"What is so hard about being punctual?! We have been taught at school since young, haven't we? That's something we Japanese can never understand about foreigners. It is such an obvious and reasonable thing, being punctual, that is."
「当たり前じゃないの？遅刻なっとくできないっていうこと。だって、子供から学校でもそういうんじゃない？それだけ、日本人はまったくわからない。」
Quoted from a conversation I had with a fine Japanese young man...
Somehow, there was no way i could argue with him. I don't intend to, anyway. =)
Although I don't usually end up late for dates, it's still not for sure that I will end up punctual either.
The Japanese holds their principles of life tight to their mind and soul. They would be expected to follow every single virtue which reflects good personality. For example, keeping promises, not lying, and...being punctual.
One of my Japanese friends can be totally mindless about certain things, totally reckless when doing things, and have totally crazy habits that one can never imagine. But she......is punctual. Once she say she'll do something, she WILL do it.
Once she starts doing something, she WILL continue doing it.
There is this invisible hand. A hand that guides the Japanese's way of life. A hand which holds rules that the Japanese MUST follow. I think this is something we outsiders can never understand.
Say...but I am impressed. More amazed than impressed, i think. There is no other people that is more "unique" than Japanese people.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Monday, 9 March 2009
Kanagawa to Tokyo: 2.5hrs wasted per day
I'll be literally spending 80 minutes on each single trip, including about 30 minutes of walking time and 40 mins on the train, from school and to school. However, this really balances out the high rental fee for the International Student House「国際学生会館」(what you call hostel, or dormitory).
Tokyo「東京」...is a very... VERY expensive place to live in. Especially if anyone wants to stay in or around the "circle of Yamanote「山手線」". My school just happens to be right in the centre of it, Shinjuku「新宿」. I was planning to stay at Hatsudai「初台」, which is just one-stop away by train. If i really stayed there, i'll end up spending literally close to SG$1000 solely on accomodation.
I know... I'm on scholarship, and the Japanese goverment also gives me monthly living allowance. But...THAT is definitely still too expensive, even for an average Japanese family. In comparison, I'll only be spending about SG$670 on accomodation in Kanagawa, compared to Tokyo's SG$980.
And so, I'm just a little glad I got posted to stay at the International Student House at Kanagawa Prefecture「神奈川」 (Sagamiono「相模大野」). Although Kanagawa is still like the 3rd largest city of Japan, after Tokyo and Osaka「大阪」, living cost there is relatively lower than really staying in Tokyo itself.
Kanagawa is NOT in Tokyo, for your information. It's going to be like travelling between two different areas, imagine Singapore to Johor Bahru. But thank goodness the train network in Japan is so wonderful (messy and complicated at the same time)it literally connects everywhere in Tokyo, so i'll still just be taking one line straight to and from school everyday, it'll take 40 mins on train though.
I just have to imagine Japanese rush-hour trains and I'll want to vomit...and yes, i'll have to deal with that.
Odakyuu-sen 「小田急線」is HELL in morning rush-hour, and so my Japanese friend tells me. I just hope I can get to SIT throughout my 40-min journey straight to Tokyo Met. Shinjuku.
Mai stayed at Kanagawa for the exact same reason, maybe it's pure coincidence, or maybe it's just THAT obvious...that nobody would want to stay in Tokyo, and so looks for cheaper options in Kanagawa (or Saitama).
Tokyo「東京」...is a very... VERY expensive place to live in. Especially if anyone wants to stay in or around the "circle of Yamanote「山手線」". My school just happens to be right in the centre of it, Shinjuku「新宿」. I was planning to stay at Hatsudai「初台」, which is just one-stop away by train. If i really stayed there, i'll end up spending literally close to SG$1000 solely on accomodation.
I know... I'm on scholarship, and the Japanese goverment also gives me monthly living allowance. But...THAT is definitely still too expensive, even for an average Japanese family. In comparison, I'll only be spending about SG$670 on accomodation in Kanagawa, compared to Tokyo's SG$980.
And so, I'm just a little glad I got posted to stay at the International Student House at Kanagawa Prefecture「神奈川」 (Sagamiono「相模大野」). Although Kanagawa is still like the 3rd largest city of Japan, after Tokyo and Osaka「大阪」, living cost there is relatively lower than really staying in Tokyo itself.
Kanagawa is NOT in Tokyo, for your information. It's going to be like travelling between two different areas, imagine Singapore to Johor Bahru. But thank goodness the train network in Japan is so wonderful (messy and complicated at the same time)it literally connects everywhere in Tokyo, so i'll still just be taking one line straight to and from school everyday, it'll take 40 mins on train though.
I just have to imagine Japanese rush-hour trains and I'll want to vomit...and yes, i'll have to deal with that.
Odakyuu-sen 「小田急線」is HELL in morning rush-hour, and so my Japanese friend tells me. I just hope I can get to SIT throughout my 40-min journey straight to Tokyo Met. Shinjuku.
Mai stayed at Kanagawa for the exact same reason, maybe it's pure coincidence, or maybe it's just THAT obvious...that nobody would want to stay in Tokyo, and so looks for cheaper options in Kanagawa (or Saitama).
