Joan Sim
If you are not gasping for air, you aren't living hard enough. If you aren't motivated to progress, you aren't thinking hard enough. So take on every challenge with vigor, dance every last silly dance, drink all the fine wines in the world, and forget about obligation, expectations and societal norms for one moment. Live free and without regret, see all there is to see, and don't, for a moment at all, stop running. Because as Marilyn Monroe so brilliantly put it, "Imperfection is beauty; Madness is genius. And it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." And who wants to be boring?bonjourlemonde
My name is Joan and...
Fact 1: I was born in a Muslim country of which I am ethnically and religiously the minority.
Fact 2: I am a Malaysian-Chinese but have resided in California for over 19 years. Next month, I will be moving to Japan.
Fact 3: I just graduated with a degree in Film/Media and English from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Fact 4: I have a serious case of wanderlust.
Fact 5: I love meeting new people and experiencing new things.
Travel Blog Posts
October 12th 2008
I arrived in Osaka on Friday around 4pm and took the train to the Osaka station where we took the shinkansen to Okayama. There has been a few things that have really impressed me thus far: 1. The variety of drinks in the vending machines, the number of vending machines and the fact that they dispense hot drinks. Most drinks are about 100 yen. Yasui desu. 2. The cleanliness of the floors and bathrooms. Also, the toilets are very efficient. The toilet in our dorm releases water when you flush to the sink above for you to wash your hands. 3. The food is delicious. I find myself open to trying anything. I had uni (sea urchin) the other day and it was surprisingly good. 4. Japanese people know how to party. The clubs are packed ... read more
September 26th 2008
I am freaking out (with excitement mostly)! I cannot believe I will be leaving California in less than 2 weeks. I am already starting to pack and have figured out most of the clothes I am going to bring. If you know me, you know about my clothes. I even had several friends estimate that I have over 100 pounds of clothing in my closet (and I donate a big bag of clothes to the Salvation Army at the end of each year)! And how perfect is it that I will be going to Japan, where I will obviously be spending a lot more money on buying clothes. Nihon-jin wa sukina kaimono o shimasu! When October rolls around, I will really be freaking out. I am just trying to hangout with all my friends as much ... read more
Favorite places in San Francisco
Published: September 7th 2008North America » United States » California » San Francisco
September 4th 2008
I got my Japanese visa! So I'm pretty much all set to go. I'm going to miss California a lot but I know I will be back. Here are some of the places I love most:... read more
Top 10 things to bring to Japan + Baggage Info
Published: September 1st 2008Asia » Japan » Ehime » MatsuyamaSeptember 1st 2008
1. Business attire (5 suits, practical heels, pantyhose) and casual clothing 2. Personal hygiene products (feminine hygiene products, DEODORANT (I've heard this from countless people, so believe me on this one), toothpaste (it seems that the toothpaste in Japan doesn't have fluoride or something), face washes/moisturizers/toners that you use on a daily basis 3. Makeup/jewelry/curling iron/accessories 4. Rain boots and umbrella (it's been raining for like 5 days in Matsuyama!) 5. Cookbooks (one-pot recipes, anything that doesn't require baking (you won't have an oven)) 6. Reference books (grammar books, Japanese language books, Japanese-English dictionary (my boyfriend made me send him one because the ones in Japan "suck"), teaching books etc.) 7. Laptop! (my Mac baby)* 8. Digital camera 9. Books/music/movies you enjoy 10. Souvenirs/gifts from your hometown for your students *... read more
August 31st 2008
These will be my estimated monthly expenses as an English teacher in Matsuyama:* (*this data is only an estimate based on personally conducted research, advice from friends living in Japan, advice from an English teacher in Matsuyama and the information given by my sponsoring company) 270,000¥ (monthly income) - 27,000¥ (10% income tax) ------------- 243,000¥ = roughly about $2,430USD - 30,000¥ (national health insurance/pension) ------------- 213,000¥ - 55,000¥ (rent) ------------- 158,000¥ - 10,000¥ (utilities) ------------- 148,000¥ - 40,000¥ (food) ------------- 108,000¥ = roughly about $1,080USD left * Those are the absolutely necessary expenses!* Moving on... 108,000¥ - 4,500¥ (cellphone bill; 60 minutes of talk time with email/internet plan and rollover minutes) ------------- 103,500¥ - 5,000¥ (internet; expensive estima... read more
August 18th 2008
If you are a USA green card holder (AKA Permanent Resident), you must file for a reentry permit if you intend on leaving the country for more than 1 year. Otherwise, they will think that you have abandoned your status and you will encounter complications when trying to get back into the United States. This permit is good for up to 2 years. The form you need to file is called the Form I-131 and can be downloaded here: http://www.visapro.com/US-INS-Forms/INS-Form-I-131.asp Although it says the filing fee is $305, it has since been raised to $385. Enclose the correct amount of money or they will reject your application. This happened to me and I had to resend it. The address that you mail it to is: USCIS Nebraska Service Center P.O. Box 87131 Lincoln, NE 68501-7131 Good ... read more
August 18th 2008
So it seems that the Japanese are a tad bit more anal than I had anticipated. I suppose it is an unfair assessment. Perhaps it is just an unfamiliar method of business to Westerners. I haven't had problems with them yet but my boyfriend has had his share. Getting a Visa Upon getting his visa sponsored by his company, he immediately went to file the Visa application at the San Francisco Japanese Consulate. The first time he visited the Consulate to turn in his application, they did not anticipate any problems but when he came to pick it up two days later, they said the passport was "too damaged" for the Visa. Keep in mind that the same passport in this same condition was accepted in France, Thailand and Vietnam. So he had to get a ... read more
July 25th 2008
It's been such a long time since I have blogged here. I have a few major updates on my life. For one, Taiwan was unsuccessful. As a result of my citizenship status, I was not allowed to obtain a work visa to teach in Taiwan. But now, I am going to teach in Japan instead. I have never been to Japan before other than to connect flights so it will be a completely new experience for me. I will be working for AEON, one of the big eikaiwa companies in Japan. The process involved: -Application -Scheduling an interview date in which you must prepare: an essay, a sample lesson plan, completed application, letter of recommendations etc. -Group info session followed by group interview -Personal interview -If successful, they call you back within 2 weeks to let ... read more
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