So, I know it has been a while since I updated. Won't be completely updating everything that has happened but going to put something at least so I have something for April...
My work with MLB International in Taiwan was VERY exciting, albeit tiring (around 30 hours of sleep the entire week), and I think I made a good impression with some top people as well. My bosses were really nice as well and I got a bunch of free stuff as well, including an authentic, game-worn jersey of one of the players =P. Of course, it was someone no one knows, but I like it a lot because the player shares the same last name as I do (well, the same kanji, Choi)! This has renewed my hope that I actually will have a shot at working in the sports industry someday. Hopefully I will finally get to posting some of the few pictures I have as well. I can blab on and on about my experience but I will save you guys from the boredom =P (and I probably shouldn't be talking too much about the specifics on a public blog).
I also recently ran my first full marathon two weeks ago. I was already very nervous beforehand but had a true FML moment when I woke up the day before the marathon with a sore throat and fever. Tried to get better but still had a slight fever on race day. Thankfully, I was able to survive and I was really glad that I finished, though I didn’t make my target time (under 5 hours) and both of my legs were cramping up majorly the last fourth of the race. Considering that I was running while sick, I guess my time was acceptable in the end (5:08:42). It was a personally rewarding experience and I would recommend it to anyone interested! My knees were in pain for the next two days though, haha.
Other things, one of my friends was hit by a car coming up of a parking lot (knocked unconscious for a short while), so make sure you guys watch out! Time really flies and I am getting slightly worried about the progress of my research. Really need to pull myself together for the final stretch since my grant is coming to a close soon. Not sure about what I will be doing next year but I did get accepted in to IUC (Inter-University Center), a Japanese language school in Yokohama for their 10 month program. According to Yamashita (apparently an alum of that school as well) it is the best language school program (geared towards Americans, added by me). I figure it would be a good idea to try and become fluent in Japanese because I will probably forget a lot if I just go back to the US after this year. Of course, I’m not sure if I can go yet because the tuition is hella high and if I don’t get some scholarship money there is no way in the world that I can afford it (unless anyone has $40,000 just lying around somewhere?). Will know more about it in a month or so though.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
Quick update - pre-Taiwan
Even though I wasn't planning to go back to Taiwan this year, I am currently in Taipei. As I mentioned in my last post I am volunteering with MLB International helping the Dodgers' trip to Taiwan. It has been 4 days and even though it was been physically tiring, it has also been a rewarding experience. However, I don't have enough time to do my experiences so far justice right now so it will be in parts. First, the Farewell party and the Fulbright mid-year conference.
The Taiwanese Study-Abroad Student Association had its annual farewell party (for graduating students) a few weeks ago. Considering that members of the volleyball team/group that I joined here are the future officers of TSASA, I have been been included in most of their events. Overall, it was an entertaining night, especially watching people after they are drunk (as harmless drunks). The advisor for the club, Sanada-sensei, who doesn't know Chinese but could act as a double for former Taiwan president Chen Shui-Bian, was quite amusing. Kind of like chatting with a very red, very happy former president.
After that, we had the Fulbright mid-year conference in Tokyo. Honestly, I wasn't too pleased at first because as someone who lived relatively close to Tokyo, I didn't receive any financial support from Fulbright Japan (compared to some VERY generous amounts other Fulbrighters received). I know I shouldn't complain too much because Fulbright has already been very generous with grant money so far, but considering I live far enough that it is inconvenient for me to go home at night and transportation costs are pretty high, I wasn't that happy. However, the actual conference was great because I was able to meet up with everyone.
As expected, I was really nervous when I was presenting about my project but at least I got it out of the way early (2 out of 12). While it was great hearing about the projects of others, it also made me a bit worried about the progress of mine. Thankfully, I was able to arrange an individual meeting with the Fulbright staff the next day and they were very helpful with suggestions and possible interviewees. I really have to step it out when I return to Japan but I am more confident about my research now compared to before.
Post-conference fun was amazing. Whether it was all-you-can-eat okonomiyaki, some karaoke fun, or simply chatting and catching up with everyone. Unfortunately, Reed was sick when we went for dinner and the restaurant had a policy of paying for left-over food, so Andrew and I had to suck it up and finish all of the extra food we had at our table. I felt sick afterward...we needed our all-star out there. Oh, I also got pretty annoyed at the red tape/bureaucracy of Japan. Jamie (Fulbright) needed to get her re-entry permit and was planning to do so in Tokyo (she lives in Osaka). After Rachael and I went with her to the immigration office and waited in line for over an hour, we were told that since she lived in Osaka, she was not able to get her permit there. No where on the website was this "small" fact mentioned and I, who did not live in Tokyo, got my re-entry permit there as well. It sucked.
