Blogs from Saitama, Japan, Asia - page 4

Apologies Sorry for the lack of updates it’s been a rather busy few weeks. Anyways, on to week one’s adventures. Out of Tokyo Monday morning I was met by two girls for Seigakuin’s European-American culture department, Harumi and Yuki. After short introductions, and my instantly forgetting of their names (this becomes quite common), we headed off for Ryogoku Station, bags in tow. Now, it should be said that Japanese trains are not good places for clumsy, luggage-laden gaijins. As we hit transfers at Akihabara and Ueno, I found myself deathly worried that I was going to take a turn too quickly and slam my backpack into someone. Thankfully, the trains weren’t excessively crowded and I managed to make it to Miyahara Station without causing an international incident. Stepping out of the train, the girls led me ... read more

My visa arrived today so Gabe and I walked to the Post Office to collect it. We saw so many great little family-owned stores and I was so happy to find my tea set! I had been looking for the perfect set, and found it in a little shop that was closing down. The lovely lady who owned the store was retiring. If I lived there I would have bought so much more- the chinaware was absolutely gorgeous. When I got back to Gabe's flat I booked my flight home. The only flight I could get was the next day, or I had to wait a week for the prices to drop again. I didn't expect to have to leave so soon. We went out for real sushi that evening and then Gabe took me to ... read more

I woke up early, travelled in to Tokyo, had my visa interview, and was approved! Hooray!!!!!!... read more

The earthquake woke everyone in our little flat up, the shifting of the bed, the rattling of the mirror and the sharp intake of breath from Kizzy lying on the bed next to me means that it was at least a magnitude four. I rolled over on the small lounge and faced my longtime friend from Australia. She was lying on her back with her eyes fixed on the ceiling, a familiar vague look of terror forming silently in her eyes. "Earthquake" I muttered, my voice thick with sleep. "Oh" she replied, darting me a look "I thought you were shaking the bed" and thus comforted by the knowledge that it was not me causing her sleep disturbance, but in fact a natural disaster, she rolled over and fell once more into an enviable slumber. It's ... read more

One of my students Ayaka came to class early today, so were practicing reading together. She was telling me how hard she was finding it and I said that I understood, I can't read any Japanese at all, so she's doing really well and all those other teacherly things which completely threw her off track. "You can't read Japanese?" she asked me "Nope" I replied cheerfully "Not even your name?" she asked "Well...." I hesitated here "No." The truth is I can write my name in japanese, but knew if I said yes I'd have to show her on the board and it wouldn't look to good if I got it wrong. I am her teacher after all. Ayaka turned to Satsuki and babbled away in Japanese, Satsuki smiled at me and translated "She wants to ... read more