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it seems that going to Ueno Park every Saturday has become a weekly affair. I was here last Saturday, and I'm here again. Two weeks before, I was at another part of the shitamachi, but still very much smaller buildings and wide open spaces clustered together.
When I'm tired of life, tired of not having people listen to me when I'm not speaking, tired of the constant parade of decisions that dance before me, the old Taito-ku of Tokyo is where I can sit on a bench, by myself and just watch the world go by. I never saw the need in moving about in cumbersome pairs, triplets, quadruplets and it's afternoons (and bleary mornings) that make it true. How else can I go chasing after stray cats in the bushes, or spend fifteen minutes sitting in front of a barricaded entrance to the Zoo. There is no other way I can sit, by the yatai and talk to the old man and his spatula freely.
Today, after being turned away by the apologetic staff at the Tea House, I stood in front of the Honkan building of the Tokyo National Museum. The rain had stopped, it had rained all morning. As I snapped some shots of the imposing building, a pair of ladies asked me, in halting English, if I wanted to have my picture taken. I brought down the viewfinder from my face and hesitated. In the end I agreed and the enthusiastic pair made me teach them (or rather, one of them) how to use my camera.
It's when I'm alone with my shadow, that people come to me and share bits of their lives with me. Built upon hand gestures and slow sentences, I take a bite of real Japan and give back some illusionary, doused with exchange-student happiness to them.
Strangely enough, or perhaps even coincidentally enough, they are from a Buddhist organization. By now, I'm not surprised when I find out that the people who approach me the most are religiously guided. Still, they make for the best conversations and the friendliest smiles. One of them, the more forthcoming lady, has e-mailed me already.
After taking my picture (a few unsuccessful shots, because the Canon is unwieldy), they ask me the standard how-do-you-do-where-are-you-from; then, to my greatest surprise, they ask me if I'm studying photography. I chuckle and say no, it's a hobby. The conversation then takes a pretty sharp turn where they ask "Do you watch anime?" and not sure how to reply, I say that I sometimes do. What if they find out that I'm an otaku and beat me with a stick? Japan does it again as they whip out a pamphlet (I am a pamphlet magnet!) which has the Buddhist anime I've been seeing everytime I walk to Egg Farms. The world is that small.
"Please, come and watch!", passing me a complimentary ticket. I express my utmost gratitude and tell them that I'm writing a paper on Buddhism -- and this makes them deliriously happy. I mean, they gasped -- loudly -- in visible joy and immediately ruffled through their bags for some brochures about their organization.
Seriously kids, I have a face that says "Come talk to me about your religion". Two days ago I had a group of girls come up to me and try to convince me to join them in their lunch-time bible study class.
Back to the story; they tell me that I can go over to their organization's office any time I want if I need to use materials for my paper (wheeee!) and that if I have any questions to contact them.
In the museum, I talk to a lady around my mum's age, and she tries to explain to me the giant folding screen before us. It's a Japanese ink painting, influenced heavily by the old Chinese masters. I ask her the significance of the third panel and she replies, haltingly in English, that it's hard for young people to understand Zen. I agree and ask her to explain in Japanese. The other docents, most of them fairly old, are equally knowledgeable and warm.
Embarrassingly enough, I fall asleep during one of the talks at the side wing. I drift in and out as the speaker introduces to the small audience -- half of them leave within 10 minutes because they realize that everything is in Japanese -- the different periods and styles of Japanese art. For some odd reason, I understand nearly everything that's being said, and come out feeling a lot more informed than before. It makes sense, when you've walked through the exhibits and then have a talk like this that tells you more.
The thing I love the most about the people in the shitamachi is that they take the time to speak to you, to tell you things, to slow down their pace of understanding so that you too understand. I like how Japan leaves me alone with enough space to walk alone, to feel utterly comfortable eating by myself, and most importantly, that it's fine to leave your cellphone behind and go off on a weekend trip to nowhere. I don't owe anyone a living here, and I'm not obliged to anyone here. It's a refreshing sense of freedom that doesn't tie me down to hefty words and heavy feelings.