The most "interesting" event was probably finally going to a maid cafe with many of the other Fulbrighters. It was the firs time for all of us but one and we weren't really sure what to expect but we eventually decided to go to one of the sketchier ones (or as Andrew says, sketchtastic). Trying to take advantage of a student discount, we decided to go to one that had girls in kimonos. Overall, it was an interesting experience, mostly from observing the other patrons. We went as a group of people but I was slightly surprised by how many people went by themselves. Some were really sketchy (like this middle-aged man) but some seemed to be like us and were simply trying to see what the experience was all about. There was even two girls who went in order to celebrate one of their birthdays (the birthday girl got a group pic and free dessert I believe). If others wanted to go again I wouldn't be against it but I would definitely not go alone.
I had to rush back to Tsukuba and pack for my flight to Taiwan but one of the senpai (older students) of my research lab asked if I could correct his English for a presentation he was giving in Vancouver. I was surprised at first because he hadn't told me earlier but I sort of had to help him out (etiquette and all). And honestly, it is the least I could for the lab so I wasn't too unhappy. I had to meet him the day I was leaving for Taiwan though, and much to my surprise a second senpai asked me to check his English that day too. I ended up asking them to send me their powerpoints and I checked them in Taiwan. Thankfully, I was able to finish checking before I started working for the Dodgers thing, which will be the topic of my next post. =P
The Taiwanese Study-Abroad Student Association had its annual farewell party (for graduating students) a few weeks ago. Considering that members of the volleyball team/group that I joined here are the future officers of TSASA, I have been been included in most of their events. Overall, it was an entertaining night, especially watching people after they are drunk (as harmless drunks). The advisor for the club, Sanada-sensei, who doesn't know Chinese but could act as a double for former Taiwan president Chen Shui-Bian, was quite amusing. Kind of like chatting with a very red, very happy former president.
After that, we had the Fulbright mid-year conference in Tokyo. Honestly, I wasn't too pleased at first because as someone who lived relatively close to Tokyo, I didn't receive any financial support from Fulbright Japan (compared to some VERY generous amounts other Fulbrighters received). I know I shouldn't complain too much because Fulbright has already been very generous with grant money so far, but considering I live far enough that it is inconvenient for me to go home at night and transportation costs are pretty high, I wasn't that happy. However, the actual conference was great because I was able to meet up with everyone.
As expected, I was really nervous when I was presenting about my project but at least I got it out of the way early (2 out of 12). While it was great hearing about the projects of others, it also made me a bit worried about the progress of mine. Thankfully, I was able to arrange an individual meeting with the Fulbright staff the next day and they were very helpful with suggestions and possible interviewees. I really have to step it out when I return to Japan but I am more confident about my research now compared to before.
Post-conference fun was amazing. Whether it was all-you-can-eat okonomiyaki, some karaoke fun, or simply chatting and catching up with everyone. Unfortunately, Reed was sick when we went for dinner and the restaurant had a policy of paying for left-over food, so Andrew and I had to suck it up and finish all of the extra food we had at our table. I felt sick afterward...we needed our all-star out there. Oh, I also got pretty annoyed at the red tape/bureaucracy of Japan. Jamie (Fulbright) needed to get her re-entry permit and was planning to do so in Tokyo (she lives in Osaka). After Rachael and I went with her to the immigration office and waited in line for over an hour, we were told that since she lived in Osaka, she was not able to get her permit there. No where on the website was this "small" fact mentioned and I, who did not live in Tokyo, got my re-entry permit there as well. It sucked.
The most "interesting" event was probably finally going to a maid cafe with many of the other Fulbrighters. It was the firs time for all of us but one and we weren't really sure what to expect but we eventually decided to go to one of the sketchier ones (or as Andrew says, sketchtastic). Trying to take advantage of a student discount, we decided to go to one that had girls in kimonos. Overall, it was an interesting experience, mostly from observing the other patrons. We went as a group of people but I was slightly surprised by how many people went by themselves. Some were really sketchy (like this middle-aged man) but some seemed to be like us and were simply trying to see what the experience was all about. There was even two girls who went in order to celebrate one of their birthdays (the birthday girl got a group pic and free dessert I believe). If others wanted to go again I wouldn't be against it but I would definitely not go alone.
