Tadaima ( I have arrived)

Well, some of the punctuations on this keyboard are fubar for some reason, so instead of tring to find where the button I need is I will just make the spelling errors (as if having the punctuations kept me from making spelling errors before, I have read over some of the other stuff that I wrote and found many). So, my first week in Japan is almost over. Thus far I am rather impressed with Japan. My room may be small, but it is clean. There are about 40 people living in my dorm from all over the world. They all seem to be really nice and they speak very good english usually. My Japanese was not as good as I had origionally thought (I cannot understand everything). My classes dont really start until Monday, but I do have to go to one class (since it was requested) two times (once on thur. and again on Fri.). I'm a bit busy with all the information I have to process at the moment. I have to figure out how things work.
About Japan: stuff I found out...
Japanese Airlines, although the most expensive I think, is by far the best I have ever been on. I was in the cheapest seats and I was still waited on the entire flight (they were always checking on us all), which made the 14 hour flight seem a bit shorter. Also I had an entire row to myself (although the plane was rather full). One more thing about coming to Japan is that the baggage regulation is very lax-for American's atleast. It's polite to stand on the left side of the escelator in the subways in Nagoya (although it is opposite in some parts of Japan-just look to see what everyone else is doing) so that those who are in a hurry can get through. Nagoya, atleast, and what I saw of Japan on the Shinkansen(bullet train) is a very very clean place with very friendly people who are willing to help (and a ton of people here speak english-such as everyone in my research group speaks english very well).

The only thing that I find I like a little less is that I don't have a car to get around, even if I did It would be slightly more incovienent to get to where I need to go. But, I can easily adjust to that. There are no all purpose store around where I live so all shopping must be done at different stores (which is fine with me). The convenient store around the corner is very useful for groceries, phonecards, etc... But it is slightly more expensive that a local grocier.

My research group is very interesting. I have met all the students there I think. Professor Zaima, my academic advisor, even came to my entrance ceremony. I plan on joining the basketball circle at Meidai (Nagoya University). One student in my research group already belongs to the basketball circle and said that he will take me with him on Sunday to the next meeting. I think that he is a very interesting and smart person. I think that things are about to get more interesting in Japan for me. The only problem about my dorm is that everyone speaks english so I cannot surround myself with the Japanese language to learn it faster. Maybe joining the basketball circle will help me a little as well. I asked my father to send me my basketball shoes, but I doubt they will be here in time for basketball practice, however I'm sure I will receive them soon.
Oddly enough, the steriotype of Japanese people being short is blown way out of proportion. They attribute it to the introduction of more beef into the Japanese diet (the reason that the younger generation has out grown the older generation). I have met a couple Japanese people who are taller than myself (if you didn't know I am about 6ft 3 or 4 inches, which is about 190.5 to about 193 cm or so). Infact, one of my professors is almost my height. Interestingly enough, there is a big and tall shop down the street with cloths in my size, however I was also able to find pants and shoes and shirts in my size at other stores here (such as the gap). It's difficult to find cloths that fit well in America (if they were long enough, then they were also to big in the waiste-if they were the correct waiste size, then they were to short), so I was very surprised to find that I could easily find them here. (It's kind of funny really) I wish I had brought more stuff that is native to Texas with me. It is kind of rude of me not to give such gifts to my group. When I return to America for a visit I will have to bring alot of stuff back to Japan for other people I think. I didn't plan on returing during the winter break, but I may be reconsidering a little (it depends on if it is cheaper to stay here or to go there). Actually, I may go to the Phillipeans. My Phillipeano friend was telling me that it is very cheap to fly there from Japan and It does not take much money at all to live like a king..... Sooooo, that sounds interesting and it would be a new place to visit.
Also, I am the only American in my dorm. The only other American I have met lives at the International residence (on campus). My residence is about 15 minutes away from campus by subway. That's okay with me though, I have seen other American's at Meidai (although I did not talk with them). I still have not experience any form of culture shock as of yet, but I am told that I will eventually. Other than the people and the culture, Japan is not really that different from America. I have spent most of my first weak buying things that I need for my dorm and doing orientations and other formalities that I must go through. In a couple weeks I will be able to get a cell phone, but i have to wait until I get my foreign resident card. Well, this article wasn't that exciting, but the next one I write will be-I'm sure.

Quote of the Day is one that has appeared on my Blog before (in an article that I have deleted):
It is not by a scientist once more, it is by the play writer Sir William Shakespear.

"Our Doubts are Traitors and Oft Make us Loose the Good we Might Win by Fearing to Atempt." -sir William Shakespear from the play Measure for Measure