Tuesday 26/04/05
Today was so funny! LoL What happened was that I went off down to Maruyasu, Sampya and Kusuri to shop a little with Stani, my Bulgarian sempai (she's so cool XD) and we biked down. Stani has a bike you see and we decided to have me sit at the back on the way down - it was her first time taking a passenger - and we made it on the third try! Hahahaha
It was like... 4.30 or so and she finished pumping the tires of her bicycle... The bike was still moving the first time we tried - I just tried to quickly sit on the back, and we nearly fell to the side! HAHAHAH I imagine it would have looked so silly to any on-looker hahahah. We made it the third time - I got on when the bike wasn't yet moving and we tried to get some form of balance together hahahha - we were moving pretty well downhill HAHAHA. It was SO MUCH FUN - thank you Stani for such an eventful afternoon!!
Besides that - there's just something I want to comment about the weather today. I know maybe some of you might have heard me say this over and over again but HoNeStLY! The weather is SO FUNNY XD LoL. This morning it was so cold! Then as it moved to the afternoon it got warmer and warmer and then all of a sudden it was raining! And there was some thunder and lightning too! It didn't last long - well... I'm not sure, 'cos the next time I checked that afternoon - it was suddenly sunny outside again! HAHAHAH Then it went back to getting colder towards the evening. Today's weather was SO HILARIOUS! HAHAHAHHAHA I don't think I'll be able to understand the weather any time soon hahahah
On the other hand... I really am getting used to the routine here. Stani-sempai was a little shocked when I told her this, haha- mainly because most people think that there really isn't a 'routine' here in Japan. Most just take things as they come. Some things just come by unpredictably haha. Well, to me, that is the routine. The routine is unpredictably and that unpredictability is the routine. LoL. Am I confusing you yet? Well, anyway- here are some of the pictures I took when I went to the Osaka Castle.
I'm thinking that for Golden Week (there's a long stretch of holidays- From this Friday to Sunday next week and I only have to go to CJL on Monday and Friday to study next week XD)
I don't know what I'll be doing on Friday or Saturday this week- but I'm going back to Carrefour on Sunday. I'm toying with the idea of buying a rice cooker, hair dryer and a bicycle. Then I'll probably go to Tokyo with Aurelie and maybe Hee Jeung sometime next week. ^_^ Oh! And by the way, I've finally decided- I'm going to go for Kyudo. -I saw some of the club members this afternoon doing it and it was SO COOL!! Uwaaaah *cries* I waaaant... yaritai.... T_T
When I arrived behind the taiikukan (gymnasium) there were four people there playing and I got to watch the three of them shoot some while one of them- a sempai who'd just graduated from the club explained some bits to me. Ureshii... It all looked so elegant.... T_T I waaaaant. On Thursday I'll go and register. I sooo want it. Maybe I'll take pictures of the site next time. It looked like something out of a Robin Hood movie- only the person shooting arrows had a longer bow... and the way they prepared to shoot was so... cool *starry eyes* I want I want I want.
Oh... and there were these three things I've just remembered which Tanaka-sensei, the Dorm Supervisor said that we should keep in mind in order to have a successful stay at the Gaidai.
1/ Yaritai - I want
2/ Dekiru - I can
3/ Yaritokiru - I will
LoL. Shouting them out loud is SO much fun XD
Much Luv -- *hugs*
--Today 27/94/05
My first politics class was today... I think I nearly fell asleep... Uwaaah -_-; LoL
2005-04-27
2005-04-25
Uwaah!
Was it Thursday when I last posted on this blog? Nyah haha~ I'm so blurr right now- the week has sped by so fast and I'm now in my 2nd week in Japan! Woot! Everything has been uphill (literally) so far and it's pretty much been fun fun fun XD
Hum... well, 21st was Aira's (my sister's) birthday... unluckily it was on the fullest day of my week. I had SP lessons as per usual in the morning and then at 1.10 I had to go meet my Japanese student-tutor - they provide one per each person except for those in the Advanced class and the ones in the upper Elementary classes can choose to or not to have it ^_^ My tutor is Asada Youko - I think I heard from snippets of her conversation with my class advisor - Yamakawa-sensei, that it might be her first time tutoring... but it's cool! She's nice. Japanese people are very nice LoL. She'll be tutoring me once a week for 2 hours each session. I believe this is good conversation and listening practise for me XD
Anyway, after that was another MATH TEST! Uwaaaah! It's my last test though, so it was all okay *hee* LoL. I think I called home after that... yeah, I think I did. After I made my dinner ^_^
Friday I had my first every history lesson in 4 years! Can you believe it- I did not even once think of sleeping! LoL hahah~ Amazing for me really, 'cos I think I'm always sleepy in classes, and it used to be especially in History classes.... I got Shimamoto-sensei, and he is actually pretty cool. Japanese teachers are all so cool. Or maybe I just think that I got the coolest teachers around *hee* Well... they really are cool.
After classes I went shopping with Hee Jeong, Lyda and Elien. XD I guess grocery-shopping is actually pretty fun ^_^; ... but carrying all the things back up to the Dorm is killing me! But I suppose I am sort of getting used to all the slopes. Actually I'm thinking of getting a bike, but I'll let that thought simmer a little while longer before I actually decide.
On Saturday I went to the Osaka Castle! And it was SO pretty! Pretty pretty pretty XD XD XD Though... there were some things that I thought were pretty quirky about it all~ for one, the Castle has an elevator... They say that it's a relatively new castle and it burnt down recently... because of a malfunction with the elevators. Hmm... Well, anyway, there were 8 floors (7 flrs for Brunei) and my friends (Anni, Aurelie, Lyda, Elien & 2 of Lyda's friends from Cambodia) and I had to climb all the way up to the 8th floor by the stairs. Very tiring... but the view was fantastic!
