Crazy Day!

Last night Mom and I went to my very first Penguins Game!  It was so much fun.  They played the San Jose Sharks.  We tied it up with less than a minute left in the game and, unfortunately, lost with 4 seconds left in overtime.  During the first intermission, the house lights wouldn't come back on towards the start of the second period.  So, while the techs were trying to get the lights back on, there was a dance-off between 'Crazy guy' and 'Cotton-eye Joe man.'  They were two spectators that were dancing to the music that the cameras panned back and forth to for almost 15minutes.  Anyways.  Mom and I had a blast!  It was wonderful.  Now onto today and its insanity.

I woke up around 10am this morning.  Started organizing everything for Japan into a bigggg 3-ring binder.  It took me nearly 3 hours.  I then got everything gathered up to take to the Post Office.  On my way, I had to stop at Rite Aid to get a picture taken for my Visa Application. I finally got to the Post Office and the line was FOREVER long.  So, I started looking over all the envelopes and such that I'd need and all the various forms.

When I finally got up to the counter, I pulled all the Visa Application stuff from my, now rather large pile, of envelopes and paperwork.  The Visa Application requires a pre-paid, flat rate, Express Mail envelope that is self-addressed so they can mail back your visa.  Said envelope was $18.  The envelope that contained the application and my passport and the pre-paid envelope was $19.  It costs nearly $40 to mail in your Visa Application.  It's no wonder they waive the fees.  I'd have been upset if I had to pay more!  After I got that sorted out, I started to gather all my stuff to send to Kinjo Gakuin University.  This was simple and only cost me $5.  Now comes the troublesome package; my Yakkan Shoumei Application.

My Yakkan Shoumei Application  (I finally got my physical, chest x-rays and such for my application) needs sent to Japan but also needs a return envelope with pre-paid postage.  While, this was easy enough with the Visa Application (which is domestic mail), it was not easy with this.  International postage costs different in every country.  To create a solution to the problem of return international postage, the Postal Service created IRCs or International Reply Coupons.  Unfortunately, both Weirton Post Offices, the Follansbee Post Office and the Stuebenville Post Office do not deal with IRCs anymore.  Running out of options, I call UPS.  They wanted to charge $50 to mail my package to Japan and $50 for the return postage envelope.  $100 was a little much.  Stressed and starting to freak out because I don't want to pay $100 just to send in this application.  (I did as UPS if I could just purchase the return envelope and they told me to call them tomorrow because they weren't sure that they were allowed, aka, they want the money for both envelopes.) 

Anyways.  After dealing with all this, my head has started to pound and I've started seeing spots.  So, I go lay down.  After I lay down for a while and get some food in my stomach, I decided to look at other options.  I found out that the Post Office sells IRCs online.  So, I ordered one.  It should be here in a few days.  And then I'll be able to finally get my Yakkan Shoumei Application mailed out and be able to knock a few more things off my list.

So here's my updated list:

• Get Cell Phone Plan
• Get Overseas Bank Account
• Start stocking up on supplies (make-up, toiletries, etc)
• Get "American things" to take as presents into Japan

Can't think of anything else at the moment.  So, til next time.

Medication & other forms

 Getting medication into Japan is difficult.  Prescription medication must be brought in with a copy of the prescription and a letter from your doctor stating the use of said medication along with a form called “Yakkan Shoumei”.It's an "import form" and from the looks of it is going to be a pain in the butt.  The Yakkan Shoumei application has to be sent by post and approved by a pharmacy person in Japan.  I have 3 medications which I need to take daily and a fourth that is as needed.  I wonder how long this is going to take.

On another note, I filled out my Visa application and am quite nervous about having to mail my passport and Certificate of Eligibility.  Looks like we're taking insurance out on the package.

Flight Itinerary

Lauren and I finally booked our flights!!!  YAY!  Here's our flight info.

March 31, 2011 - April 1, 2011.

