Decisions About Living

So, I have realized that getting an apartment when I came to work in Tokyo was a little silly. Why do I say this? Well, because there are so many better options. Also, if you are coming to live in Tokyo and aren't planning to spend the next ten years in THAT apartment, I recommend looking into share houses and furnished apartments (which are often quite small, but convenient when moving).

I didn't know much about these when I was moving to Tokyo, and I was actually hoping to convince my boyfriend to move in with me to save money, so I just went straight for the apartment and bought all the furnishings... and now I'm realizing what a dumb idea that was. Since I broke up with my boyfriend about a month after coming to Tokyo and ended up with the big, lonely apartment with all my stuff. haha

In the end, it would have been better to get a small cheap room in a share house or one of the small furnished apartments with no key money, than to go out and get an apartment (even if I did manage to avoid the key money and several other ridiculous fees.)

Now, for my last few months in Tokyo, I believe... I need to decide how to live. I decided to move into compartment room in a share house, which I talked about before. However, as I was to start working part-time, that was simply the most privacy I could hope for.

The room is not bad, though the house is incredibly cramped and the furniture for the shared lounges takes up so much room that you have to climb over it to reach you door. I will also be sharing two toilets and one shower with twelve other people! The upsides are that it is only a thirty minute walk from my workplace and I don't need to bother with trains (which is really stressful for a country girl like me who doesn't like to touch or be touched by strangers), and that I can save so much money, as the rent is only about $450 a month.

The downside is, when I planned to live there I was going to be working part-time. This meant that, I would be able to work out a time to use the shower and enjoy quiet time alone. However, now this doesn't seem to be likely. If I am to work full-time during the whole three months, it may be better to have my own private room in a place with a better people to toilet/shower ratio. So I have been looking into single rooms in the same company.

The problem with the single rooms is that the price is similar or even more than just staying in my apartment. Too bad I already scheduled the move-out date and sold half my things...
So saving money doesn't look too likely. There are some rooms where I could still manage to save about $200 a month, but I think $100 is probably more likely. While the rent isn't quite as appealing, the idea of sharing five toilets and two baths with seventeen people seems a little better odds of getting in my proper shower time. I swear they must think foreigners don't bath....

So it seems all decided, right? Nope.

If I move to a single room, I have to move further out of Tokyo, which is fine with me except that it means moving away from my workplace. This means, the dreaded Tokyo rush hour morning trains!!! Gods no! To make matters worse, it means I have to wake up earlier to fight over the bathroom and then battle my way on (an off) the train. However, I would have more space and.... sigh.

I might just stay in the small room and suck it up after all.... I can't explain how much I hate the morning train and mornings... I hate them both. x_x

My plan for 2015

So, I know I haven't posted much... or anything... of my life in Tokyo. However, I may have time in the not-so-distant future to update more and remedy that.

So, those in my group of family and friends know that I gave notice at my job in January. Not because it is a terrible place, for the most part working there has been great. The director is nice and they can be very accommodating. However, I have no interest in staying in Tokyo.

After moving to Tokyo, I developed eczema on my chin. It basically looks like I have a five o'clock shadow all the time that even make-up (unless quite generously applied and re-applied) won't cover. I have been taking pills twice a day since last August which have cleared up all but the eczema, and have recently started using steroid ointment on it. Since it started when I moved to Tokyo and starts to clear up every time I leave Tokyo, the answer is obvious. With other health issues adding on, I'm just ready to move on. (I guess I should consider myself lucky as a co-worker told me his girlfriend developed warts on her hands, and recently his entire nail just fell off, it could be worse.)

In other news, I will share my evil plotting for the future with you now!

While I gave notice in January, my company is currently expanding.  They have been hiring so many new teachers for new schools and training and.... it's been a bit hectic. They weren't sure when they would have someone to replace me, so I (not having a set plan) offered to stay on a little longer on the terms that I wanted certain evenings off by 6pm to take Japanese classes. So, I will stay at my company until the end of June. However, as my replacement will come, my services aren't really needed all day, but I negotiated to continue a little longer as a part-time worker in place of the assistant they were planning to hire.

Part of my negotiation was to give me time to get my things in order, and part of it was just to give me some time to do what I came to Tokyo for: to study! I will moving out of my apartment at the end of March and into a Share House to save some money. I also plan on taking Japanese classes in the evenings to work on my speaking and prepare for the test. (JLPT in July!)

I have said before that saving money in Japan and having fun cannot be done together. Which may be why I have so little enjoyed my time here, but I did manage to save a little. So I am planning my last trip in Japan for Kyoto. I am planning my time in Kyoto for ( I know... it's a terrible idea, but) the summer. Summers in Kyoto, as you can only really understand if you've experienced it, are miserable to say the least.

My plan in Kyoto is a little more interesting, I think. Last year, I took a trip to a guesthouse with my friend. While there, I noticed a sign that said they offered a "cleaning exchange" to customers. I recently looked more into this matter and found out that, if you can guarantee to work for 2+ months, you can work (4 hours of cleaning a day) for free accommodation. If you are interested in coming to Japan long-term, this is something to look into. I have actually seen this offer at many hostels. However, I had no idea you could do it in a more upscale guesthouse.

So, my plan in Kyoto is to work to live, in a different sense. It gives me time to study through the worst weather, make new friends (potentially), meet old friends, explore, and relax.
I know it may be a bad idea or a waste of money, but when I think about it.... I've just wanted a break for so long, and this is a nice way to get one without just being idle in the countryside. I can be semi-idle in Kyoto!

So there it is... my tentative plan. Though the Tokyo part is a little more set. I am going to view my first choice share house tomorrow. *fingers crossed*