the weeks here fly by faster than i can keep up with them really. i am so very happy that life here is so easy... i keep hearing, especially recently, how very difficult it can be for people to adjust, especially girls. i'd like to think that i am the type of person who could adjust relatively easily to any place - well no, given that its a first world country- i'd like to think i can adjust easily to any first world country... given that i spent a whole lotta time in france and learned to like it, i am assuming so! ^_^ but i understand that japan is very different from what we are used to in the states and for some people, getting with the program is just not something they can easily do. so for everything i have now, i am grateful.
to that end, i feel like im finally on the other side of the looking glass... i am finally living what i studied... and i am actually using both majors and using them to the fullest of my potential. what a really freaking awesome realization that was. dream come true, check.
jennifer has been staying with me off an on for a couple of weeks now but shes finally leaving to her new life/job/residence in kyoto next week. its been so much fun having her here with me. i say this a lot but the period of time from losing my dad til my move to japan was a really difficult one for me. having all my close friends in one location is so much more comforting than i could have imagined really. if only i had my sister and chibi... im pretty sure if i had chibi with me id never leave japan. -.-
this saturday is the midland end of year party. i am pretty excited about it. i am really looking forward to hanging with some of the staff and friends that i have made here. next year i am going to be hanging out in a completely different part of town, so i am going to be saying goodbye to some really awesome newly made friends. thankfully most of these relationships are solid and i dont feel like its a goodbye... in preparation for the new year/end of the year, ive dyed my hair, cut it, new coats of nail polish, a new pair of shoes (heels), and a new skirt. the shoes i can wear to work and since all my pants are tailored for heels, this purchase is actually quite handy. have i mentioned that ive walked through *2* pairs of shoes already?! also, the skirt was on sale, so i dont have too much guilt about it. =) i am going with yosuke though the jury is still out on this part of the story. i will let you know in the follow blog. ^_^
last weekend was mandys birthday! it was so much fun shopping for a birthday present for her. i like shopping for presents for people... i think we all know this... its like a scavenger hunt for something you think the person will like the most... i dont always find exactly what i am looking for, but when i do, its a really great feeling. i initially wanted to get her a scarf, since i figured it would be small enough for her to keep when she leaves japan, but i couldnt find one that i thought suited her style well enough... so i ended up with english tea, some very tasty truffles, and some hand lotion from the place that i like. side note, hand lotion is expensive here! why?!!
so part of the birthday celebration was to go and see mars! thats right! me! mars! little people! it was a lot of fun. there were 7 telescopes set out. 6 were pointed at various stars and the last one was massive and was pointed at mars. mars looks like a circle. just like all the other stars... but its red and that somehow makes it cooler. ^_^ we looked at a few of the other stars as well. one telescope was pointed at the north star... and i have no idea where the others were... lol. also itd been raining off and on the whole day so we were really lucky that it cleared up just as we were starting the viewing!
then we went to dinner at this italian place nearby. they pretty fantastic food. in japan, its common for restaurants to change their menus with the season... spring is here so the italian restaurant changed all of the dishes on the menu. kinda through us a curve ball there but the dishes that we ordered were both equally fantastic to what we'd eaten before. =) then we went to a little cafe in osu and had dessert. have i mentioned how lucky i am to have mandy? i am so glad i have someone to hang out with who enjoys all these random things with me... =)
also, i had a special taiyaki today! ive inserted a link in case youve forgotten. it really is all goodness. since its spring, theyre offering strawberry and mochi filled taiyaki! omg! the best! if i remember, i will upload a picture. =)
also, if i am speaking in cliches lately, its because lately ive been helping various people with english idioms. knowing idioms really is the only way to be fluent in a language... and lately ive been helping people with them. so if i sound like a walking cliche, thats why.
i am still looking into moving. once i get the info on this place ive been looking at, i will probably put my notice in to move.... but i soooo dont want to leave my area! fushimi is the best location in nagoya! -.- alas, its expensive and i need to get a better handle on my finances.... *sad face*
also still trying to figure out golden week! eek! so much i want to do... so little time/money to do it all! my normal MUST DO IT ALL NOW isnt quite working in this situation... ive also included a link for golden week in case you're curious.
