Calendar of Surprises

In addition to my Japanese class woes/delights, I got a pleasant surprise when I finally got a hold of the Ritsumeikan academic calendar.

Everything for the spring semester ends July 31, so that means I won't be back home until August 2. I have to sign in for my stipend at the beginning of the month, so even if my finals (dunno even if I will have any, since I am just an auditor and whatnot) end in the middle of July, I have to stay till at least August 2 so that I can sign in, and then I have to be back by September 5 (even though vacation is till the 26) so that I can sign by the September deadline of the 6th and get my stipend. And there is also the question of whether or not I will be a T.A. for Prof S.'s Kyoto history class - the KCJS program runs on the American school schedule, not Japan's.

But it gets even better. One can imagine my delight to see when the second semester ends for both grad and undergrad: January 31, 2008. I can't leave Japan until at least March 25, 2008.

I have two months to do ANYTHING I WANT.

I am TOTALLY going to the Sapporo Snow Festival next year. What better way to experience Hokkaido than to freeze your bum off in the place that it known for its damn cold winters (and Japanese girls still wearing high heels and miniskirts)?