I had to rush back to Tsukuba and pack for my flight to Taiwan but one of the senpai (older students) of my research lab asked if I could correct his English for a presentation he was giving in Vancouver. I was surprised at first because he hadn't told me earlier but I sort of had to help him out (etiquette and all). And honestly, it is the least I could for the lab so I wasn't too unhappy. I had to meet him the day I was leaving for Taiwan though, and much to my surprise a second senpai asked me to check his English that day too. I ended up asking them to send me their powerpoints and I checked them in Taiwan. Thankfully, I was able to finish checking before I started working for the Dodgers thing, which will be the topic of my next post. =P
Saturday, February 27, 2010
My monthly post..
Yeah, my blogging time has gone down the drain the last few months, which I suppose is a good thing as well. Last month was crazy and I really had no free time besides a few hours here and there. Once again, I post an edited version of my monthly report to Fulbright.
I started this period by going to a Fulbright outing for the new head of Fulbright Asia(?) and then meeting up with Yamashita in Tokyo. Patricia, I can't believe you had to remind him of the BBQ story. Can you really not think of what I eat? But anyways, I had a great time catching up with him and found the meeting very helpful in discussing my future career plans. However, after I returned to Tsukuba, I realized that somehow my keys went missing despite being put in my coat pocket; it should have been safe because the pocket had a little flap over it as well. It being close to midnight and all I started to have a mini-panic attack because I absolutely needed to be able to go home since my research lab was having its thesis presentations the next day (a Sunday). I needed my suit and frantically called my friend for help. Thankfully, I was able to find a locksmith late at night, though it cost me a fortune (over 2 man...$220+). By the way, just in case anyone loses their key, it seems like if you have the time to stay somewhere else for a short while it is not that big a deal. After the weekend passed I went to my real estate agent and got the spare key quite easily. I was half expecting to have to pay some kind of fee or something but I was able to duplicate the spare key without any problems. But since I had the thesis presentations the next day…
The thesis presentations were quite interesting, though I have to admit that I was not able to fully follow most of them. Since the presenters had a time limit most of them were speaking at a rapid pace. If I did not have a copy of the abstracts in front of me I would probably have been totally lost. However, it was overall a very rewarding experience and some of the presentations gave me some insight for my own project. The party afterwards was quite interesting, especially when I was asked by a professor in front of 40 people what my type was (unfortunately, I did not have an answer for him; apparently I was suppose to pick a celebrity I liked?).
There has been a lot of traveling this month as well; going on a short and cheap ski trip with Tsukuba friends, Sapporo with some many others for the Yuki Matsui (and various tabehoudais), and then Tokyo/Yokohama/Disney with Reed, Rebecca, and May. My first ski trip was cheap ($110) for transportation, two all-you-can eat meals, housing, one day ski lift pass, and rentals) and I had a great deal of fun. Going to Hokkaido was a blast as well despite the fact that I sprained my knee again (sigh, you guys can laugh). My knee does not seem to approve of skiing. It was interesting living in a place with a lot of snow again (after 18 years of Taiwan and Southern California, though I was freezing). The ice sculptures at the Yuki Matsui were pretty amazing too. Ah, we also went to this cookie factory which had a sweets/cake all-you-can eat. It was delicious but scary, especially since we went to a sukiyaki/shabushabu(hot pot) all-you-can-eat later that day.
Chinese New Years/Valentines Day was slightly disappointing at Yokohama China Town (was expecting a more celebrative atmosphere) and it kind of sucked that it was raining when we went to DisneySea (the more "adult" version of DisneyLand, haha) but I had a great time anyways. I’m sure that it will get out anyways so I might as well say that even though I was screaming like a little girl throughout all of the rides, I am glad that I went on them. The trips have been really fun but once again I am slightly worrying about my diminishing wallet.
The biggest thing that happened to me was figuring out that I was going back to Taiwan for a short while this March. The reason, the LA Dodgers will be visiting Taiwan mid-March for two exhibition games with a Taiwanese all-star team and I will be volunteering at the games. I feel like I somehow lucked into the connections needed to get the job. Professor Miyake, and did one year of Japanese pro baseball research in Japan 10 years ago (on a Freeman Grant). I contacted him earlier this year asking for his advice on baseball research after Professor Miyake gave me his info. I offered my services to him after I found out that the Dodgers were going to Taiwan and that I had time and luckily, after passing my information among various channels, I met a Vice President of MLB International at his Tokyo office (luckily I was not only in Japan but near Tokyo). I will basically be volunteering as a translator/jack of all trades for one week and hopefully this will lead to more connections/other opportunities in the future. I would LOVE to work for MLB International and still be able to live in Asia. Oh, and living in a 5-star hotel for a week is a nice perk as well =P
Let me see... I had my IUC placement test and even though I stressed out a lot about it it turned out to be a piece of cake. It might sound arrogant but now I am slightly worried I might have placed out of the program by scoring too high. Not that I knew all of the answers but I am historically good at taking SAT-like tests and I was able to narrow my choices down to two for most of the questions I wasn't sure of. Then again, I don't think it will happen, so I am probably worrying too much again.