ok, ive got a couple of hours of studying ahead of me tonight... again i must ask WHY AM I NOT FLUENT ALREADY??? ugh. why is my brain so slow?! i will continue beating it into submission until it submits to my will. -.-
thanks for reading. =)
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
besties at play
so its been a while since ive written (or maybe it just feels that way). i have been on a whirlwind the last few weeks. jennifer came to stay with me after she escaped the mountain. =) her job was absolutely terrible though and i am so glad she was able to leave that place... and so now she is with me.... at least until thursday. on thursday she is heading back to kyoto to start a new job at a macha cafe. macha is green tea, so a green tea cafe. =) i am super excited for her... and it looks like she has an apartment lined up when she gets there. things are finally looking up for her and i am really hopeful that she will finally get to experience the japan that i experience.
that brings me to another thought. i was slightly hesitant to move into a new apartment with very little knowledge of who i would be staying with, etc., but after having jennifer here with me the last ten days, i know i am going to be sooooo bored when she leaves. thus i have decided to move. i am going to put in my notice just as soon as she leaves. i am looking forward to the change. its time i had a roommate anyway. =)
like i said, the last ten days or so have been quite exciting! ive been all over random places in nagoya with mandy and jennifer! last tuesday i made kabocha soup and had mandy over for dinner. then i had a random knock at my door. seems bruce (the landlord) told one of the new girls that i lived in the same building and she came to say hello. of course we fed her and gave her some pointers about the city and such. it was really a nice dinner. my kabocha soup recipe is getting better too!
i also got a fantastic care package from my step sister christi! its my second care package to date and it was filled with all sorts of chips and crackers! i am soooo happy. hehe.
i also got a copy of the ultrasound showing my new nephews face. ^_^
otherwise, the end of the year is approaching and next year is just around the corner. i have my new schedule, new classes, and a whole slew of things on my to-do list for spring. i feel so lucky to have so many awesome things happening right now...
today was lunch date round two, with jennifer. we really had a lot of fun... dinner was about 2.5 hours again and we chatted and spent a lot of time discussing random finer points of language. after lunch jennifer and i went to take purikura.
i have some friends who really bring out the child in me. they allow me to relax and not be so uptight. i dont have many of these friends because i can only relax when i feel completely at peace with someone and if i feel completely assured of his/her competence. jennifer is one of those people. when i think about it, its probably one of the highest compliments i can give someone (because as everyone knows, i am a stress case usually!). =) this is the other shot:
after lunch, jennifer and i went to a PRINCESS CAFE! only in japan do they have such a thing... you go in, pay for lunch/dessert and dress up like a princess. ^_^ it was soooo much fun! of course, here are a couple of pictures for you to see!
and this one:
man, it really was the perfect way to spend the day... it was pretty much a fantastic day. =) oooooo! we also went and had pho! it was sooo good! slightly different from pho in america... which is still the best ive had, but it was good nonetheless. they didnt have siracha which was a bit annoying... but it was pho, and it was good... and it was cheap and relatively close by. ^_^
i also met the newest members of ecc, 7 guys. eeeek. it was funny because usually my friends are male... but upon walking into this training room filled with testosterone, i felt quite out of place. also, just being here for a while you start to blend in with japanese culture... these guys felt SO WESTERN! it was an initial bit of culture shock for me. but theyre all super nice guys and after the initial bit of shock, i was able to mingle a bit more and get comfortable with them. i think theyll all do well here. itll be interesting to see how much they "blend" with time.
saturday is mandys birthday. we have tickets to go and see MARS from the observatory on saturday! i really hope the sky is clear... the weather is so bi-polar here! today it was nice and sunny... and warm even... but the forecast calls for heavy rain tomorrow. lame. i guess this is what the rest of the world calls "spring." i wonder if i will ever not miss california weather... its sooooo beautifu1! lol. side note, you know the song "save me san francisco" from train? i used to think that song would make me feel homesick or nostalgic while i was here... and it does a little, but not in the way i thought it would. i am finally at peace with things. that is such a good/refreshing/new feeling and a relief.
alright, time to study some more japanese. i study every night now... uuugh. why am i not fluent already?! *grumbles*
also, must decide on golden week at some point... i am running out of time! only 5 weeks to go! eeeek!
