Meeting with Joanne

Due to my family's (extended family included) fear that I will be all alone when I go to Japan, efforts have been made to find people that I can count on when I arrive in Tokyo. I'm really glad of that because yesterday, I got to meet up with Joanne, who's also studying under the MEXT research student scholarship. We spent a really nice time at Clementi mall, with me asking her all sorts of questions about living in Japan.

And after talking and talking and talking, what I remember is: make sure you have an emergency kit ready (especially for earthquakes). I really want to buy a waterproof bag, but my dad wants to use one of the ones we already own, so... we'll see.

I'll be packing my bah when I get to Japan, but I'm already planning what to pack. I went online to do some research, but a lot of articles were on the recent earthquake instead. On the other hand, I did find this guide/manual on important information regarding earthquake disasters from the "Portal Site on Policies for Foreign Residents". The guide has all sorts of useful things on preparing for an earthquake, what to do after an earthquake and most importantly, different checklists including Emergency Items to Take with You.

Hmm... besides what you can see in the picture and on the list, what else should I pack when I get there (yup, I forward plan a lot). I'm deeply considering placing a -few- books in there.