Wednesday, 31 March 2004

Ticket and Complete Address!

Got a bus to Lithgow and then a train to Central, where I got another train to Wynyard and then a bus to Beauty Point, and then a 5 minutes walk back to Pam's.

While I was gone I had received my plane ticket (saves me from picking it up), and another package from Nova with my complete address, pages of info on the appartement and instructions on what to do at the airports.

I'll be living with one other Australian who has been in Japan for 6 months. No idea what agegroup he'll be in. I'm assuming mid Twenties.

Monday, 29 March 2004

Found it!

After a quite Google search I found some infor from the following sites:

Kasukabe City is located in the center of the Kanto Plain and is 35 kilometers north of Tokyo. Highway 4 and Highway 16 intersect at Kasukabe City. Tobu Noda Train Line and Tobu Isesaki Train Line both come into Kasukabe Station. Kasukabe City is situated around Kasukabe Station. Kasukabe is in the eastern part of Saitama prefecture and is 20 kilometers (or 30 minutes) from the prefectural capitol Urawa City.

Sounds good! Close to Tokyo. Also any fans of Pokemon (I admit to being a fan!) will know the Kanto Plain is where the first season of the anime (and computer game) was based.

Kasukabe City Details
Location
Longitude 139'45"
Latitude 35'58"
6 meters above sea level
Area
37.78 square kilometers
Population
200,300 people (as of October 1997)
Famous For:
Wisteria
Paulownia wood dressers
Home of Crayon Shin-chan, a famous anime character

Got this from HERE

Located in the southeastern part of the Saitama Prefecture, the prefecture government office is also located in this city.
This city used to be a post town that grew on the Nakasendo Road. At present, it is a crossroads where a number of railway lines meet, including the Tohoku, Joetsu, and three other Shinkansen Lines, JR lines, and private railway lines. On May 1, 2001, three cities, namely Urawa, Omiya and Yono merged together and Saitama City was born. It will become the 13th ordinance-designated city on April 1, 2003. It is already well positioned as a core-business city and is expected to grow to a pivotal city that will lead a wide variety of activities in the Kanto Region.

Got that from HERE

And there's some more info HERE about the culture and history worth checking out.

Can't wait!

Kasukabe, SAITAMA

Well, having not heard from Nova, I rang them to find out where I had been allocated and I will be living in...

Kasukabe, SAITAMA

So much for my preferences, huh? Now to find out exactly where this place is! Apparently it's "huge".

Thursday, 25 March 2004

Catch Up

Arrived in Orange yesterday to stay for a while to catch up with family and friends before I leave for Japan. Probably won't see everyone for at least another year.

Monday, 22 March 2004

Applied for VISA!

Applied for VISA. Once I got to the Japanese Office (in Martin Place) the whole process only took about one minute! I filled in the form at home, and am glad I did as I had to ring up Nova to check a few things. This was probably the easiest part of the whole "application process"!

I should hear where I'll be living sometime this week!

Today's word is: Samui = Cold

Friday, 19 March 2004

Paperwork...

Got my certificate of eligibility today and have been told that I now have to apply for the VISA. Funny, I thought I already did with thest of the paperwork.

Will have to apply Monday. That should take 2 - 5 days (I'm told) so should get it just in time.

Am also planning my farewell party which will be at a real trandy Japanese restaurant at the top floor of the QVB. Me and bec tested it out the other day, had a great time.

Tuesday, 16 March 2004

Getting there!

I can't believe how fast this month is going! It still hasn't clicked that this time next month I'll be in a different country for the first time in my life. Yup, I havn't even ever been outside New South Wales! (Well I've been to the ACT but that's technically still in NSW. ;)

Bec and I went and saw Big Fish the other day at the George Street Hoyts (big Tim Burton fan) and then we snuck into the cinema opposite and sat in on the second half of Lost in Translation, a film about two English speaking people staying in Japan. Bec had seen it before and said that it had just started... naturally twenty minutes later the film was over.

While watching these twenty minutes of film it finally started to occur to me... "I'm going to go to Japan!". It was the train ride past Mt Fuji that did it. At least I've finally gotten over my denial.

On another note I'm trying to get my health all sorted before I go with dentist and orthodontist and doctors, etc. If you're going to be teaching in Japan, see the doctors and dentists 2 - 3 months before you go! Much easier to budget and if you need teeth out you'll be able to!

Wednesday, 10 March 2004

Ticket's Bought

I bought the ticket over the phone this morning with my VISA Multi Access Card. Quick and simple. The lady on the phone recommended I sign up for the frequent flyer's club that Singapore Air runs, so I did. With all the flying I'll be doing I should be getting some free flights soon enough.

My top wisdom teeth are starting to hurt a bit so I've made an appointement with a dentist for tomorrow morning. If I have to get them taken out I'll need about 2 weeks recovery time.

Saturday, 6 March 2004

Immunisation!

Got immunised for Japan & China (In case I visit) at 9am this morning. Also had boosters for Tetnis and Hep A.

A word of warning: Nothing can prepare you for the pain of the tetnis shot.

Doctor: This last one may hurt a bit more than the others.
Me: Needle's a needle.... OH MY GOOOOODDDD!!!!!

My whole left arm simultaniously cramped up and has been sore all day. I've also been getting small cramps all over my body in joints due to that needle as well. Looks like I'll have to get another one in 6 months while I'm in Japan to make it permanent.

4 needles all up today and a polio liquid immunisation. Am getting the latest flu and meningitis vacs in a few weeks.

All I need to do now is keep saving up money, see the dentist (have a feeling I was supposed to get my top molers out 2 years ago) and throw meself a farewell party!

Oh, yeah, tomorrow I'll be handing in my resignation. Last day at work should be the 21st.

Friday, 5 March 2004

Ticket Booked!

Well I finally got around to ringing up Exclusive Travel, the agency that Nova uses to book the plane tickets. Only took about 3 minutes which was great.

Overall, the flight from Sydney to Tokyo is AU$944 one way.

Ticket = AU$870
Sydney - Tokyo Tax = AU$74

& there may be an extra AU$10 fee that they're looking in to.

I can't believe how soon I'll be going! I'm finally getting back into the Japanese Language. Here's hoping I can get it down by the time I go!