Countdown - 12 days left

I had chicken between my front teeth WHILE I was talking to His Exellency! T_T Lunch... was fun. But it wasn't fun when I was trying to answer His Exellency's questions with that dratted piece of chicken between my FRONT TEETH T_T Why why why did I have to touch the chicken? *sobs* Imagine my trying to hide my teeth while talking. Is that even possible? Or maybe I just smile too much... T_T

Anyway, I was at Centrepoint a little earlier than the said time (as I'd hoped as well), and by chance I met Anita (yes, that's the other student's name! XD) on the first floor near the escalators. After a quick hello we went down to wait in front of Takara restaurant. Anita's nice XD apparently she teaches in a Tutong Lower Sec. School (forgot to ask which) - and she's not doing her master's in Japan (I think), it's just... research. Yeah, apparently doing research and doing a Masters is different o.O; If there's someone out there that knows, would you care to enlighten me on the difference? ^_^

Ms. Tada and another lady came at 12 - I didn't ask for the lady's name, so I'll just put her down as "Lady" until I find her actual name ^_^; I was a little surprised when we were ushered in. I thought we were going to sit in with one of the big tables but then we were ushered in to this room that had been partitioned off - it was an 8-seater square table. There was one thing about that room that nearly made me panic when I saw it - we had to sit on the floor, and I was wearing a skirt! (Baju Kedah really) So I really didn't think I could sit cross-legged with the Kedah's type of skirt. But then I saw that the floor under the table was about 2 feet below the level I thought it really should have been ahahah~ ^_^; In a way you could say they carved out a place under the table for the feet/legs. So all my panic was for nothing haha- I could sit in a normal way, just like having plain tables and chairs ^_^ only you had to slide your legs in to that hole~ It was actually rather comfortable... and new! ^_^

It was just us four at first and then a guy from BBulletin came to interview us (he left before we could start eating), then Afi came, and then finally His Exellency arrived (ahaha~ I don't know how else to address him, except for as 'Mr. Ambassador'). We were there from 12 till 2... the longest lunch-out I'd ever been... I think o.O; and it was FUN Mr. Ambassador was really cool and I got to eat ebi tempura (that has got to be my fave Japanese food now ^_^) and I got my wasabi-soysauce mixed to the just right proportions. I think I'm in love with wasabi~ I can probably stand 5 years without my sambal belachan hahaha (yes, I love that uber-spicy sambal - so much so I don't mind the strong smell it gives off anymore hehe ...or maybe I just got immune to it *scratches head*) just as long as I got wasabi *hearts*

Conversation was mostly just... the typical. This and that you know. Why we wanted to study in Japan~ Why we wanted to study what we were aiming to study~ there were several times when Tokyo Disneyland was brought up ^_^ maybe I could could there someday... ^^ and they gave us some tips on how to adjust and make the best of our stay there. All in all it was really pleasant. Very nice ^_^ Mr. Ambassador shared some of his experience with us - telling us how, when he came to Brunei, he found some similarities between the Bruneian and the Japanese culture. Wait, culture would not be the right word... I suppose 'habits' would be more accurate.

Now I actually have some experience with what he was talking about so I definitely understood what he was trying to tell us. In Japan, people, at first, tend to be a little shy(?) when presented to a 'newcomer' - in a way, they like to keep their distance first before finally being more intimate with you. Kinda like testing the bath water with your feet first to check the temperature before you jump in ^_^ ahaha~ and I found that this behaviour pattern (about the people, not the water) is very similar to what one can encounter in Brunei. I mean, I've changed schools enough times to know that students tend to observe you for some time before finally opening up. Yup yup~ then again, testing the waters before jumping in really is a good idea to keep one from getting hurt XD

Okay, that was habits. Now for food. It seems the current health trend in Japan is eating fermented soybeans (you know, instead of cookies, biscuits etc.). Sound weird? In Brunei we eat this kind of food as well, only normally it's fried. Yep. Deep fried fermented soybeans. Can you guess what it's called? XD It's called tempeh(sp?). I miss that~ Mum used to cook the best ones ever! But we never have it anymore nowadays... T_T maybe I can ask her to cook some up for me before I go... *heheh* Then again... I wonder? Where can one get fermented soybeans anyway? I don't usually see them in the market.... I must remember to ask my parents later.

