So if you can't guess by the title I spent quite a bit of time on the train and walking around. First thing we did today was bravely go out with only a map telling us exactly where to go, to find the local Immigration service desk. After about what seemed like 45 minutes of backtracking and circling we found the service desk and picked up our Alien Registration Certificates (basically in Japan red tape takes so long that they give you a certificate that is temporary until you receive the actual proof of registration). On the way back to the station (we passed it on the way) we dropped by the post office to try and pay our Gakkenbai and Gakkensai I mentioned earlier. This time we didn't get any weird instructions, quite simply handed over our money and Bob's your uncle. Getting that paid made my day, I was quite anxious about it. Our group split up at the station, I wanted to head into Shibuya to check up on mobile phone prices. We looked at AU phones because we were under the impression that they carried a student discount. The plan descriptions were written in kanji so it was really hard for me to understand, but upon talking to one of the AU representatives at the store we found out that we basically had two options taking on a two year contract and paying a 9975yen cancellation fee before we leave or getting a prepaid phone that can't even send/receive emails. I didn't like either option so I decided to think about it as I hoped on the train to get to uni.
At around 1235 I arrived at the uni office looking for a certain sensei to deliver a copy of my Alien Registration Certificate as part of my bank account application. Luckily for me everyone was out to lunch when I rocked up, I decided to ask where to apply for pool membership. At first I went to the actual gymnasium, where a kind old dude was explaining the way to use the pool (theres a certain entering/exiting procedure involving changing into swim clothes, shower, footbath, antiseptic bath, picking up a key for a locker and signing in at the desk, locking your clothes, and then swim time baby) you also need to have a swimcap at all times (really good rule you would not believe how much hair needs to be plucked out by hand out of the filters). However my japanese isn't that awesome so I only understood about 50-70% of what he said the rest I deduced from the website. The man also pointed me to the Student Support Division, where I could actually buy the membership card which costs 5000yen....FOR A YEAR! AWESOME MUCH! Anyway I decided to visit my new dojo and get membership there BUT I forgot to bring my Karate Passport from Australia so off I went back home to get it.
While at home I did some research on mobile phones, and one of the first things I found out was that the student discount that AU offered is not available from August 2009 LAME! So upon a recommendation from a friend of a friend who has become a friend of mine (yeah decode that) I started looking into a phone from Softbank. I found something cheap I like that I can get on prepaid, which might be the best option for me. But time was flowing and it was already 3pm so I had to leave like now to get to my dojo and uni before it closes. SHUPPATSU! (Japanese word for departure that I've started using cos it sounds awesome) Incidentally, I met one of Australian classmates and we headed off to Shibuya to have another look at phones. This time I looked at Softbank phones and found my phone and another better model with a much better camera, there wasn't a huge difference in price that I could see and from what I understood theres a 6months - 1 year contract option....that's what I thought but you need a bank account to have a contracted phone, so I decided to wait until I get a bank account. Even then I think I'll need someone that Japanese to translate the details otherwise I might end up with some weird deal. I left my friend at the store who wanted to find a small laptop and headed out for uni again.
Hoping off at Ookayama station I ran into another Australian classmate heading into uni to try and hand in our certificates. Our sensei had passed onto to another colleague to collect our papers for her, as she was absent from the office again. With that paper in the right hands I left my classmate to walk south towards the train tracks and hop onto a train for Kugahara. It took me about 15 minutes to find the place I did a couple of circles around certain blocks because all I remembered from the map directions was that it was close to the station. Turns out the dojo is in the basement level of a small building, the dojo is smaller than I imagined however the juniors class was quite small so it appears that this club isn't hugely popular in Japan. A smaller class means I can train better and have closer friendships with my fellow karate-ka (karate practioners). I didn't introduce myself to sensei because he was teaching but the office clerk who was there managed to get me registered and ready for training this month. First training is on 2moro morning, I'm heaps excited!
With that done, I headed home but just before I got to my apartment I went for a little walk to the 24-hour hyakuenya that I've mentioned earler. And met another Australian classmate along the way, the same one I went to Shibuya the second time with. Spent about $12 considereing each item costs about $1.20 I got quite a bang for my buck.
Now that I'm home and fed I'm gonna try to study until bedtime and then first thing tomorrow KARATE IN JAPAN BABY O SNAP SNAP!
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