新年明けましておめでとうございます。
旧年中はお世話になりました。
本年も相変わりませず、よろしくお願いいたします。
to
あけましておめでとうございます。
本年もよろしくお願いします。
to
おけおめほんよろ
Monday, January 5, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
New Year in Japan
It's 8am in the morning of the clear new day of 3 January 2009 (it feels strange to type it). I am getting ready to run out and catch the bus at 841am which I have to catch to go to civilisation. The next bus is not until 1059. Go figure.
Transportation aside, the past few days have been wonderful and I have been rather tired out to put forth that enthusiasm that I really enjoyed myself. As such, a few hosts might have had their tails stomped by that and I feel quite apologetic.
So how did I usher in the new year? I spent the remnants of 2008 (now it feels confused) in Tokyo and Kamakura which felt more like a dive into the nostalgia of city life. I never speak as much around my Japanese colleagues as compared to other ALTs, so meeting K and running amok around Tokyo, first with Comiket and Tokyo Bay and then subsequently Kamakura was very fun. After returning, the next day which was the 31st came ISZK-sensei's home visit yet again and this time it is my third. I met his children, a daughter of 19 and a son of 21 together with two of their childhood friends over dinner and accepted their invitation to stay since it was too late into the night and I don't fancy troubling ISZK-sensei to send me home. It was quite enjoyable to eat soba and mochi, two traditional staples of the new year. We watched TV, talked a bit though I sadly was feeling reserved. Should have drank more? ;) Then early the next day, I was woken up at 6am to catch the first sunrise, which is a popular activity amongst Japanese to be done on the first day of the new year other than visiting temples/shrines. That was really touching, as ISZK-sensei hasn't done it for a couple of years now and he braved the cold (it was hovering slightly above 0 degrees Celcius) to bring me along. Wow.
After that we were all tired and I was waiting for a good time to leave. I left when the father and son lulled in front of the TV to watch this 6-legged full marathon, catching him just as he nods off to sleep.
That was quite magical, in retrospect. Thank you.
I shall continue with part 2 another time. Happy new year, from Japan to the world.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Presenting.. the final list of resolutions for 2009!
1. Pass JLPT2 in 2009
2. Date (nampa? http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/nampa1.htm)
3. Apply for graduate school
4. Learn how to cook - at least a dish a month!
5. Obtain a Japanese drivers license
6. Travel to every prefecture in Japan
7. Climb Mt Fuji
8. Make 1 new friend each month
7. Read a publication in Japanese each month
10. Be positive and look at the bright side
And most importantly...
Cherish every moment
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Yesterday was great!
Here are some names of new people I met - Yuta, Wakana, Hiroaki and this other girl. It will be great to catch up with them again next time.
It was also the language barrier as well I guess. I can only roughly understand where their conversations are going and it wasn't easy for me to come up with interesting continuations.
I would have taken tons of pictures, if not for the hesitation and lack of confidence.
Come on!
Saturday, December 27, 2008
New Year Resolutions for 2009 - draft
1. Pass JLPT2 in 2009
2. Date (nampa? http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/nampa1.htm)
3. Apply for graduate school
4. Learn how to cook - at least a dish a month!
5. Obtain a Japanese drivers license
6. Take the shinkansen
7. Climb Mt Fuji
8. Make 1 new friend each month
9. Take a risk each month and do something I really want to do - examples are telling people how you feel about them, applying for a promotion, approaching a person that intimidates you, starting your own business
10. Pay someone a compliment everyday
Here are my resolutions for 2008. Let's see, were they achieved?
New Year Resolutions for 2008!
Presenting...
1. Learn how to cook - at least a dish a month!
O Yes! Now that I am in Japan I just have to do it.
2. Learn the guitar - attend classes regularly! practice at least once a week!
O Yes! Until the time when classes were cancelled in May.
3. Pass JLPT 2 - attend classes regularly! practice at least once a week!
X No! I still failed this year I think.
4. Research on Masters/PhD programmes - research at least once a week! map out timetable!
O Yes! Found a couple of programmes...
5. Exercise regularly - at least once a week!
O Yes! Does cycling to work almost everyday count?
6. Read a book each quarter - I can only try!
O Yes! Counting the number of Japanese textbooks...
7. Contact everyone at least once - This one I have to do, especially if I go on JET in August
O Yes! I did go onto JET. I did meet everyone!
8. Try smoking a cigarette - Trying to be naughty!
O Yes! I did! Yucky experience...
9. Backpack Japan - By hook or by crook!
O Yes! Doing it and loving it.
10. Learn first aid - something useful in life and encouraged by my workplace
X Nope, I didn't do it in the end...
... and I just chanced upon this!
11. Learn card tricks - impress the ladies! ;)
X Nope, it didn't strike my fancy...
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
shucks!
Dang! Im on my way to Tochigi prefecture now and while transferring trains I left my gloves behind! Now it is travelling to Ueno, Tokyo without me. I need to be more careful!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
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