~Last week~

It has been a week when I finally have the time to blog.Just want to blog about events last week.


Last Friday



We had the annual Foreign Students party.This year Kamarull was in charge of the Malaysian food and he made a good job teaching the canteen people how to make 'mee hun soup', it tasted really good.Really remind me of Malaysia.Haibi introduced 'Bastera' from Morocco,it didn't taste bad but it was really hard to bite.Made me wonder how the real thing would be..


Tang Yii and Saikhanna

Fareeza and Najwa




Wakebe,me and Rie




Soran of Suzuka

Last Saturday


Tang Yii and I went to Tokyo with Kawaguchi sensei and 5 Chinese teachers(1woman and 4men) who were guest to our college.Tang Yii and my job was to be translators when Kawaguchi sensei take them around in Japan.But boy,we were not only translators but mostly 'caretakers' I would say.We took the Shinkansen to Tokyo and went to take pictures around Nagoya before that.Tried our first 'eki-ben' or 'Japanese take-away' for lunch.Once we reach Tokyo we visited Ginza.It was my first time walking at the streets of Ginza in broad daylight.I didn't know there was a pedestrian street for shopping at Ginza.It was there where the horror begin.The lady teacher (a professor somemore)was really persistent in everything and kept on asking me and TY to ask for discounts and asked a million times if the cosmetics could have the tax exempted when we and the sales girls told her another million times that there are no discounts in Ginza.Gosh,she even asked us to go ask people the way to Akihabara saying that the sensei doesn't know his way just because he was reading a map(ask is a softer word,she actually grabbed my hand and push me to a Japanese young couple asking me to ask them for directions)GAHH!!We're at GINZA not AKIHABARA lar!!!!!Akihabara is the next stop ler...You never read the itinerary Kawaguchi Sensei prepared so hard mer!!!!!!!!!



Ahem,and so,finding the stuff at Ginza was way too expensive,they quickly insisted that we go Akihabara.So once we reached Akihabara,we went to Yodobashi where they done their shopping with their hearts content.So much so that we said to finish shopping in one hours time,they ended up with 2 and a half..Kept on asking about discounts by showing their passports and whether there's warranty for each item they buy,whether there's gift along with what they bought etc..The male teachers were still alright as they weren't so fussy,but the lady..OMG!!Can vomit blood ar...Even Tang Yii,who was ever so patient trying to explain and translate for her,finally gave up at the end of the day..






Next was Asakusa and finally Roppongi for nightview.Then we had dinner at a Chinese restaurant which was pretty good.The gyoza or dumplings were very crispy and juicy.We took the Shinkansen to Shin-Osaka and call it a day at Chisun Hotel.


Last Sunday


We had buffet breakfast at the hotel and then head for Kyoto.The 'aunty'(as TY and I now call the lady professor) tried all the food available and each coffee available on the coffee machine,and then left lots of food on the tray..Gosh..First stop in Kyoto was Kiyomizudera.Next was buffet lunch near Kinkakuji.The buffet was realllly good.After Kinkakuji was Nijyojyo before we head to Osaka for shopping.This is where I showed them the shops where they want to buy non-made-in-china goods,cosmetics and bags etc.It was a different plan from Kawaguchi sensei's plan but knowing the 'aunty' by now,who prefer to buy cheaper things then go to big department stores like Hankyu,I gained permission from Sensei to take them around Namba.



From there,I took the guys to buy cosmetics for their wives and bags for extra luggage while poor TY somehow was dragged by the 'aunty' to buy discounted cosmetics.At the cashier,the aunty,realising she bought more than she could afford told the guy at the cashier that she wouldn't want to buy the 2 lotions out of the 7cosmetics she chose.And then kept on asking us to double check the price,see whether they have been discounted or not,and when the price was shown to her,she even asked the cashier could have more discount or not!!Gosh,even the Japanese,well-known for their politeness rolled their eyes in front of her and asked her to move along after she has paid because there was a long line behind her....TY nearly fainted because this 'aunty' was really 'interesting'..


After shopping we had another buffet dinner at the hotel(yes,3 buffets in one day!!) and we were served with their best Chinese alcohol which was really strong..Only had a few sips but didn't really like it.They told us this alcohol is very expensive and is used to serve only important people like the Prime Minister etc..(Pic:the alcohol mentioned白酒)



Monday

Sent them off at Kansai airport and then head back to Suzuka tired out..And interesting trip but not really enjoyable,truth to be said.The only thing I really enjoyed was the food and seeing how impressive Kawaguchi Sensei was in making sure everything was well done,in terms of getting everyone on and off the right train,running ahead of us to get the train tickets,changing the itinerary every now and then when the Chinese guests have places they want to go,trying to explain everything in the best possible English he could although he fail to realise in the end TY and I still have to explain to them in Chinese because only one out of the 5 could understand little English.He was really enthusiastic in making sure that the guests were comfortable.Respect him..It was because of him,I tried my best to keep my patience around 'aunty' and tried my best to make conversations with the Chinese teachers.A good lesson,I would say,to learn how to face and tackle different types of people..