When I'm tired of life, tired of not having people listen to me when I'm not speaking, tired of the constant parade of decisions that dance before me, the old Taito-ku of Tokyo is where I can sit on a bench, by myself and just watch the world go by. I never saw the need in moving about in cumbersome pairs, triplets, quadruplets and it's afternoons (and bleary mornings) that make it true. How else can I go chasing after stray cats in the bushes, or spend fifteen minutes sitting in front of a barricaded entrance to the Zoo. There is no other way I can sit, by the yatai and talk to the old man and his spatula freely.
Today, after being turned away by the apologetic staff at the Tea House, I stood in front of the Honkan building of the Tokyo National Museum. The rain had stopped, it had rained all morning. As I snapped some shots of the imposing building, a pair of ladies asked me, in halting English, if I wanted to have my picture taken. I brought down the viewfinder from my face and hesitated. In the end I agreed and the enthusiastic pair made me teach them (or rather, one of them) how to use my camera.
It's when I'm alone with my shadow, that people come to me and share bits of their lives with me. Built upon hand gestures and slow sentences, I take a bite of real Japan and give back some illusionary, doused with exchange-student happiness to them.
Strangely enough, or perhaps even coincidentally enough, they are from a Buddhist organization. By now, I'm not surprised when I find out that the people who approach me the most are religiously guided. Still, they make for the best conversations and the friendliest smiles. One of them, the more forthcoming lady, has e-mailed me already.
After taking my picture (a few unsuccessful shots, because the Canon is unwieldy), they ask me the standard how-do-you-do-where-are-you-from; then, to my greatest surprise, they ask me if I'm studying photography. I chuckle and say no, it's a hobby. The conversation then takes a pretty sharp turn where they ask "Do you watch anime?" and not sure how to reply, I say that I sometimes do. What if they find out that I'm an otaku and beat me with a stick? Japan does it again as they whip out a pamphlet (I am a pamphlet magnet!) which has the Buddhist anime I've been seeing everytime I walk to Egg Farms. The world is that small.
"Please, come and watch!", passing me a complimentary ticket. I express my utmost gratitude and tell them that I'm writing a paper on Buddhism -- and this makes them deliriously happy. I mean, they gasped -- loudly -- in visible joy and immediately ruffled through their bags for some brochures about their organization.
Seriously kids, I have a face that says "Come talk to me about your religion". Two days ago I had a group of girls come up to me and try to convince me to join them in their lunch-time bible study class.
Back to the story; they tell me that I can go over to their organization's office any time I want if I need to use materials for my paper (wheeee!) and that if I have any questions to contact them.
In the museum, I talk to a lady around my mum's age, and she tries to explain to me the giant folding screen before us. It's a Japanese ink painting, influenced heavily by the old Chinese masters. I ask her the significance of the third panel and she replies, haltingly in English, that it's hard for young people to understand Zen. I agree and ask her to explain in Japanese. The other docents, most of them fairly old, are equally knowledgeable and warm.
Embarrassingly enough, I fall asleep during one of the talks at the side wing. I drift in and out as the speaker introduces to the small audience -- half of them leave within 10 minutes because they realize that everything is in Japanese -- the different periods and styles of Japanese art. For some odd reason, I understand nearly everything that's being said, and come out feeling a lot more informed than before. It makes sense, when you've walked through the exhibits and then have a talk like this that tells you more.
The thing I love the most about the people in the shitamachi is that they take the time to speak to you, to tell you things, to slow down their pace of understanding so that you too understand. I like how Japan leaves me alone with enough space to walk alone, to feel utterly comfortable eating by myself, and most importantly, that it's fine to leave your cellphone behind and go off on a weekend trip to nowhere. I don't owe anyone a living here, and I'm not obliged to anyone here. It's a refreshing sense of freedom that doesn't tie me down to hefty words and heavy feelings.
Drained, but content, I need to add.
I'll probably be blogging more on Basement than here because it's time consuming, but my private things will still go here.
