Branching Out (Sasha)

My first map is probably a bit too detailed for a mind map, but at the time, I wanted to get an idea of the whole campus, and how everything fit together. Plus, we were given a lot of free time during orientation week, so I had many chances to take to a walk.

My first map 8/25

When we first got on campus, we had an event called Campus Orienteering, which was a stamp rally that made us go around to all the different buildings. One of the destinations was the ATM in between B and C building, which served as a landmark for me at the beginning. It doesn’t take international cards though, so I can’t actually use it. There are multiple ways of reaching a destination though, and doing the orienteering only revealed one possible route. After my own orienteering session ended, I wandered around campus (and snuck in with other orienteering groups) and explored some more.

I was so happy to find out that the buildings are all basically connected, although it does require a bit more weaving around than just going outside. Theoretically, since I live in Komachi Hall, I can walk to any building without having to go outside once. I am enjoying the coolness for now though.

Looking at my first map, my world was limited to the campus. AIU campus seems pretty small, and I get the feeling that there is a lot beyond it. I am interested in taking a walk on some the unknown paths, some of which go into the woods. There is something that concerns me though:

"Caution: Bears"

Yeah… I haven’t heard any bear stories, but I am wary.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve been branching out slowly and steadily. The bus stop is mentioned in my first map, but I was more focused on my immediate surroundings at the time. At the two week mark, despite the fairly small area I’ve covered, I have been trying new things right and left. I have joined two sports clubs: tennis and badmitton; I have braved Aeon Mall multiple times (a very big feat for me); and at Café de Coco, I tried coffee for the first time in my life (and have resolved not to drink it again).

Caption: Café de Coco: We thought it was a walk-in café, but it was more of a sit-down restaurant. The coffee was good, but not to my taste.

Café de Coco: We thought it was a walk-in café, but it was more of a sit-down restaurant. The coffee was good, but not to my taste.

I still feel small compared to the world around me, but I also feel like I have grown substantially. I have yet to go to downtown Akita, but that’s next on the list.