This post will be totally random, but I never intended to do a proper oversea studying blog or claimed to continue with what I've been doing so far in the same fashion. The latter, meaning reviews of mystery fiction, will turn up once in a while. I didn't buy these for nothing:
Shitload of Norizuki Rintarou. I don't even know why. His stuff just showed up every time I was searching for something different, but I guess that's how it works in Book-Offs. And apart from one novel in this picture, I didn't pay more than 105 yen! What the picture does not include however are games and manga... Right now, I finally settled for switching between reading 絶園のテンペスト (Zetsuen no Tempest; there's also an anime adaptation currently airing for those interested) and playing ダンガンロンパ. I could have managed to do more otaku- and mystery-related stuff, considering nowadays apparently you only have a few mandatory seminars as a foreign master student, but it only happens in Japan that I get the urge to get out and run around and do stuff instead of just gaming or reading in my room. Actually I'm only writing this because today's the second day in a row where I'm just sitting in my room and devoting time to my hobbies apart from getting something to eat. Which brings us to...
Food! What would I do without tabelog? I'm eating fabulous ramen almost every day, so I might actually make a recommendation post for "food tourists" later, but right now: 太閤園 (Taikouen) in 稲毛 (Inage) where my dorm is also located. Basically a 中華料理定食 (Chinese food set meal) restaurant, but it serves all kind of stuff. To the right we see a variation of garlic I didn't see or taste before and it's just awesome. Yes, it's that green stuff. It's totally crisp and fresh and kind of different from the usual garlic taste, but the slightly spicy sauce makes up for the latter ;) The chicken is also amazingly tender and there's also mushrooms and carrots. Not in this photo, but this place's gyoza are fantastic as well. They must be the most self-made ones I've ever experienced so far.
I'll just stop the randomness here and write proper reviews whenever I finish a book or game. Or "report" on any kind of interesting event. I have to take along my camera more often. Mobiles just don't do it.
What kind of program are you following? I have the feeling you're a general exchange student, like me? I also don't have to follow that many courses (which theoretically gives me a lot of time to do research for my thesis. Theoretically).
ReplyDeleteDid you enter the mystery circle? :D
Oh, and good old Tabelog! I check it more often than I should. The only thing that annoys me is that the places that get above average ratings are usually, very, very popular, meaning you either have to stand in a line, or get there early.
Hope to see some 'on-topic' posts soon ;)
I'm registered as 特別聴講学生. I couldn't believe it myself so I asked many times to assure myself, but apparently I only have to attend 4 courses over the whole year to get a certificate...
DeleteNot that I'm in desperate need, but some Japanese practice apart from talking with other students wouldn't hurt, so I think it's kind of unfair graduate students (as I'm categorized here) don't get any credit points for attending Japanese lessons. Then you sit down in some course of your department which isn't specifically construed for exchange students and you're like @__@
Actually I've been too distracted to search the circle building and pay them a visit... but I'll have done that by next week.
The popular ones are always crowded, aren't they? But it's worth waiting if you think good food is important (and if the price is reasonable).
I hope so too, but concentrating on one sole thing turns out to be rather difficult here ;)
Oh, yeah, I am that too. Amongst others. 特別聴講学生/交換留学生/院２回生. The choices I have when I need to register for some course or when they take attendance at classes =_=
DeleteI don't know whether I will get a certificate, but they said I only have to take 4 classes a semester. And not even specifically Master classes. So I have been taking some classes from my own department (20th Century Studies) and some sociology classes...
I do get tan'i for the Japanese classes I think, but it's only one a semester. I take them mostly to actually see some other international students occcasionally >_>'
I think I mentioned it already on my blog, but in Fukuoka local people usually don't really wait in lines. It's usually tourists >_> Of course, there are way more tourists here than in Fukuoka (though most restaurants around here are ramen restaurants popular with the local students), but I still can't used to the idea of having to wait to get good food :P
My department is called 人文社会科学研究科 and spans from sociology to psychology (調子に乗って白衣まで着てるぞ、あいつらｗｗ). Not that any course would be really fitting for otaku studies, but my advisor's seminar is about Japanese juveniles (in a broader meaning) and cultural change, so it's not that uninteresting. Plus he's... old. And kind. You know what I mean. And my tutor's otaku-ish and fun. So I can't complain.
DeleteI'm not even able to register for Japanese courses and just attending for practice without getting grades or credit points isn't exactly motivating. Plus I rarely meet any of the other exchange students... but then again I kinda deliberately didn't go to another welcome party today ^^°
I haven't been waiting in a line so far... as far as I can remember. But yeah, waiting outside or getting the very last seat happens often.