In any case, I am safe and sound, if a little bit tired, and in my room at Nishiwaseda International Student House right now. If you want my mail address, leave a comment and I'll pass it to you via e-mail. :)
Anyway, I have my first album of photos up here. Nothing much yet, but I just headed to Akihabara and Harajuku for brief visits to pick up important things. So photos will be up tomorrow when my placement test is over. I want to explore so many places, but I need to blog and record everything down too. For my own bad memories' sake.
I am enjoying myself immensely in Japan. How can I not? It still hasn't sunk in that I'm going to be here for a year. Wow.
I've already started to try and be more outgoing, because being a wallflower is painful and painfully lonely. I'm fine being by myself but I do appreciate good company. I'm hoping to find some. But in anycase, I tried to be more "HI HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS ALICIA, I'M FROM SINGAPORE" at the Dorm Party just now. It seemed to work a bit, even if conversation was stilted.
Time to revise a little more, and back to the books for an hour before I sleep. Meeting a group of dormmates at 8:30am tomorrow.
I'll probably be blogging more on Basement than here because it's time consuming, but my private things will still go here.
In any case, I am safe and sound, if a little bit tired, and in my room at Nishiwaseda International Student House right now. If you want my mail address, leave a comment and I'll pass it to you via e-mail. :)
Anyway, I have my first album of photos up here. Nothing much yet, but I just headed to Akihabara and Harajuku for brief visits to pick up important things. So photos will be up tomorrow when my placement test is over. I want to explore so many places, but I need to blog and record everything down too. For my own bad memories' sake.
I am enjoying myself immensely in Japan. How can I not? It still hasn't sunk in that I'm going to be here for a year. Wow.
I've already started to try and be more outgoing, because being a wallflower is painful and painfully lonely. I'm fine being by myself but I do appreciate good company. I'm hoping to find some. But in anycase, I tried to be more "HI HOW ARE YOU? MY NAME IS ALICIA, I'M FROM SINGAPORE" at the Dorm Party just now. It seemed to work a bit, even if conversation was stilted.
Time to revise a little more, and back to the books for an hour before I sleep. Meeting a group of dormmates at 8:30am tomorrow.
デブですから。Because I am Fat.
Aug. 24th, 2009 12:19 amI get annoyed when people insist that I can find clothes and shoes in Japan. Especially people who have never been to Japan, or have never tried to find clothes in L or XL sizes in Japan. :\ And shoes for that matter. I have wide feet. That is a FACT. I never ASKED for wide feet, so I totally don't get it when people insist that I have small feet. Um, they are my feet, I think I'm not that much of a retard to know how big my own feet are?
I mean seriously. I might exaggerate my size at times, but I don't wear a pair of distortion glasses! It is a fact that I am larger than the average Singaporean, and Japanese, because I enjoy food and detest exercising (unless it's like, swimming, or soccer... but hey, whatever).
So here's my gripe. I cannot stand people who insist that I can definitely find clothes easily there. :\Hello, I've been to Japan five freakin' times, please don't try to convince me that it's easy to find plus-sized clothing there. I have tried many times and have left shops EMBARRASSED because they do not have anything larger than an M, or sometimes lo and behold an L but still I am too wide and protruding to wear something. Tops are still a hit-and-miss affair. I can fit into an L from the women's department, and sometimes an M in the men's department, but even that's a longshot. Don't get me started on the jeans/pants. I cannot. Cannot find anything in shop fronts that fit me. I remember going to Edwin jeans and being VERY EMBARRASSED. But yes. Whatever.
But fat girls in Japan have to have get their clothes from somewhere, don't you think? No offense to morisanchu or our lovely beyonce impersonator, but I need to know where they get their clothes from. I've only found Nissen's Smile Land which doesn't sell frumpy plus-sized stuff, so that's good. It's an online store though so I can't actually try anything on...
I mean seriously. I might exaggerate my size at times, but I don't wear a pair of distortion glasses! It is a fact that I am larger than the average Singaporean, and Japanese, because I enjoy food and detest exercising (unless it's like, swimming, or soccer... but hey, whatever).