that brings me to another thought. i was slightly hesitant to move into a new apartment with very little knowledge of who i would be staying with, etc., but after having jennifer here with me the last ten days, i know i am going to be sooooo bored when she leaves. thus i have decided to move. i am going to put in my notice just as soon as she leaves. i am looking forward to the change. its time i had a roommate anyway. =)
like i said, the last ten days or so have been quite exciting! ive been all over random places in nagoya with mandy and jennifer! last tuesday i made kabocha soup and had mandy over for dinner. then i had a random knock at my door. seems bruce (the landlord) told one of the new girls that i lived in the same building and she came to say hello. of course we fed her and gave her some pointers about the city and such. it was really a nice dinner. my kabocha soup recipe is getting better too!
i also got a fantastic care package from my step sister christi! its my second care package to date and it was filled with all sorts of chips and crackers! i am soooo happy. hehe.
i also got a copy of the ultrasound showing my new nephews face. ^_^
otherwise, the end of the year is approaching and next year is just around the corner. i have my new schedule, new classes, and a whole slew of things on my to-do list for spring. i feel so lucky to have so many awesome things happening right now...
today was lunch date round two, with jennifer. we really had a lot of fun... dinner was about 2.5 hours again and we chatted and spent a lot of time discussing random finer points of language. after lunch jennifer and i went to take purikura.
i have some friends who really bring out the child in me. they allow me to relax and not be so uptight. i dont have many of these friends because i can only relax when i feel completely at peace with someone and if i feel completely assured of his/her competence. jennifer is one of those people. when i think about it, its probably one of the highest compliments i can give someone (because as everyone knows, i am a stress case usually!). =) this is the other shot:
after lunch, jennifer and i went to a PRINCESS CAFE! only in japan do they have such a thing... you go in, pay for lunch/dessert and dress up like a princess. ^_^ it was soooo much fun! of course, here are a couple of pictures for you to see!
and this one:
man, it really was the perfect way to spend the day... it was pretty much a fantastic day. =) oooooo! we also went and had pho! it was sooo good! slightly different from pho in america... which is still the best ive had, but it was good nonetheless. they didnt have siracha which was a bit annoying... but it was pho, and it was good... and it was cheap and relatively close by. ^_^
i also met the newest members of ecc, 7 guys. eeeek. it was funny because usually my friends are male... but upon walking into this training room filled with testosterone, i felt quite out of place. also, just being here for a while you start to blend in with japanese culture... these guys felt SO WESTERN! it was an initial bit of culture shock for me. but theyre all super nice guys and after the initial bit of shock, i was able to mingle a bit more and get comfortable with them. i think theyll all do well here. itll be interesting to see how much they "blend" with time.
saturday is mandys birthday. we have tickets to go and see MARS from the observatory on saturday! i really hope the sky is clear... the weather is so bi-polar here! today it was nice and sunny... and warm even... but the forecast calls for heavy rain tomorrow. lame. i guess this is what the rest of the world calls "spring." i wonder if i will ever not miss california weather... its sooooo beautifu1! lol. side note, you know the song "save me san francisco" from train? i used to think that song would make me feel homesick or nostalgic while i was here... and it does a little, but not in the way i thought it would. i am finally at peace with things. that is such a good/refreshing/new feeling and a relief.