My mom stopped by as well for 4 days and I was able to show her around Tsukuba a bit. We didn't go to Tokyo but she just wanted to relax a bit and see me, so it turned out to be ok. It was fun showing her around but slightly hectic because I was taking finals at the same time. Thankfully, I finished all my finals yesterday =)
I started this period by going to a Fulbright outing for the new head of Fulbright Asia(?) and then meeting up with Yamashita in Tokyo. Patricia, I can't believe you had to remind him of the BBQ story. Can you really not think of what I eat? But anyways, I had a great time catching up with him and found the meeting very helpful in discussing my future career plans. However, after I returned to Tsukuba, I realized that somehow my keys went missing despite being put in my coat pocket; it should have been safe because the pocket had a little flap over it as well. It being close to midnight and all I started to have a mini-panic attack because I absolutely needed to be able to go home since my research lab was having its thesis presentations the next day (a Sunday). I needed my suit and frantically called my friend for help. Thankfully, I was able to find a locksmith late at night, though it cost me a fortune (over 2 man...$220+). By the way, just in case anyone loses their key, it seems like if you have the time to stay somewhere else for a short while it is not that big a deal. After the weekend passed I went to my real estate agent and got the spare key quite easily. I was half expecting to have to pay some kind of fee or something but I was able to duplicate the spare key without any problems. But since I had the thesis presentations the next day…
The thesis presentations were quite interesting, though I have to admit that I was not able to fully follow most of them. Since the presenters had a time limit most of them were speaking at a rapid pace. If I did not have a copy of the abstracts in front of me I would probably have been totally lost. However, it was overall a very rewarding experience and some of the presentations gave me some insight for my own project. The party afterwards was quite interesting, especially when I was asked by a professor in front of 40 people what my type was (unfortunately, I did not have an answer for him; apparently I was suppose to pick a celebrity I liked?).
There has been a lot of traveling this month as well; going on a short and cheap ski trip with Tsukuba friends, Sapporo with some many others for the Yuki Matsui (and various tabehoudais), and then Tokyo/Yokohama/Disney with Reed, Rebecca, and May. My first ski trip was cheap ($110) for transportation, two all-you-can eat meals, housing, one day ski lift pass, and rentals) and I had a great deal of fun. Going to Hokkaido was a blast as well despite the fact that I sprained my knee again (sigh, you guys can laugh). My knee does not seem to approve of skiing. It was interesting living in a place with a lot of snow again (after 18 years of Taiwan and Southern California, though I was freezing). The ice sculptures at the Yuki Matsui were pretty amazing too. Ah, we also went to this cookie factory which had a sweets/cake all-you-can eat. It was delicious but scary, especially since we went to a sukiyaki/shabushabu(hot pot) all-you-can-eat later that day.
Chinese New Years/Valentines Day was slightly disappointing at Yokohama China Town (was expecting a more celebrative atmosphere) and it kind of sucked that it was raining when we went to DisneySea (the more "adult" version of DisneyLand, haha) but I had a great time anyways. I’m sure that it will get out anyways so I might as well say that even though I was screaming like a little girl throughout all of the rides, I am glad that I went on them. The trips have been really fun but once again I am slightly worrying about my diminishing wallet.
The biggest thing that happened to me was figuring out that I was going back to Taiwan for a short while this March. The reason, the LA Dodgers will be visiting Taiwan mid-March for two exhibition games with a Taiwanese all-star team and I will be volunteering at the games. I feel like I somehow lucked into the connections needed to get the job. Professor Miyake, and did one year of Japanese pro baseball research in Japan 10 years ago (on a Freeman Grant). I contacted him earlier this year asking for his advice on baseball research after Professor Miyake gave me his info. I offered my services to him after I found out that the Dodgers were going to Taiwan and that I had time and luckily, after passing my information among various channels, I met a Vice President of MLB International at his Tokyo office (luckily I was not only in Japan but near Tokyo). I will basically be volunteering as a translator/jack of all trades for one week and hopefully this will lead to more connections/other opportunities in the future. I would LOVE to work for MLB International and still be able to live in Asia. Oh, and living in a 5-star hotel for a week is a nice perk as well =P
Let me see... I had my IUC placement test and even though I stressed out a lot about it it turned out to be a piece of cake. It might sound arrogant but now I am slightly worried I might have placed out of the program by scoring too high. Not that I knew all of the answers but I am historically good at taking SAT-like tests and I was able to narrow my choices down to two for most of the questions I wasn't sure of. Then again, I don't think it will happen, so I am probably worrying too much again.
