Kyoto, Japan: Housing and Classmates
The Japanese Language and Culture dialogue is staying in various accommodations throughout the trip. Mainly, we are staying in hotels. Currently, in Kyoto, we are staying at the Palace Side Hotel, where it is a small modern styled hotel. The room is about 1.5 times the size of a normal Boston apartment single room—so quite small for two people. The bathroom is even smaller than the normal American apartment bathroom. Standing at 5 foot 6 inches, I am able to touch the ceiling if I were about to stretch my arms up.
The Japanese are considerate of human care, and many of the places I have visited, their toilets are bidet, even the one at the hotel. I have yet to use the bidet function, in which water is used versus using toilet paper. I am just a little bit scared to try this function, but hopefully I’ll muster up the courage to try this experience.
At the hotel I am currently staying at, you don’t keep the room key with you when you leave the hotel. You return the key back to the front desk, and when you return, you ask for the key. Perhaps this is to prevent losing the key or forgetting the key.
The dialogue will be moving to Tokyo this next upcoming week, and I have heard that the hotel we are staying at is traditionally styled. For example, there are no physical beds; however, futons are used where you sleep on the floor.
This dialogue program only consists of 11 students including myself. It is a small group with a variety of personality. Being small in size has made meeting other students very easy. It has only been five days into the program, and I feel like through our common interests in Japanese Language and Culture has made it easy to connect with one another. Even though with variety of personalities, I feel like each person has found their place in the dialogue.
