Not in Japan yet...

This is Laura Fegely. I just finished my third (pre-junior) year at Drexel University, and will be studying abroad in Japan for a year at Tohoku University. I am setting up this blog, frankly, because it is much easier than sending out twenty thousand emails every month to let everyone know what I am up to. Since I leave for Japan the 23rd, this is my first entry...

Sooo much cleaning....
I have been cleaning for the past three days straight. I have thrown away so much stuff, yet somehow, I don't really have much more room than when I started...

As for Japan, I should get my visa by tomorrow (which means I should really go to sleep, so that I am awake for tomorrow...I mean today...). It will be added to my stamp from Turks and Caicos. Sadly, my stamp from Ecuador is in my old passport, so I won't have that one.

Anyway, since Nana (the other girl from Drexel who is going to Tohoku) knows some people in Japan, we are apparently going to get our haircut by a famous stylist in Harajuku (which is in Tokyo) when we get there, and for only about $5. I find it both random and entirely amusing that I already have a haircut appointment in Japan. It's so great.

My tasks for today were to set up Skype, Flickr, and my blog. Obviously, I accomplished at least the blog part. I also did the other parts. Skype is pretty nice I have to say. I still need to sign up for a phone number for SkypeIn. With that I get a 717 area code phone number, and my parents can call that number from their landline or cell phones in the US, and that will call my computer. That means that they will only be charged the local rate for the phone call. Also, if they get Skype, they can call my Japanese cell phone number for the low low rate of $.023 per minute. Not a bad deal. If people want to know my Skype number just drop me an email and I'll tell you. I have found that I really like to talk on Skype, because the headset means that I have two hands free to do other stuff, like typing on the computer, etc. Not that I actually have the multitasking skills to do that....

On Sunday I get to go visit my brother and sister at Penn State! I'm so excited! I'm glad I get to see where they will be before I go - I think I will be less homesick if I can envision where they are when I am talking to them. Is that strange? Ah, doesn't really matter if it is.

Anyway, time for bed, and time to end this boring blog. I'll try to write again when I have something more interesting to talk about. ^_^