On the way

I’m writing this on the plane, somewhere above Siberia, I think. Finally starting my exchange blog. Better late than never, right? I’d been thinking about writing this blog ever since last autumn when I got accepted, but as usual, it takes a while to get started with anything… I decided to write this in English to give some non-Finnish friends a chance to read this too, if they happen to feel like it. (If you want to say something, feel free to use whatever language you want to. If you wish me to reply to it, pick something I understand.) No comment on the blog name, except that I came up with it late one night when it felt brilliant, and there were all kinds of hidden meanings embedded into it. >_>

Anyway, as it is, I’m now on my way to Kyoto, for a half year’s student exchange period at Kyoto University. It feels… perhaps a bit unreal, at the moment. I was more excited (and nervous) back home, waiting to leave. Now I just sit here, oh well, kind of nonchalant, so I’m going there, nothing to do about it, if I’ve forgotten to do something then  I have, things will go as they will. We’ll see how I feel once we arrive to Kyoto. As it is, I have never visited Japan before – or any place in Asia, what comes to that. This has definitely added to the general level of excitement. 

But yes, right now the primary feeling is that of some kind of unreality. I'm finally going there? For real? This has been quite a long process, and not completely painless… from the time I applied, quite sure I would not yet get accepted (this is my third year, so I’m going there one year earlier than most), to the horrid paperwork to get everything done on time. Long periods of preparation and waiting for stuff to happen, and then everything happens in an awful hurry and then you’re waiting again… the better part of the last year, I think, I’ve been waiting for Important Stuff to happen. And the Japanese language placement test, oh god, let’s not get into that. At least I managed to make it on my own level, though I was sure I blew it after the exam.

So, here I am, first time ever on my way Japan, together with Siru (so happy to have experienced company on this trip!) Got a bit sick nicely just for the trip and left my voice in Finland, but never mind that. I'm on my way. I make no promises about how often I will update this blog, or how long those updates will be. I’ll try, that’s all I say.

Bought one hour’s worth of Wi-Fi time for this flight, in the case you’re wondering how I’m online during the flight. Seems to be working well enough, though the speed is varying – and figuring out how to get me online took the combined efforts of three different staff members. It might be simpler just to buy your online time onboard, FYI. Now they're turning the lights off... "night" is coming. Maybe I'll try to catch some sleep...