My first entry!

Wow I can't believe I've been in Japan for a month now. There's a lot to catch you all up on.

Let's start with the day I left the States. So I got up WAY to early for my tastes to be driven to the airport by my parents. We got there 2 hours before my flight and got all checked in with the airline. The man was really helpful and even suggested one of the restaurants to eat breakfast. Breakfast was pertty uneventful. Then it was time for the farewells. My mom didn't cry, at least not in front of me, and my dad told me to behave myself. So I get through the secruity line without issues and proceed to my gate. As I sit there anxious about flying alone, a few people I hadn't seen in years walk up to me. It was really nice to get to talk to some familiar faces and its helped me calm down a little bit.

The flight was uneventful and looooooong. I kept wondering if it was ever going to end. haha. So when we landed in Japan I had to go through immigration where I had my paperwork filed and my passport stamped (WOOT!). Then I had to claim my bags (which I had trouble finding because I wasn't at the right thing -.-) and go through customs. Easy Peasy. Then I had to drop my bags off again and was told that my carry on was too big. I said it wasn't and that I had measured before hand to make sure. So they took it and measured it in their bag contraption (I can't describ it). They say that it's fine and give it back to me. Then I have to go through ANOTHER security line, though the addendant was really cute. FINALLY I get to my gate and wait for my final flight to Osaka.

When I touched down in Osaka, I claimed my bags and headed out to find the pick up guy. He was jumping up and down and waving a sign that said "Kansai Gaidai University". We checked in with him and were given 10 minutes to go to the restroom and get something to eat before we went to the bus. When I got back to him we had to pay him 2,000 yen for the pick up fee and much hilarity insued. A couple of people gave him a 2,000 yen bill and he was SO excited about it. Apparently he had never seen one in all of his life and now to get 6 of them was really surprising. The guy was really funny. Then we go out to the buses and go through Osaka to get to Hirakata. It surprised me to see how bright and colorful everything was and how the people riding scooters drove. FINALLY we get to the drop off area and we drop some of the students off. We all thought that the buses were then going to take up to the next dorms. WRONG. We had to WALK! Ok, we just had a 15 hour flight and were super tired. Suffice to say we were NOT happy campers. We then had to check in and get our keys. When I finally got to my room I unpacked and scrambled trying to find a person with a phone that worked. Finally a japanese girl helping us move in told me about the international phone cards. I bought one and called home. It was nice to talk to them for a few minutes. Then I went up and crashed.

My roommates, Ashlee and Nikki, showed up a couple of days later. Ashlee only stayed with us during Orientation but all three of us got along really well. It's nice to have a roommate that you get along with. Nikki is super awesome and we laugh... a LOT! hahaha I think that this semester is going to be awesome.