My mom stopped by as well for 4 days and I was able to show her around Tsukuba a bit. We didn't go to Tokyo but she just wanted to relax a bit and see me, so it turned out to be ok. It was fun showing her around but slightly hectic because I was taking finals at the same time. Thankfully, I finished all my finals yesterday =)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Once again, huge backlog...
It's been over a month but I am hoping to quickly update what has happened. This is basically what I wrote for my monthly update earlier.
On 12/19 I went to a bounenkai (end-year party) which was quite interesting because I actually met a lot of people I had never seen before. While I don’t think any of them will be very helpful regarding my research it was still nice to just relax and meet other people. I was a bit surprised how popular nijikais (literally, second parties) are though and how people are adamant on going even when they are obviously drunk out of their minds. This does lead to some interesting stories afterward though, especially when you are obligated to help a sempai home and make sure he doesn’t pass out on the side of the street.
Christmas Eve was spent with friends. We had a very small gathering/party in my apartment. Nothing really happened but sometimes it is nice to just hang out and relax. One of my best friends (JJ) from high school stopped by for a few days after Christmas and I was glad that I had the opportunity to show him around Japan a bit. We only went to a few of the bigger places in Tokyo but we had a great time, especially for the co-op gaming again =P
My kenkyushitsu (research lab) surprisingly did not have its own bounenkai; according to my tutor my professor stopped having them after girls joined the program, no idea why. Also, with theses deadlines coming up, many people did not have time. However, in its place we had sports day instead. One afternoon of ultimate Frisbee, basketball, fulsal, and badminton instead of a night of drinking. Quite a surprise but I had a great deal of fun and I am pretty sure that it was a unique experience as well.
New Years with Keaton, May, Courtney, and Matt was really fun. There were just so many things that we were able to do. Let’s see, we went to Sensouji in Asakusa, sampled the food vendors and had toshikoshi soba (new years soba) at Harajuku while waiting for the New Years countdown, braved the massive crowd at Meiji Jingu… May’s bright red coat amazingly allowed us to pick her out from the crowd when they showed us on the huge screen. The actually countdown was a bit anticlimactic because we were a bit confused about what was suppose to happen. For some reason I expected there to be bells/gongs so I did not realize that the countdown was over after they finished beating the drums. Plus, there were so many people and we were so far away that we could barely hear anything. Still, it was fun and I hope that my prayers come true, haha. Packing five people at May’s place was quite interesting as well. We visited Nezu Jinja on New Years and went to see the emperor on the 2nd. There was a huge crowd but it was obvious that most of the people there were of an older generation. We barely saw anyone our age; I think there were more foreigners there than Japanese youth. The little kids there looked like they were dragged there by their parents and seemed bored, especially since they couldn’t see anything in the crowd. I did feel sorry for many of the shorter old people there who were standing on their tip-toes and desperately trying to get a look at the emperor. They obviously cared a lot about the event and we heard “banzai” (basically, long live the emperor) many many times. While we waited for quite a bit of time in the heat (despite it being a cold day there were so many people we could see heat waves), it was a worthwhile experience and I can now say that I have seen the emperor of Japan in person.
After we exploring Ueno Park with Chiara and her boyfriend, Keaton was nice enough to host me for a night in Toyohashi. We went to Nagoya the next day were I was able to meet up with Marie and explore the city. It was absolutely great to see Marie again and I hope I have to opportunity to see the rest of you guys again sometime soon. The highlight was probably Nagoya Castle, which I would recommend to anyone who has some sort of interest in Japanese sengoku history. Despite being an Asian History major, I felt slightly embarrassed that I did not know enough about the period. Still, it is a really interesting period that people should read about if they have the time.
After coming back from break I went on a day trip to Kamakura and Yokohama because I was trying to help a friend finish a seishun 18 ticket (available for holiday periods, for 2300 yen you can available all you want on non-rapid Japan Railway trains). I also had to finish my IUC (Japanese language school) application which I thankfully turned in yesterday. Oh, and I officially signed up for a full marathon in April along with a friend here. Going to have to train but since it is my first marathon I will be happy with just finishing it.