今気づいた
去年の１２月に、私はある友達に「私はいつも応援するよ！」って言いました。そして、電話したり、チャットしたり、いろいろに相談したり。。。今までずっと。これからきっと。
なんか。。。日本に行きたいけど、行きたくない。めちゃめちゃです。
彼女そのときの気持ち、今の私は完全にわかってきた。
家はずっと家ですね。家族はずっと。。。家族ですね。
最近もだんだん、親や親戚たちの気持ちをわかってきた。
友達に急に呼び出されて、御飯食べに行ったり、買い物したり、喫茶店で雑談したり。。。
みんなは「親友だよ！絶対に私のことを忘れないでね！」って言った。うれしい。
私はみんなにとして、こんなに重要だとぜんぜん思わなかった。
今気づきました。
私は。。。幸せです。
どこにいても、どんなに寂しくても、私はきっと一人じゃない。それだけをわかったら、私は何でもできるときがします。
みんなのために、自分のために。。。
私は強くなりたい。私は成長したい。
諦めません。
なんか。。。日本に行きたいけど、行きたくない。めちゃめちゃです。
彼女そのときの気持ち、今の私は完全にわかってきた。
家はずっと家ですね。家族はずっと。。。家族ですね。
最近もだんだん、親や親戚たちの気持ちをわかってきた。
友達に急に呼び出されて、御飯食べに行ったり、買い物したり、喫茶店で雑談したり。。。
みんなは「親友だよ！絶対に私のことを忘れないでね！」って言った。うれしい。
私はみんなにとして、こんなに重要だとぜんぜん思わなかった。
今気づきました。
私は。。。幸せです。
どこにいても、どんなに寂しくても、私はきっと一人じゃない。それだけをわかったら、私は何でもできるときがします。
みんなのために、自分のために。。。
私は強くなりたい。私は成長したい。
諦めません。
Friday, 6 March 2009
ごめん！
寝れなかった。でも、はなしてから、なんとなく寝れました。ありがとう。
午後、まいに「今から話せるよ！」って携帯にテキストを送って、まいがオンラインのとき、私はぜんぜん気づかなかった。
ごめん！！
話したかったよ。でも。。。やっぱり、ずいぶん疲れたから。。。ぐっすり寝ていた。Sorries!! @_@
(All posts will now be published in Beth's World, regardless of it being in Japanese, Chinese or English in order to facilitate RSS Feed feature to Facebook Notes.)
午後、まいに「今から話せるよ！」って携帯にテキストを送って、まいがオンラインのとき、私はぜんぜん気づかなかった。
ごめん！！
話したかったよ。でも。。。やっぱり、ずいぶん疲れたから。。。ぐっすり寝ていた。Sorries!! @_@
(All posts will now be published in Beth's World, regardless of it being in Japanese, Chinese or English in order to facilitate RSS Feed feature to Facebook Notes.)
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Tokyo: April 2009 - 2012
April 2009 - March 2010 :
文化外国語専門学校
Bunka Institute of Language
April 2010 - March 2012 :
日本工学院八王子専門学校
Nihon Kougakuin College of Hachioji
The first year will be spent at the centre of Tokyo. Big city, tall buildings, typical urban area, Shinjuku. The busiest area in Tokyo Met.
The 2nd and 3rd years will be spent nearer to the outskirts of Tokyo, at Hachioji. Well, not really rural...just that it's basically near the mountainous border of Tokyo-to and it's basically not as city-like. (I hope I would get at least a little chance to take some fresh country air.)
First year will basically be the study of the Japanese Language, and maybe Japanese Affairs, i don't really know my curriculum yet, but it's like what MEXT says, it's going to be a one-year INTENSIVE course.
Japanese people take years to get into a Japanese university...and i'm going to be expected to master the language that should be used in Japanese colleges in one year... woo~ I hope I can make it.
I'll be majoring in some course as a "Music Artist" at Nihon Kougakuin. The specialty course I think I would take should either be Music Composition/Arrangment or... Game Music. I don't know yet...i don't even know it myself.
Anyhow, I still don't know when my flight will be...
文化外国語専門学校
Bunka Institute of Language
April 2010 - March 2012 :
日本工学院八王子専門学校
Nihon Kougakuin College of Hachioji
The first year will be spent at the centre of Tokyo. Big city, tall buildings, typical urban area, Shinjuku. The busiest area in Tokyo Met.
The 2nd and 3rd years will be spent nearer to the outskirts of Tokyo, at Hachioji. Well, not really rural...just that it's basically near the mountainous border of Tokyo-to and it's basically not as city-like. (I hope I would get at least a little chance to take some fresh country air.)
First year will basically be the study of the Japanese Language, and maybe Japanese Affairs, i don't really know my curriculum yet, but it's like what MEXT says, it's going to be a one-year INTENSIVE course.
Japanese people take years to get into a Japanese university...and i'm going to be expected to master the language that should be used in Japanese colleges in one year... woo~ I hope I can make it.
I'll be majoring in some course as a "Music Artist" at Nihon Kougakuin. The specialty course I think I would take should either be Music Composition/Arrangment or... Game Music. I don't know yet...i don't even know it myself.
Anyhow, I still don't know when my flight will be...
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