Coffee and Cake with Japanese Students (Dr. Itasaka's class) _ Tuesday, May 26

Dr. Itasaka (Professor of Japanese Literature) invited us for coffee and the UofC students met 22 Japanese students at Cabin (cafe).  Dr. Itasaka and graduate students organized this gathering and students from both Universities had a good time together. Thanks to Itasaka-sensei for her time and effort for this meeting!

Quiet Day _ Monday, May 25

I spent all day near the university today.
Students also had a quiet day, I thought.  However, many went out somewhere.

There was an earthquake about 2:30pm. It was magnitude 5.6.
I went to the dorm to see how students were doing.

I only met two students there.  Many students were out already.  Later, they told me that they did not feel anything!?? They noticed there was something wrong when they heard warning sound from cellphones from the Japanese people around them.

Home visit _Sunday, May 24

Students came back to the International House sometime in the afternoon.

Home Visit _ Saturday, May 23

Students spent all day with their host family.

Home visit _ Friday, May 22

The Home vist program started on Friday, May 22.  Students walked to the Senshu satellite campus near Mukogaokayuen station.

They met their families in the classroom.

Some stayed with a family with small children, some stayed with a retired couple.
They spent two nights with their host family.

Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum _ Thursday, May 21

We visited the Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum (日本民家園ーNihon minka en).  This museum was almost next to Senshu University.  

We divided into two groups and I was with Yoshida-san's group.  Mr. Yoshida spoke very good English and explained about houses in the museum (park).

There are many old houses from across Japan.

 The houses at the museum were well preserved.  We spent more than two hours there.  Again, I wish we had more time to see details.  Students were so enthusiastic to know about the Japanese history.

We thank you all who worked hard to provide us this wonderful half day trip!

Canadian Embassy in Tokyo_ Wednesday, May 20

There was a conference at the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo from May 20 to 22.  I spent all day at the embassy on May 20 and pent a half day on both May 21 and 22.

Here are some photos which I took at the Embassy.

The gentleman in the middle is Mr. Jon Heese who was born in Canada and became a Japanese citizen in 2007.  He was also in "Nodame Cantabile".  If you did not watch the "Nodame" series?  You have to watch them!

Nihon Minkaen information_Tuesday, May 19

I was too busy to post photos on Tuesday, but I found something which I should have posted in the past, so I post them now.

We will go to "Nihon Minka-en" (Open Air Architectural Museum "Nihon Minkaen" in Kawasaki )
on Tursday, May 21.

This museum was open in 1967.
You will see very old fashioned Japanese houses (late 18c, according to the information in Japanese).

Info in English
Official website:
http://english.nihonminkaen.jp

Meiji jingu (明治神宮) _ Monday, May 18

We went to Meijijingu today.

We get off the train at Sangubashi station on Odakyu Line.
The sign at the station was very - extremely clear.

However, two students missed to get off the train and had to come from Harajuku Station.

Second Sunday _ Sunday, May 17

This was our second Sunday in Japan.
Many students joined the sports event organized by the Senshu students.  I heard that many students from UofC went out somewhere in the afternoon.

Kamakura _ Saturday, May 16

Our another busy day started in the eating area in the International House (dorm).  

We were told that there were two extra tickets for this trip. Why??  It took us more than 20 minutes to find out that two students were still in their bed at 9:00am - our meeting time!!!!  

Roughly speaking, two students from UofC and three students from Senshu made one group and  spend  a day together. 

Okonomiyaki & Home Visit Orientation_Friday, May 15

Cooking is always fun!  These are some photos from the cooking class today.

Students received information for their host family today.  It seems that quite a few students will stay with a retired couple.  I saw one family with three children.  I am sure that staying with a local Japanese family will be another eye-opening experience for students.

Edo Tokyo Museum _Thursday, May 14

Fourteen students plus one student from Indonesia went to Edo-Tokyo museum today.

It was so easy to walk in group.  We all know which side of the street we have to walk.

