I received an email today, but it's not from AIKOM. It's from my senpai, the one who was accepted by the AIKOM program last year. When I was reading the email, I was on the verge of tears. I wasn't expecting anything of this sort, so receiving an email who is experiencing something I will experience in the near future is really exciting.

Her name is Melissa, and she is really really really nice. SAIKO!!! She told me important things I need to know, things I will not learn even if I ask the Office of Institutional Linkages, like what will happen when I arrive there, the amount of money I need to bring, etc. She even offered me her winter clothes, which just made me go "wah~!!!" and try to stop my tears from falling. Yes, I'm really emotional when it comes to these kind of things. I have cried in front of the computer while reading an email or a comment a couple of times now. She also told me that I don't need to worry about kitchen utensils because there are a lot of utensils which will be left there. I just assumed that I will be using the same room she and her senpai used, judging from her email. There's also a television set, and I will be availing of the net access. I can't live without the Internet.^^;

I realized I'm thinking too much about the JASSO thing. Melissa underwent the same process, so I'd like to believe everything's going to be okay. This Japan thing's not only about being able to study in Japan; our thesis also depends on it. We're set on conducting our research there. Wow, talk about ambitious undergrads, haha.

Yes I agree, there really is no place like home. But Melissa-senpai's one sentence made me go cry really really hard:

When it's your turn, you will know how it feels to be a representative of our country.

がんばります！

The good news: I'm enrolled. Hurrah.

The bad news: Klao will not be granted a JASSO scholarship.

FUCK. Shit shit shit.

If she doesn't get a scholarship, what are the chances that I'll be granted one? Well, there IS that difference in the schools we're going to, hers is Tsuda College while mine is University of Tokyo, BUT, her General Weighted Average is higher than mine. But still if she didn't get that scholarship, it's okay, since Tsuda will still be giving her a monthly allowance. I, on the other hand, do not have a plan B if I don't get a scholarship, since AIKOM and JASSO must go together.

Holy shit.

I hate thinking about things like these. I'm a very paranoid person, and that often leads me to think negatively. Shit.

Dear Ms. ANGALA, Gladys,

 

We are happy to inform you that you have been tentatively selected to participate in our AIKOM program and have been nominated as a JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) scholarship student. Although final selection depends upon the approval of the JASSO scholarship nominations expected around the end of June, we would like to begin preparations to welcome you in this fall.

Yesterday, I received the email from AIKOM (Abroad in Komaba, the Student Exchange Program of the University of Tokyo). Klao got her email first from Tsuda College. Since it was a similar situation with when we were being informed whether we were selected or not by OIL, I figured I should wait for mine this time. What I did before was text the person-in-charge in OIL and ask if I got accepted or not.xD I knew I got accepted two days earlier. Talk about impatience, no?

Anyway, as you've read, I have been tentatively selected, but still, as Alex said, it's one step closer. Every time I think about it, I get excited and nervous at the same time. Excited because, hello durr it's Japan. It's where Tuti, my real father is Yuuyan and Kouji and Mikako Tabe all are.;P Nervous, because this will be my first time to board a plane, first time in another country, first time to live in a dorm, first time to stay away from my mother for a very long time. After telling my parents about the email, the pokute got all preachy again about being alert there and keeping my passport with me all the time, etc, while my mother was going "you don't even know how to iron clothes, how will you survive there" etc. Honestly, I felt like crying when my mother said that she'll be very worried every day then, because she knows I'm in a very far away place, and cannot come to help me when I need her. But I've decided to do this, and if I don't do it, I'll be forever dependent on my parents, like my 32 year old brother, and I don't want that.

They told me that I should be in Japan by Oct 1, so most probably, I'll leave on said date. But if that happens, Cheska and I won't be able to meet, since her visa's until Sept 27.T-T I'll ask if it's okay to arrive earlier, so I can meet her there. The dorms are what I'm worried about if I arrive earlier than the designated date, because I'm not sure if we're allowed to stay there already before Oct 1. Alex suggested that it will be a good chance to look for Tuti, because if I do and if he remembers me, I'll have extra allowance. So I'll have JASSO's (hopefully!!!) ¥80,000 monthly stipend + allowance from Tuti.xD I won't have to work part-time in a maid cafe at all.=)) Before people who do not know about me being Tuti's child is a joke think that I'm serious, well, I'm not.;P

Leaving on Oct 1 means leaving 4 days earlier than the end of the semester and a week earlier than Finals, which means cramming all requirements before my departure date. Klao leaving a month earlier (her orientation in Tsuda's on Sept 12 and 13, I think) won't be a big help either, since it will double my Eng 199 load. Uguu~ I sense haggardness before leaving.o(>_<)o

However, for now, I need to send additional requirements to them for my certificate of eligibility. I hope my scholarship gets approved!!! *crosses fingers* A lot of people are hopeful for many things these year, huh? I'll cross my fingers for you guys, too! Ah, but I only have 9 3/4 fingers, so uh, there's an unfortunate one who'll receive just three-quarters of my prayers.xD Sorry.^^;

wOOt~! I AM ENROLLED! Which means classes start on Monday, and that vacation is over.;___; Anyway, I have classes from Monday to Friday, 11am-3pm. At least, they start at 11. I can still sleep late.;P I'll be taking Pan Pil 17 (Pop Lit) and CL 100 (Intro to CL). Ryne says that it's the intro to all the -isms in literature, but like I care. I'm taking it with Ica and Klao, so I guess it's pretty bearable for a subject I was forced to take. I hope Raymond and Richmond also enlist in it, so that'll make us five. We're half of the class already!xD

