a lot more I could write, but I've save it for other posts. Tomorrow, I should be checking out Tokyo, so expect to hear back from me then!
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