Preparations for Japan

After a couple of months of nearly constant stressing, it is rather unbelievable that I currently find myself in a situation where I have a lot more sorted out by now than I ever thought I could possibly have. So here's a little update on where I'm currently standing.

• Admission procedures for KMD. Ah, lots of forms to fill! And some nuts to crack. Luckily my dad knows some great people in Japan who helped me out here, as I needed someone from Japan to list as my guarantor. For this I got the pleasure of re-experiencing my little cheque adventure from last fall, spiced with new difficulties. I was also very much shitting my pants when I was tracking the package to Japan, since the cheque bearing my first tuition fee was in it. >.< Thank god it arrived at KMD with no complications.
• Visa for Japan, I have it! This is probably what caused me the most headache in the past couple of months. Well, my Certificate of Eligibility to be exact. It was supposed to be a month long process to get it, but I guess it took a lot longer because the procedures at Japan changed in July. Though, I have heard the process could stretch to ridiculous lengths before as well. I got my Certificate in the mail the other week and then it was just a matter of going to the Embassy of Japan in Helsinki (conveniently situated on "UNION Street") to get my visa. The process there was actually so fast that I didn't even have time to explore the whole library they had there. (T-T ) Not to mention that I look like an egg head in my visa picture, but I guess that will do wonders in amusing the people at border control at Japan's end.
• Flight. I could finally sort this out too after I had acquired my Certificate of Eligibility. About time too. Things are becoming more concrete by the second! 
• Apartment. Yep, I even have that sorted out. There is a nice little apartment waiting for me at Hiyoshi, quite close to my campus too actually. How lucky is that? I never imagined I'd even get this sorted out before I was actually in Japan physically. But there it is, waiting for me. It's even furnished and comes with a washing machine, TV, air conditioner and internet connection too, woop. And the numbers in my apartment number might equal seven. I wonder how that happened. *whistles innocently* I shall be going to sign the contract on the day I arrive. I am very excited! Welcome visitors! \o/

And thus, I pretty much have everything possible to do before hand done. Not bad, not bad at all.  I am a bit scared though... everything is going too well. xD Well as things stand now, the only things I pretty much have left to do before I go are packing and signing up for Japanese classes offered by my university. Then once I am in Japan I need to find the Hiyoshi city hall, or whatever it is called, to go register my address on my Resident Card, open a bank account, get a phone, get some stuff for my apartment and find my nearest grocery store. After that I think I should have the most important things covered. 

That's all folks! I shall now leave you with a picture of the little pile of books I am planning to take with me. The photo is quite blurry as I took it just now in the middle of the night, I do apologize. More books might join later, but we'll see.

The pile!

Oh and on a side note - I might have entered an AMV competition again yesterday. Who would've thought! I certainly didn't. I just couldn't resist being actually invited to participate and also the fact that it was Tracon 7 (SEVEN!!) this year. The AMVs I chose were two earlier works of mine (but telling which ones exactly would be too easy, tehee~) and one so new that it hasn't been uploaded anywhere yet. Hah!