Last time wrote in here was 20 days ago.
I really don't suit blogging. -_______-'
I'll write as events come into mind - my memory is deteriorating. Losing count of days.
Christmas Day.
I went to school. Yippee.
We did do something after school though - we, as in the girls in my class and the exchange student aka me.
We went to this cake buffet - it wasn't the amount of cakes that were there that really surprised me. It was the amount of cakes that my classmates managed to eat o.o I was literally stuffed after my second serving. But they went for their thirds, fourths and fifiths. and then an ice-cream dessert to top it all off. O_O Everyone started loosening their skirts as they went to get more cakes. xD Mind you, they are still thin as.
Random: The cakes - they had green tea cake! Lovee.
We went to this Purikura place after that. Packed with people - mostly couples and small groups of giggling girls all dressed up. - and then you have us, 13 girls wearing our school uniform trying to weave our way through the crowd. And of course there's the part of trying to fit everyone, and the school bags, into the booth. and into the photo frame. xD
My eyes turn out massive on the photos. It's like half my face - I look like an alien. So in one of the photos, I squinted my eyes - hoping that it'll turn out 'normal', it didn't fail but it wasn't successful either. After that, I left to go home with a few other girls, while the others went to dinner and so on. I couldn't believe they could still eat after that cake buffet. o.o
On the 26th, I went out to Kuzuha with 3 classmates in our class. I was notified about this outing 2 days before. o_o and it was like 'Ah, we're going out on the 26th.' It wasn't a question, lol. I found that quite amusing. Anyway, it was supposed to be 2 guys and me. But I asked this girl in my class to come along as well - I can't thank her enough (lol). She's helped me on several occassions so I'm really grateful. We went to the arcade, I insisted on racing, I came 2nd. One second difference, damnit. Walked around the mall, took the bus to a restaurant that they saw on TV, it was closed unfortunately D: so we walked to a nearby ramen restaurant. I tried a black sesame based soup + ramen. Liked it. We walked and talked for a bit more. It was getting dark and really cold, so they 'escorted' me to the station and I went home.
Went home, packed some clothes and returned back to Kuzuha station because I was lucky enough to be invited to this girl's (from another class) home for a sleepover. Apparently, Japanese families don't usually invite guests to their house easily, so I felt really honoured. The girl and her friend was waiting at the station - we waited around for her mum - she was driving us back to her home. Her mum is absolutely adorable.
Drove around a residential area that was famous for its Christmas Illumination. T___T Loved it.
and then blahblahblah - can't be bothered typing about everything. Dinner was curry + rice + salad and ice-cream for dessert. I better watch my weight - I would like to at least be able to fit into my school uniform. Didn't manage to sleep that night, they started 'girl talk'. and at 2 am - they literally jumped on me, at 5 am - they started tickling me. Annoying but it was fun/ny at the same time, haha.
Next day, we went to purikura and sight-seeing. and then at night, we walked around the mall. New Years Sale is soon! Going shopping on the 3rd of Jan. We taught each other random phrases, laughed like crazy. Met some of their other friends by coincidence. This particular group of her friends were like 'HEY!' in this stereotypical American (?) style. So I was like 'YO!' back. - I have no idea why I did that. I'm doing the most ridiculous things here. Well, everyone bursted into laughter. Probably, laughing at me. Most definitely.
and then blahblah - I went home. Exhausted.
Going to a 'concert' tonight - I think it's one of those band performances. o.o
I'm writing Japanese new year cards - taking me a lot of time. T_T The Kanji is so hard. and I'm decorating each card separately. Writing around 30 cards. T_T My host mother printed hers. (....)
That's al I'm going to write for now. o.o It's getting boring. xD I don't like recounting things much. lol
Happy holidays everyone! Take care!
Edit: I realise I don't so cheery in my posts - but I'm actually really satisfied and grateful. I'm more than halfway into my exchange - and I don't want to leave. D: so yes, I just have difficulty expressing my feelings. ^^"
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
2.
Good morning~
The following are bits and pieces of my journal entries up to now.
Meaning I've filtered it..a bit, lol.