Well... Sunday I went to Carrefour with Anni and Aurelie. LoL I guess it seems I'm hanging out so much with these guys... but I think that it's pretty cool ^_^ We are, after all going to be each other's companions for a whole year. I feel grateful that I have such friendly dorm mates. Very grateful ^_^ --Carrefour is French by the way - Aurelie was so happy to be shopping there *hee* It seems that a lot of the items available (in the supermarket section, I think) were items she was familiar with when she was in France.
We didn't do so much grocery shopping - we mainly went there for electronics - Aurelie wanted a rice cooker (which she'll probably get next week), we all wanted hair dryers (only Anni found one that she liked) and irons LoL - I found the steam iron that I'd been looking for for so long- the one that doesn't need a board for it to iron with. Cool cool cool ^_^ I think either Anni or Aurelie pointed out this one cool fact about living 'by ourselves' in Japan - there exists a lot of items that's good for just one person. I mean, I found this teeny cooler/warmer. Really teeny y'know! I s'pose fit for just 4 small coke bottles. Cute... practical for a single person and I don't think it cost so much either. But I'm not going to jump into getting all those things. If I do I have to think about how much I'm going to have to move to the next University next year.
Nyah... I'm exhausted. I got a couple more things to do today... I really need to do today.... Cheers everyone! Next time I'll try to write more on 'Japan' instead of just how 'I' am doing... (LoL 'cos if I keep on doing that, I won't have anything to talk about by the end of the week *hee*)
*MwaH* Laterz~
PS. I haven't had the time yet to resize the pictures I took of the castle - so I'll try to remember to do that in the next post.
Hi Az!! XD ReyBunny- I think I've pretty much seen all of them haha... those trees are everywhere... all shapes and sizes... amazing really *hee* Haz- LoL ShamNe.O- HIIII~ yes, downtown is pretty warm... nice weather down there really, but I'm up on the slope of the mountain so the University is still pretty cold. It's getting much much warmer though... Probably if it doesn't rain tomorrow I won't have to wear so many layers of clothes ^_^ *hee* Fae- No changing shoes! LoL I like mine thanks *mwahaha* you'll have your turn soon enough XD MKS- it's alright Zan LoL I didn't expect you to read it anyway hahah
Hum... well, 21st was Aira's (my sister's) birthday... unluckily it was on the fullest day of my week. I had SP lessons as per usual in the morning and then at 1.10 I had to go meet my Japanese student-tutor - they provide one per each person except for those in the Advanced class and the ones in the upper Elementary classes can choose to or not to have it ^_^ My tutor is Asada Youko - I think I heard from snippets of her conversation with my class advisor - Yamakawa-sensei, that it might be her first time tutoring... but it's cool! She's nice. Japanese people are very nice LoL. She'll be tutoring me once a week for 2 hours each session. I believe this is good conversation and listening practise for me XD
Anyway, after that was another MATH TEST! Uwaaaah! It's my last test though, so it was all okay *hee* LoL. I think I called home after that... yeah, I think I did. After I made my dinner ^_^
Friday I had my first every history lesson in 4 years! Can you believe it- I did not even once think of sleeping! LoL hahah~ Amazing for me really, 'cos I think I'm always sleepy in classes, and it used to be especially in History classes.... I got Shimamoto-sensei, and he is actually pretty cool. Japanese teachers are all so cool. Or maybe I just think that I got the coolest teachers around *hee* Well... they really are cool.
After classes I went shopping with Hee Jeong, Lyda and Elien. XD I guess grocery-shopping is actually pretty fun ^_^; ... but carrying all the things back up to the Dorm is killing me! But I suppose I am sort of getting used to all the slopes. Actually I'm thinking of getting a bike, but I'll let that thought simmer a little while longer before I actually decide.
On Saturday I went to the Osaka Castle! And it was SO pretty! Pretty pretty pretty XD XD XD Though... there were some things that I thought were pretty quirky about it all~ for one, the Castle has an elevator... They say that it's a relatively new castle and it burnt down recently... because of a malfunction with the elevators. Hmm... Well, anyway, there were 8 floors (7 flrs for Brunei) and my friends (Anni, Aurelie, Lyda, Elien & 2 of Lyda's friends from Cambodia) and I had to climb all the way up to the 8th floor by the stairs. Very tiring... but the view was fantastic!
Well... Sunday I went to Carrefour with Anni and Aurelie. LoL I guess it seems I'm hanging out so much with these guys... but I think that it's pretty cool ^_^ We are, after all going to be each other's companions for a whole year. I feel grateful that I have such friendly dorm mates. Very grateful ^_^ --Carrefour is French by the way - Aurelie was so happy to be shopping there *hee* It seems that a lot of the items available (in the supermarket section, I think) were items she was familiar with when she was in France.
We didn't do so much grocery shopping - we mainly went there for electronics - Aurelie wanted a rice cooker (which she'll probably get next week), we all wanted hair dryers (only Anni found one that she liked) and irons LoL - I found the steam iron that I'd been looking for for so long- the one that doesn't need a board for it to iron with. Cool cool cool ^_^ I think either Anni or Aurelie pointed out this one cool fact about living 'by ourselves' in Japan - there exists a lot of items that's good for just one person. I mean, I found this teeny cooler/warmer. Really teeny y'know! I s'pose fit for just 4 small coke bottles. Cute... practical for a single person and I don't think it cost so much either. But I'm not going to jump into getting all those things. If I do I have to think about how much I'm going to have to move to the next University next year.