I don't know how this topic was brought up but at one point (after Mr. Ambassador left) we were talking about bicycles. About riding bicycles. Oh yes, I was asking them if I could go get a liscence (an International Driver's liscence) in Japan and they said it was rather expensive, and public transport was really much more efficient there - and bicycles were good too... They (Ms. Tada and the Lady) suggested that in Yamanashi, where Anita would be, it would probably be more convenient for her to use a bike to get around, but then Anita doesn't know how to ride one; then it got to one point where I was talking about the first time I rode a bike without the two little support wheels ^_^; I was 12. And I was terrified. But I know how to ride a bike now hehe~ Bicycles... ^^

Wish I could remember more of what we were talking about, but that's it for today~

I can't believe I'm going in 12 DAYS!! I can't wait~ I can't wait~ I can't wait~~ ^_^ but I imagine on the day itself I'd probably be going "I CAN wait~ I CAN wait~ There is waiting time right?" ahahah~ I watched Hostage at the Mall today... and it had probably one of the most dramatic endings that I've ever seen in movies. *shivers*

Countdown - 2+ weeks left

I was the last one to arrive at the briefing T_T There was just us three students plus the secretary (Ms. Tada, I think) and my ol'friend Adi along with two more people - one of 'em was a guy who was a scholarship student to Japan and had come back to Brunei. He had taken the same (I think) special training course which the guy student with us (Afi is is his name) and with him was another lady - I wasn't clear on what their relationship was but I didn't hear her speak much so.... Well, I'm not sure what the name of the other student is yet - the one who is going for masters.... Her name began with an 'A', that's all I remember ^_^;

It was fun, the guy (ex-s'ship student, who had graciously come all the way down from KB), talked about his experiences when he'd first gone to Japan. Arrival, maps, a little about Tokyo and all that. Very helpful. But then the other two are going to Tokyo (well, the girl will be going to Yamanashi - I haven't checked where that is yet) and I'll be the only one going to Osaka. He couldn't say much about Osaka, but he mentioned that he had a friend who stayed there all on his own, and he was okay. So he said that I should be okay too. Right? ^_^; *nervous laugh*

Well anyway, after that he and the lady with him had to go (that was 11ish-am - we started at around 10am, visas first and then the little 'talk') and then the masters student had to go as well, which meant that the only ones left were Afi, Adi, Ms. Tada and me. They pulled me aside to talk a little bit more about Osaka and handed me all these information books which were all just... really a good read. All about Japan (of course) and some back issues which were bilingual so I could start reading the Japanese texts. I mean, not that I can do that much yet, but I'm trying ^_^ and it's fun.

I got my ticket. And I had a crash course of what to do with them - I'm definitely going to write down the steps somewhere just in case I forget hehe~ 17 days left. Half of me just can't wait. The other half is still asleep~ hehe

1/ Kansai International Airport, the one I'll be going to, is situated on reclaimed land - or should I say reclaimed 'island', just a few kilometres off Osaka bay. Very isolated. Very interesting. There's only one entrace/exit road connecting that teeny island to the main island - Honshu (it's the biggest of Japan's islands).

2/ They say that I should remember one thing when I head to Osaka - that Osaka is not 'Japan'. I didn't get that (much), but it looks like it won't be long before I find out anyway. Osaka, apparently as I was told, is the place to go for 1/ good food, 2/ trade and 3/ comedy. In all Japan, only Osaka has (practically) their own 'brand' of comedy. No matter where it's presented, it's always in Kansai-dialect, always in the Osaka-n way. Ahahah. This I don't get either, but it looks like I'll find out ^_^; I will find out.

3/ Osaka is in Kansai, and they have a different dialect than the ones from Tokyo (which I presume is the closest to the standard Japanese). When we say 'arigatou' for 'thank you', they go something like 'ookishii'. (If I got that right) Very interesting. Kansai-ben vs Tokyo-ben. I wonder which one I'll end up having ^_^ although Ms. Tada assured me that they teach the standard Japanese in classrooms. But wouldn't it be cool to learn that dialect as well! WOOOT~

Countdown - 3+ weeks left

>.<; It's now the first week of March... and I still don't know when I'm scheduled to leave (+_+) I called up the Embassy a few days ago and they said that everything's pretty much 'prepared' already, only that they need to get details from Tokyo (I'm assuming that whenever they say 'Tokyo', they actually mean 'MEXT') - and once they do, they'll get my flight schedule and then I'd have to pick up the passes from them and at the same time go through a briefing. ...I've a feeling that I've already mentioned this in an earlier post. Ahaha~ *sheepish smile*

-----UWAH! I just got off the phone from a lady from the Scholarship Dept. My ORAL MALAY TEST is on Thursday! eep~~~ Okay I got some serious cramming sessions to do. Today's Tuesday so... do they really have to leave everything to last minute T_T

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MEXT = MECSST = Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology a.k.a. Monbukagakusho or Monbusho if it's just for their MoE.