updates, updates

I've replied all the comments that were posted on my blog, so pls take a look at the reply if u're interested in the reply. HAHA. if not, well, then don't read lah.

Went for my first SPJ (spoken japanese) lesson and my first RWJ (reading and writing in Japanese) lesson yesterday. The amount of work they are expecting to load us with is astounding.

Jon will be extremely pleased to see this: I decided to transfer only 3 credits over to SMU. And do 2 "useless" courses. I dropped Negotiations (because I can always do it as a 0.5 credit, instead of a full credit in SMU). So, now, instead of auditing Japanese Buddhism, I am officially a student in Prof Kenney's class. :) There is a high chance that next semester, I'll kill myself doing 6.5 courses. Plus, I was planning to do TA work (dont know which course, but any course is fine) and RA work and work part-time to fund my "huey in europe" fund. Well, I survived 6 courses, 2 TA-ship, RA-ship and part-time work before. So, I guess, I'll survive this too... Meanwhile, I'll make life for me in Japan as enjoyable as possible. HAHA.

Amazingly, to get an A in any course, you have to score 93 and above. Hmm, it's not like I'm in SMU now, and these course grades are not transferrable lah. But still, it'd be nice if I submit my transcript and they see I did well on exchange (instead of slacking) as well!

The main reasons I dropped Nego were: I want to go home earlier. Nego classes are at 4. So I only get to go home at 530. And reach home at 630 (depending on my walking pace, and who's with me). And there's a HUGE gap in between my classes, so I have to wait. I hate hate hate absolutely HATE waiting. It's like, a total waste of time. Sure, I can do my homework (and I do do my homework) but it's so totally boring. If I didnt have classes to wait for, at least, after homework, I can go out to shop or back home to sleep... Plus, and this is important too, BK's coming to Japan, and I want to run off before 3pm so I can get to Tokyo by maybe 7pm to join him so I can have more time in Tokyo instead of ... well, the little amount of time I have, *sighs* wagashi! wagashi! :P And so now, BK cannot scold me for skipping classes. MUAHAHAHAHAHA.

So anyways, some lessons are not as enjoyable as others, but I'd rather do them here than in Singapore. Cos if I did it in SMU, I'd be so totally stressed out due to the grades. At least, here it's just a pass/fail thing so shouldn't be much of a problem. On the other hand, there are courses I've totally fallen in love with (and this will be very apparent once I get to the readings and all that in the later weeks of the semester). =) We'll see how things work out. *crosses fingers*

Breakfast yesterday was fantastic: yogurt, a cup of juice (vege + tomato), sandwich (with sunny side up egg, ham and cheese on top on a huge toast), pear, and some side salad. I was so impressed by the amount of food she was piling me up with.

Lunch was curry rice (I figured I needed energy for 2 straight lessons in the afternoon). However, I ate my curry rice in 10minutes (don't know why I was so hungry) and by 5.30, I was very hungry. Kombini wasn't open, so I walked all the way to gotenyama. I was thinking that when I got off at kayashima, I'd go get a croquette (yummy) for (I think!!!) 80 yen. But that was not to be because when I reached gotenyama, my whole body was trembling from a) exhaustion, b) hunger.

Ended up buying a red bean cake at the kombini at gotenyama station. Hunger is just not for me. =( haha, the reason I bought the red bean cake was very simple. I poured out all the coins I had, and that was all I could afford, cos I was buying textbooks and stationery the entire of yesterday. So, only 70 yen left for me to spend, and I spent it on red bean cake. Very tiny one, but the sugar lasted me till I reached home and crashed onto the bed for 1 hour before Wataru came to wake me up for dinner.

Dinner was: cake (yes, we had cake before the main course, but that's because everyone was hungry!), nato (I finally got to eat nato) with raw egg (raw egg!!). Nato with raw egg isn't all that great. Okaasan was right when she said I may not like nato. haha. I don't really like it, cos it's sorta like.. erm, slimy. yeah, that's the right word. SLIMY. Very difficult for me to swallow. Had a hard time. Also had: rice, cabbage sauteed with chicken. =) good cook, my okaasan. it was like some chinese food. Didn't take pictures of dinner (but took pic of breakfast, cos it was just so presentable) but it was okay! =) First time I found something that I dislike in Japan. haha, hope not to find more, or else, eating would be such a terrible experience :P

Spent about 1 hour giving dictation to Yuko. She asked me to read to her one paragraph. After reading, she said, "sounds like a CD". haha, compliment as to how "good" my english is. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA. I told her, "you'd sound like a CD to me if you read Japanese!" haha, dont know if she understood that.. but my english standard is deteriorating. =x at least, spoken english. I pronounce (automatically) pink as pinku. -___-||| and orange as orangeee -___-|||

Spent the remaining of the time till 12 midnight talking to Masayuki in my room (in english, and for the parts we cldnt understand each other, he typed on his phone electronic dictionary and I scrambled for my dictionary). Our conversation topic (for two people who only have known each other for, say, 2 days) was very strange and private. *zips mouth* shall not mention what we talked about. hehe. but I think u can guess lah.

I showed him pictures of Singapore <3. Half way, I exclaimed, "I love Singapore!!!" and he exclaimed back, "I love japan!" Haha, we're silly in some ways. He's going for wisdom tooth surgery today, something like what Teddy Bear went thru (ah, havent used the word "Teddy Bear" for a long time :P). Apparently, his teeth is behind the bone (?) and so he needs a major operation. I was horrible at comforting him(*remembers own experience*) So, too bad, he had to hear things like, "after the operation, it was horribly painful" and "you can't eat for days!" Yep, I'm not a very good comforting person, I must admit.

Okaasan is holding a welcome party for me next Wednesday. Both Masayuki and Yuko are going to be free on that day. So, I invited Daryn along too, cos she needs to find her sanity in japan, and what better way than to get around people of your age, right? =) and people who are like 18 years younger than you (wataru and hikari!!!=))

Hm, my back is acting up again. I totally regret the time when I spent sitting on the chair in the living room without moving for hours on end trying to finish the 3-4 reports due. My right side is numb when I sit :( *sighs* It went away in late May before I started internship, but it's come back now that I'm back at school. Must be my sitting posture :x

Oh wells, hope it goes away soon, or else this trip wont be enjoyable. *sighs*

And, one last thing! I spent SGD 400 within these 9 days. But then, most of it was spent on textbooks and concession pass (250). So, I actually use maybe 150? But still, 9 days = 150, is a little bit scary. haha. Around SGD 17 per day. I better monitor my expenses more closely from now on *sighs* I keep very very careful accounts of what I spend on, so I know where my money goes. Well, at least now I know my money is going towards travelling (travelling is bloody expensive!).

I asked Masayuki to bring me to Kobe cos his university is in Kobe. Apparently, the round-trip train ride to Kobe costs 2200 yen! that's freaking expensive (pls multiply that amount by 13.07, the exchange rate I had). heh, but then, there's kobe beef awaiting... =P We'll see how it goes lah. Maybe after his surgery, he can't even walk due to the pain! :D [okay, yes, I'm evil]

thank goodness for concession passes that allow u to stop at any stop between the stops u supposedly ride to and fro everyday. =) Strange system, but, it prob works out just well =)