Nyah... I'm exhausted. I got a couple more things to do today... I really need to do today.... Cheers everyone! Next time I'll try to write more on 'Japan' instead of just how 'I' am doing... (LoL 'cos if I keep on doing that, I won't have anything to talk about by the end of the week *hee*)
*MwaH* Laterz~
PS. I haven't had the time yet to resize the pictures I took of the castle - so I'll try to remember to do that in the next post.
Hi Az!! XD ReyBunny- I think I've pretty much seen all of them haha... those trees are everywhere... all shapes and sizes... amazing really *hee* Haz- LoL ShamNe.O- HIIII~ yes, downtown is pretty warm... nice weather down there really, but I'm up on the slope of the mountain so the University is still pretty cold. It's getting much much warmer though... Probably if it doesn't rain tomorrow I won't have to wear so many layers of clothes ^_^ *hee* Fae- No changing shoes! LoL I like mine thanks *mwahaha* you'll have your turn soon enough XD MKS- it's alright Zan LoL I didn't expect you to read it anyway hahah
2005-04-20
Wednesday...
It's raining today... and even though it felt quite nice this morning, at this point it's gone back to cold... hahha Anyway, more pictures today!
This is a picture of Umeda with the ferris-wheel. I forgot to put it in the last one *hehe*
I don't particularly understand why, but in every hundred metres of houses one passes by, down near the Madani Jyutaku bus stops, there are always trees like this:
This house is pretty~ *hehe*
The gardens are pretty too LoL- sometimes it doesn't seem at all believable haha~
And these are my dorm-mates! From the right it's Aurelie -from France (that's the actual spelling of her name! -LoL, not Orely haha), Elien -Indonesia, Hee Jeong -Korea and the one wearing white is Lyda -Cambodia.
From the right is Lyda, Elien, Hee Jeong and Maryam -Iran, not Iraq as I previously thought *hee*
From the right is Maryam, Elien, Anni -Finland, Hee Jeong, Aurelie and Lyda.
Me! Haha- On my way down to the post office on Monday *hee*
Anyway... it's been fun... LoL. I got a thing at 2.10 later- It's in about 40mins from now... it's a Japanese Politics and Economics Placement Test and Orientation... I don't know why they want to test us on it though- most of the people I know don't know much of Japanese Politics or Economics... I hope it's just placement *hee* It's too tiring to think that I might have to go for another test *nyaaahhh* SP lesson today was quite fun XD The teacher, Higasa-sensei gave us calendars LoL - I have yet to see what the pictures are on mine hahahah
This is a picture of Umeda with the ferris-wheel. I forgot to put it in the last one *hehe*
I don't particularly understand why, but in every hundred metres of houses one passes by, down near the Madani Jyutaku bus stops, there are always trees like this:
This house is pretty~ *hehe*
The gardens are pretty too LoL- sometimes it doesn't seem at all believable haha~
And these are my dorm-mates! From the right it's Aurelie -from France (that's the actual spelling of her name! -LoL, not Orely haha), Elien -Indonesia, Hee Jeong -Korea and the one wearing white is Lyda -Cambodia.
From the right is Lyda, Elien, Hee Jeong and Maryam -Iran, not Iraq as I previously thought *hee*
From the right is Maryam, Elien, Anni -Finland, Hee Jeong, Aurelie and Lyda.
Me! Haha- On my way down to the post office on Monday *hee*
Anyway... it's been fun... LoL. I got a thing at 2.10 later- It's in about 40mins from now... it's a Japanese Politics and Economics Placement Test and Orientation... I don't know why they want to test us on it though- most of the people I know don't know much of Japanese Politics or Economics... I hope it's just placement *hee* It's too tiring to think that I might have to go for another test *nyaaahhh* SP lesson today was quite fun XD The teacher, Higasa-sensei gave us calendars LoL - I have yet to see what the pictures are on mine hahahah
2005-04-19
Full Schedule Today
Class this morning was... actually I never thought I'd say this but it was quite horrible ^_^; the teacher was speaking so much Japanese it made my head spin and there was so much I could not understand. I suppose if I were a couple more weeks into the course I'd be much better with what she was saying... but for now... NO. I'm still sporting the headache from this morning.
