Kanazawa Time
I have made so many lists for Japan. Things I need to do, what I need buy, what I need to pack… and somehow I seem to misplace them, and then I have to start all over. However, lists are your friends Being the disorganized person that I am - they have helped me to keep track of what I need to do. Unfortunately, they don’t help with the procrastinating part of me XD. There’s still so much to do, and only 2 weeks left!
I need to:
• Buy gifts for host family
• Take/pass learners license test
• Get yen
• Notify bank I will be using my debit card in Japan for a year
• Buy a few clothes + shoes (my feet may be too big for shoes in Japan)
• Buy toiletries
• Clean out my room
• STUDY JAPANESE
• Say goodbyes to my friends and family
• Make sure I have all the necessary documents + photocopies
• Make mini photo album to take to Japan
• Pack… and keep it under the weight limit >.<
There is probably other things I need to do, but these are the main ones. I am rather worried that I may not get everything done. Time is going by so quickly… before I know it, I’ll be landing in Narita Airport! ^o^
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Lists are your Friends
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1 comments:
get ready for packing 101.
call the airline that you're flying with, and ask them to give you extra baggage allowance, after mentioning the fact that you are an exchange student. you'll often be given a couple of extra kilos free baggage allowance. you'll thank yourself in the long run!!
DON'T BUY CLOTHES. you'll hate yourself. seriously; don't. buy them here instead. there are way more interesting clothes here than anything you can find back at home, they'll be souvenirs you'll actually use, and it gives you something to do!!
same for shoes. just bring one pair of trainers (invaluable for days of walking), a pair of more fashionable shoes that you are still able to walk in, and a pair of very formal shoes that you can wear in formal situations. i'm not sure what the prices are for shoes where you are, but they're cheap here, compared to australia. also, unless your feet are like 30cm long (1' long), you should be able to find shoes here. if your feet are a similar size to your friends of asian heritage, you should be fine!!
depending on how good your japanese is, maybe don't bring many learning materials, except for kanji cards with english translations. everything else is easy to find here.
don't go over the top with formal clothes. i brought 4 polos and 4 button shirts; i've worn them all of no times so far, and i've been here for 2 months already. bring lots of t-shirts if you feel the need to bring t-shirts at all, and also a good water-proof raincoat. currently, it's really quite rainy and windy; it's freezing and inconvenient on your bike, i can assure you!!
make sure you have a VERY simple way to access money from canada. 7-11 here has international ATMs, so you can get money from most cards; but there are usually fees attached, if you're not careful. so talk to your bank, and see what can be done. i didn't bring ANY travelers cheques with me, i just get money from my account out of an ATM at the 7-11 near me.
bring the crappy kitchy canadian stuff that you wouldn't think that your host family would like. they'll bloody lap it up!! like, my host family is still using fridge magnets from exchange students that came more than 10 years ago. olympic themed things would probably go down well too. but make sure it's presented nicely. the presentation almost matters more than the gift itself!!
buy some skype credit before you leave, and set up a skype address with phone numbers of loved ones already put in, (physical home numbers etc) so that you contact people easily once you arrive, for cheap. I had a half hour phone convo from skype to a landline in australia for half an hour, and it cost less than a dollar. bargain.
let me know if you need more things. send an email to b en ro a ch e *ninertwo* AT gmail DAWT com (take out the spaces and turn the starred words into numbers to make my address.
cheers,
have an awesome time in japan!!
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