So here's my gripe. I cannot stand people who insist that I can definitely find clothes easily there. :\
But fat girls in Japan have to have get their clothes from somewhere, don't you think? No offense to morisanchu or our lovely beyonce impersonator, but I need to know where they get their clothes from. I've only found Nissen's Smile Land which doesn't sell frumpy plus-sized stuff, so that's good. It's an online store though so I can't actually try anything on...
My dad might be accompanying me to Japan! Well er, not really. Accompanying as in, taking a different flight but hanging out with me for two days. :D He hasn't been back to Japan for.... eight years!
I'm excited because my dad was the one who introduced me to Japan, who carried me on his shoulders when we roamed about Tokyo, who meticulously planned every part of the last trip we had as a family, who let me watch Mermaid's Forest when I was six. :D
I'm excited because my dad was the one who introduced me to Japan, who carried me on his shoulders when we roamed about Tokyo, who meticulously planned every part of the last trip we had as a family, who let me watch Mermaid's Forest when I was six. :D
God isn't totally unfair.
Jul. 22nd, 2009 05:44 pmIt's not a lot, but it can help pay for 3 months' rent or a trip to Iya Valley or a stay at a Kyoto machiya. :)
Okay lah, my temperamental God is smiling upon me once again. My religion is so fickle!
Dear Student
Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that you have been awarded the NUS Awards for Study Abroad (NASA) (Exchange Awards) AY09/10.
Okay lah, my temperamental God is smiling upon me once again. My religion is so fickle!
SEP Things to Do Update
Jul. 20th, 2009 02:47 pmThings I need to do for Module Mapping
1. E-mail Prof Bishop about mapping -- courses not confirmed. I can send him the details/mapping forms when I get my classes confirmed in Waseda
2.E-mail Prof Lim to arrange a consultation re module mapping and possible double major planning! Waiting for her reply. Settled. Submitted forms. If there are any changes I'll e-mail her in Waseda. I really hope I can get the courses that she approved? Otherwise it's a whole new ball game of sigh, choosing and mapping. Still! It's done for now! :) Dr Lim is wonderfullllllyyyy nice and didn't bite me at all! :D I think I shall do my ISM with her? I mean, my ISM is probably going to be on magic-realism in Murakami or something (SOMETHING!) to do with him so she is a Good Person to Turn to. I can't think of anyone else who would be a good fit if I choose to do something on anime? :O
3.Visit the USP office next week to submit mapping forms and ask if they allow changes/e-mailing for new forms etc when I'm there. Yup. Submitted! Eric Ho will get back to me.
4. What is this "Study Plan" form I need to submit? (http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/undergrad/tocheck/sep_specific/sepbriefingnotes_ay0708s1.html) Can anyone clarify with me if I need to submit anything else? I know I need to submit my module mapping forms to the Departments but that's all right?
Okay the main question, must I submit a copy of the Mapping Forms to the Dean's Office? (Then er, my EN modules will be messy because Prof Bishop advises me to only map them when I get the confirmed course list?!)![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
proinnseas , do you have any advice for me?!?!? *panicky* I am kancheong spiderrrr....
EDIT:
E-mailed FASShelp for well, help. There was something I wanted to add, but I forgot. :\ Actually, I kind of want to do the manyoshu in Waseda. >__>
1.
2.
3.
4. What is this "Study Plan" form I need to submit? (http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/undergrad/tocheck/sep_specific/sepbriefingnotes_ay0708s1.html) Can anyone clarify with me if I need to submit anything else? I know I need to submit my module mapping forms to the Departments but that's all right?
