Leo Palace Sakanoue

Japan's residences are mainly divided into two types: apartments and mansions. Mansions are usually better equipped and furnished. We (me and the other exchange students) live in mansions (haha, that came out really haughty).

Anyway, there's this corporation called Leo Palace that has apartment (or shall I say mansion) buildings all over Japan that are available for rent.

This is what our apartment looks like from the outside. I know it doesn't look much but many buildings here look like this.

The second picture shows the sign that announces the name of our apartment building. On the far left side of the picture is the trash collection bin. More on that on later posts!

Day Two: We've Arrived in Kagoshima

(Okay, I don't know why this blog entry ended up starting with a picture of my restroom, but it seems such a hassle to reorganize the pics, so just don't think too much about it...)

I moved in my apartment today. It's been such a long time since I last lived on my own, and this is definitely the first time I am living in my very own apartment!!

Truth is, I don't really feel that excited. I guess a huge part of the reason is because it costs an arm and a leg to live in this apartment (JPY 52,000 for the rent alone) and that it's kinda dark in here with the yellowish light, and that the apartment isn't exactly spic and span (considering we're supposed to pay nearly JPY 27,000 in cleaning fees at the end of our stay...)

Okay, I'm being negative now. I know that I'll grow fond of this place in a couple of months, but I guess I'm really experiencing major culture shock. Kagoshima itself isn't so bad, it's just that one of us got a really nice version of the apartment I'm in so I know that I got the worse end of the bargain. Oops, I'm being negative again...

We're going to the international student orientation tomorrow afternoon and I guess I'll have more things to think about then. I'm really glad I have Internet connection right away, though. :D