FIRST POST!!!!

こんにちわみんなさん！This is my first check-in from Tokyo and I have officially been awake for 22 hours! It is 5am in Calgary on Friday morning, but 8pm here in Tokyo. I need to try and stay up for a few more hours so that I can get on a somewhat “normal” schedule. We arrived at Narita airport this afternoon where we were met by our extra enthusiastic school representative, and then taken by bus, across the city to the Senshu University campus and dorms.

We’ve spent the past few hours getting acquainted with the walk from the dorms to campus – which in typical Japanese fashion is up a steep, narrow hill – and inspected the local 7-Eleven and my favorite 24-hour convenience store, Lawson. So now that the fridge is stocked with onigiri and ramen noodles I’m feeling right back at home. Its almost like I never left!

Tomorrow morning promises more orientation, followed by an afternoon trip to Shinjuku – where I plan on purchasing an umbrella (“kasa” or かさ ) since it has been raining since we arrived and appears determined to continue doing so. I spoke with my friend Tat (a Japanese guy I met working in Niseko) and he mentioned him and some friends were going to a music festival in Yoyogi Park tomorrow. I would love to meet up with them, but we’ll have to see what the curriculum calls for before I make any attempts at escape.