I feel so bad that I've let this blog slide while I've been adjusting to life here in Otaru. I can only blame it on the fact that I've been really busy here and too lazy to walk to the computer lab to use the internet here. I want to let everybody know that I'm doing fine here, it's getting cold but so far I haven't frozen to death. I'm expecting long underwear and a coat to show up in about a week from my parents in the US. If I'd had room in my suitcase I would've packed and brought it with me. Although yesterday and today have been unseasonably warm and so I haven't been needing to wear three layers of clothing when I go outside. :)
I want to say a few things that I've learned since coming here to Otaru that I think a person who is considering Otaru as a choice might want to know when they get here.
1. When you get to Chitose there will be someone to meet you there at the airport, that person will be your tutor and will help you get settled in at the dorm & here in Japan. They will also help you to practice your japanese when you set up times for that. My tutor's name is Jumi and she is awesome. She'S been very helpful to me, and I really like her.
2. If at all possible eat before going to the dorms, whether it's in Chitose or in Otaru get some food into you! Especially if you arrive at night like I did and you can't go to the grocery store until the next day. Or at the very least bring some crackers and stuff in your suitcase with you. If you arrive during the day make it a point to go to the international office first thing, or if you arrive at night go the next morning. When you go they will have you fill out a bunch of paperwork but they will also give you a map. This map is like a pirate's treasure map because it is: a. in english, and b. has the locations of things like grocery stores, banks, post offices, etc. which you will want to have trust me!
3. If you are lucky (I was not) the previous year's student will have left you some things like pots & pans, dishes, etc. so you don't have to start from scratch. I had to start from scratch & if you have to do this some words of advice: buy dishes at the dollar store but do not buy pots & pans there. Also make sure that when you buy pots and pans that they are capable of being used on a gas stove because I bought 1 pot and the handles were... toasty after 1 use. I ended up with a larger $30 frying pan and a medium sized $15 cooking pot which is perfect for 2 or 3 servings of spaghetti or soup. There'S a great dollar store or 'hyaku en' shop in wing bay written uingu bai in katakana. If you go down to the train station and take the train to wing bay (200 yen & about 10 min. ride) then you can buy pretty much everything you will ever need from there. It is on the 1st floor of the mall. If you don't feel like traveling that far there is also a small $1 store on the top floor of Nagisakiya department stores & they sell dishes there also.
4. The bus is your friend. Especially if you don't want to haul groceries back up the mile long "hell slope" that the school is at the top of. The bus to the school is #19 and runs every 1/2 hour or during the busy times of day every 15 minutes. The main bus station is next to the train station and #19's stop is on the back side of the bus terminal on the #3 platform. There's a big sign in bad english there. There is also a bus stop right across the street from the Co-OP grocery store that we like to take back up after shopping. Bus fair is 200 yen or you can buy a bus pass & depending on the amount on the pass you can get 1 or 2 free bus rides. If you're riding up to the dorms stay on the bus until it makes it's last stop which is right across the street from the school. It turns around and let's you off, then goes back down.
5. The cafeteria serves really cheap, really good food everyday. Even during the beginning of september when classes aren't in session. They are open from 11:00 to 6:30 & on average I spend about 400 yen there for lunch (which is a LOT of food). If you want noodles like ramen,soba,udon go to the cashier & tell them what you want and they will give you a ticket. Then go around to the ramen counter & give them the ticket. Otherwise get in the main line and tell the ladies what you want... just like at school in the US when you were a kid.
The school is located just down the hill from the dorm. There's a set of gates & a gate house with a (ours was anyway) fat security guard turn right into the school and then walk to the building on the left. It's a two story building. This is the cafeteria. If want to go to the international office go up the hill past the guard house and there'll be a building with a neon green clock in front of you. Go up to it and turn right. The next building (it looks like 1 building, they are all connected) says 4 on it and has 2 kanji which mean building... there is also a sign next to the door saying " international center". Go inside and take a right & it's the 1st door on your right.
I hope that helps anyone who is planning on coming here to Otaru. I will try & update the blog more later but in the meantime here is a couple of pictures that I took of the Otaru canal. :)
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