"First blog"

Because I am using my own laptop at a computer lab, I can finally post the REAL first post that's been sitting, waiting patiently on my desktop in a word document for a month now.

Wow, I can believe it's been a month since I got here.

Before I paste the blog, some news-

-As you might have noticed, I finally was able to fix the template. Let me know how it looks on your respective browsers.
-I was also finally able to upload the pictures I've taken so far on my camera. If you look at the top of the new template, there is a "pictures" link that should take you to my facebook album. When that album fills, I will start a new one and give it the name "pictures 2"- no worries, it will be user friendly. ;)

So here's the first blog, it's not super great or anything, though---

Written first night in Hioki City, Kagoshima Prefecture- August 6th, 2008 at 8:54 pm.

So I’m sitting here in the living area of the apartment that I moved into today. It wasn’t quite what I had imagined from looking at pictures, but nonetheless, it’s a really great place.

The Tokyo Orientation days (we arrived on the 3rd) were very hectic and busy. Also, I didn’t find those particular days to be “Japanese” seeing as how we had very little time to physically leave the hotel.

I did, however, get chances to meet my host family on the first night and Tokyo friends on the second (Macha, Nori, Ai, Ryoichi, Yukihiro).

On the way to Kagoshima, I was very excited about living in this prefecture that I’ve liked so much for such a long time. All of the way to the office I was sooo happy.

At one point, I looked into a miror in a bathroom and realized I had a really, truly happy face.

Then we went to the apartment.

I stepped into the door with the two people from the office who were helping me and suddenly it sunk in that I am going to be living here. On top of all that, I am going to be living here alone. This thought really got me anxious and upset.

On top of that, I don’t internet here yet, so I felt very isolated from everyone that I once counted on.

I called Aya- that made me feel better, but she was busy with driving school at the moment.

I went out to dinner with one of the ALTs of the city who came with me (he’s British) and a CIR (she’s Korean.) I felt better after getting out and hanging out a little.

After I got back I began listening to some music on my iPod and realized that my entire taste in music changed in this transition. It seems that I’ve been unconciously collecting songs with “you can do it,” “count on others,” “be easy on yourself” etc. messages to them during the past few months. Then I started to view this apartment as a series of puzzles as I figured out other parts of settling down. I think my mood is quite a bit different now.

Anyway, I feel like I’m about to pass out, so I am going to start heading towards bed. I have to get to the office tomorrow morning at 8:30.

Eww… it’s going to be hot once I turn off the air cooler in this place.

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Funny enough, my taste in music switched back to how it was before since then. :)