• Flight 3901 (1hr 35mins)
• Departs from Pittsburgh at 10:30am.
• Lands in Chicago at 11:05am
• Layover (2hrs 5mins)
• Flight 153 (13hrs 5min)
• Departs from Chicago at 1:10pm.
• Lands in Tokyo at 4:15pm
• Layover (2hrs 10mins)
• Flight 5826 (1hr 10mins)
• Departs from Tokyo at 6:25pm
• Lands in Nagoya at 7:35pm

July 30, 2011

• Flight 3084 (1hr 10mins)
• Departs from Nagoya at 3:00pm
• Arrives in Tokyo at 4:10p
• Layover (1hr 40mins)
• Flight 168 (13hrs 5mins)
• Departs from Tokyo at 5:50pm
• Lands in New York (JFK) at 5:55pm
• Layover (2hrs 35mins)
• Flight 4218 (1hr 40mins)
• Departs from JFK at 8:30pm
• Lands in Pittsburgh at 10:10pm

Buying tickets was an adventure.  We'd find a cheap flight with short layovers only to be unable to book it.   It ended up being a mess with Lauren on the phone with her dad, messaging me while I had my mother on speaker phone (all the while my sister and Steve were doing everything possible to distract me/mom.)   Thanks.  Oh, and there was singing.  Anyways.  Flights are booked.  I also took the time to email my Arrival Form to Kinjo so they will be there to pick me up.

Current To-Do List

• Apply for Visa
• Get final physical (with chest x-ray)
• Hopefully will be completed on Thursday
• Mail forms to Kinjo
• Decide on a cell phone rental plan
• Get bank account?

Phone Number

This one's a shortie because Steve & I are leaving soon to take my cousin Nick to the WVU Hockey game.

My dad's friend Bart was recently deployed to Afghanistan and discovered he could use the text free app on his iTouch to text people back home.  International calling/texting is super expensive, and as I have an iTouch, I decided to utilize such information and get myself a phone number.

Once my cell phone is disconnected and I am gone for Japan, you can text me at 1 (304) 461-4061.  I will reply when I am in an area with wi-fi or have my laptop set up as I can also text from this number on my computer.

Hooray!!!

48 Days Left and A LOT to do!

Well, today was relatively uneventful.  Woke up, showered, read a book, watched TV, made some fried chicken for Steve & Matt (our roommate.)   It was my first time making fried chicken; came out pretty well.

I finished my Scholarship application.  And I'm trying to get the printer to work so I can fill out my visa application.  I'm also waiting to hear back from Lauren's dad considering air fare.  Maybe I should try to just make a bulleted list of things yet to do.  See how it turns out. (Thanks for the idea Lauren)


Things To Do Before I Leave

• Get chest x-rayed
• Buy plane tickets
• Apply for Visa
• Turn in my Scholarship Application and Arrival Form to Kinjo University
• The Arrival Form tells them when to pick Lauren and I up from the airport
• Party?!?!?!

Okay.  So the bulleted list wasn't so hard to figure out.  No pictures today, unless you guys want me to upload the pictures I'm posting on facebook of my 5 year old cousin Nick playing hockey.  =)

Have a good day!  Hopefully will have something interesting tomorrow.

Acceptance

I'm Chelsea, a junior at West Virginia University.  This is my study abroad blog.  I will try to update at least daily once I'm in Japan.  Until then, I'm only going to update when something important and trip-related occurs.

Me (I no longer have the lip piercing)

I got my final acceptance from Kinjo Gakuin University today. Kinjo is outside of Nagoya, the third largest city in Japan. I will be studying there from April 1, 2011 to July 28, 2011.  Along with getting my acceptance packet, I got my Certificate of Eligibility which enables me to FINALLY get my Visa.

Fortunately,  I am not going to Japan alone.  I'm going with my former roomie and good friend Lauren.  She is also going to Kinjo and we should be neighbors in the residence there. 
I'm currently making flight arrangements with Lauren's dad.  Flights to Japan are lengthy and expensive.  It makes me not very happy thinking about shelling out $1500.  Hopefully the scholarship Lauren & I have been offered pays for our air fare.

Lauren

My boyfriend, Steve, is also going to Japan.  He leaves the 14th of March and won't be back for 10 months.  He's going to a school that's about an hour train ride away from Kinjo.  We've already figured out that it will cost us roughly 450Y  or about $5.00 to see each other.  I can't wait to explore Japan with him.  ^.^

Steve

 

Well, that's all for today.  Hopefully something exciting will happen before I leave so this blog doesn't sit for the next 5 weeks.  49 days or 7 weeks until I leave the USA for 日本.