Okay the main question, must I submit a copy of the Mapping Forms to the Dean's Office? (Then er, my EN modules will be messy because Prof Bishop advises me to only map them when I get the confirmed course list?!)
proinnseas , do you have any advice for me?!?!? *panicky* I am kancheong spiderrrr....EDIT:
E-mailed FASShelp for well, help. There was something I wanted to add, but I forgot. :\ Actually, I kind of want to do the manyoshu in Waseda. >__>
spilt tea powder
Jul. 14th, 2009 05:46 pmThe tea used in the ceremony is finely powdered green tea, carried in a lacquered caddy called a natsume, which is shaped like an egg with a flat bottom and top. One day, a student failed to support the body of the caddy, taking only the lid in his hands and the caddy dropped from the height of about one meter directly onto the tatami. The powdered green tea puffed high into the air in a cloud, and tea settled in a green ring on the mat before our startled eyes. Everyone was petrified. In the silence, Sawada (Minoru) asked us, "What is the appropriate thing to say at a time like this?" Nobody could answer. He said, "You should say, 'How beautiful!' "
- Alex Kerr, Lost Japan
Discovered some awesome (free!) photoshop actions and I've been playing around with them to achieve the effect I want in my photos. Of course it's cheating because I didn't get to the end product by myself but let me indulge in my decent photographs made more prettyful.
..Yes, I know prettyful isn't a word. Cut me some slack. I was reading Lacan and Zizek for like, 4 hours. :(
Note: I just realized that my current LJ layout skews (and screws up!) the photos so do view them on flickr (click the photos and it'll take you to the original page)!
( Mainly Kyoto Photos )
..Yes, I know prettyful isn't a word. Cut me some slack. I was reading Lacan and Zizek for like, 4 hours. :(
Note: I just realized that my current LJ layout skews (and screws up!) the photos so do view them on flickr (click the photos and it'll take you to the original page)!
( Mainly Kyoto Photos )
Hi guys, I promise not to screw up your friends pages after this ONE TIME!
IT SAYS "WASEDA" DOESN'T IT
THIS MEANS THAT I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED? I DON'T KNOW?
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN.
CAN I BE DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY NOW?
On a more "meh" note, I need to think of lecturers/tutors who can write my 2 letters of recommendation.
....I cannot think of anyone who would remember me. Maybe Dr. Ang. Yes. I'll like BE THICK-SKINNED AND ASK HER? O: Maybe not? Um. Dr Yeoh is out because he's never personally tutored me. Er..... KAM THIAM HUAT? But I think he hates me because I don't show up for every tutorial and I'm quiet?! EHHHHHH. WHO CAN I ASK.
OH.
HAHAAH.
I KNOW.
ENCIK. I CAN ASK ENCIK.
EDIT:
Okay. I've calmed down. In any case, NUS has given the A-OK for applying to Waseda, it's just up to Waseda (oh generous, lovely university!) to accept me after I complete the applications and stuff.
Man, there's a lot of paperwork to be done. :\
IT SAYS "WASEDA" DOESN'T IT
THIS MEANS THAT I HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED? I DON'T KNOW?
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN.
CAN I BE DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY NOW?
On a more "meh" note, I need to think of lecturers/tutors who can write my 2 letters of recommendation.
....I cannot think of anyone who would remember me. Maybe Dr. Ang. Yes. I'll like BE THICK-SKINNED AND ASK HER? O: Maybe not? Um. Dr Yeoh is out because he's never personally tutored me. Er..... KAM THIAM HUAT? But I think he hates me because I don't show up for every tutorial and I'm quiet?! EHHHHHH. WHO CAN I ASK.
OH.
HAHAAH.
I KNOW.
ENCIK. I CAN ASK ENCIK.
EDIT:
Okay. I've calmed down. In any case, NUS has given the A-OK for applying to Waseda, it's just up to Waseda (oh generous, lovely university!) to accept me after I complete the applications and stuff.
Man, there's a lot of paperwork to be done. :\
despot birdhouses and monstrous prints
Oct. 15th, 2008 10:34 pmIf you want your neigbhourhood's birds to grow up like little tyrants.
The Mussolini birdhouse is delicious, like a honeycomb. I think hive-like conglomerations when I see it. And Ceausescu's palace reminds me of something avant garde, something bauhaus. It's all very inanimately alive, if that makes sense.
And I love Japanese prints like this. This December, I'm thinking of drawing a lot, and drawing stylized Japanese monstrosities like this. Probably not paint them, but draw and sew up stuffed monsters.
