Today I finally got an email from QUT to say that my information package from Rikkyo has arrived. I didn't know however, that I would be required to go and pick it up. We were under the impression that QUT would forward it to us in the mail. Why Rikkyo couldn't have just sent it directly to our home addresses I'll never know. Guess I'll be making the 2 hour round trip in to uni sometime this week to pick it up. Sigh. Oh and for those of you who were wondering, no this package doesn't include our CoE (Certificate of Eligibility) which we need in order to apply for our visa. This will be sent sometime at the start of August (or so we've been told). I've requested that Rikkyo send this directly to me, there's no way that I'm making the trip in to uni twice when I don't have any classes!
I've also been emailed by COBBY. COBBY stands for College Of Business...something something. Actually I have no idea what the B and Y on the end stand for. But basically if you are enrolled into Rikkyo's College of Business (which I am as I'm doing a business degree at QUT) you will be given the option to have a buddy who is Japanese and a student at Rikkyo. Of course I've said yes, because I'm going to need someone who can answer my stupid questions. Like how to tell a hairdresser that I'd like my fringe trimmed. I can just see that turning out disastrously if I ask for the wrong thing...
I'll let you know what the information package says once I've picked it up!
Anthea xx
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
Monday, 22 July 2013
Anxiously waiting...
Hello! Long time no post! I've wanted to write a post, really I have, but I've had nothing to write about because Rikkyo hasn't given me any information yet. They originally said that we'd be sent an information pack at the start of July, then it got pushed back to the middle of July, and now on July 22nd I still haven't received anything. I'm starting to get a bit anxious with all the organising that still needs to be done for this trip. For anyone planning on going to Rikkyo in future, do not expect them to be too organised.
So what have I done so far to prepare for this trip? Well, not much to be honest. I've bought a lighter suitcase because my old one weighed about 5kg, a new laptop (which is already off being repaired and I have no idea when I'll get it back), and I've bought new shoes because I figure I'll be doing a lot of walking in Japan and my old shoes were falling apart. From what I've heard it's pretty hard to find AU size 9/10 shoes in Japan so I've decided to take more shoes rather than clothes (damn luggage restrictions!). I've yet to do anything important like get travel insurance, but I'm sure once I actually hear from Rikkyo it will kick my butt into gear!
And a side note for anyone else going to Rikkyo in September this year, a facebook group has been started so that we can get to know each other. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/482468281844396/
I'll let you know as soon as I hear any information from Rikkyo!
Anthea xx
So what have I done so far to prepare for this trip? Well, not much to be honest. I've bought a lighter suitcase because my old one weighed about 5kg, a new laptop (which is already off being repaired and I have no idea when I'll get it back), and I've bought new shoes because I figure I'll be doing a lot of walking in Japan and my old shoes were falling apart. From what I've heard it's pretty hard to find AU size 9/10 shoes in Japan so I've decided to take more shoes rather than clothes (damn luggage restrictions!). I've yet to do anything important like get travel insurance, but I'm sure once I actually hear from Rikkyo it will kick my butt into gear!
And a side note for anyone else going to Rikkyo in September this year, a facebook group has been started so that we can get to know each other. Here's the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/482468281844396/
I'll let you know as soon as I hear any information from Rikkyo!
Anthea xx
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
Flight Bookings: Complete
My flights are booked! Everything feels a lot more real now, it's almost as though I was delaying booking flights so that I wouldn't have to deal with the scary realisation that I'll be leaving a lot behind. But there's a lot in front of me too. Onwards and upwards! Literally.
Here's my flight schedule:
I might postpone the final leg of my journal between Sydney and Brisbane for a couple of days to visit friends who are moving there, but at this point the above is what I have booked.
I've decided to fly with Qantas. After my last few experiences with Jetstar (ummm hello arrival in Osaka rather than Tokyo) there's no way I feel confident relying on them when I'm going to be a lone traveler who speaks little Japanese. Besides, Qantas is actually cheaper when Jetstar isn't on sale due to Jetstar's stupid add-on pricing for food and luggage (does anyone actually fly internationally with only carry on luggage and not wanting a meal!?). Plus I get a much comfier seat and a larger luggage allowance with Qantas which I'm going to need. Priorities!
(Why am I even justifying my choice to fly Qantas? They're clearly better than Jetstar, end of story).
Being the over-thinker that I am, I've strategically requested seat 54A for my flight from Sydney to Tokyo in the hope that no one will want that lone seat between me and Mr 54C. Here's hoping for a flight that isn't full! I'll be keeping an eye on the seating situation until I leave though and moving myself to an emptier part of the plane if my current area gets too crowded. I even situated myself as far away from the infant seats as I could to avoid moments of rage that could have me thrown off the plane. I like to think of it as 'forward thinking'. At least, that's what I tell myself.
I'll stop boring you with my insanely excessive 'logic' now, I've probably sent your brains into overload. I think the fact that I'm doing this trip alone as has sent me into crazy 'be as organised as possible' mode.
Anthea xx
Here's my flight schedule:
I might postpone the final leg of my journal between Sydney and Brisbane for a couple of days to visit friends who are moving there, but at this point the above is what I have booked.
I've decided to fly with Qantas. After my last few experiences with Jetstar (ummm hello arrival in Osaka rather than Tokyo) there's no way I feel confident relying on them when I'm going to be a lone traveler who speaks little Japanese. Besides, Qantas is actually cheaper when Jetstar isn't on sale due to Jetstar's stupid add-on pricing for food and luggage (does anyone actually fly internationally with only carry on luggage and not wanting a meal!?). Plus I get a much comfier seat and a larger luggage allowance with Qantas which I'm going to need. Priorities!
