Eh-hum # 116

Its already my 5th day in cool and peaceful Kobe, Japan. I would’ve updated this blog earlier, but the lack of an accessible Internet connection (meaning from the comfort of my dorm room) made it difficult to do so. Also, I have not adjusted well enough for me to include a picture of myself SMILING in the midst of Kobe’s picturesque sites. That’s how I felt in the first two days, but what made me look forward to my stay here is the fact that I’ve meet three Filipinas already. Nothing like a Kababayan to make you feel at ease.

Nonetheless, I’ve taken some shots of the view from my dorm (see above), which consists of mainly two things: Port Island’s apartment buildings and a view of mighty Rokko-san, the mountain where Kobe University is comfortably located.

Since I am missing home so much, let me just say that Kobe University is like UP Diliman, except that UP Diliman is nowhere near a mountain and the transportation is way cheaper. The two are alike because of the sprawling land areas both universities are built upon. Moreover, both institutions are open to the public; people who are not necessarily students can just go in and out of the campus area. While UP has its stray dogs and cats, Kobe has its wild pigs. Yeah, WILD PIGS. I shouldn’t fuss about this, but I am not a fan of situations where panic is inevitable. My adviser tried to console me about the University’s resident wildlife: “We don’t have wild pigs as big as Rokko Mountain”. Great...I wonder if the other exchange students know about this…hwehehehe.

Food is an important concern of mine. I have been eating mostly BREAD since I came to this country and it’s driving me nuts. Forget about losing weight, I need nourishment (I went to a convenient store this morning and brought me some prepared grub; its expensive but me stomach cannot wait. Besides, I have ulcer). Sigh, this is problem if you don’t do ANY cooking. I spoke to my mother last night and requested her to send me through e-mail (my brother’s charging her P50 every time she asks him to open the computer) a list of dishes I could prepare. So kitchen, watch out for Chef Concon, BWAHAHAHAHAHA!