18/11/10
On the plane right now. Just settled down in my seat. I'm sitting in 47A - window seat near the middle of the plane. Hasn't exactly hit me that I'm leaving for three months. There's this Japanese lady (I think she is Japanese) sitting next to me. Eeek. Shall I make conversation? >
I hope mum can sleep tonight. I'm going to stop writing now, we're about to take off. Signing out, 9:52pm. (Syd)
20/11/10
Sorry, I didn't write anymore on the plane.
Arrived in Japan at around 6am. Oh yeah, when I was leaving the Sydney airport (customs area), this particular customs officer was like 'Konnichi wa'. He probably thought I was Japanese, cause I was wearing this name tag that said 'Angel, Japan.' I just smiled, bowed and left.
[Cut the recount on orientation. Can't be bothered.]
hmm, I don't feel like writing about everything that has happened. I'll just write about whatever comes into my head. I'm on a shinkansen right now, going to Kyoto fromTokyo. Ticket cost ~135,000yen. I'm listening to a song of FAMA's. When I look out the window, I feel like I know this place, weird. I can't believe this is actually happening. Everything feels so surreal. I don't really feel homesick yet.
[Enter cheesy stuff that I prefer not to be published on the internet.]
I haven't been able to go on the internet, I even woke up early today to go on the internet but I couldn't connect to the hotel's network. Damn it. Haven't had the chance to tell family I've arrived safely.
We're about to arrive at Nagoya now. The other exchange student, Krystal, is getting off. I wish her the best of luck with her exchange. Hope she achieves her goals..
[Enter more cheesy stuff.]
This man just sat next to me (another passenger). I wonder if he can read English cause I'm writing on those foldable tables that you can use to put your food on when eating. My host family, counsellor and school teacher is at the local station to meet me. Nervous. I wonder what their expectations are. I just glimpsed at the man's notepad. He knows English. Maybe I shouldn't have written that sentence here... Signing off now, lol.
Ciao.
The rest of journal entries are private. xD In other words, this blog post was basically rubbish, lol. My bad.
But to Bich, Helene and Nessa - the journal is nearly half filled now. Thank you for the present.
The following are bits and pieces of my journal entries up to now.
Meaning I've filtered it..a bit, lol.
18/11/10
On the plane right now. Just settled down in my seat. I'm sitting in 47A - window seat near the middle of the plane. Hasn't exactly hit me that I'm leaving for three months. There's this Japanese lady (I think she is Japanese) sitting next to me. Eeek. Shall I make conversation? >
I hope mum can sleep tonight. I'm going to stop writing now, we're about to take off. Signing out, 9:52pm. (Syd)
20/11/10
Sorry, I didn't write anymore on the plane.
Arrived in Japan at around 6am. Oh yeah, when I was leaving the Sydney airport (customs area), this particular customs officer was like 'Konnichi wa'. He probably thought I was Japanese, cause I was wearing this name tag that said 'Angel, Japan.' I just smiled, bowed and left.
[Cut the recount on orientation. Can't be bothered.]
hmm, I don't feel like writing about everything that has happened. I'll just write about whatever comes into my head. I'm on a shinkansen right now, going to Kyoto fromTokyo. Ticket cost ~135,000yen. I'm listening to a song of FAMA's. When I look out the window, I feel like I know this place, weird. I can't believe this is actually happening. Everything feels so surreal. I don't really feel homesick yet.
[Enter cheesy stuff that I prefer not to be published on the internet.]
I haven't been able to go on the internet, I even woke up early today to go on the internet but I couldn't connect to the hotel's network. Damn it. Haven't had the chance to tell family I've arrived safely.
We're about to arrive at Nagoya now. The other exchange student, Krystal, is getting off. I wish her the best of luck with her exchange. Hope she achieves her goals..
[Enter more cheesy stuff.]
This man just sat next to me (another passenger). I wonder if he can read English cause I'm writing on those foldable tables that you can use to put your food on when eating. My host family, counsellor and school teacher is at the local station to meet me. Nervous. I wonder what their expectations are. I just glimpsed at the man's notepad. He knows English. Maybe I shouldn't have written that sentence here... Signing off now, lol.
