Here's a picture of me, taken by Cori, when I bought my new futon (comforter). For the first month, everyone rented pillows, bed sheets, futons, blankets, pillow cases, and futons cover for about $23 a month each. From then, we all bought our own bedding goods.Even with my 2 scholarship and overpaid financial aid, it is barely covering my expenses. For the first week, utility was $9. Initial clean-up charge for the room was $160. Luckily, the rent was only $47. My cell phone (with only 60 included minutes) would come out to be about $30. Not to mention, there are no such things as free nights and weekends.
I also bought a new electronic English and Japanese dictionary ($188), and a bicycle ($110). The quality of 99 cent stores here are great. There's a store named, "Kyuu-kyuu," which literally means, 9-9. For only a dollar each, I got a pot, hooks, (really soft) kleenex, instant noodles, picture frames, a fork-spoon duo, instant miso soup, dish detergent, salt, a pole for hanging laundry, hangers, a mini broom, a doormat, a clear umbrella, a rug for the bathroom, a scrub, washing sponges, etc.
It's my 24th day, (excluding my cell phone bill, health insurance, and the possible of water bill) I've spent about $1,300. *sigh* Not to mention, I spent part of my scholarship on my new Fujitsu laptop and outerwear before I came.
P.S. I went to McDonald's and ordered (in direct translation) Ice Cream, Vanilla from the Dollar Menu (100 yen menu). I spotted the ice cream machine, waiting for the cashier to get a waffle cone and proceed to the machine. Instead, she went to the back of the kitchen, opened the fridge, and gave me a vanilla ice cream in an already-made container!
