Himeji, begin!

So, first full day in Himeji city. I got in yesterday afternoon to my new apartment building. The city has clumped all the foreign english language teachers together in one very western building. I:m not sure what to think of that, or where the apostrophe key is on this computer. Pluses- large support network, being able to share ideas for classes or activities, instant friends. Minuses- doesn;t feel like japan, no shoji doors (traditional japanese architecture), no futon, none of the `japanese` things I was looking forward too. No Japanese neighbors to exploit language learning or learn native culture. I went out to dinner with a few of the other ALT::s in the building last night, they seemed fun. I met a few other people in my building, there are a couple of older people who seem like they might be more useful for information and stuff.
So today I went and got my alien registration card, opened a banking account, and got ushered randomly onto a bus by my building:s custodian, Saito-san. I was trying to ask him if I got to the grocery by walking down the street, but I think he somehow thought I was trying to get downtown and pushed me onto a bus that was at that moment passing by. So here I am, downtown. Downtown is mostly a shopping and eating area, with a big `outdoor` mall with covered streets, which i soon tired of. so I left and walked to the area outside of the castle, which is at the center of the city and is huuuuge. I mean, its on a hill elevated, so you can see it from pretty far away, but then there:s these huge castle grounds and moat that take up a ton of space. I was going to go in, but I want to take a full day for it, and with camera in hand (as in not in my kitchen).
My supervisor seems pretty nice and helpful, I wish someone would help me find me a bike though. All the other people in the building are off at work and can:t help me out now though. anyway, no one is supposed to take me to school for another week and a half, so I don:t know what I:m supposed to be doing until then. I:d like to go, even if I don:t have anything to do when I get there. I think it:s a trick by my supervisor to make me take all my paid vacation days now, instead of later when there:s something interesting I want to do. mmmmmm. I:m going to have to figure outa way not to let them do this.
\also, there doesn:t seem to be a bus route map. there are plenty of bus schedules, but i even went to the himeji tourist center, and they didn:t have one. Wish me luck,
Love,
Allison