And we know we can sit in the train if we take so called "section" - semi express trains.

I took a picture here when we were separated on the way to Asakusa last Friday. They looked very worried last time but they look so relaxed this time.

Okonomiyaki group #1_Thursday, May 14

It was very hot in Tokyo today - about 29C.

Half of students had "Okonomiyaki" cooking class.  Okonomiyaki is like pancakes but people in Japan add vegetables, meat, or fish, whatever they want to put - or I would say whatever you have in your fridge/freezer.

Rush Hour video_May 13

Thomas posted an interesting video on his group blog.
This is a live video of their first of thirst day in Japan.

Please take a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=11&v=BYFF0ww-PFo

Typhoon_Tuesday, May 13

The typhoon approached to Japan and went through the Tokyo area last night.  It was not too bad after all we had a very hot day today.

I am not sure how many noticed but there was a small earthquake at 6:15am.  If someone felt it, then this would be the first one since we came to Japan.

I went to Shubuya today.  My original plan was to go to a book store before meeting my mother and sisters, however, I got lost and spent too much for exchanging money from the travellers' cheques to Japanese yen (cash), I did not have much time to do anything except seeing my family.

It seems that Japanese banks stopped dealing with traveler' cheques. I went to one of largest bank in Japan in Shibuya first and spent more than 30 minutes to wait to see if the branch could deal with cheques from Canada.  Surprisingly, after 30 minutes, that brunch declined to deal with it.  Well, they are so polite to me so I have nothing to complain though...

And then, I got lost completely and walked somewhere.  I walked though a narrow street which I went a couple of times about 30 years ago but it did not help to find the way at all.

I had very nice Sushi for lunch.  I also had so called "Sashimi salad"

This was only 800 yen (about $8 CAN)!!

Students started Japanese lessons today.
There was no report of any incidents, which was really good.

We will go to "Edo-Tokyo museum" tomorrow afternoon.  14 students will go together. I am sure that this is going to be another adventure.

Calligraphy_Tuesday, May 12

It was another busy day.  There was a calligraphy class in the afternoon.

Since they already experienced Calligraphy in Canada, they seemed very comfortable to use brushes. - Teachers at Senshu University thought that many of you are gifted since you look very proficient.

Opening Ceremony and Party_Monday, May 11

All students wrote a placement test and had an interview in the morning and the Opening Ceremony was followed.

This is Sasaki-sensei, a coordinator of this course.  She used Japanese.

This is a police officer.  He spoke very fast and fluent (of course!) Japanese. 

I hope that students picked up some words - Chikan (a sexual offender), Yopparai(a drunk person), or Keisatu (police) etc.  

Here is our another group photo.

The following parties were not so bad, I suppose.  

Many CAs(Campus Advisors) came to greet students. 

Opening ceremony on campus:

Tea Party at the dorm:

After the tea party, many of them went to the third party.  Today was a "Party Day".

First Sunday_Sunday, May 10

This is our first Sunday.
I heard that some went to Akihabara and visited a "Neko (cat)cafe".  Some went to Harajuku - Takeshita street.

In the morning, everyone received an interesting chart from Sharon.
This is a schedule indicating who cleans certain areas, such as a toilet, a kitchen etc.

According to the announcement, RAs(Resident Assistants) will supervise their work and will ask to clean again if the area is not properly cleaned.

Good luck everyone!
All Japanese students are professional leaners.  They all have at least 12 years of school cleaning experience.

Dorm Orientation_Saturday, May 9

The dorm orientation was done by staff at the Senshu International House with RAs. They spoke Japanese since there were some students from somewhere in the world.  They only common language is Japanese only here.

There are so many rules to live in the International House.

I can not talk everything so I just focus on about "Cleaning policy" in the dorm.
Students are responsible to clean their own room. 