My wallet has become alarmingly light, though I constantly remind myself that I am no longer a poor college student and that I am here to experience Japan, which means sometimes I have to splurge. I am sure that I will remind myself over and over again next month too when I go to Hokkaido for the Yuki Matsuri along with some many other Fellows, along with other planned events.
On 12/19 I went to a bounenkai (end-year party) which was quite interesting because I actually met a lot of people I had never seen before. While I don’t think any of them will be very helpful regarding my research it was still nice to just relax and meet other people. I was a bit surprised how popular nijikais (literally, second parties) are though and how people are adamant on going even when they are obviously drunk out of their minds. This does lead to some interesting stories afterward though, especially when you are obligated to help a sempai home and make sure he doesn’t pass out on the side of the street.
Christmas Eve was spent with friends. We had a very small gathering/party in my apartment. Nothing really happened but sometimes it is nice to just hang out and relax. One of my best friends (JJ) from high school stopped by for a few days after Christmas and I was glad that I had the opportunity to show him around Japan a bit. We only went to a few of the bigger places in Tokyo but we had a great time, especially for the co-op gaming again =P
My kenkyushitsu (research lab) surprisingly did not have its own bounenkai; according to my tutor my professor stopped having them after girls joined the program, no idea why. Also, with theses deadlines coming up, many people did not have time. However, in its place we had sports day instead. One afternoon of ultimate Frisbee, basketball, fulsal, and badminton instead of a night of drinking. Quite a surprise but I had a great deal of fun and I am pretty sure that it was a unique experience as well.
New Years with Keaton, May, Courtney, and Matt was really fun. There were just so many things that we were able to do. Let’s see, we went to Sensouji in Asakusa, sampled the food vendors and had toshikoshi soba (new years soba) at Harajuku while waiting for the New Years countdown, braved the massive crowd at Meiji Jingu… May’s bright red coat amazingly allowed us to pick her out from the crowd when they showed us on the huge screen. The actually countdown was a bit anticlimactic because we were a bit confused about what was suppose to happen. For some reason I expected there to be bells/gongs so I did not realize that the countdown was over after they finished beating the drums. Plus, there were so many people and we were so far away that we could barely hear anything. Still, it was fun and I hope that my prayers come true, haha. Packing five people at May’s place was quite interesting as well. We visited Nezu Jinja on New Years and went to see the emperor on the 2nd. There was a huge crowd but it was obvious that most of the people there were of an older generation. We barely saw anyone our age; I think there were more foreigners there than Japanese youth. The little kids there looked like they were dragged there by their parents and seemed bored, especially since they couldn’t see anything in the crowd. I did feel sorry for many of the shorter old people there who were standing on their tip-toes and desperately trying to get a look at the emperor. They obviously cared a lot about the event and we heard “banzai” (basically, long live the emperor) many many times. While we waited for quite a bit of time in the heat (despite it being a cold day there were so many people we could see heat waves), it was a worthwhile experience and I can now say that I have seen the emperor of Japan in person.
After we exploring Ueno Park with Chiara and her boyfriend, Keaton was nice enough to host me for a night in Toyohashi. We went to Nagoya the next day were I was able to meet up with Marie and explore the city. It was absolutely great to see Marie again and I hope I have to opportunity to see the rest of you guys again sometime soon. The highlight was probably Nagoya Castle, which I would recommend to anyone who has some sort of interest in Japanese sengoku history. Despite being an Asian History major, I felt slightly embarrassed that I did not know enough about the period. Still, it is a really interesting period that people should read about if they have the time.
After coming back from break I went on a day trip to Kamakura and Yokohama because I was trying to help a friend finish a seishun 18 ticket (available for holiday periods, for 2300 yen you can available all you want on non-rapid Japan Railway trains). I also had to finish my IUC (Japanese language school) application which I thankfully turned in yesterday. Oh, and I officially signed up for a full marathon in April along with a friend here. Going to have to train but since it is my first marathon I will be happy with just finishing it.
My wallet has become alarmingly light, though I constantly remind myself that I am no longer a poor college student and that I am here to experience Japan, which means sometimes I have to splurge. I am sure that I will remind myself over and over again next month too when I go to Hokkaido for the Yuki Matsuri along with some many other Fellows, along with other planned events.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Catching Up: So much..... (part 3)
I decided to cut out some details of my life. Maybe I'll decide to update later, but honestly, I don't really lead an interesting life.
Umm...getting tomorrow off (12/23) off because it is the emperor's birthday. This is what I like about Japan, you get a ton of random holidays here and there (at least 1 or 2 each month). When you are in school it feels great (IMO) to have a day off from your hectic schedule. Long breaks are nice but sometimes you just need that one day to recharge. We don't get Christmas off though. Thankfully, I don't have class on that day anyway.