(Why am I even justifying my choice to fly Qantas? They're clearly better than Jetstar, end of story).
Being the over-thinker that I am, I've strategically requested seat 54A for my flight from Sydney to Tokyo in the hope that no one will want that lone seat between me and Mr 54C. Here's hoping for a flight that isn't full! I'll be keeping an eye on the seating situation until I leave though and moving myself to an emptier part of the plane if my current area gets too crowded. I even situated myself as far away from the infant seats as I could to avoid moments of rage that could have me thrown off the plane. I like to think of it as 'forward thinking'. At least, that's what I tell myself.
I'll stop boring you with my insanely excessive 'logic' now, I've probably sent your brains into overload. I think the fact that I'm doing this trip alone as has sent me into crazy 'be as organised as possible' mode.
Anthea xx
Friday, 14 June 2013
Youkoso!
Youkoso! Welcome to my blog! To be honest I have no idea where to start. My name is Anthea Cosentino and I'm from Brisbane, Australia. I'm studying a
Bachelor of Business at Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
majoring in Marketing and Japanese, and as part of my studies I've
decided to undertake a semester of study abroad at Rikkyo University in Tokyo, Japan.
The main goal of this blog is to keep my family and friends up to date all in the one place. In saying that though, I expect that future study abroad students hoping to go to Rikkyo will stumble across this blog too. Please, if you have any questions don't be afraid to leave me a comment and I'll do my best to answer your queries. I probably have the same questions now that you'll have too so I'd like to help if I can! I won't go too much into the application process on here since it's long and tedious, but once again if you have questions I'm happy to try and help.
As I write this, I'm currently about 2 and a half months away from arriving in Japan (they've told us to arrive between the 2nd and 4th of September), and as excited as I am I am also shit scared (you'll have to excuse the occasional swear word in this blog, I don't think I can properly convey my feelings without them). I received my acceptance letter via email about a fortnight ago, although being in the middle of uni exams at the time I didn't really have time to process the fact that this was actually happening. Well I finished my last exam 2 days ago, and it's now finally sunk in that I'M GOING TO JAPAN. FOR 6 MONTHS. What the hell have I gotten myself in to?
I won't receive official paperwork until some time in July, so I can't apply for a visa until that shows up, which is really quite annoying because I'm usually a pretty organised person and I don't like leaving things until the last minute. I also don't know yet whether I have been granted a place in the university dorms, although I've been told I should know within the week. I hope they're right, because I'm about to burst from anticipation.
So right now while this information is sinking in I have a million thoughts popping in to my head. I'm starting to realise that everyday things that I take for granted at home won't be quite the same in Japan. Like what am I going to do about my mobile phone? I can't use my current phone in Japan, will I be able to buy a smart phone in Japan with reasonable data charges considering I won't be a full resident? And what should I do about my money? At home I use my bank card for everything and hardly ever carry cash. From what I've heard Japan is quite the opposite. Should I bother getting a bank account over there? SEE? TRIVIAL QUESTIONS! But I have alot of them on a daily basis at the moment, and I hate not knowing what to expect.
My only real concern right now should be booking plane tickets. That in itself raises a whole new set of questions though. Which company should I fly with? Is a red eye flight better than a flight during the day? Should I book a return ticket or just a one-way ticket for now? Will I require extra baggage allowance? I have no idea what I should even be taking with me.
I think I'm just exhausting myself.
Anthea xx
 |
| Rikkyo University. Yes, there is a university under all that greenery... |
The main goal of this blog is to keep my family and friends up to date all in the one place. In saying that though, I expect that future study abroad students hoping to go to Rikkyo will stumble across this blog too. Please, if you have any questions don't be afraid to leave me a comment and I'll do my best to answer your queries. I probably have the same questions now that you'll have too so I'd like to help if I can! I won't go too much into the application process on here since it's long and tedious, but once again if you have questions I'm happy to try and help.
As I write this, I'm currently about 2 and a half months away from arriving in Japan (they've told us to arrive between the 2nd and 4th of September), and as excited as I am I am also shit scared (you'll have to excuse the occasional swear word in this blog, I don't think I can properly convey my feelings without them). I received my acceptance letter via email about a fortnight ago, although being in the middle of uni exams at the time I didn't really have time to process the fact that this was actually happening. Well I finished my last exam 2 days ago, and it's now finally sunk in that I'M GOING TO JAPAN. FOR 6 MONTHS. What the hell have I gotten myself in to?
I won't receive official paperwork until some time in July, so I can't apply for a visa until that shows up, which is really quite annoying because I'm usually a pretty organised person and I don't like leaving things until the last minute. I also don't know yet whether I have been granted a place in the university dorms, although I've been told I should know within the week. I hope they're right, because I'm about to burst from anticipation.
So right now while this information is sinking in I have a million thoughts popping in to my head. I'm starting to realise that everyday things that I take for granted at home won't be quite the same in Japan. Like what am I going to do about my mobile phone? I can't use my current phone in Japan, will I be able to buy a smart phone in Japan with reasonable data charges considering I won't be a full resident? And what should I do about my money? At home I use my bank card for everything and hardly ever carry cash. From what I've heard Japan is quite the opposite. Should I bother getting a bank account over there? SEE? TRIVIAL QUESTIONS! But I have alot of them on a daily basis at the moment, and I hate not knowing what to expect.
My only real concern right now should be booking plane tickets. That in itself raises a whole new set of questions though. Which company should I fly with? Is a red eye flight better than a flight during the day? Should I book a return ticket or just a one-way ticket for now? Will I require extra baggage allowance? I have no idea what I should even be taking with me.
I think I'm just exhausting myself.
Anthea xx
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