alright, time to study some more japanese. i study every night now... uuugh. why am i not fluent already?! *grumbles*
also, must decide on golden week at some point... i am running out of time! only 5 weeks to go! eeeek!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
春(haru): spring
i cant believe its finally spring!!! i felt like the cold weather was never ever ever going to end! the last couple of days have been slightly cool (about low 50's) but NOT FREEZING! i hear this is a bit early for spring weather as warm as this... and that hay fever is particularly bad this year but i am lucky that i dont suffer from allergies really. spring spring spring spring... aaaaah. *breathes*
so if you have a facebook, you know i went strawberry picking last week. mandy and i had a fantastic time with akemi! she was such a great host! we met at the station in handa, then went to a little farm just outside the city. strawberries were planted in a greenhouse in double decker rows. it was all very neatly organized. also the raised flowerbeds meant that i didnt have to bend down to pick any strawberries... nope! they were all there perfectly positioned for me to eat them. all of them. for like 2 hours. i might have strawberried myself out a bit... but we got these little plastic containers and condensed milk/chocolate sauce to dip them in... and im not gonna lie, it was a little slice of heaven. ^_^
that day i got a call from jennifer and she hopped on a train and came to nagoya to spend the night with me! it was sooooo great seeing her again! i missed her soooo much! i havent seen her since she popped in at my dads funeral to give me flowers and a hug. that was easily one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. i am in awe sometimes of the kindness of my friends. i often have no clue how i survive without them... unfortunately, it seems as though her job really really sucks... which is horrible, but it also means that i might gain a roommate. ^_^ shes supposed to quit this week and come stay with me! yay! its gonna be sooo exciting! ^_^ thats jennifer below. ^_^
i also got my first private student! he is really cool and our plan is to meet every other week for 1.5 hours. i am really looking forward to some conversation and cultural learning. we met last sunday and the interview was a bit intimidating. you can tell he is a well educated man with a lot of life/work experience. he is very smart and asked me a lot of very direct questions. he said he chose me for my education... wow! my education actually means something!
that night we met some of the new teachers to celebrate a birthday. we went to a small restaurant across from my building. the owner was sooo nice! seriously guys, ive never had such freaking amazing hospitality as i have had in japan. if youre nice, try hard, and play by the rules, life is so easy going. of course those things arent always easy... some of the rules are *interesting* but nonetheless, i have met some really really nice people here and have had some unmatched life experiences.
after dinner we went to karaoke! its the first time ive actually gone since ive been in japan. omg... first, it was funny cause we sang only english songs. second, we had two australians... and they sang all the stereotypical australian songs... like men at work. it was fantastic! lol!
last week i also went into a used clothing store and found this really old, really awesome english grammar book from about 1905! it was 2000Y (about $20) but i had to get it. it has two dedications in it! one from about 1915 and one from about 1958! its sooooo cool! this little book is all mine now...
while i was there, i met this guy. we have a lunch date on tuesday... lol. hrm... i really dont understand japanese guys though... they are a complete and utter mystery to me. i have a really hard time playing any sort of game and dating for me... is such a pain. this is why i am single. i want a relationship but i really dont want to have to go out and date anyone. what happened to the good old days of high school when a guy says he likes you and then done!? yea. i need more of that. OH! and one more thing. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND GUY JAPANESE TO SAVE MY LIFE! ive been hanging around too many girls... and really guys use different slang... and slur their words differently... its like a whole different language. WTF?! i feel like im on the short bus every time i talk to a guy. i have to ask them to slow down and speak clearly... ugh. it adds a layer of complexity my feeble little mind continues to struggle with...
on sunday i went to dinner with my friend. shes moving to santa barbara next month... im sooo excited for her. shes the sweetest girl... and has such potential. shes also sooo pretty... and really innocent... i have a feeling the guys are going to be all over her. thankfully, shes got a fairly good head on her shoulders and i think she will be ok. dinner was fun though. we went to a bookstore and i helped her pick out a book that she would be able to read in english. ^_^
also, i ran into a friend on my day off tuesday! it was quite serendipitous! she was coming out of a cooking class nearby and also had the day off... so she took me to her cooking school and i got a brochure! i am going to start cooking classes in may! once a month... on tuesday morning. its going to be sooo much fun! i have always wanted to take a cooking class... and theres no better place to do it than japan! we also went by a jewelry making school... we are going to take a short 3 hour class on the 27th.. im going to learn to make a new type of necklace! im sure there will be pics to follow!
i love school.... i love learning.... if only i had more money and more free time... i go to school forever... and ever... and ever...
finally, i am really stoked about this weekend! mandy and i are going to see a live show! its going to be fantastic! i have all my rocker chick clothes ready! Nagoya Mag. has all the info for the show online! and its in english! lol. im soooo excited...
ive been slowly plugging away at the japanese.... studying it more and more now. sooo... much... work.... uuuugh....
anyway... i guess this blog ended up longer than i had intended... but i think they always do... lol.
