Welcome to Campus

Wow, I'm more than a week behind on my updates now. I guess I'll make my posts less wordy or something so that they won't take as much effort. I know some of you have been waiting to find out what's been happening.

 I'll begin where I left off, with the Tuesday nighttime tour of my room. Wednesday morning, I rose bright and early to meet with T-san, H-san, and a Korean exchange student at Hankyuu Rokko Station （阪急六甲駅）at 9am.

I really like the view from my window. You're going to see it a lot <3.

Packets of disposable chopsticks often include a toothpick.

Chicken donburi.

 

Waiting at the bus stop, I caught a picture of one of the many motocyclists who can frequently be seen zooming along the streets.

The mysterious sign I keep seeing everywhere. T-san and H-san couldn't remember what it meant, and I've only found out because of a handy handout I got at a later orientation. It's a No Parking sign.

Here's the handout from Kobe University.

The backside of the handout.

I finally took the chance to sneak a photo of the inside of the bus. I always feel awkward taking pictures of other people without explicitly asking them.

A bus stop I passed while riding the bus from Gomotenjin (五毛天神) to Hankyuu Rokko （阪急六甲駅）.

Looking out the bus window.

I met T-san, H-san, and G-san, the Korean exchange student, at the station, and then we went to the bank to open accounts. At the bank, we ran into a couple of other Tutors and their group of exchange students （留学生 ryuu gaku sei), but didn't have the chance to meet any of them properly. After an hour or so, I successfully opened a Japanese bank account with nothing in it.

After the bank, we walked together to campus for the first time.

I was surprised to see Red Bull making its mark in Japan as well.

Walking up the hill to campus.

We made it to campus, but got a little confused about how to get to the Kobe International Student Center, a.k.a. KISC.

We found our way to KISC, where all of my Japanese language classes will be held.

G-san, T-san, and H-san at the top of the stairs in front of the amazing view between KISC and Rokko Hall, collectively known at Kobe University Centennial Hall.

G-san, T-san, and me.

A picture where you can actually see our faces.

We're about to enter KISC.

The bright part leads to the stairs.

Random display case.

I don't know why the flowers were here, but they sure were pretty.

Advertisement for the Bazzar held by the student group Truss for foreign students.

The stairs you couldn't see in the previous picture.

Many entrances of most campus building have umbrella stands so you don't have to bring your dripping wet umbrella with you everywhere when it rains.

A view of the skylight in KISC.

After this brief introduction to KISC, we walked across Uribou Road (ウりボーロード), a bridge that crosses over the motorcycle path and leads past several buildings to end at the paddock for the horses. We crossed a shorter bridge to get to the next set of campus buildings, including our goal, the building for the Faculty of Intercultural Studies, our major.

In between bridges, a couple of students prepping for the activity fair photobombed my picture.

This road looks like this every day. This should give you an idea of what "bike-friendly" really means.

Posters advertising various clubs and circles. The pictures may/may not be related to the activity advertised.

Trashcans outside one of the school cafes.

Students presumably discussing where to put their poster.

Students with posters going places.

Then we visited the convenience store and I took pictures of all the food.

America doesn't really sell much green bread.

Cup noodles. I haven't tried any yet since I've been intimidated by the variety.

Green danish O.o

Unlike American stores, where you usually see tons of different kinds of soda, in Japan the usual drinks include tea, milk tea/coffee, calpis, juice, water, and soda.

T-san recommended this to me. I ate it yesterday and it is good.

Sandwiches and onigiri.

After looking at all that food, we realized we were hungry and went to the school cafe across the way to eat.

The drink dispenser (free!). Choose from tea, hot water, or cold water.

Egg drop soup and beef curry. The curry wasn't as great as I had expected it to be. Other foods I've eaten at the campus cafes have all been good, though.

To be continued in The Activities Fair...