Quick update!

Heya everyone!

So here's what's going down.  It's been cold and drizzling since I've got here.  I need a warmer jacket!!  I've been looking for permanent housing, so far no dice, but someone at the International Exchange Center at the school is helping me.  School starts next week.

So far I've been able to navigate the trains and subways with some fortunate run-ins with English speakers.  I am so glad I've been here before on vacation or else I'd be totally lost.  Everyone here is very helpful.  I feel safer here than I do in America, the crime rate is so low and everyone is very friendly.

Also, I have found that being an illiterate foriegner is not so bad.  Not preferable, but I'm learning.  Like I said, pointing and grunting will get you surprizingly far!

So I've discovered I need to learn my Japanese counters.  They're kind of like units.  You don't say "I want one of these", you say "I want <special word for 1 item> of these."  Otherwise it doesn't make sense.  Yesterday, I went to order some food and it came out to way more expensive than I thought...so while I'm standing there trying to figure out how the hell I can afford to eat in this country, they suddenly hand me 3 meals instead of 1!!  Oops.  Note to self.

Last night I had some McDonald's (same place I ordered more than I thought I did), and I was going to regail you with a description of how unbelieveably delicious it was...but I ended up getting sick on it.  Somehow not so delicious coming back up.  For those of you familiar with public transportation in Japan, you'll find it hilarious that I threw up all over the Tokyo Metro subway!!  USA!! USA!!

Got some awesome pictures I'll be posting once I can transfer from my phone.  Til then...