The plane flight went fine, though I must say faded_lace and I got far less studying done than we really should have, and though it was something of an adventure to get to our lodgings, we managed eventually and were able to get something to eat (thanks to our superhelpful dorm manager) and crash. Next day was orientation, which basically went like this:

~Carry your Passport/Alien Registration card at all times or you will get arrested and detained for 23 days because Japanese police are numerous and extremely bored (and Temple will not help you)

~Do not touch anyone else's bike or you will get arrested and detained for 23 days because the Japanese police are numerous and extremely bored (and Temple will not help you).

~Do nothing but study or you will fail.

~Do nothing but study and you will still fail your Japanese language class.

~Do not carry anything that could possibly be construed as a drug or you will be arrested and detained for 23 days because the Japanese Police are numerous, extremely bored, and paranoid with regards to anything drug related (and Temple will not help you).

~Do not go into Roppongi or you will get drugged and robbed.

~We could get struck by a killer earthquake at any time. Be prepared (because the Japanese government will not help you. The yakuza might.).

~Oh, and HAVE FUN :DDDDDDDD

Overall it was a very depressing day. It then got better, when faded_lace and I successfully got ourselves to Gain to get yomimashou a Blossom shirt (despite faded_lace getting on a train going the wrong way and then me leaving going the right way before she got back and it's really very amusing in hindsight but at the time it was a bit o.O).

It then got worse again when my prepaid phone managed to eat 2700 yen. -.-

The next day was a frantic rush to a softbank store to plead with them to fix that (they couldn't, I bought a new card and am now watching my account's yen like a hawk) and then a frantic rush back to make the group trip to the Shinjuku ward office to apply for our Alien Registration Cards. Which took all afternoon, yaaay bureaucracy. But we got to socialize with some of the rest of the people in our housing, which was fun :D I also managed to finally finish unpacking and get everything put away, which was a great relief ^ ^. I hate being in transit.

This takes us to today, when faded_lace went to visit Tokyo Tower, because hey we had the day off and we know how to get there sort of and we may as well get our touristy stuff out of the way while we still have time XD It was extremely warm, rather crowded, and lots of fun. I was amused that the English brochure persisted in comparing the tower to the Eiffel Tower in Paris and listing all the ways it was better. I bought a few postcards and will be mailing those out to various people once I find my way to a post office/have time aka tuesday.



Short version: The Japanese police are numerous and extremely bored so be careful about EVERYTHING, I have a phone named Shiro-chan who has some issues but is loved nonetheless, stay away from Roppongi unless you want to get drugged/robbed/die and I became thoroughly addicted to milk tea in under two days and am going to miss it immensely when I am again stateside.

And I haven't even started classes yet.