A Place to Sit

After weeks of preparation, registration, and anticipation, classes and lectures finally began this week. With tables packed, and groups and allegiances being established, even the brand new building and enormous dining hall seemed to have trouble meeting the demand. Those looking for a place to sit, eat, and chat would surely find a seat outside on the benches, near the mosquitoes and gigantic ants. Those who want to sit and study should go no farther than the library, where a seat and desk is almost guaranteed.
The last few days have had a bit of a chill, but I'm expecting another hot day or two before the autumn winds comes around in full swing. The city's sights are gradually being invaded by 6th graders from elementary schools from around the country on their school trip. They are most often recognized by their bright yellow hats, traveling in groups of three or four, or forty. A chance to see the colored autumn leaves around the city is what brings most tourists here in the fall, similar to the blooming flowers in the spring. I'm personally hoping to see some snow here this year, and making my way over to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, when that happens.
This morning I biked my way around Nijo Castle, up a small street, around a bend, past a driving school, and through a local shopping street to get to my usual grocery store. There are closer grocery stores, but this one is certainly worth the trek. Even if it's only to see this very realistic mannequin sitting outside one of the stores along the way. At least he found a nice place to sit.

Ramen Experiment #1

Ingredients: fresh ramen noodles, red miso, garlic, sesame, green onion, bean sprouts, maitake mushrooms, and a hard-boiled egg.

What's the buzz? Tell me what's a happenin.

It might be the elevator, or maybe a generator or spaceship of some kind. My ears have more or less gotten used to the few minutes of buzzing and rumbling that happens randomly throughout the day, or night, or early morning. How did this slip through the two-paged, detailed description of this place? Alas, there was no buzz nor rumble when I came here for a preview, nor were there voices of construction workers and machinery echoing all the way to my view-less veranda.
It's been a week and a half since I moved into my apartment, and yesterday I finally set up, configured, and reestablished my connection with the world wide web. Not having it made it easier to focus on tasks at hand, like buying necessary items for the apartment, and uh, really that was it actually. I made regular rounds of the recycle shops and 100 yen stores, and may have been seen biking up and down a Sanjo shopping street while carrying a futon, or a desk, or a rice cooker and hot water boiler. The apartment is at a point now where I can start the school year, no problem, but there are still a few additions to make. Hopefully I can keep it just uncomfortable enough to force myself to go out and do things, but still be able to come home, study, and relax. Comfortably uncomfortable.
It took the empty kitchen here to remind me how well-stocked my kitchen in Gifu was. A week and half in, and I'm halfway through a bottle of olive oil, nearly finished with 1 kg of rice, and have tossed down four bundles of udon and two of soba. The overall leader of my meals has been natto, rice, and miso soup (8); followed by curry and rice (7); udon and vegetables (4); soba and vegetables (2); mapo eggplant and rice (1); salt and pork tsukemen (similar to ramen) (1); sesame pork katsu (1); and one Smile Burger. The last item, that of transcontinental fame, wrapped in unprecedented legend, ever-elusive, and exclusive to a one-manned small shop in eastern Kyoto, costs about 20% of my weekly budget for now, and I think that will make it all the more special when I have it.
No internet forced me to get a ton of reading done as well, mainly Woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe, and Fraud by David Rakoff. Both fantastic. I've also fallen into a pretty good study schedule, now that most of the apartment is set. School orientation was last week, and tomorrow is the day we officially register for our classes. There's an opening ceremony this weekend, classes officially start next week,  and the avalanche of things to do will come roaring.

Back and posting

Four years, four cities, five jobs, three JLPTs, and dozens of Smile Burgers later, I am back in the Heian period capital. I'll be studying full-time and working part-time, and I'll do my best to share some adventures, updates, and photos along the way.
I have just arrived and have nothing to report that any jet-lagged traveler wouldn't report.  For a nice quick read, I posted the Holstee Manifesto courtesy of Brain Pickings . Brain Pickings always has great reads, so check it out!