The Mussolini birdhouse is delicious, like a honeycomb. I think hive-like conglomerations when I see it. And Ceausescu's palace reminds me of something avant garde, something bauhaus. It's all very inanimately alive, if that makes sense.
Image gackted from the lovely Pink Tentacle.
And I love Japanese prints like this. This December, I'm thinking of drawing a lot, and drawing stylized Japanese monstrosities like this. Probably not paint them, but draw and sew up stuffed monsters.
And that is to be (t)here, this time next year.
I've been wanting to be there since ages ago and I just need to be there soon (I can wait a year!) or I think I'll just collapse internally. It seems all very trivial but a whole lot of my sanity relies on that one place, that plot of land where I
After that initial disappointment a week back, I just really hope (and I'm praying, hard) that I can get at the very least, this wish granted.
I do want this, but more importantly, I need this. The course of my life - the next 20 years or so - will depend on whether I'm able to get there. I sound delirious right now, I sound right at the other extreme of "normal" but argh.
Please God.
( self-bashing? probably so. )
十四班大好き！でもBack to school, sadly.
Aug. 29th, 2008 12:11 pm(extracted from my moleskine)
Just saw my Japanese classmates as I was going up the escalator at Harbour Front MRT station. I was kind of hoping that I'd bump into some of Class 14's awesome people because I saw the students from other classes already in the train carriages. (The joys of being late! I get to meet people!)
Just as I was reaching the top of escalator, I saw Buu-chan, Seiya and a few other of my classmates and I immediately went, "ブーちゃん！” and when she didn't hear me, I started yelling ”セイヤ！セイヤ！！！”, hoping to catch my banchou's attention. And as I was yelling, I had this irrevocable pang of loneliness hit me (like the waves crashing against the ship's hull when we were out at sea). I wish that I didn't have school today; it's like being left behind, but worse because (of my own fault and of not my own) I didn't have enough time to get to know them better.
So when I was madly waving, I really really wanted to join them and show them around Singapore.I hate school D:
The brief convo went something like this:
私「ブーちゃん！ああ、セイヤ！セイヤ！おはよう〜！！！！」
ブーちゃん「うわ！アリだ！」
セイヤ「アリアリアリ！お早う〜〜今何をする？？」
私「あ、 学校へ一行ーー行く！いってっらっしゃい〜〜〜！！！」
ブーとセイヤ「行ってきます！！！」
Oh God, I'm going to miss it. All the 「アリ！アリアリアリアリ！」. The way the class calls me XD. I'm glad I got them to call me "アリ" instead of Alicia (which they mispronounced as "Malaysia" at first XDD).
I Love Class 14!!!!! Pictures will be up soon. Have to finish reading Joyce (or at least, my lecture notes) and get ready for class. I think I'm meeting my Hyogo people (the 20 Singaporeans) at Harbour Front at 4pm? To send off the Japanese students. Ahhh, I'm feeling nostalgic already. Darn. I wish I went for all the class meetings and hung out with them more. D: I'm such a retard. But at least most of my meals were with them! Buu-chan, Yone-sama, Hikki, Seiya, Junko, Airin, Kiyoshi, Metabolic (Ryuu-san), Kou-chan, Azumi-chan, Gen-chan, ahh... 24 people. I can't name them all off the top of my head. D: BUT みんながめっちゃ好き！！！
Just saw my Japanese classmates as I was going up the escalator at Harbour Front MRT station. I was kind of hoping that I'd bump into some of Class 14's awesome people because I saw the students from other classes already in the train carriages. (The joys of being late! I get to meet people!)
Just as I was reaching the top of escalator, I saw Buu-chan, Seiya and a few other of my classmates and I immediately went, "ブーちゃん！” and when she didn't hear me, I started yelling ”セイヤ！セイヤ！！！”, hoping to catch my banchou's attention. And as I was yelling, I had this irrevocable pang of loneliness hit me (like the waves crashing against the ship's hull when we were out at sea). I wish that I didn't have school today; it's like being left behind, but worse because (of my own fault and of not my own) I didn't have enough time to get to know them better.