In Japan, we have to sort trash into several categories.  

http://www.tokyo-icc.jp/guide_eng/info/01.html

• Mixded papers
• Plastic containers&Packaging (you have to rinse inside and wipe)
• Ordinary (burnable) garbale
• Recyclable garbage 

Kawasaki city

http://www.city.kawasaki.jp/en/cmsfiles/contents/0000037/37802/eigo.pdf

Every household have a big chart provided by city in their house to sort out everyday garbage. 

Compare to sorting out garbage, everything else seems easy for them, I suppose. 

Since most of students share their rooms with Japanese students,  I am sure that they will learn how to live here comfortably very quickly.

Our Adventure _Friday, May 8

It was 8:30 in the morning

We are all ready to go!

It was almost 8:50am when we arrived at Mukogaokayuen station. 

Well, I should know that it was still "rush hours" in Tokyo.  

Most of people are commuters on the train.

BUT, somehow, I forgot. 

We were lucky to be able to get on the earlier "express" train to Shinjuku.

I was with a couple of students, I saw other students got on the same train, to Shinjuku - I thought.

The journey was not too bad, even if the train was packed with people.  It was a kind of manageable level.  Some said to me that they were happy to be able to experience "rush hours" in Tokyo.  

The time went by.

Suddenly, I heard the announcement saying that "this train won't go to Shinjuku."

"What??"

"Why?"

Sorry, everyone.

It was my imagination that all train on Odakyu line go to Shinjuku.  

The announcement went on.

".....  Please change the train at the next station.  For customers who plan to go to Shinjuku, please get on the train which is waiting at the same plat form immediately as that train will be leaving shortly."

I was so disappointed that I had no control for this incident.  

I wanted to see how many were on the same train.

The train approached to the next station and we were pushed out by a big wave of people who waned to change the train. We followed people and got on the train which were already waiting for customers to get on.  

Within 1 min?

The train started moving.

I saw Shawn, Mitchell and Xian Meng looking at our train.

It was like a real TV show.  

I was happy to see some faces on the same train.  

I hoped that Shawn could handle since this was his second trip to Japan.  

I knew that Xian Men was talking about a portable wifi. I hope that he got it.

I was glad to see that Mitch was not alone.

Please count.  How many they were.

Only 15 students.

Where were 5 students.....?

According the numerous number of reports from students, Alice and Jennifer could not get on the train at Mukogaokayuen station.  They don't have a portable wifi therefore they have to search for "wifi"area to use internet if they did not have any information with them 

It was still 9:20am. 

We had about 15 minutes to wait for these students.  

I told students that we would meet at Shinjuku anyways, but realized that I did not tell them which exit.  Also there are many platforms, the train which we got on arrived platform 9.  I did not think that we could go to Zojoji together. 

For the worst scenario, we will meet at JR Hamamatsucho station at the South exit at 11:10am. 

I hope that we could meet them by then.

How many students were there??

20!

Yes, 20.

I don't know how we manage to get together in Shinjuku, which is one of biggest station in the world.

This was truly our first Adventure.  

to be continued if I have time today.

Zojoji

Japan_Thursday, May 7

After 10 hours flight, we were standing in the airport in Japan. We were fine!

I went through the big Welcome sign so many times in the past, but this is the first time for me to take a photo.  I think I have everyone in this photo.

It took about two hours to get to Senshu University by bus.  Many people welcomed us.  Students had a brief introduction session with students at the dormitory and went out to get some food for breakfast tomorrow.  Some went to as far as Mukogaokayuen station (20min. walk from the dorm).

I hope that they can sleep tonight.  - well, I can not sleep, so I am posting this blog.  It is 11am in Calgary and 2am in Tokyo.  We will meet  in front of the dorm at 8:20am tomorrow.  Since most of students share their rooms with Japanese students, they should be able to get up on time.  Resident Assistants (RAs) promised me to help them to get out from their bed.  Well, I just cross my fingers they can make it.

Calgary_Wednesday, May 6

We are ready to go!

The Calgary International Airport was very busy but we managed to go through the security on time.