Ciao.
The rest of journal entries are private. xD In other words, this blog post was basically rubbish, lol. My bad.
But to Bich, Helene and Nessa - the journal is nearly half filled now. Thank you for the present.
1.
Sorry for the lack of posts.
Only just managed to fix my internet yesterday night.
Last post was the night before my first day at Tachibana.
Maybe I'll type out some sections from my journal. Later.
Right now I'm in bed - students just finished the last exams yesterday and we have 3 days off.
My class can be considered as the top class in the grade - the 'top' classes get winter vacation lectures. (?) The teacher responsible for my exchange at the school said I do not have to attend school during that period. But I told her I want to...I don't know what I was thinking. 1.5 hours of maths, science, history etc classes. Actually I do, if I don't attend those classes, I go to school for only just a bit over a month. I want to spend more time with my classmates rather than lounging at home. Oh yeah, I have do maths all over again. It's on a whole different level. and this is the ichi nensei (equivalant to Year 10 in Aus). I got 10/50 in my first maths exam. *facepalm
On my first day at school, doing the self-introducory speech was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I have had so far. and it wasn't like I had something difficult to say in my speech. Basically my name, where I came from, why I came etc. I had to do a speech in front of the staff during their daily staff meeting - all the teachers including the principal were there. Apparently it was well done, - but then, maybe it was because they didn't expect much from me. xD
A second speech was done in front of my class. My hands were shaking even more during this speech. But there was this guy in the class, Hiroshi, he had a big smile on his face. Made me laugh, and calmed me down a bit. I've managed to memorise everyone's names. Students run up to me, tell me their name and ask me what their name is everytime I see them. T_T I've been improving lately - been passing those random tests.
I did another speech yesterday in front of the whole grade and all the teachers in the school hall/auditorium. (It's huge. Looks like a place where orchestras would perform in) I got told that I was going to do a speech literaally 5 mins before the actual assembly. T____T Three Japanese exchange students that went to Australia for a year returned and I thought it was only them that were doing the speeches. I practiced with them on their speeches and then the teacher comes up and tells us that we have to leave for the hall soon. - said that while looking at me as well. Luckily, I've met most people from the grade already, thanks to my HR teacher, so they know who I am and probably noticed that I'm not a 'speech' person.
I like my uniform here better than the one in Australia. Though the short-waist jacket is...
Oh, sports. Totally different from Australia. We are running marathons and up those long staircases of shrines and temples built on top of mountains. x___x but its all good fun. My PE teacher is kind, likes to torture us and see us suffer. ... Lol, though he did let us jog slowly for bit because I was like TIME-OUT.ONEGAIII.
There haven't been any big problems with my host family yet. Thankfully.
I try to help my hsot mother as much as possible. She works for 6 days a week. and I can tell from her hands that the work is not easy. I prayed for my host family when I went to a shrine in Fushimi Inari.
You always see a person sleeping over here. On trains. In classrooms.
Sitting on a train, five minutes later, you might find a stranger leaning on your shoulder, asleep.
Oh, trains. They are as packed as rumoured during the rush hours. On one of my first days to school, my jacket got stuck between the doors but the door opens on the other side on the train station I wanted to get off at. =____= Had to drop everything and yank the jacket out. *chuckle*
My Asian face doesn't make me stand out as a foreigner. but my actions definitely do. I've gotten lost so many times I've lost count - and it's always to somewhere thats like an hour away from home by train. Thanks to all the students' kindness, I am always tagging along with someone now.
I am really grateful for being able to meet certain people during the exchange so far.
I cannot thank them enough.
These people have changed me, although they mighnt realised.
I've said things, done things, that I would not have done in Australia.
I don't want to leave yet. I want to come back for university - if I make it.
Argh, results in 5 days.
I'm going to be in Tokyo Disneyland/Sea in 5 days.
= =
I know, great timing.
That's all for now. The post is all over the place - just writing as the thoughts come.
