My first week in Japan has been unbelievable. I have already learned so much about the country and the culture that I wasn’t aware of before I came here, which is crazy to think about since I have only been here for a week. When I first got here, it was late at night and I was exhausted, so I stayed at the hotel at the airport. This was a great decision because hauling my luggage would have been difficult while figuring out transportation and feeling exhausted from the flight due to my rheumatoid arthritis. Since I arrived at Haneda late and didn’t sleep well on the plane, I managed to avoid jet lag by sleeping that night and waking up in the morning, quickly adjusting to the time change.
The next day, I woke up and took a taxi to my place where I was going to stay. I was really scared to take public transportation, and I had a big suitcase, so this was the right call for me. It was a 40-minute drive or so. Unfortunately, I could not stay at my share house that night because it was not ready for me, so I stayed at a hotel near it and explored the area around my place. This got me accustomed to the public transportation around me (which took a lot of trial and error) and helped me understand the neighborhood where I would be spending a lot of time by myself.
After moving in, I quickly realized that I was missing many essentials, like blankets, pillows, and towels. The next day, I spent my time using public transportation and walking around to gather the necessary items for my new place. With this came many cultural differences, such as the very confined spaces, little to no places to dispose of trash, and no disturbing others on the public transportation. Despite Tokyo being extremely crowded, it is pretty quiet because everyone is respectful. They do not want to disturb others.
After I got my essentials, I thought it would be a great time to go check out my University. I took the train over to my university and explored the neighborhood. It was beautiful. I am so excited to start classes there. I also checked out the Ana- Hachimangu Shrine close by and loved the architectural design. I took some photos of it as well as my school that I posted on my Instagram:
The next day, I decided I wanted to go to Shinjuku, so I went to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. I also posted some beautiful photos of nature on my Instagram:
Yesterday, I registered for classes. Although I was a bit nervous, I completed the process. Since enrollment is done lottery-style, I’m not guaranteed a spot, but I hope to get into the classes. I will find out soon whether I was accepted or not.
That’s all for now. See you next time!
DU Abroad 