This week,I've been working on my research til 9 or 9.30pm everyday starting at 1pm.Have to work harder cuz I need to have better results on my research else it would be hard for me to give a complete thesis..I need to graduate!

~My first trip~

06/04/08…yes, this is how the Japanese write their dates, starting with the year then the month and then the day. Today is my first weekend here and after scrolling APITA(the mall behind my college) and the 100yen shop for 3 days with and without Anuar, by foot and also by bicycle, I finally went out of Suzuka City. I’ve made a trip to Osaka city with Anuar and my senior from PPKTJ too, Soo Sing.

We started the journey at 9.15am, we cycled to Shiroko train station where I’ve learned to take a train to Nanba and then switch trains. The thing about Japan is that everything is so systematic that you can actually check on the internet what time each train is coming, leaving and where to etc, so that one can save time in taking the next train and shorten the length of ones journey. So we went to take a kyukou densha that takes us to Nanba where we switch trains to Osaka city. The journey took about 2 hours and on the way, Shi Han, Jeremy and Fook Hee joined us to lead us the way. Apparently my senior is not very sure of the road to Osaka thus the guys made a detour to join us from Nara.

On the way I’ve managed to talk to Soo Sing about our college and how things get around here etc. Find her very nice and modest even though she’s a great student. She’s been taking care of me a lot and it made me felt very grateful but as usual as the egoistic Aquarian and maybe my own characteristics, I try my best not to give her too much trouble. Meaning if possible, I’ll try to solve my own minor problems without consulting her 24/7 for silly examples like what kind of moisturizer to buy etc or how to fill in some forms.
Once we reached Osaka eki(station) we made a man hunt for Clement and found him at another exit. It baffles me how many people there were at the station and everyone was walking at high speed. Unlike here in Suzuka, everyone stay on the right side of the right side of the escalator if they want to stand still and those in a hurry will have to wallk on the left whereas in Suzuka it’s the opposite. This train station is quite huge I must say and there were a lot of food shops there underground. After meeting Clement, we went to look for Halim, Naim sempai, Lee and Teo. Next was May Ching, Kim and Michael. From afar I’ve seen May Ching and we were like hugging each other once we met each other. Halim was amazed cuz we were hugging each other as if we haven’t met each other for a year but it was actually just a mere 5days.

After breaking into 3 groups and had our lunch (because the shops were so small that all 14 of us will actually take up the whole shop. So I joined Clement, Teo and May Ching for udon. Next we went into the Big something for electrical goods. Got myself a brand new camera at a very good bargain and it looks sleek!! Nice arrr..And also an electrical dictionary vital for all oversea student if one wants to study well here in a all Japanese only country. Was thinking of using my Travellers cheque but not able to, else I would have gotten myself a nano Ipod. *note to May Ching, interest one day one yen..not that much only right *giggle..
The most expensive commercial ad of Osaka city…..The crab is delicious though but damn expensive…
Next we separate into groups of do-shopping or do-sight-seeing group and the shopping group was next divided to gals and guys shop. So May Ching and I ended up with Shi Han and Soo Sing where we went to and fro Ebiubashi and I got myself a jeans top for a mere 1900yen. My legs were sore after walking for 3days for hours thus I really felt for the first time PAIN and NUMBNESS at my legs. After shopping we sat at some café and had tea and then met up with the rest at 6pm. Ghai Leong came with Chin Leong. My newly bought really came into handy and all of us took pictures before Soo Sing, Anuar and I bid them farewell earlier in order to meet our hostel curfew. It really made me felt extremely dreaded to part with everyone especially May Ching. As I’ve repeated a lot of times to both May Ching and Soo Sing, I felt actually nothing but just going on with my life here in Suzuka Technical College until I’ve met up with everyone in Osaka today. I actually missed them a lot(yes, I know, a very rare statement from me) I haven’t even start getting homesick yet I’ve already start getting friends sick. Guess life have to go on, I can only tell myself to look forward to the trip to Tokyo on the Golden Week which if I’m not mistaken, at the end of April. For the time being there are more things for me to worry, that is, to coop with my studies with my deteriorated Japanese and with the extremely busy course I’ve chosen, guess a lot of hard work need to be put in..so,gambarimasu!!!