Good luck to those still trying to enlist in subjects, if there are any left, that is. What's the point of 'enlistment getting better during the weekend' when you don't have any class to enlist in anyway, ne?^^;; But still GOOD LUCK! A lot of people needs luck nowadays.:P

~*~*~*~

Congrats to Mikai for getting a job!^^ wOOt~ I wanna earn, too, but I really hate talking to people.:P Maybe I'll fit as a Comic Alley/CD-R King saleslady.xD I don't fulfill the stupid and thick makeup requirement but I know how to answer costumers when they're looking for something: WALA! Even when what you're looking for is exactly behind the saleslady.

~*~*~*~

My mother was able to solve the dilemma of where to get money to spend on the plane ticket to Japan. My tita agreed to pay the expenses first, making sure that I will return the money as soon as I get my relocation allowance, which reminds me, the results to JASSO application will arrive on June. So in June, I'll know whether I will really be going to Japan to study or not. The system goes like this:

Students apply to Japan institutions in their home institution -> Accepted students will be recommended to Japan institution he/she applied for -> Recommendation will be approved by Japan institution and will forward the details of the recommended students to JASSO for scholarship -> JASSO will inform home institution whether scholarship is approved or not.

As of now, I am in the second phase, but technically I'm in the third, because since there's only one recommended student per Japan institution, we're almost approved already. So there. The application for scholarship's the next thing. People do get turned down, but they still go to Japan, and study there with their own money. That, I cannot do.^^;;

Since JASSO's new policy is that, you pay your travel expenses first, then they'll give you back your money when your in Japan already. The "pay your own travel expenses first" was my problem. But at least that's solved now. Gyuu~ I hope I'll get a scholarship, since well, bimbo desu.xO If I don't get a scholarship, then I won't go there at all. Nuuu~

Anyway, I heard Miggy was also accepted in OVCAA. Omedetou~!d(^-^)b

~*~*~*~

Last two days of vacation! Myuur~

Wai~ Wai~ Wai~ Wai~ Wai~

KLAO AND I ARE GOING TO JAPAN!!! \(^O^)/

I texted Ma'am Cory from the Office of Institutional Linkages (OIL) this morning because Klao told me her mother got a call last night to tell her that Klao got accepted. When Ma'am Cory wasn't replying for like an hour I thought I didn't get in. But HURRAH~! She texted me I got accepted. At first I didn't want to believe it. I even made my classmate Azi read the text.xO Then I saw our papers when Klao and I went to OIL at around 2:30pm. Squee~!!!

That's THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO!!! OHMAYGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD~!!! ONE YEAR WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAI~!!! \:D/

My Japanese Language Proficiency Exam (JLPT) Results (Level 4) arrived today, too. I got 93 out of 100 in Writing and Vocabulary, 82 out of 100 in Listening (Blegh.) and 193 over 200 in Reading and Grammar.

YATTA!!!

My hands are clammy. My heart won't stop pounding.

Anyway, "why?" you ask?

Because our Interview for the Student Exchange Program's on Monday. And I. AM. SO. FREAKING. NERVOUS.

Gah. MUST CALM DOWN!!!

~*~*~*~

Running on Windows XP now. Broadband activates on Monday. Monday. Interview on Monday.

Ohnoimsonervousimsonervousimsonervousimsonervousimsonervousimsonervousimsonervousimsonervous!!!

On the first day of February. This day took an unexpected turn.

"I'll go to the tambayan at 1pm to drop off some CDs for and Ronnie, and then I'll go straight to our Eng 116 group meeting in the library."

That was my plan. But it didn't go as planned when Klao asked, "wala na bang open slots ng scholarship?" Thus we ended up going to Quezon Hall to get application forms. I got the app form for University of Tokyo (TouDai) because it's the only one that doesn't require a copy of a passport (since I don't have that one yet). We rushed back to AS 101 to request for TCGs and that I must say took a lot of our pleading skills. You see, processing TCGs usually takes a week (CAL tsk tsk), but if we were to wait that long, we'd be one day (ONE DAY!) late for the deadline of submissions of app forms. So yeah, we convinced Kuya (with Jordan's help) to give us our TCGs on the 7th. Yay~

Then we're off to FC to hunt Weng-sensei.xD We met VT on the way, who said he has a late Christmas gift for me, a Tamama whatever!xD Yaaaaay~! I shall hunt him down tomorrow for that Tamama whatever and additional episodes of Keroro Gunsou!>D Anyway, we also looked for Sir Emil Flores, to write us our recommendation letters. Klao's unfair, since she needs only one rec letter, while I need two. Pfsh. Anyway, I'm done with both rec letters now, so I'll just make them sign them tomorrow. Kukukukuku~

What got me laughing really was Klao's words when she was persuading me to not attend our meeting: "meeting? or JAPAN?" Of course, there's no other answer to that but JAPAN. She was also chanting "Japan Japan Japan" while we were walking from AS to Tecy (her car) and told me to chant with her, too. So we were like idiots chanting "Japan Japan Japan" repeatedly.

Ah, the things people do for Japan.xD