After that I had only time to stop by the dorm to get a bite and then fill in my Home-Visit form (application for a Host Family) and then run off to the International Student Affairs Office to hand it in and then ask for the clubs list. Am thinking of joining one of the clubs... but I can't quite make up my mind between the Tea Ceremony club or one of the dance clubs *haha* What is your opinion? ^_^
Anyway... I long for the time when I can go use internet for a long long time *cries* 'cos right now I have to run off to go for that English Test... *still hoping that I won't be taking that elective* -_-; My schedule is kinda full already with the SP class, JC, History, tomorrow I have a Japanese Politics and Economics placement test... and then if I get a club and the Home Visit program... I guess it sounds quite busy... but... LoL... I got my organiser at the ready. Next month once all the excitement dies down I guess it'd be better ^_^
Woops- I gota run. Time flies by really quickly... Tomorrow *crosses fingers* maybe I can try lingering online more and answer more letters tomorrow. *hopes it won't always be a "tomorrow"*
After that I had only time to stop by the dorm to get a bite and then fill in my Home-Visit form (application for a Host Family) and then run off to the International Student Affairs Office to hand it in and then ask for the clubs list. Am thinking of joining one of the clubs... but I can't quite make up my mind between the Tea Ceremony club or one of the dance clubs *haha* What is your opinion? ^_^
Anyway... I long for the time when I can go use internet for a long long time *cries* 'cos right now I have to run off to go for that English Test... *still hoping that I won't be taking that elective* -_-; My schedule is kinda full already with the SP class, JC, History, tomorrow I have a Japanese Politics and Economics placement test... and then if I get a club and the Home Visit program... I guess it sounds quite busy... but... LoL... I got my organiser at the ready. Next month once all the excitement dies down I guess it'd be better ^_^
Woops- I gota run. Time flies by really quickly... Tomorrow *crosses fingers* maybe I can try lingering online more and answer more letters tomorrow. *hopes it won't always be a "tomorrow"*
2005-04-18
I'm so TIRED
I think I've walked more this week than in any other time in any other party of my life. Honto ni tsukaremashita!! On Saturday I had the shopping tour and we walked for 3 WHOLE HOURS!! It was not only that, When I arrived back to my dorm- I realised I had to go out and buy groceries, and I went with Antonio (from Peru) whom I just met that day on the shopping tour along with this guy from Afghanistan called something like 'Dorr-yush'... nice guys them. Anyway, that was an additional 2+ hours, I had to make so many stops because my legs were cramping up...eee!... I have so much to complain about but it all was really a lot of fun so... nyahh hehe
On Sunday I was out the entire day- I went with Orely(sp?- am still not sure) to Umeda, Umeda is like, the northern part of downtown Osaka City, it was about 20-25mins bus ride, and then 35-45mins by train... Pretty far *laughs* But I got to use the JR! So I'm happy XD Umeda is HUGE... so many people... so many.... Orely and I went there to look at electronic dictionaries (denshi jisho)... I'm thinking that I should get one but... We'll see. I told myself that I'd wait another 2 months so maybe I'll get it... at around June. I found foldable bicycles there too *hee* at one of the top top floors of Loft... It's 8 floors high (the 8th floor is the 7th floor to Brunei) and that place was just so cool XD
We didn't just go shopping, we also went to this temple... It took us nearly an hour's walk to get there! 'Cos there was this UBER long shopping gallery... you know, it's like one loooong road with shops on either side.... I think it was at least 3 kilometres long! I don't know, I could be exaggerating but it really took us an hour... maybe more to get to the temple (it was at the furthest end of the gallery). It took us even longer to get back to the Hankyu Station 'cos we got a little lost *haha* XD On the way back this old man tried to get us to have coffee with him! *laughs* (And of course I didn't go!!) It's a good thing they back off when you say 'no' just once haha~ ^_^
Anyway!! Time for pictures!
My room *hehe*
This is where we hang out to eat our meals or do mini-study lessons lalala- ^_^
This is the kitchen:
My dorm building:
Sakura:
This is Umeda:
Japan is so CLEAN! -anyway, Aurelie and I were just walking down the street near lunch time and we saw this big crowd of women all wearing the same thing! These are only some of them- ^_^
These are pictures from the temple:
I'm trying to remember if there are any pigeons in Brunei? Care to enlighten me? *haha* ^_^
I remind me of a smurf right now:-
And this is Aurelie ^_^
*Well* Hope you enjoyed looking at those pictures ^_^ I'll upload some more when I get the time~ That's pretty much it for now ^_^ There's a review test tomorrow so... I have to go and study... I'm still quite tired... mostly because I went out to the post office this afternoon *dances* - I know how it works now so I'll probably be visiting it again next week *hee* Oh, and Mum- remember you said that I should get a plant for my room... I found a place where they sell some plants, but I wasn't quite sure what sort would be suitable for rooms? LoL
I need to sleep early tonight- I got a whole day schedule for tomorrow, classes for morning (plus the review test), in the afternoon I got placement and orientation for Japanese Cultural Background and then there's Conversation class with my home-room teacher Yamakawa-sensei, and also an English Test for everyone... *hopes I'm not required to take this particular elective*
On Sunday I was out the entire day- I went with Orely(sp?- am still not sure) to Umeda, Umeda is like, the northern part of downtown Osaka City, it was about 20-25mins bus ride, and then 35-45mins by train... Pretty far *laughs* But I got to use the JR! So I'm happy XD Umeda is HUGE... so many people... so many.... Orely and I went there to look at electronic dictionaries (denshi jisho)... I'm thinking that I should get one but... We'll see. I told myself that I'd wait another 2 months so maybe I'll get it... at around June. I found foldable bicycles there too *hee* at one of the top top floors of Loft... It's 8 floors high (the 8th floor is the 7th floor to Brunei) and that place was just so cool XD
We didn't just go shopping, we also went to this temple... It took us nearly an hour's walk to get there! 'Cos there was this UBER long shopping gallery... you know, it's like one loooong road with shops on either side.... I think it was at least 3 kilometres long! I don't know, I could be exaggerating but it really took us an hour... maybe more to get to the temple (it was at the furthest end of the gallery). It took us even longer to get back to the Hankyu Station 'cos we got a little lost *haha* XD On the way back this old man tried to get us to have coffee with him! *laughs* (And of course I didn't go!!) It's a good thing they back off when you say 'no' just once haha~ ^_^
Anyway!! Time for pictures!