So when I was madly waving, I really really wanted to join them and show them around Singapore.
The brief convo went something like this:
私「ブーちゃん！ああ、セイヤ！セイヤ！おはよう〜！！！！」
ブーちゃん「うわ！アリだ！」
セイヤ「アリアリアリ！お早う〜〜今何をする？？」
私「あ、 学校へ一行ーー行く！いってっらっしゃい〜〜〜！！！」
ブーとセイヤ「行ってきます！！！」
Oh God, I'm going to miss it. All the 「アリ！アリアリアリアリ！」. The way the class calls me XD. I'm glad I got them to call me "アリ" instead of Alicia (which they mispronounced as "Malaysia" at first XDD).
I Love Class 14!!!!! Pictures will be up soon. Have to finish reading Joyce (or at least, my lecture notes) and get ready for class. I think I'm meeting my Hyogo people (the 20 Singaporeans) at Harbour Front at 4pm? To send off the Japanese students. Ahhh, I'm feeling nostalgic already. Darn. I wish I went for all the class meetings and hung out with them more. D: I'm such a retard. But at least most of my meals were with them! Buu-chan, Yone-sama, Hikki, Seiya, Junko, Airin, Kiyoshi, Metabolic (Ryuu-san), Kou-chan, Azumi-chan, Gen-chan, ahh... 24 people. I can't name them all off the top of my head. D: BUT みんながめっちゃ好き！！！
fuckallthenon-seriouspeople.
Aug. 28th, 2008 10:58 pmArgh. The Waseda DDP applications are open again and fuck, I'm kicking myself everywhere for not performing last semester. I don't even qualify for the DDP right now but fuck. I NEED THIS.
I'm going to sound horribly egotistical (a.k.a BHB) when I say this but, fuck I want this more that anyone or anything else. I need this opportunity to network and get an editorial position in Japan. I need this opportunity to study my Japanese literature modules so that I can teach them in the future. God, please somehow, I need to get this. I'm going to BEG the admin and people in charge because this means THAT much to me.
How am I going to convince them! And, fuck to all the wetblankets!!! I am AGITATED.
ARGH. WHY DID I FUCK UP LAST SEMESTER! Why did I choose last semester of all semesters to get into an academic depression!!!??!?! >_
I'm going to sound horribly egotistical (a.k.a BHB) when I say this but, fuck I want this more that anyone or anything else. I need this opportunity to network and get an editorial position in Japan. I need this opportunity to study my Japanese literature modules so that I can teach them in the future. God, please somehow, I need to get this. I'm going to BEG the admin and people in charge because this means THAT much to me.
How am I going to convince them! And, fuck to all the wetblankets!!! I am AGITATED.
ARGH. WHY DID I FUCK UP LAST SEMESTER! Why did I choose last semester of all semesters to get into an academic depression!!!??!?! >_
I'm going home.
Home is where the heart is and I know where my heart is.
Hurrah! I am awfully elated, excited, estatic, enthusiastic (and a whole bunch of other high pitched EEEEs) about the trip, even though it's a lot more work than play.
Awesome stuff. I love the USP. For this opportunity and for the awesome people that I'm going with (waves to classmates).
This is probably the third time I've been to Japan in the summer, but I've never been there in July. Everytime's a first for me. I love it.
Finished packing and printing out stuff - I hope I brought everything. D:
WILL BE GONE FROM 17-27 JULY: JAPAN STUDY TRIP
Home is where the heart is and I know where my heart is.
Hurrah! I am awfully elated, excited, estatic, enthusiastic (and a whole bunch of other high pitched EEEEs) about the trip, even though it's a lot more work than play.
Awesome stuff. I love the USP. For this opportunity and for the awesome people that I'm going with (waves to classmates).
This is probably the third time I've been to Japan in the summer, but I've never been there in July. Everytime's a first for me. I love it.
