Life in suspended animation

When we arrived in Japan, we stayed for a few days in Shin-Osaka Washington Hotel with the other JDS scholars from different countries. I'm not exactly Ms. Congeniality so I didn't make any new friends at once, except for this Bangladeshi guy I almost had an altercation with. By the second week, some of the fellows started moving out of the hotel to proceed to the respective cities of their universities. On September 12, we moved straight to our new apartment in Kobe.

We were told that most of the apartments in Japan are totally empty when one moves in. As I wasn't "inheriting" a bed from our senior fellows, I had to buy my own. For the first few nights I had to sleep on the floor with only a comforter for cushion.

I initially wanted to buy a real bed with a real mattress but then again we'd have to dispose them when we leave in two years. And the disposal might turn out to be more expensive than the bed, so after a few days of indecision, I settled for this one.

The room does not have a closet so that's another problem. Fortunately, one of the senior fellows gave his closet to me (ok he made me pay for it).

I think I'm ready to start my life here. :)

P.S. Living here is like taking a break from my real life. I'm beginning to understand why some people choose to stay here.