My room *hehe*
This is where we hang out to eat our meals or do mini-study lessons lalala- ^_^
This is the kitchen:
My dorm building:
Sakura:
This is Umeda:
Japan is so CLEAN! -anyway, Aurelie and I were just walking down the street near lunch time and we saw this big crowd of women all wearing the same thing! These are only some of them- ^_^
These are pictures from the temple:
I'm trying to remember if there are any pigeons in Brunei? Care to enlighten me? *haha* ^_^
I remind me of a smurf right now:-
And this is Aurelie ^_^
*Well* Hope you enjoyed looking at those pictures ^_^ I'll upload some more when I get the time~ That's pretty much it for now ^_^ There's a review test tomorrow so... I have to go and study... I'm still quite tired... mostly because I went out to the post office this afternoon *dances* - I know how it works now so I'll probably be visiting it again next week *hee* Oh, and Mum- remember you said that I should get a plant for my room... I found a place where they sell some plants, but I wasn't quite sure what sort would be suitable for rooms? LoL
I need to sleep early tonight- I got a whole day schedule for tomorrow, classes for morning (plus the review test), in the afternoon I got placement and orientation for Japanese Cultural Background and then there's Conversation class with my home-room teacher Yamakawa-sensei, and also an English Test for everyone... *hopes I'm not required to take this particular elective*
2005-04-15
Friday - after my 2nd SP class
It's still freezing here. You just can't believe... The weather is so... moody haha- It's all warm at one point, then cold, then suddenly it looks like it'd rain, but then it doesn't... sheesh. I need to get a new umbrella soon. I will get an umbrella soon. This afternoon there's going to be another test... it's almost one, the test is at 2.10pm and I haven't eaten so I won't be staying long. Maybe I'll try typing out some mail... but my fingers are wicked ice. It's so cold that my fingers are stiff... and the heater in this room has already been turned on... -_-'' I told mum yesterday that the weather was getting warmer. How wrong I was... It's still cold.
Now where did I leave off from the last post? ... on Tuesday now... I'll just skim through everything. Tuesday was also quite an eventful day. I had an interview placement test and the the Orientation for the Library (which I missed because I misread my group letter - it was B and I thought it was F... I duno how that happened. On Wednesday morning I had orientation for courses at CJL - just some explanations of what we were going to learn and introduction to our 'home-room' sensei. That afternoon I went shopping with Elien and some of her friends from Indonesia... it was a very long walk down to the shops.... I think it took us around half-an-hour to go down, and around 40mins or so back up. Long walk. Did I mention that I'm now living on a very big slope? And then that night there was the meeting for Dormitory students with Tanaka-sensei. He really is very funny.
In fact, now that I have seen quite a number of Japanese teachers... they are all so nice, some are quite animated, but all very refreshing to meet with and receive lessons from.
Urgh. I have to go. Lunch time...
Mum&Dad- I'm going to get that phone card this afternoon, Regina is going to help me, so I'll be going right after the History Placement and Orientation which will last until 4-4.30... but I'll try to come back to my room before it gets too dark - and I'm pretty sure that I will... Lucky that I'm going to have the next two days free... but err... I won't be able to have any internet access then....
Schedule is still a little weird, I'll sort stuff out - hope you guys won't mind if I take my time with this... I'm kinda starting to feel a little kusut with this whole thing... or maybe it was the washing machine I forgot how to work this morning *hee* so many buttons and stuff...
Anyway... I have to go. I don't know if I can call home tonight, so if I don't, sorry!! -Just letting those involved know.
*mwah*hugs&kisses ALL
Now where did I leave off from the last post? ... on Tuesday now... I'll just skim through everything. Tuesday was also quite an eventful day. I had an interview placement test and the the Orientation for the Library (which I missed because I misread my group letter - it was B and I thought it was F... I duno how that happened. On Wednesday morning I had orientation for courses at CJL - just some explanations of what we were going to learn and introduction to our 'home-room' sensei. That afternoon I went shopping with Elien and some of her friends from Indonesia... it was a very long walk down to the shops.... I think it took us around half-an-hour to go down, and around 40mins or so back up. Long walk. Did I mention that I'm now living on a very big slope? And then that night there was the meeting for Dormitory students with Tanaka-sensei. He really is very funny.
In fact, now that I have seen quite a number of Japanese teachers... they are all so nice, some are quite animated, but all very refreshing to meet with and receive lessons from.
Urgh. I have to go. Lunch time...
Mum&Dad- I'm going to get that phone card this afternoon, Regina is going to help me, so I'll be going right after the History Placement and Orientation which will last until 4-4.30... but I'll try to come back to my room before it gets too dark - and I'm pretty sure that I will... Lucky that I'm going to have the next two days free... but err... I won't be able to have any internet access then....
Schedule is still a little weird, I'll sort stuff out - hope you guys won't mind if I take my time with this... I'm kinda starting to feel a little kusut with this whole thing... or maybe it was the washing machine I forgot how to work this morning *hee* so many buttons and stuff...
Anyway... I have to go. I don't know if I can call home tonight, so if I don't, sorry!! -Just letting those involved know.
*mwah*hugs&kisses ALL
2005-04-14
FINALLY
Oh my god. It took me so long to find this place - turns out that the CJL (Center for Japanese Language) Building HAS its own Computer Lab. I was wondering if I had to keep on going to the General Research Building's 4th floor (3rd floor in Brunei - they use the American system of floor numbering and etc etc here). Anyway, it's been so busy, it's been crazy trying to adjust... even to the littlest things I have to be careful of (this keyboard's keys are arranged slightly differently than the one I am used to... so even this I have to adjust to! -_-;
Anyway, it's been crazy, and it's only my fourth day here - it feels like I've been here weeks! To those reading this right now and who expect to have their mail inbox to contain some mail from me, you'll be disappointed *haha* I haven't got the time yet to do a long block of email writing, which is why I'm so glad that this blog is here *waves at everyone*. Well, I was saying, I haven't got so much time right now 'cos I want to sit for this mathematics elective test that starts at 2.50 (and ends at 6) so I got to go soon. I'll try to fill you guys in as much as I can.