Finished packing and printing out stuff - I hope I brought everything. D:
WILL BE GONE FROM 17-27 JULY: JAPAN STUDY TRIP
somewhereeee, beyond the seeeaaa
Jul. 8th, 2008 05:34 pmTagged under Japan and Study Trip even though it's not really in Japan or a Study Trip but... for lack of other reasons~
Remember how I was praying to get accepted into the Hyogo Joint Summer Session at Sea? I actually didn't make the cut BUT
BUT some kind soul backed out (just like Choon Hwee predicted) and I got in! I got the call in the middle of class today and I almost exploded into happiness.
Though I have had one rude awakening.
Nearly everyone else there (NUS students I mean) will probably have awesome Japanese abilities. Alas, I am rusty and lazy and stupid and I don't. I'm majorly intimidated by everyone else. D: I did a google search and everyone seems to be really good. D:
Need to start practicing right now.
I'm still flip-flopping over whether to do the Double Major (I'm holding out till the end of next sem) with JS. I'm not doing a LAJ module next semester so I need to keep up with my own revision.
Procrastination is my biggest enemy. :\ How annoying.
But Ho Chi Minh city! And 4 days at sea! With a whole bunch of Japanese university students! Awesome stuff!
NOTE:
All the modules that I want to do clash with each other. :\ WTF.
I need to fill in one more slot for my module list. I'm left with GEK2022 (Samurai, Geisha, Yakuza, Self & Other) and JS32XX Japanese Philosophy and Thought. I'm leaning more to the Samurai one because the workload doesn't seem as killer as the other plus, I can still use it for my JS minor (if I decide to switch) and I think it's a CAP puller.
I need CAP pullers this sem.
Japanese Philo and Thought however, will definitely fulfill my JS minor and major requirements plus, whatever intellectual appetite I have. Just that, I don't know if it will kill me. :\
Remember how I was praying to get accepted into the Hyogo Joint Summer Session at Sea? I actually didn't make the cut BUT
BUT some kind soul backed out (just like Choon Hwee predicted) and I got in! I got the call in the middle of class today and I almost exploded into happiness.
Though I have had one rude awakening.
Nearly everyone else there (NUS students I mean) will probably have awesome Japanese abilities. Alas, I am rusty and lazy and stupid and I don't. I'm majorly intimidated by everyone else. D: I did a google search and everyone seems to be really good. D:
Need to start practicing right now.
I'm still flip-flopping over whether to do the Double Major (I'm holding out till the end of next sem) with JS. I'm not doing a LAJ module next semester so I need to keep up with my own revision.
Procrastination is my biggest enemy. :\ How annoying.
But Ho Chi Minh city! And 4 days at sea! With a whole bunch of Japanese university students! Awesome stuff!
NOTE:
All the modules that I want to do clash with each other. :\ WTF.
I need to fill in one more slot for my module list. I'm left with GEK2022 (Samurai, Geisha, Yakuza, Self & Other) and JS32XX Japanese Philosophy and Thought. I'm leaning more to the Samurai one because the workload doesn't seem as killer as the other plus, I can still use it for my JS minor (if I decide to switch) and I think it's a CAP puller.
I need CAP pullers this sem.
Japanese Philo and Thought however, will definitely fulfill my JS minor and major requirements plus, whatever intellectual appetite I have. Just that, I don't know if it will kill me. :\
omggg antique bakery!!!
Jul. 6th, 2008 08:15 pmOMGGG. THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAL ANTIQUE BAKERY FOR ONE DAY! ON THE DAY THAT I HAVE MY TOKYO FREE DAY! IN ODAIBA!!!! BUT 'SLIKE NO ONE WILL WANT TO GO TO ODAIBA WITH ME AND I NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN A LOTTERY WHICH DOESN'T LET ME KEY IN MY DETAILS BECAUSE I DON'T LIVE IN JAPAN.
I CAN'T SEE MIYANO-SAMA LIVE IN PERSON.
DDDDDDDDDDD:
I CAN'T SEE MIYANO-SAMA LIVE IN PERSON.
DDDDDDDDDDD:
