culture-shocked

Oh, good god. I'm more confused that I've ever been in my life. The journey was fine, and I was quite proud of myself when I kept speaking Japanese to the woman next to me, although she didn't reply with much else than a sour face, which is probably why the conversation was so fluent between us...

Because, when I got here and actually had to listen to people explaining things to me, I realized I understand next to nothing. Luckily, the pick-up service volunteer girl spoke English and as she spent half the day with me, was able to interpret stuff that was said to me. For example, we had this problem with my kitchen tap, and the lady who's in charge of this dormitory came to check it, I had it all translated because I picked up nothing. Later, when my dear translator was gone, the lady came again and all I could do was nod and say "Hai... hai. Arigato gozaimasu!" I do understand when they ask me "Wakatta?", but the thing is, I never wakatta. Anything other than that. And then I keep hearing these crazy things about opening a bank account, getting a new SIM-card, and stuff that I won't be able to handle! I just keep telling myself how it's going to take some time to pick up on my Japanese again, 'cause I know a lot of what I've learned at one point is still there somewhere.

Train ride to Kyoto. The Japanese rain looks so much cooler than the Finnish rain. Or maybe it's just the clean windows on a train that amaze me here.

At the point where I was still on top of things.

Anyway, when I was at the point of breaking down into a sobbing mess, someone knocked on my door. I went to get it, and there was this German girl who'd started her second semester here and needed some shopping company, as so many people had left today. You know how they say that you always have to get out and make an effort in order to make friends and blah blah blah. Well, sometimes they actually arrive at your doorstep at the moment when you need them the most! Alright, let's not get into details about how I'm actually pretty much out here making an effort, just wasn't outside yelling "FRIIEEEEEEEENNDSSS" at that precise moment...

So we went shopping for food at first, which is another nerve-racking task, because you have no idea what is in those packages! Here's one, though, that even I could understand, the homophobic tea...

WHAT'S IN THE PACKAGES?!

Moving on; she also offered me a bike that one of her friends had left behind and said I could buy it for cheap later if I wanted. So we took the bikes and rode them into sunset. Biking here is pretty lunatic, though. There are apparently no rules, at least none that are respected very much. I will probably kill someone with that thing one day - if not myself, then an innocent bystander.

Tomorrow I've got the orientation to the dormitory thingy, which basically involves me listening to some more of the stuff I don't understand. Maybe after a good night's sleep I actually will understand something! If only these cicadas let me get my sleep... Or whatever that chirping noise outside is.

Oh, and while we're on the subject of culture shock: What's up with these bedsheets? The 'cover' will come off during the night unless you sleep like a mummy in a sarcofagus.

And to end this post nicely: our neighborhood. Not that pretty, but so Japanese that you just gotta love it.