Monday I arrived at the airport and it was really really freezing. 11 degrees celsius they said. At the University it was around 13-14 degrees celsius, and it was still very cold! It's basically just cold cold cold! *laughs* I don't go outside anymore with at least three layers of clothing (although the afternoons are getting warmer and warmer now- I can actually feel the sun!) Anyway, back to Monday. I arrived at the Uni at quarter past 10, it's a really beautiful place y'know, the sakura trees are really pretty and they really weren't kidding when they were saying that Japan is clean. It really is clean clean clean! XD I didn't even have so much time as to put down my suitcase when they whisked me off to the International Affairs Division to register, sign in for the scholarship yadi yadi yada. And then they made me sit for a test immediately! Yeesh. But I was that much tired at that point so... it was alright. It was a kanji placement test, and I could only answer three of the questions hahahha (self-taught kanji). After that I went to sign in to my Dorm, it's literally one tennis court's length away from where I'm staying. So everyday I just walk down the slope and I'm already there hahah. Back to Monday- after I signed in the Dorm, I had to go back to where the main Dormitory Supervisor's office was, which is in Dorm 1, and I'm in Dorm 2 so walk walk walk I go. [By the way, Osaka means something like 'the big slope' or 'the great slope' so up down up down it is for me everyday... it's insane... but I get a lot of exercise so... *hee* it's like hiking at the Tasek Lama everyday LoL]. Well then I met Tanaka-sensei, the Head Supervisor I suppose, very nice man, funny, very smart... or wise, as you wish, and he was very good at English too. From half past one to around 5 that day we went from the Uni to the Mino City Hall (Osaka is composed of many cities, and I'm staying at Mino-shi right now - I'll put down my address next time), and from the City Hall to the postoffice, and then did some groceries shopping at Moruyasu lalala- It was a very busy day. And that wasn't all of it.
When I finally got back to the University, they called me back to the CJL office to take another test. This was around 6pm! I was so tired! But I sat in it anyway, but before that there was a mini-orientation of sorts. I think I only got back to my room at 7pm. Wait, that's not it yet! I had to try figure how the heater worked (the AC heater and the bathroom heater) and then do my bed - there was so much... complicated procedures to make your bed. Perhaps I'll elaborate another time. After I did my bed, I had to go unpack and what not and what ho! I remembered I had to go call home. So back out the room I went... did I mention that I was already tired at that time? Haha... and since I still didn't know how to work the phone in my room, I had to go down down down to the (probably the only) public phone on campus - am not sure. It was so easy walking down the slopes and stairs and what not... going back up was the killer. Nyeh. Orely(sp?), she's staying on the same floor of my Dorm, and she's from France, was kind enough to show me the way. I got to meet the other 7 people that night too, plus a few others. There are 9 people living on each floor, I'm on the 2nd floor Room 1. The other are Orely, of course, from France (I'll edit the spellings when I find out later on), Leedah from Cambodia, Anni from Finland, Eliena from Indonesia, Hi Jeung from Korea, Maryam from Iraq and 2 sempai - I'm still not sure what their names are - I just call them 'sempai' (which means 'senior').
There were a bunch of other people that I've met too. Bet you just can't imagine the diversity of... people that are here at CJL. Today I met my class mates of UE6, Lilia(sp?) from Bulgaria, Regina from Uganda, Somia from India, Mustahfiz from Bangladesh, Christian from Romania, Cuong (pronounced Kuhn) from Vietnam and Chuan from Malaysia. Also so other people from Indonesia, Rudi, David, Dei Wei (who, btw looks quite a bit like Fezz). Again I'm not sure of the spellings of their names - I'll check back again later.
Hey! I was still talking about Monday! Humm.... ah, nvm. That day is now pretty much done. I'll write about Tuesday at another time- for now I got to go prepare for that test. This place closes at 6 so I probably can't come back in time to use it some more. So this is it for now.
Miss you guys XD
Ja mata ashita.
Anyway, it's been crazy, and it's only my fourth day here - it feels like I've been here weeks! To those reading this right now and who expect to have their mail inbox to contain some mail from me, you'll be disappointed *haha* I haven't got the time yet to do a long block of email writing, which is why I'm so glad that this blog is here *waves at everyone*. Well, I was saying, I haven't got so much time right now 'cos I want to sit for this mathematics elective test that starts at 2.50 (and ends at 6) so I got to go soon. I'll try to fill you guys in as much as I can.
Monday I arrived at the airport and it was really really freezing. 11 degrees celsius they said. At the University it was around 13-14 degrees celsius, and it was still very cold! It's basically just cold cold cold! *laughs* I don't go outside anymore with at least three layers of clothing (although the afternoons are getting warmer and warmer now- I can actually feel the sun!) Anyway, back to Monday. I arrived at the Uni at quarter past 10, it's a really beautiful place y'know, the sakura trees are really pretty and they really weren't kidding when they were saying that Japan is clean. It really is clean clean clean! XD I didn't even have so much time as to put down my suitcase when they whisked me off to the International Affairs Division to register, sign in for the scholarship yadi yadi yada. And then they made me sit for a test immediately! Yeesh. But I was that much tired at that point so... it was alright. It was a kanji placement test, and I could only answer three of the questions hahahha (self-taught kanji). After that I went to sign in to my Dorm, it's literally one tennis court's length away from where I'm staying. So everyday I just walk down the slope and I'm already there hahah. Back to Monday- after I signed in the Dorm, I had to go back to where the main Dormitory Supervisor's office was, which is in Dorm 1, and I'm in Dorm 2 so walk walk walk I go. [By the way, Osaka means something like 'the big slope' or 'the great slope' so up down up down it is for me everyday... it's insane... but I get a lot of exercise so... *hee* it's like hiking at the Tasek Lama everyday LoL]. Well then I met Tanaka-sensei, the Head Supervisor I suppose, very nice man, funny, very smart... or wise, as you wish, and he was very good at English too. From half past one to around 5 that day we went from the Uni to the Mino City Hall (Osaka is composed of many cities, and I'm staying at Mino-shi right now - I'll put down my address next time), and from the City Hall to the postoffice, and then did some groceries shopping at Moruyasu lalala- It was a very busy day. And that wasn't all of it.
