When this blog post appear on my website , I have already started my trip to Japan. Because finally! It is August 1 , the day that my (hopefully) long adventure begins. In recent weeks I have just been posting about Japanese textbooks (click here if you missed it) , but now I briefly summarize the updates from recent weeks.

Sayonara Belgium- Ohayou Japan

Three weeks before I left

Really, not a lot happened there in recent weeks. Even at this moment I do not know if I get a student visa. I will only know this when I’m in Japan . It’s still an exciting time for me. (fingers crossed)

‘Ijiri’, my first new home

But there are some small things that happened before I left. The first is the news of where I’m going to stay during my first two months. This is going to be in Ijiri. For me, this is all new and yet not so new. Last time I stayed with a host family in Oohashi, Ijiri is only one train stop further. Almost all of my Western friends, who I met then, stayed in Ijiri. So it’s not all that new. It’s a dorm, the Belgian equivalent of a “kot” (or “rooms” for the Dutch among the readers). But still you can compare it more to a studio. Because I’m going to have a private bathroom and a mini fridge. A small room, but it’s only for two months. (Photos and maybe a little You-tube videos, will follow later ^^)

My luxurious maybe second home

If all goes well I move afterwards to another place, and hopefully a bigger place. Where that is, I’m not certain yet. But 2 weeks before I left, I also got an email about this. Because I had the option to let YMCA arrange everything, or through a rental agency itself (So I needed then to look for a place to stay). I only wisely decided to leave it to the school. In the appendix of this mail was a file containing a list of the various possibilities that offers the school. When I saw this I was a really surprised.

I have chosen for the option of a dorm, In a number of cases I would have a private bathroom, kitchen and even a washing machine in my room. Often there will be breakfast and dinner included. This is not the Belgian definition of a dorm. What a luxury! This is more like an apartment than a dorm. So whatever it is, it’s going to be interesting. Hopefully I’m quickly know more.

one week before I left

In the last week, only very little happened. The final touches were put on places. Such as buying medication as a precaution, a new toothbrush …. All little things. And of course make my suitcases. I am fortunate that I this time I’m allow to take TWO, -Yes, you read that right- two bags of 23kg with me. “What a luxury,” I thought. But in my last week, I have done quite a bit puzzling. Eventually I have to take clothes with me for four seasons. A lot of t-shirt and also a large number of shoes. For I have shoe size 40 (25 in Japanese shoe size). And from my experience, from last time, is finding shoes not a simple task. But yes, if I sit, at this very moment on the plane, it must have succeeded.

I have also met in recent weeks with family and friends to say goodbye. Because we will not see each other for a long time. No big farewell party. That is not in my character. Many friends and family have promised to come and visit. I hope that many will do that. With great pleasure, I will be their guides to show everybody my dream world. But we also, of course, can do in the meantime a regularly Skype conversation with each other.

The trip

But now, about my trip to Japan. My first trip was to the airport in Zaventem (Brussels) here, I have officially said goodbye to my family. (I have shed a number of tears). Here I have taken at 11.05u, the plane to Frankfurt. Then I’m on the plane that brings me to Japan. First I fly to Nagoya. This is a city which is slightly below Tokyo. On Sunday, August 1st around 8 o’clock in the morning I arrive in Nagoya, then I take over for the final time the plane to Fukuoka.

I leave Saturday morning and Sunday morning, Japanese time I will arive, you could say that I’m on the 24 hours trip. Hopefully I do not have too much of a jetlag, because the next day I have go to school. Back to GenkJACS for two months. And hopefully I’ll soon hear news of my visa. The next post will be written from Japan.

If you have remarks, suggestions, or questions you can always post them in the comments section, on my Facebook page, Google+ page or through Twitter.

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