Japanese School Girl - Moving to Tokyo for Law School

January 17, 2008

From the platform at Gotanda Station stop on the JR Line towards school.
There is no traffic because I went to school way too early that day.

Sorry to disappoint those hoping for a racy pick of some school girls. I just meant that school work is starting to creep back into my life - school is still school in Japan, I guess. It has been a few days since I last wrote, but nothing exciting has transcended (as you will soon read), so please don't feel left out. My friend reminded me how lame we all are for studying the days away and catching the early train home each night after class - the tales of partying from 10pm to 6am just haven't been proven here, and I think we're really letting Japan down.

In fact, the most exciting thing I have done since venturing to Tokyo Tower the first day here, was today's trek to the American Embassy. Believe me, there is no need to go there. Even the guards were laughing at us - they must have known the Citizens Service window would merely give Byron and I a slip of paper with the web address for US Citizen Registration in a Foreign Country, and shrug at us, "Everything is done online these days, I guess." Womp womp.

As a reward for a pointless hour-long search for our inconspicuous and unhelpful Embassy, Byron used his Japanese skills to order me some long-awaited ramen! Soya-ramen. Very simple, very delicious and inexpensive. However, the photo I took of the ramen was not flattering (to the noodles) so I will feature my first tempura meal instead.

I was hungrier than I was shy about my poor Japanese ordering skills, so I stepped into the tempura house near campus yesterday for dinner. The confused bundle of legs in the top right hand corner of the bowl/box belong to the biggest shrimp I have ever devoured. It was cut in three, prepared with eyes legs and all (and eyes the size of green peas). The chef laughed at me as I talked myself up to crunching on too-long legs that reached out and tickled my cheeks and lip while I tried to get it neatly in my mouth. A challenge, but worth the taste! In the bowl of miso, big pieces of fish with the fins attached. Thankfully, the chef instructed me to drink the soup without eating the fins.

However, I am happy to report that all of my teachers are pretty entertaining so far, and that International Law last semester is really paying off (props to Hank for that one). I applied for three internships this afternoon; I don't know how I keep ending up in this public interest thing, but none of them are remunerated - one is the United Nations University, the academic endeavor of the UN. I also applied for a real estate contract drafting position and the law's school's office of General Counsel. The process is a bit less competitive than On-Campus Interviewing (OCI) in terms of the number of students competing for the spots, but the caliber of these people is just breathtaking so that will be a challenge. During the first week of classes, we had lengthy introductions for the first hour of each class (uncharacteristic of law classes back home), and I found my classmates' travel, professional, and personal accomplishments truly inspiring.

After class tonight, I talked April and Christine into a nightcap, and - in honor of Steve - I tried a 16-year-old Bowmore cask-strength scotch. If I knew scotch from gin I would attempt to write a review, but it sounded fancy and it was only JPY 600, so I'll just say it was good.

Lined up for this weekend - Nihon O Kanjiru (a Japanese cultural bonanza, featuring a sake-tasting with sake expert John Gautner, performances, and even a Philly band, at a club in Roppongi) on Friday night. On Saturday evening, sumo tournament. Sunday? You guessed it! Studying at Excelsior Caffe... .