Melissa in Japan

Sydney again...

2008-01-19T08:23:00.000+09:00

Silas is going back to Japan tomorrow so we decided to come to Sydney yesterday and spend some time here.
I thought it would be a good idea to book a hotel ahead, and found a great deal on a last-minute internet site.
The hotel is right next to central station, in the middle of everything- perfect!

So when we arrived yesterday morning, the events that happened in the first 10 minutes made us question just how good the deal was...

Firstly, there was a guy standing in the doorway, wearing nothing but a bath towel, shouting abuse at the young, female Korean receptionist. This is the door that connects reception to the street! So he was pretty much on the footpath. Apparently the water shut off in the middle of his shower and he was late for work.

This guy had only just stormed back up the stairs when an ambulance pulled up out front. The ambulance officer pulled the stretcher bed out as 2 paramedics came down the stairs half carrying a scruffy, dirty little man with long hair and a long beard.
They were directly followed by 3 police officers carrying garbage bags.
I asked the receptionist if this guy was OK, she replied "oh yes, he's fine, he was just feeling a little sick so the ambulance came"..... right.

So then we got our key and made our way cautiously up the stairs... just before we reached the door to our room, the 2 guys that were walking in front of us pulled out a set of keys and opened our door. "Uhmm.... that's our room" I said. One guy turned and said "Yep, we just have to check the water pipes, won't be a minute."

Silas and I were standing in the hallway with all our luggage, looking at each other, wondering what the hell we'd got ourselves into.

The guys left so we tried to open the door, but our key didn't fit! We had to change it at reception, and then we tried again.

The first thing we saw when the door was opened was the stained blanket on the bed. The bathroom is actually just a small toilet room that's had a shower head installed in the wall in front of the toilet, so you have to make sure the toilet paper is placed safely somewhere outside before using it.

After throwing the dirty blanket into a corner, and being relieved to see that the sheets were spotless- no bloodstains- we collapsed onto the double bed and relaxed to the sound of drilling and hammering that's going on right outside the door (some kind of renovation).
I'm afraid that any moment someone's going to unlock the door and come right in!

I think we're going to count our losses and find another hotel for tonight.

My car!!

2007-11-25T15:31:00.000+09:00

As I live in a small village, and have almost no public transport..... I went out and bought my very first car 2 weeks ago!

Although I'm going to be paying it off for the next few years... I got a really good deal, as I bought it from my brothers friend for the amount left owing on it... way below the market price!

And I even found a bank that would give me the loan to buy it! Can you believe it!??

Back on the horse

2007-11-09T22:01:00.001+09:00

My baby, Marcello

Saddling up...

And straight back in to training (I couldn't walk for a couple of days after this!!)

Home in Australia

2007-11-09T21:49:00.001+09:00

After 2 days without sleep, I arrived at Sydney airport (at 6am) where my Kagoshima little brother, Fumi, had come to welcome me home!

3 hours later Silas arrived and we showed him a little bit of Sydney

Leaving Japan

2007-11-09T21:21:00.000+09:00

These are some photos from my farewell parties and dinners.
I am so grateful to all my Kagoshima friends for watching out for me and being there for me while I was in Japan.

I miss our nomikais- Onoya, Bodega (jejeje) but especially Sunkus and Family Mart (Toto's office).

Silas and I were talking about all the things we miss from Japan, and there's so many things, but almost all of them are to do with the people we left behind... As much as I never thought I would say it......

I wanna go back to Japan!!

(just to visit of course...jejeje)

Leaving Japan

2007-11-09T21:10:00.001+09:00

Me, Toto, Silas and Anderson

Dinner in Fracasso- Rocio, Paula and Julia.

The bracelets- Rocio's farewell gift

The boys- Ramon, Toto and Silas

Alex, Rocio and Paula

Leaving Japan

2007-11-09T20:54:00.001+09:00

Who said I can't do this in heels???

Playing extreme jenga at Big Ben (Rocio, Toto and Ramon)

My 2 best Kaikan girls- Julia and Rocio :)

Ryo-chan, there is no-one on earth who could meet this guy and NOT fall in love with him.

Anderson, we can all agree, is one of the hottest guys in Kagoshima... :D

Leaving Japan...

2007-11-09T20:32:00.000+09:00

Do not enter (age restriction 20+) Rocio at Sunkus...

Our last Sunkus nomikai... =(

Julia just discovered what the elephant is really for...

Rocio is a little more traditional.

But at least they can agree on something =)

Can I go home now....?

2007-07-17T13:10:00.000+09:00

I've been in Japan about 9 and a half months, and although I have beautiful friends, and a good life here, I'm really starting to feel like it's time to go home.
I'm so tired here, and now the summer is starting, it is SO hot and humid, I don't wanna leave my air-conditioned room!!
OK enough complaining...

I was in AMU plaza last week and I found a shop that sells VEGEMITE!! I couldn't believe it, really, but the other thing they sell from Aus is........ 'Weis bars'!! Of course I bought one, and after living here so long, the taste of natural fruit in a product tastes so SO good.
I hadn't really noticed how artificial everything is here before, but now, I can really tell.

