I've moved (again again)

HAH! A post!

For the fifth (and, I hope, last) time since coming to Japan, I've moved into a new apartment. And this time I think I've hit... well, not the jackpot. But I'm pretty damn pleased anyway.

It actually happened on Wednesday and Thursday, because I decided a day of overlap would be a good thing. So yup, for 24 hours I actually had two rooms in Tokyo. Pretty cool!

Since I might have indulged in the ocasional stuff-byuing I can no longer carry all my belongings at once, so I knew I'd have to make two trips.

The first round. Pretty much everything I own except some shoes and other misc that
wouldn't fit. In retrospect I probably could have distributed the weight better.
This first load was waaaaaay heavier than the second....
I AM SMART!

It was a very manual kind of moving. As in, I carried all my stuff on the train.

It was a little awkward.

Hello.

Especially when it started raining on my second trip. Thankfully that second load also included my umbrella.

Guess what I don't have any pictures of that. I dare you to try to balance a suitcase, a backpack, a pillow in a plastic bag, an office dustbin that just wouldn't fit in any carrying-aid that at this point you're seriously considering using as a hat and an umbrella that you're holding way far back because your computer is in that backpack and it is more important than your hairstyle or whatever AND THEN take a selfie. Seriously, try it. I didn't, because I'm just lazy that way.

First impression: Wall flowers. Also, the pocket om my bag is strangely adorable
in this picture.

Suffice to say that I was a little relieved (and a lot tired) when I finally finished hauling to my new home. I was also rocking a bit of a throat infection at the time. Add a low fever to the rant above and imagine how you'd feel.

Now I know, I know. I asked for help, and then I never even bothered publicising my choice.

Well, I'm sure everyone has been shitting nails waiting for my big reveal, so here goes:

After more or less unanimous advice, and also after listening to my own gut instinct, I decided to go for Number 1. I'm glad I did. Even though the room is about half the size of my previous crib and yet more expensive. Even though we're six ladies sharing one bathroom and one laundry machine. Even though my air conditioner is a bit leaky (edit: fixed). It's super cosy, and Location. Oh GAWD, the LOCATION!

It's like I'm finally actually living in Tokyo!

Look at that! LOOK!

Nine, NINE, NIIIINE!! train stations within a fifteen minute walk radius, one of which is literally the otaku heart of the world. Direct line to work, no transfers! I can eat at a different cheap joint every night of the week without walking for two minutes. I can run to Ueno park or a riverside park for a free scenic workout on the weekends. When I realized I wanted a new towel I WENT ACROSS THE STREET TO THE TOWEL SHOP AND BOUGHT ONE.

TOWEL SHOP.

PWN.

I need advice, and it's urgent

My Hunt for a new Home has been narrowed down to two options, and I need to decide ASAP.

Like, today.

The decision is the classic Location vs Standard. 

Number 1: The urban hidey-hole

A small room in an old-ish small share-house in an extremely convenient location.

• Cool, interestingly shaped room on the top floor (4th or 5th, I think) with a wide window-sill (wide enough for sitting, which I love).
• Full carpet floor, which I don't really like. But I could live with it.
• 6 people share house, company policy is no dudes allowed (not even male visitors! If you have men helping you move your furniture they seriously asked that you call in advance!!)
• Cute little shared kitchen, cute little retro-style shared living area with a couple of cute little couches and a television. When I came in on my visit a lady was watching Frozen.
• Cute little shared bathroom. 
• 3min walk to subway station, and no transfers to get to work! Seriously, you have no idea what kind of extravagant luxury that is, especially when your job is in inaccesible-yet-ridiculously-expensive Hiro-o.
• Really close to supermarket, convenience store, drug store, restaurants, izakaya, cafes etc...
• Seriously, the location is fantastic. About half-way between Tokyo station and Akihabara, which means walking distance to both. Quite close to a riverside park, or if I get bored of sumida river I could just walk the other way to the really, really big public access part of the imperial gardens. With the nearby train connections I could easily get to anywhere in Tokyo within 40 minutes to an hour.
• The house itself is in a back-alley type place, so it seems very quiet. No real view.
• Kindof expensive.

Number 2: The Industrial Luxury Palace

Okay, it's not really a palace. But it is a large scale share house with a lot of luxurious features. Only problem is, it's not even really technically in Tokyo.

