Sexual Harassment Kitty

Hello there,

Since i arrived in Tokyo, i really appreciated that they take really good care of us at university. Trying to support us with all things we might need, and they are very kind and open to help whenever needed.

There are also the proper helping channels in place in case something goes really, really wrong. I got the feeling that in case things go bad, i got the relevant contact places to go. Fortunately i never had to use this support so far.

Another fact about Tokyo in general is that there is Hello Kitty everything. Really.

Anyways, i was quite surprised when i saw this:

I know it's not really Hello Kitty, but it was quite surprising to see such a cute design for such a serious thing. Maybe it's supposed to help victims to overcome their inhibitions and seek help (hope that's correct English, i tried to translate "Hemmschwelle"). Which would be, of course, a good thing.
Strange card, nonetheless. Even for Japan, where you find Hello Kitty everything.

Unrelated to that, i also had a medical checkup at university. It seems that Asia is the country where i have the most medical checkups ever (e.g. in China i did at least three for getting visa and going on my first job). Well, this one here in Japan was pretty standard, and another service of the university, trying to take good care of its students. Anyways, part of it was a "Mental Health Check Sheet". I know these things are also very serious and there to help people with serious issues, nonetheless some questions amused me.

Look at questions 15 to 18:

• Have you ever heard voices other people cannot hear?
• Some people believe in mind reading or being psychic. Have other people ever read your mind?
• and my favourite: Did you have messages sent just to you through the television or radio?

Possible answers: 1.no, 2.yes, probably, 3.once, 4.more than twice.
From now on, i will listen to the radio more carefully, just to be sure. Someone might try to tell me something...

Oh, one more thing of interest happened a week ago: my first earthquake in Japan. Read about it here. 4.7. Fortunately no immediate injuries or damages reported. And personally i can't report feeling anything. At the time i was having dinner with some colleagues in the biggest refectory at Hongo Campus. Which is an underground refectory. Some people from our research lab called us. Up there - 3rd floor - things were shaking.
Oddly enough, on the morning of the same day i woke up two hours too early and had the feeling that my bed was shaking, quake-like. But i haven't found reports about any earthquakes at that time, so let's blame it on the mind being something else when waking up at unusual times. Anyways, good thing i got through my first quake here without any problems.

Cheers.