"be excellent to each other"
so if you have a facebook, you know i went strawberry picking last week. mandy and i had a fantastic time with akemi! she was such a great host! we met at the station in handa, then went to a little farm just outside the city. strawberries were planted in a greenhouse in double decker rows. it was all very neatly organized. also the raised flowerbeds meant that i didnt have to bend down to pick any strawberries... nope! they were all there perfectly positioned for me to eat them. all of them. for like 2 hours. i might have strawberried myself out a bit... but we got these little plastic containers and condensed milk/chocolate sauce to dip them in... and im not gonna lie, it was a little slice of heaven. ^_^
that day i got a call from jennifer and she hopped on a train and came to nagoya to spend the night with me! it was sooooo great seeing her again! i missed her soooo much! i havent seen her since she popped in at my dads funeral to give me flowers and a hug. that was easily one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. i am in awe sometimes of the kindness of my friends. i often have no clue how i survive without them... unfortunately, it seems as though her job really really sucks... which is horrible, but it also means that i might gain a roommate. ^_^ shes supposed to quit this week and come stay with me! yay! its gonna be sooo exciting! ^_^ thats jennifer below. ^_^
i also got my first private student! he is really cool and our plan is to meet every other week for 1.5 hours. i am really looking forward to some conversation and cultural learning. we met last sunday and the interview was a bit intimidating. you can tell he is a well educated man with a lot of life/work experience. he is very smart and asked me a lot of very direct questions. he said he chose me for my education... wow! my education actually means something!
that night we met some of the new teachers to celebrate a birthday. we went to a small restaurant across from my building. the owner was sooo nice! seriously guys, ive never had such freaking amazing hospitality as i have had in japan. if youre nice, try hard, and play by the rules, life is so easy going. of course those things arent always easy... some of the rules are *interesting* but nonetheless, i have met some really really nice people here and have had some unmatched life experiences.
after dinner we went to karaoke! its the first time ive actually gone since ive been in japan. omg... first, it was funny cause we sang only english songs. second, we had two australians... and they sang all the stereotypical australian songs... like men at work. it was fantastic! lol!
last week i also went into a used clothing store and found this really old, really awesome english grammar book from about 1905! it was 2000Y (about $20) but i had to get it. it has two dedications in it! one from about 1915 and one from about 1958! its sooooo cool! this little book is all mine now...
while i was there, i met this guy. we have a lunch date on tuesday... lol. hrm... i really dont understand japanese guys though... they are a complete and utter mystery to me. i have a really hard time playing any sort of game and dating for me... is such a pain. this is why i am single. i want a relationship but i really dont want to have to go out and date anyone. what happened to the good old days of high school when a guy says he likes you and then done!? yea. i need more of that. OH! and one more thing. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND GUY JAPANESE TO SAVE MY LIFE! ive been hanging around too many girls... and really guys use different slang... and slur their words differently... its like a whole different language. WTF?! i feel like im on the short bus every time i talk to a guy. i have to ask them to slow down and speak clearly... ugh. it adds a layer of complexity my feeble little mind continues to struggle with...
on sunday i went to dinner with my friend. shes moving to santa barbara next month... im sooo excited for her. shes the sweetest girl... and has such potential. shes also sooo pretty... and really innocent... i have a feeling the guys are going to be all over her. thankfully, shes got a fairly good head on her shoulders and i think she will be ok. dinner was fun though. we went to a bookstore and i helped her pick out a book that she would be able to read in english. ^_^
also, i ran into a friend on my day off tuesday! it was quite serendipitous! she was coming out of a cooking class nearby and also had the day off... so she took me to her cooking school and i got a brochure! i am going to start cooking classes in may! once a month... on tuesday morning. its going to be sooo much fun! i have always wanted to take a cooking class... and theres no better place to do it than japan! we also went by a jewelry making school... we are going to take a short 3 hour class on the 27th.. im going to learn to make a new type of necklace! im sure there will be pics to follow!
i love school.... i love learning.... if only i had more money and more free time... i go to school forever... and ever... and ever...
finally, i am really stoked about this weekend! mandy and i are going to see a live show! its going to be fantastic! i have all my rocker chick clothes ready! Nagoya Mag. has all the info for the show online! and its in english! lol. im soooo excited...
ive been slowly plugging away at the japanese.... studying it more and more now. sooo... much... work.... uuuugh....
anyway... i guess this blog ended up longer than i had intended... but i think they always do... lol.
"be excellent to each other"
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