So...I finally got my PS3, and even decided to splurge on the special Final Fantasy XIII edition as well. Instead of a black one (which I like, incidentally), I now have a white PS3 with a pink Lighting ("main" character) character on. It actually looks pretty good, despite it being pink and all. Sure it ended up costing more, but I figured that you don't really have many opportunities to get a special edition console, especially one that has based on your favorite series. Started playing the game and it looks incredible. Game is fun so far but with it being in Japanese I'm not progressing as quickly as I would for an English game.
Speaking of which, I went to Ding Tai Fung in Japan. Food was good but I think the main stores in Taiwan are a bit better. Not that I am complaining about the quality of food I had.
Umm...getting tomorrow off (12/23) off because it is the emperor's birthday. This is what I like about Japan, you get a ton of random holidays here and there (at least 1 or 2 each month). When you are in school it feels great (IMO) to have a day off from your hectic schedule. Long breaks are nice but sometimes you just need that one day to recharge. We don't get Christmas off though. Thankfully, I don't have class on that day anyway.
So...I finally got my PS3, and even decided to splurge on the special Final Fantasy XIII edition as well. Instead of a black one (which I like, incidentally), I now have a white PS3 with a pink Lighting ("main" character) character on. It actually looks pretty good, despite it being pink and all. Sure it ended up costing more, but I figured that you don't really have many opportunities to get a special edition console, especially one that has based on your favorite series. Started playing the game and it looks incredible. Game is fun so far but with it being in Japanese I'm not progressing as quickly as I would for an English game.
Speaking of which, I went to Ding Tai Fung in Japan. Food was good but I think the main stores in Taiwan are a bit better. Not that I am complaining about the quality of food I had.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Catching Up: So much..... (part 2)
So being sick sucked but I survived. With it being a new quarter/semester I have new Japanese classes. Pros: I can sleep in on more days now. Cons: I still don't quite remember what classes I have each day. One thing I am not used to about Japanese classes here is that instead of one class you have many classes that meet once a week (for 9-10 weeks) that each focus on one aspect (grammar, reading, listening, etc). I was very against this format at first but have mellowed out. I still prefer the Japanese classes I had in college (with one professor you actually get to know him/her) but since most international students here are busy with grad school stuff they can't really make that much time to attend many classes.
Let's see...went to the nomikai by the Fulbright alum I mentioned before and got to meet many interesting people. I also met some current IUC students, which was helpful since I was able to ask for some tips about the application. Oh yeah, IUC is a language school in Yokohama that I am planning to apply for next year. It is a ten-month program and is one of the best, according to Americans. I think that if I stop Japanese after this year (will most probably not be fluent yet) I will eventually forget it all. Would be best to try and achieve fluency when I still have the chance. Apps have been hell though and I really do not what to think about it. I realize that I am lucky to only have to write one but I hate trying to sell myself to someone. You have to achieve that balance between truth and half-truths, cockiness and humility, and I absolutely despise it.
I then spent the next day touring around Tokyo with 3 other Fulbright people (1 current, two alums, one which was an 82-year old man who is amazingly fit for someone his age). We started in Asakusa, took a river bus, and ended up in Harajuku/Shinjuku later that night. While walking down Omote Sando Doori we passed by a store (Fendi, I believe) that was surrounded by people. Somewhat puzzled, we decided to push through the crowd to the other side. However, halfway through we were cut off by security guards who cleared a path for someone coming out of the store. While we were literally standing in the first row right next to the guards (who were trying to stop people from taking pictures) and could have reached out and touched her, we had no idea who the celebrity was. I think there were two people (both with red hair, if that makes a difference) and ironically, one of them was taking pictures of the crowd. That was probably the closest I will ever be to someone famous in the near future and I have no idea who she was, haha. For dinner, we had dojo, which are apparently small fish that usually live in muddy water. They really were quite tasty though.
Let's see...went to the nomikai by the Fulbright alum I mentioned before and got to meet many interesting people. I also met some current IUC students, which was helpful since I was able to ask for some tips about the application. Oh yeah, IUC is a language school in Yokohama that I am planning to apply for next year. It is a ten-month program and is one of the best, according to Americans. I think that if I stop Japanese after this year (will most probably not be fluent yet) I will eventually forget it all. Would be best to try and achieve fluency when I still have the chance. Apps have been hell though and I really do not what to think about it. I realize that I am lucky to only have to write one but I hate trying to sell myself to someone. You have to achieve that balance between truth and half-truths, cockiness and humility, and I absolutely despise it.
