intensive

The most intensive thing about this course so far has been dealing with the harsh reality that sometimes things don't go the way you want them to. Or pray for them to. Or wish for them to with every fiber of your being. And so here we are, learning first hand the bitter taste of rejection, and on the second day of the program, too!

But bitterness aside, this should be more viewed as an opportunity to embrace the ways of the phoenix, rising once more from the ashes with such pride and such velocity that it will make everyone forget that that force had once been reduced to ash.

JCMU, get ready, because once I'm through with you you're not going to know what hit ya.




To recap the events that are better classified as formalities, yesterday (June 2nd) we had our orientation to JCMU's buildings and met all of our classmates, as well as had new ID photos taken and individually met for an interview with the coordinator of the home stay option for JCMU students. That was followed by the assignment of our bikes (much newer models than the ones lent out for the May Short Course) and a tour on said bikes around Hikone led by nearby Japanese college students. Ashley and I learned that there is a bigger, better and most importantly, CLOSER grocery than the one we've been going to all this time, and are planning a visit sometime this weekend. (I also found a Starbucks. Yes, you should be imagining a big stupid smile on my face.)

Today's orientation was more an introduction to the professors teaching the courses here at JCMU, which was fun until they unleashed the placement test on us (which, frankly, didn't seem that bad) which we would find the results of later in the day (an hour prior to me writing this blog). In the mean time, we got to learn how to cook simple Japanese meals in our apartments as housewives from the area who had a little English on their belt taught us the ropes. Chisa zushi, tofu steak and clear soup were on the menu for today.

And the results were delicious.

As that's all that I have even remotely positive to say about today, I will leave it at that.
But for anyone who's wondering, classical music does wonders for one's mood.