Hello, blog! おひさしぶり、ですね！I have been very busy with school. I have a whopping 22 credit hours this semester, kids with homework and extracurricular activities, and parents who have been in and out of the hospital. I am grateful that I have good organization and time management skills or I would be probably be curled up in a ball in the corner crying by now!
My courseload is heavy, but is even more challenging because all of my classes are online and I have only ten weeks to complete them. Why only ten weeks? Because I'm going back to Japan! I plan to go to Hiroshima for six weeks to study Japanese and I am really excited. I had planned to go in December, and then in February, but my mother's health required a postponement. But, now everything seems to be aligning properly; I even found a nurse who will come to the house and check on my parents while I'm gone. I will get a housekeeper to come in every two weeks to help with the "big" stuff, and I will pre-make and freeze a bunch of meals so they don't have to cook so much. I did that as a business a few years ago, so I can knock out about two weeks worth of dinners in around four hours.
I am going to stay in a small apartment. The rent is around 900円 per month, which is much cheaper than a hotel and I can cook for myself-- another big cost savings. I will have free internet and a free bicycle rental during my stay. I had considered a homestay that was available through the school I'll be attending, but they did not have internet access for me and I need to be in contact with home as much as possible. I'm renting a cell phone, too. I had a good experience doing that during my trip last year and after a bit of shopping around, I found an even better deal. The company even ships the phone to my US address prior to my departure. One less thing to take care of at Narita. I have to fly into Narita because of my particular travel arrangements and it's cheaper to take the shinkansen than to go from Narita to Haneda and then fly to Hiroshima. I love the shinkansen anyway, so I don't mind that at all.
So what will I do in Japan besides study? I haven't really decided yet. I'll definitely pay a visit to the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Park. I'll even have a nice strand of 1000 cranes to take to the Children's Peace Monument when I go. My kids helped me fold them and I promised to take pictures of them hanging there. I'd like to visit Miyajima Island, too. But my number one goal is to go to a Hiroshima Carp game! I've checked the schedule and noted the dates of home games during my stay. I will also have the opportunity to see sumo in Osaka, so I plan to do that, if possible, too. I would like to visit Kyoto, especially since it will be cherry blossom season, and maybe take a trip south to Fukuoka (which was my original study destination) and/or Nagasaki. If I have time, I might also take a day trip to Kobe or Nagoya.
Then again, I might just sit in my room and eat, study and watch TV. Not likely!
So, some of you may wonder why I'm not studying in Tokyo. Well, the answer to that is easy. Hiroshima seems to have a unique charm and is a good base location for some of the other small trips I'd like to take. Last year, we went north to Hokkaido, so this time, I'm headed west. None of my plans are firm yet, and I have considered taking a day or two in Tokyo on the way home. I'd like to visit Nikko, maybe.
This may well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, so I am working hard to make it a reality.
My courseload is heavy, but is even more challenging because all of my classes are online and I have only ten weeks to complete them. Why only ten weeks? Because I'm going back to Japan! I plan to go to Hiroshima for six weeks to study Japanese and I am really excited. I had planned to go in December, and then in February, but my mother's health required a postponement. But, now everything seems to be aligning properly; I even found a nurse who will come to the house and check on my parents while I'm gone. I will get a housekeeper to come in every two weeks to help with the "big" stuff, and I will pre-make and freeze a bunch of meals so they don't have to cook so much. I did that as a business a few years ago, so I can knock out about two weeks worth of dinners in around four hours.
I am going to stay in a small apartment. The rent is around 900円 per month, which is much cheaper than a hotel and I can cook for myself-- another big cost savings. I will have free internet and a free bicycle rental during my stay. I had considered a homestay that was available through the school I'll be attending, but they did not have internet access for me and I need to be in contact with home as much as possible. I'm renting a cell phone, too. I had a good experience doing that during my trip last year and after a bit of shopping around, I found an even better deal. The company even ships the phone to my US address prior to my departure. One less thing to take care of at Narita. I have to fly into Narita because of my particular travel arrangements and it's cheaper to take the shinkansen than to go from Narita to Haneda and then fly to Hiroshima. I love the shinkansen anyway, so I don't mind that at all.
So what will I do in Japan besides study? I haven't really decided yet. I'll definitely pay a visit to the A-Bomb Dome and Peace Park. I'll even have a nice strand of 1000 cranes to take to the Children's Peace Monument when I go. My kids helped me fold them and I promised to take pictures of them hanging there. I'd like to visit Miyajima Island, too. But my number one goal is to go to a Hiroshima Carp game! I've checked the schedule and noted the dates of home games during my stay. I will also have the opportunity to see sumo in Osaka, so I plan to do that, if possible, too. I would like to visit Kyoto, especially since it will be cherry blossom season, and maybe take a trip south to Fukuoka (which was my original study destination) and/or Nagasaki. If I have time, I might also take a day trip to Kobe or Nagoya.
Then again, I might just sit in my room and eat, study and watch TV. Not likely!
So, some of you may wonder why I'm not studying in Tokyo. Well, the answer to that is easy. Hiroshima seems to have a unique charm and is a good base location for some of the other small trips I'd like to take. Last year, we went north to Hokkaido, so this time, I'm headed west. None of my plans are firm yet, and I have considered taking a day or two in Tokyo on the way home. I'd like to visit Nikko, maybe.
This may well be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me, so I am working hard to make it a reality.
5 comments:
Enjoy your trip and study in Japan.
I wish I can do the same...
900 a month? Nice deal! Can you get photos of the apartment when you get there? :D
take meeeeeee with youuuuuuu!!!!!
@lina: Thank you! I never thought I'd be able to even take a trip overseas and then last year, I devoted myself completely to the idea. I'm excited to see my plans finally coming together.
@T.aaron: You can be sure that I'll post tons of pics!!
@Jamaipanese: I'll take you this year if you take me next year. ;)
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