I then spent the next day touring around Tokyo with 3 other Fulbright people (1 current, two alums, one which was an 82-year old man who is amazingly fit for someone his age). We started in Asakusa, took a river bus, and ended up in Harajuku/Shinjuku later that night. While walking down Omote Sando Doori we passed by a store (Fendi, I believe) that was surrounded by people. Somewhat puzzled, we decided to push through the crowd to the other side. However, halfway through we were cut off by security guards who cleared a path for someone coming out of the store. While we were literally standing in the first row right next to the guards (who were trying to stop people from taking pictures) and could have reached out and touched her, we had no idea who the celebrity was. I think there were two people (both with red hair, if that makes a difference) and ironically, one of them was taking pictures of the crowd. That was probably the closest I will ever be to someone famous in the near future and I have no idea who she was, haha. For dinner, we had dojo, which are apparently small fish that usually live in muddy water. They really were quite tasty though.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Catching Up: So much..... (part 1)
I know I have been terrible at blogging the past month or so. Here is an attempt to catch up a bit. Entries will probably be shorter but lets be honest, thanks is probably a good thing for everyone.
We last left off at Thanksgiving. On the day I left Kyoto, I began to feel sick (headaches, no appetite). Unfortunately, I also had to go to a lecture in Tokyo that night (which is why I arranged to go back that day). I took to Shinkansen (bullet train) for the first time but basically slept most of the trip because of my headache. It was a nice train ride, but probably not worth the extra $100 it cost (compared to a night bus).
The talk was by Robert Whiting, who just happens the authoritative voice on Japanese baseball in English. His specialty is pro baseball but it was still an interesting talk and I was able to get my book autographed. He also agreed to answer my questions if I had any. Of course I don't know enough to yet to ask him questions but maybe in the future. I was also able to meet a former Fulbrighter from two years ago who was nice enough to treat me to a drink and invite me to a nomikai he was hosting. Connections are always good.
I was feeling miserable most of the day though (body was sore, head hurt) so I knew I was sick. Went to play some volleyball the next day (exercise helps, seriously) but still felt like crap. I had a fever, headache, sore throat, and general fatigue. Yes, I do realize I had all of the symptoms of influenza/swine flu. I realize that with the H1N1 scare it would have probably been best if I went to see a doctor but I am not a big fan of hospitals/doctors in general. For the past few years I have been able to fight off everything with a combination of lots of liquids and rest. From what I have heard from other fellows they did not have very pleasant experiences dealing with medical care in Japan so I decided to forgo the experience, though I was willing to risk it if my condition did not improve. At least I actually went out and got medicine (which I usually don’t), though it might not be something I should pat myself on the back for. Thankfully, after a few days of sleep, Vitamin Water, orange juice, etc… my fever, sore throat, and headache were mostly gone, though I still have a slight cough. Being sick is not fun.
We last left off at Thanksgiving. On the day I left Kyoto, I began to feel sick (headaches, no appetite). Unfortunately, I also had to go to a lecture in Tokyo that night (which is why I arranged to go back that day). I took to Shinkansen (bullet train) for the first time but basically slept most of the trip because of my headache. It was a nice train ride, but probably not worth the extra $100 it cost (compared to a night bus).
The talk was by Robert Whiting, who just happens the authoritative voice on Japanese baseball in English. His specialty is pro baseball but it was still an interesting talk and I was able to get my book autographed. He also agreed to answer my questions if I had any. Of course I don't know enough to yet to ask him questions but maybe in the future. I was also able to meet a former Fulbrighter from two years ago who was nice enough to treat me to a drink and invite me to a nomikai he was hosting. Connections are always good.
I was feeling miserable most of the day though (body was sore, head hurt) so I knew I was sick. Went to play some volleyball the next day (exercise helps, seriously) but still felt like crap. I had a fever, headache, sore throat, and general fatigue. Yes, I do realize I had all of the symptoms of influenza/swine flu. I realize that with the H1N1 scare it would have probably been best if I went to see a doctor but I am not a big fan of hospitals/doctors in general. For the past few years I have been able to fight off everything with a combination of lots of liquids and rest. From what I have heard from other fellows they did not have very pleasant experiences dealing with medical care in Japan so I decided to forgo the experience, though I was willing to risk it if my condition did not improve. At least I actually went out and got medicine (which I usually don’t), though it might not be something I should pat myself on the back for. Thankfully, after a few days of sleep, Vitamin Water, orange juice, etc… my fever, sore throat, and headache were mostly gone, though I still have a slight cough. Being sick is not fun.
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