Oh Bich, I've read Clockwork Angel for 2 times now. (Y)
Hope you guys have a great time! Stay safe, get tanned, and take a lot of photos!
I'm learning something new everyday here.
My fortune told me to persevere.
Fighting!
Only just managed to fix my internet yesterday night.
Last post was the night before my first day at Tachibana.
Maybe I'll type out some sections from my journal. Later.
Right now I'm in bed - students just finished the last exams yesterday and we have 3 days off.
My class can be considered as the top class in the grade - the 'top' classes get winter vacation lectures. (?) The teacher responsible for my exchange at the school said I do not have to attend school during that period. But I told her I want to...I don't know what I was thinking. 1.5 hours of maths, science, history etc classes. Actually I do, if I don't attend those classes, I go to school for only just a bit over a month. I want to spend more time with my classmates rather than lounging at home. Oh yeah, I have do maths all over again. It's on a whole different level. and this is the ichi nensei (equivalant to Year 10 in Aus). I got 10/50 in my first maths exam. *facepalm
On my first day at school, doing the self-introducory speech was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I have had so far. and it wasn't like I had something difficult to say in my speech. Basically my name, where I came from, why I came etc. I had to do a speech in front of the staff during their daily staff meeting - all the teachers including the principal were there. Apparently it was well done, - but then, maybe it was because they didn't expect much from me. xD
A second speech was done in front of my class. My hands were shaking even more during this speech. But there was this guy in the class, Hiroshi, he had a big smile on his face. Made me laugh, and calmed me down a bit. I've managed to memorise everyone's names. Students run up to me, tell me their name and ask me what their name is everytime I see them. T_T I've been improving lately - been passing those random tests.
I did another speech yesterday in front of the whole grade and all the teachers in the school hall/auditorium. (It's huge. Looks like a place where orchestras would perform in) I got told that I was going to do a speech literaally 5 mins before the actual assembly. T____T Three Japanese exchange students that went to Australia for a year returned and I thought it was only them that were doing the speeches. I practiced with them on their speeches and then the teacher comes up and tells us that we have to leave for the hall soon. - said that while looking at me as well. Luckily, I've met most people from the grade already, thanks to my HR teacher, so they know who I am and probably noticed that I'm not a 'speech' person.
I like my uniform here better than the one in Australia. Though the short-waist jacket is...
Oh, sports. Totally different from Australia. We are running marathons and up those long staircases of shrines and temples built on top of mountains. x___x but its all good fun. My PE teacher is kind, likes to torture us and see us suffer. ... Lol, though he did let us jog slowly for bit because I was like TIME-OUT.ONEGAIII.
There haven't been any big problems with my host family yet. Thankfully.
I try to help my hsot mother as much as possible. She works for 6 days a week. and I can tell from her hands that the work is not easy. I prayed for my host family when I went to a shrine in Fushimi Inari.
You always see a person sleeping over here. On trains. In classrooms.
Sitting on a train, five minutes later, you might find a stranger leaning on your shoulder, asleep.
Oh, trains. They are as packed as rumoured during the rush hours. On one of my first days to school, my jacket got stuck between the doors but the door opens on the other side on the train station I wanted to get off at. =____= Had to drop everything and yank the jacket out. *chuckle*
My Asian face doesn't make me stand out as a foreigner. but my actions definitely do. I've gotten lost so many times I've lost count - and it's always to somewhere thats like an hour away from home by train. Thanks to all the students' kindness, I am always tagging along with someone now.
I am really grateful for being able to meet certain people during the exchange so far.
I cannot thank them enough.
These people have changed me, although they mighnt realised.
I've said things, done things, that I would not have done in Australia.
I don't want to leave yet. I want to come back for university - if I make it.
Argh, results in 5 days.
I'm going to be in Tokyo Disneyland/Sea in 5 days.
= =
I know, great timing.
That's all for now. The post is all over the place - just writing as the thoughts come.
Oh Bich, I've read Clockwork Angel for 2 times now. (Y)
Hope you guys have a great time! Stay safe, get tanned, and take a lot of photos!
I'm learning something new everyday here.
My fortune told me to persevere.
Fighting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)