• Giant 50 person share house extravaganza
• Large, square, totally ordinary room comes with complimentary fridge for my beer.
• Common area made to be like a cafe/bar looks really cool and cosy and includes a drink mixer. Apparently the bar alcohol stash is a shared responsability: use freely, but replace. Since this is Japan, I actually think that arrangment will work, too.
• Said cafe offers FREE COFFEE AND FRESH PASTRIES IN THE MORNING!
• Rooftop tanning beds and general open-air lounge.
• Lounge for reading and whatnot. Pouffes in stead of sofas are a turn-off.
• A Japanese-style tatami dining room with veranda-garden.
• Giant industrial-like kitchen with professional appliances.
• A small fitness room
• A MUSIC ROOM. With an electronic DRUM SET and a PIANO. Dude, that shit is like me in a box!
• The whole thing has a kind of institution-like air though. Racks and racks of shoe-boxes, toilets in stalls and shared bathrooms (not mixed).
• The location is terrible. Miyazakidai is half an hour from Shibuya in the direction of Yokohama, and I'll need at least 40 minutes and three transfers to get to work. めんどくさいよ！
• I want to go anywhere in Tokyo I have to add inter-city travel to the initial distance to Shibuya. Not very accessible at all.
• I also don't think the area itself has much to offer in terms of shops, restaurants, supermarkets etc. In other words, it's kind of boring.
• In spite of all the perks, this place is a bit cheaper than the other one. Location really does count for a lot!

Both places have cleaning staff taking care of the common areas. Sweeeeeet I hate cleaning! xD

PLEASE HELP ME decide! If I want the first one I have to sign the contract really really soon. I've seen those places go off the market superfast, so I need to grab it.

I'm dying here! 0.o

Preparing to namedrop, and More Than Sushi - The first installment of the long-unawaited sub-series about food

Finally, after untold hours of scrounging the internet, I've found a room in Ikebukuro that seem to be just exactly what I'm looking for. And it's available from August 15th, which is almost too perfect to believe. Now I just have to make sure these people rent it out to me, and not some other gal...

In other words, I'm getting ready to shamelessly namedrop Tokyo University and the Royal Norwegian Embassy like a true butt-licker. If that doesn't work, I'll offer to give English lessons to somebodys grandchildren or something. THESE PEOPLE WANT ME AS THEIR TENNANT, and I will make them know it! ヽ༼ ಠ益ಠ ༽ﾉ

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In other news, I've been working myself silly lately trying to tie up lose ends before I say bayh-bayh to the Toh-Dai. I can't believe I only have two weeks left here! Shit, I have... really mixed feelings about that.

When I have more time I'll go on a long rant about all the things about being an exchange student here that I'm going to work on improving while I work at the embassy, but in the mean time (since it's late and people will come to check my fire alarm tomorrow which means that I really should at least take out the 500 empty pepsi cans I've accumulated, and possibly vacuum clean just a littlebit), I present to you:

More Than Sushi

Your irregularly updated and poorly researched guide to Japanese food that is not vinegared rice with various toppings

Basically, just pictures of some stuff I've eaten. I've been planning this for a while, which means I've accumulated a good ammount of dishes for my lazy blogging pleasure.

Let's start wiiiiiith.... LUNCH!

This particular lunch was one I had on a training-day at the embassy, so it's a tad classier than my usual cafeteria-fare.

So this, as far as I understand, is a fairly typical Japanese set-meal. It generally always contains miso soup and a bowl of rice, and then some combination of mains and veggies (usually pickled, in my limited experience). In this case we see my friend the umeboshi making a guest appearance. 

Point 1: this is black-belt level chopsticking right here. See that fried fish? Yeah, it's on the bone. And you pick the meat off wiiiith ya'chopsticks. Suffice to say I struggled. And the natives only laughed at my predicament.

Point 2: Yes that is a raw egg on my rice. The Japanese love it, and I kinda dig it too no matter how much it makes Gordon Ramseys blood vessels pop in fear and rage. Japan (apparently) has very strict laws for poultry production, and since everyone eats raw egg all the time and most people survive it just fine, I'm jumping on egg-train. Besides, the hot rice mostly cooks the thing anyway.

Point 2.5: Actually, this particular eatery has a specialty. What is it? Your lunch comes with all you can eat raw egg. Take that, Gordon Ramsey!

Point 2.75: You can actually find chicken sashimi here. Real, bona-fide RAAAAAW CHICKKKIIIIIIN!!!!