When I finally got back to the University, they called me back to the CJL office to take another test. This was around 6pm! I was so tired! But I sat in it anyway, but before that there was a mini-orientation of sorts. I think I only got back to my room at 7pm. Wait, that's not it yet! I had to try figure how the heater worked (the AC heater and the bathroom heater) and then do my bed - there was so much... complicated procedures to make your bed. Perhaps I'll elaborate another time. After I did my bed, I had to go unpack and what not and what ho! I remembered I had to go call home. So back out the room I went... did I mention that I was already tired at that time? Haha... and since I still didn't know how to work the phone in my room, I had to go down down down to the (probably the only) public phone on campus - am not sure. It was so easy walking down the slopes and stairs and what not... going back up was the killer. Nyeh. Orely(sp?), she's staying on the same floor of my Dorm, and she's from France, was kind enough to show me the way. I got to meet the other 7 people that night too, plus a few others. There are 9 people living on each floor, I'm on the 2nd floor Room 1. The other are Orely, of course, from France (I'll edit the spellings when I find out later on), Leedah from Cambodia, Anni from Finland, Eliena from Indonesia, Hi Jeung from Korea, Maryam from Iraq and 2 sempai - I'm still not sure what their names are - I just call them 'sempai' (which means 'senior').
There were a bunch of other people that I've met too. Bet you just can't imagine the diversity of... people that are here at CJL. Today I met my class mates of UE6, Lilia(sp?) from Bulgaria, Regina from Uganda, Somia from India, Mustahfiz from Bangladesh, Christian from Romania, Cuong (pronounced Kuhn) from Vietnam and Chuan from Malaysia. Also so other people from Indonesia, Rudi, David, Dei Wei (who, btw looks quite a bit like Fezz). Again I'm not sure of the spellings of their names - I'll check back again later.
Hey! I was still talking about Monday! Humm.... ah, nvm. That day is now pretty much done. I'll write about Tuesday at another time- for now I got to go prepare for that test. This place closes at 6 so I probably can't come back in time to use it some more. So this is it for now.
Miss you guys XD
Ja mata ashita.
2005-04-10
At Changi
Hey guys, I'm at Changi right now, got a room at the Transit Hotel and Afi's with me-- we're just chillin' hahah~ got lost at T2... didn't realise how big Changi really is. I can't write much right now 'cos I got a 15 min limit and it's down to just 13. I called home... everyone seems just fine.
To Fae and P-cat, am sorry I missed you guys <33
Oh, and I just realised, I really don't like planes much - It's not just the take off and the landing anymore. I really really don't like the turbulence too -__- It went all shaky even when I was eating! I had half a mind to throw up right there... but the airplane food was too nice. Hee - Aira, there was chocolate cake and macoroni tuna and chicken rendang HAHAHA I bet you're green with envy. XD Anyway, I got 5 mins left. Luv u guys. Keep in touch k! Thanks Sham and Intan for surprising me by coming XD hahaha
To Fae and P-cat, am sorry I missed you guys <33
Oh, and I just realised, I really don't like planes much - It's not just the take off and the landing anymore. I really really don't like the turbulence too -__- It went all shaky even when I was eating! I had half a mind to throw up right there... but the airplane food was too nice. Hee - Aira, there was chocolate cake and macoroni tuna and chicken rendang HAHAHA I bet you're green with envy. XD Anyway, I got 5 mins left. Luv u guys. Keep in touch k! Thanks Sham and Intan for surprising me by coming XD hahaha
2005-04-07
'Kay *happy now*
I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER now that I have the tickets in my hands. I'll be going on the 10th, that's a Sunday, at noon - same time as previously. Hopefully this time everything will work out just fine. I can only imagine the workload that I'd have to go through when I arrive in Japan - alien registration, insurance, the bank account... not to mention the placement test plus the textbooks and whatever supplies I'd need. Oh well. I'll just deal with that one at a time when the time comes~ For now I'll just focus on one thing: I'm finally going!!
Since I've been assured several times that this time everything is already settled, I'm pretty sure everything will go smoothly in Round 2. Though, I am fully aware that so many things still could go wrong along the way, or even during so. Whatever it is... one must always keep a clear mind. *hee* Like I'm one to talk.
On Monday, when I received news that I might not be going at all that day, I was pretty shocked. I really didn't know what to feel at first, and at the first few hours - I was merely walking through everything, gettin my already checked-in baggage back out, informing Mum, Dad, friends and relatives that I might not be going that day, and then making and receiving calls with the Embassy, trying to keep up and understand just what was going on - all with a smiling face (at least, I assume that I was smiling - I get rather hyper when these sort of things happen). Dad even mentioned that his friends (family friends - two uncles) that were present commented that I looked rather cool with what was going on. Of course, that really wasn't the case. I was pretty much too confused with it all to register anything in my mind. Until I was being briefed by the MoE officers. That was when it all sank in.
^_^; Oh well. Mum is possibly joining me on the flight to Singapore. I guess I just need a little on-hand explanation about this whole airport thing before I can actually get it completely inside my head. *can't wait to go* Just less than 70 hours to go~~
Since I've been assured several times that this time everything is already settled, I'm pretty sure everything will go smoothly in Round 2. Though, I am fully aware that so many things still could go wrong along the way, or even during so. Whatever it is... one must always keep a clear mind. *hee* Like I'm one to talk.
