Last night, I met a few of the new Hosei students from Japan. They are here for just 5 months rather than the full year and are mostly doing cultural and language modules. I can remember Rui, Takahiro, Masato, Harumi, Miki, Natsumi (who was very friendly - stop it Rich!) and a load more whose names I have completely forgotten. "I can remember the face but..." I think there was a Satoko as well. Oh well, I'll get their numbers and demand some facebook when I see them next time at our big intro party thing.

Afterwards, I ended up meeting a few international students who I knew through my Japanese friend last year. It also looks like Masato 'scored' with an English student of Japanese who is resitting this year. Ah, well done kind sir, showing us how its done. *jealous*

In the words of my flatmate, that was just the start of things. The real buisness begins when we meet the proper exchange students. Mostly, I got on well with them last year. I think I really need to know every Japanese person here, as last year I was a bit anti-social at times. It would be nice to know every single Japanese student in Sheffield, although that is a big ask.

New classes are just less than a day away and I am now very nervous. Because my kanji has gone to pot and my grammar, speaking, listening.... ARRRGHHH HELP ME!!!! The thing is, I just feel really rusty. Its not as if I have done no Japanese in the holidays, I just can't remember stuff as easily as I could. Its going to be nice to have some schedule in my life. I'm so sad, that I'm actually looking foward to printing out my study schedule.

However I am really looking foward to doing this Japan's Minorities module as it looks really interesting. This module could be a blessing in disguise for me.

Despite my reservations, I still feel really excited about this year. Japan seems closer and the Japanese language is now seeming less challenging to me. Is this self confidence? Me? I think I may need to just sit down.

Today I helped moved my flatmates things from west one across west street and into the appartment. The trip should take 10 minutes at most. But when you are carrying the entire back catalogue of every single manga ever written its difficult. However I got a free subway sandwich out it, so it wasn't be that bad. Now my arms is hurting - hahaha. Oh man.

I also got the cold shoulder treatment from a few Japanese people through e-mail and MSN recently. I sent some e-mails out out kindly as both thank yous and keep in touch - because they are generally quite nice and kind people (and some also cute - but I'm not going into that just yet) and had some zero responses. Shame. I am such a bad person? Surely not... Perhaps they are just too busy. I know I am. I recently broke off a connection with some random Japanese girl I met in London a few months ago - but that was partly down to pure laziness on my part. Mamiko I think her name was. Hmm.

So far only Minami, Taku and Saori have taken me up on the offer of helping my Japanese through e-mail. Yukari would help me out, but only if I moving to Nagoya (I am still not sure about this.) My flatmate thinks Nagoya is bad. Amongst many Japanese, they see it as a rural bumpkin town - even though its a huge metropolis and the 3rd largest city in Japan. >o< I guess, I want to go to a national university for the cost - but the majority in Tokyo are private. I still think Rikkyo looks good, but the fact I have a 2.1 from last years - means I can apply to most unis without clear academic rejection. But this bye the bye, I need to pass the exams first. I'll worry about this around Christmas time, when I have time to plan everything (including my trip to Russia and China.) There are some many things to consider. Its not just the city, its also the cost, the course, the practicals and people. For some reason - i do not want to go to Sophia because of the number of Americans there. I'm not anti-America, I just know it would fucking grate me for one year. I know I would really enjoy Nagoya. I'm not one of this people who view Japan as the big buildings and huge electronic gadgets - I'm one of the people who like the nature and the abiltiy to travel otuside to some small towns to see real Japanese people.

Whether there is a Japanese girl there or not is a moot point. As I said before, I value my friendship with her as much as I do with Saori. That's what I'm telling myself anyways. I'm sure she'll want to see me, regardless of my relationship status.