On Monday, when I received news that I might not be going at all that day, I was pretty shocked. I really didn't know what to feel at first, and at the first few hours - I was merely walking through everything, gettin my already checked-in baggage back out, informing Mum, Dad, friends and relatives that I might not be going that day, and then making and receiving calls with the Embassy, trying to keep up and understand just what was going on - all with a smiling face (at least, I assume that I was smiling - I get rather hyper when these sort of things happen). Dad even mentioned that his friends (family friends - two uncles) that were present commented that I looked rather cool with what was going on. Of course, that really wasn't the case. I was pretty much too confused with it all to register anything in my mind. Until I was being briefed by the MoE officers. That was when it all sank in.
^_^; Oh well. Mum is possibly joining me on the flight to Singapore. I guess I just need a little on-hand explanation about this whole airport thing before I can actually get it completely inside my head. *can't wait to go* Just less than 70 hours to go~~
2005-04-06
Pacing...
The only one good thing I've encountered today: Faw's "About Me" in her friendster. The following is part of the text where she mentions me...
"Wheeee Naj isn't gone yet! half of my Tears-supply was spent the night before she was to leave, and the rest.. ah well, evaporation is inevitable~ i'm going to miss my soulmate. my mic² leaves me for the land of NICE HAIRdo's and TEENY phallus'. and im torn between envying the hell out of her, and teasing her about never being able to FULLY enjoy sex with a dude there. "IS IT IN YET?" haha. Love U Najee." FawJic2
LoL. I didn't know she knew the word 'phallus' haha. No offence Jic, it's just that you've never used that word and it's relatively new to me. -Why am I even on this subject? (>.<)
Besides that, I've just received a call, I'm not going tomorrow, but probably on Friday. Or Saturday. Or Sunday. Whichever. *sighs* Well... at least there was some news.
"Wheeee Naj isn't gone yet! half of my Tears-supply was spent the night before she was to leave, and the rest.. ah well, evaporation is inevitable~ i'm going to miss my soulmate. my mic² leaves me for the land of NICE HAIRdo's and TEENY phallus'. and im torn between envying the hell out of her, and teasing her about never being able to FULLY enjoy sex with a dude there. "IS IT IN YET?" haha. Love U Najee." FawJic2
LoL. I didn't know she knew the word 'phallus' haha. No offence Jic, it's just that you've never used that word and it's relatively new to me. -Why am I even on this subject? (>.<)
Besides that, I've just received a call, I'm not going tomorrow, but probably on Friday. Or Saturday. Or Sunday. Whichever. *sighs* Well... at least there was some news.
2005-04-05
Awkward feelings
It felt so strange to wake up this morning still in my own bed. It felt even stranger that it was the best night I've slept in weeks. Maybe it was because I was just so dead-tired when I finally flopped off to bed.
2005-04-04
Dumbfounded
If you're thinking that I've already departed, stop.right.there. I'm still in Brunei. Yes... the culmination of today's events is that only one of the three students that were supposed to go today actually departed. And the situation of the other two of us (me and Afi - Anita was the one who'd already gone)... is still pending. Yeah, I checked in my luggage and soon after I had to check it back out (and so did the other two -Anita had to check-in again) because apparently... there was some complication and we were told to stay. It's history now. I just hope it won't ever happen again. Mum keeps saying that my staying "It must be a blessing in disguise". Well, whatever the blessing is....
But truthfully? I am utterly shocked. I never thought, I never expected that it was possible for such a thing to happen. If only there was some warning, just a sign, a little twitch of a signal. I would have prepared myself for the disappointment. But that is done and over with, and all I can do now I suppose is sit tight and wait.
Still I can't help but be disappointed. It's like... you know how when you're all psyched up for a big game you're about to play, outdoor games like football or a race, and then suddenly it rains and the game is postponed until further notice. It's like... your heart fails for just a flicker of a second and while you try so hard to not let it stop completely, to hold on to what ever dregs of hope that could exist, your mind is wildly accepting the fact that it's raining. And you can't play. I can't play. And all that pre-game tension and excitement is gone. That's how I feel. Drained.
Japan is where my game's at and it rained just as I stepped on to that field. I had to take that foot back out. Fiddle sticks.
They've informed me that the next chance I can get on a flight to Japan is either on the coming Thursday (the 7th) or on Sunday (the 10th). Personally I think it'd be better if it were Thursday, since classes start Monday (the 11th). And generally if one takes a flight from Brunei to Singapore to Japan, one would arrive early in the morning the next day. But even if the flight would be on Sunday.... Well. I think I'm going to start brainstorming and simulating possible events that could happen the next time that I try to go. I hope I won't ever again get as shocked as I did today.
But truthfully? I am utterly shocked. I never thought, I never expected that it was possible for such a thing to happen. If only there was some warning, just a sign, a little twitch of a signal. I would have prepared myself for the disappointment. But that is done and over with, and all I can do now I suppose is sit tight and wait.
Still I can't help but be disappointed. It's like... you know how when you're all psyched up for a big game you're about to play, outdoor games like football or a race, and then suddenly it rains and the game is postponed until further notice. It's like... your heart fails for just a flicker of a second and while you try so hard to not let it stop completely, to hold on to what ever dregs of hope that could exist, your mind is wildly accepting the fact that it's raining. And you can't play. I can't play. And all that pre-game tension and excitement is gone. That's how I feel. Drained.
Japan is where my game's at and it rained just as I stepped on to that field. I had to take that foot back out. Fiddle sticks.
They've informed me that the next chance I can get on a flight to Japan is either on the coming Thursday (the 7th) or on Sunday (the 10th). Personally I think it'd be better if it were Thursday, since classes start Monday (the 11th). And generally if one takes a flight from Brunei to Singapore to Japan, one would arrive early in the morning the next day. But even if the flight would be on Sunday.... Well. I think I'm going to start brainstorming and simulating possible events that could happen the next time that I try to go. I hope I won't ever again get as shocked as I did today.
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