I miss fresh fruit and vegetables, and those products that have "no artificial anything" labels on them.

I miss milk that actually turns solid if you leave it in the fridge for 3 weeks.

I miss bread that goes hard after 2 days, and grows mold after 5.

I miss being surrounded by boys who don't shave their eyebrows or carry hand bags.

I really miss english!!

But I know that when I go home, there's so many things (mainly people) that I will miss so much from Japan.
Oops- I was going to stop complaining......
:(

my girls

2007-05-18T13:52:00.000+09:00

Last month new students arrived, and now there are lots of 'gai-jins' in Kaikan!! In the photo is Aimy (Malaysia), Julia (Germany), me and Rocio (Peru) and we make up the "Candy Mountain" girls! (For explanation, go to youtube and type "unicorn" into the search. It should be the first video, 'Charlie goes to Candy Mountain').
Since these guys arrived, we've been to Fukiage, Sakura-jima, Bodega, Onoya (so many nomi-kais!!), we've climed into strangers cars and asked them to take us places, we've gone to nomi-kais with companys we don't belong to, we've all been on TV a few times.... summing up, life is much more fun in Kagoshima now.

My study-load is intense this semester, but good, my baito is great! And..... Silas arrived here on Sunday, so now I don't think things could possibly get better!

Back in hospital.....

2007-03-22T01:10:00.000+09:00

I checked into hospital on Tuesday, and had 2 awkward days wondering what I was doing there when I was completely healthy :S

Then the surgery was on Thursday morning, the last thing I remember before my eyes closed was about 8 doctors doing different things to me (attaching tubes and monitors...), and then I woke up with some tubes still attached.
The worst one was through my nose, down into my stomach!! It was against my voice box so I didn't want to try to talk.... I kept gesturing to the nurse to take the tube out cos it was so uncomfortable and painful (I can still feel it now!!), but she said I had to keep it another 2 hours!!
So I recovered from the general anaesthetic faster than they had ever seen!! And she took it out after only 15 mins. :D

I was in hospital 1 week and was lucky enough to have so many visitors and flowers and gifts.
Paula (Colombia) and Andrea (Brasil) were my first visitors (see photo above), and they came with flowers and ice cream! I love these girls!

So I'm home now, I still have stitches but the pain is almost gone. The stitches come out on Friday, then I can start the nomi-kai's again!!

I'm so grateful to everyone who visited me in hospital, or sent me messages to my keitai.
Thank you so much!!

Besos e Beijos -x-

This week in my life......

2007-03-12T00:18:00.000+09:00

My health check on Friday was perfect, so my surgery has been planned for Thursday.
I have to check into hospital on Tuesday cos if I get even a cough, they will have to reschedule- which I can't do cos I won't have time when my classes start.
I will be in hospital at least 7 days at the Kagoshima Daigaku hospital. I'm gonna be incredibly bored so to my friends: "please come and visit me!!!"

Onto another topic, Friday night was Kusa no Hana night as usual, but it was also the birthday party for Anderson, Pepe and Sayuri. It was a really good night, I was out until about 3:30, and as always, I had to work from 9am the next day. I don't know how I got through that day!! (Maybe I was still drunk...)

Last night, I was planning to have an early one, but Myjanne called me about 10pm to ask if I wanted to go out drinking.... and so of course I did.... and then drank too much too fast (damn those tequila shots) so I spent what felt like an hour with my head in the toilet. Myjanne and the bartender took turns to hold my hair. After I could stand up, the bartender got us a taxi to go home.
How many times have I said "I will never drink again!!"? Well I won't for a while anyway...

The pic above is before the tequila shots. Myjanne, Beth, Fiona and me.

Back to hospital...

2007-03-08T15:55:00.000+09:00

My wisdom teeth have decided that now is an appropriate time to put my life on hold and clean out my bank account.

After going to 2 other dental clinics that were too afraid of legal costs if anything went wrong with operating on a foreigner, I finally found one that would do the surgery.

Yesterday I went to Kagoshima Daigaku Hospital's dental clinic.

Three X-rays and a CT scan later, it was decided by a group of about 5 doctors that the surgery needs to be done ASAP.

We've decided that the best way is by general anaesthetic- that way they can take out both bottom wisdoms at the same time.

The only catch is that I have to stay in hospital for a week!! As I'm living alone and would be strictly forbidden to do anything that might be recognized as taking care of myself.

So I have to go back to hospital tomorrow for the check-up to make sure I can handle being knocked out, and then we will work out the best time to do the surgery.

The good thing is that I'm on uni holidays right now, so the only thing I'll miss is work. But I'm sure my bosses will understand......

The pic above is me with one of my dentists, and an x-ray of my teeth.

Horyu-ji temple, Nara

2007-03-03T23:40:00.000+09:00

This is my group- they split us in 2 groups.

Horyu-ji temple, Nara

2007-03-03T23:35:00.000+09:00

The annoying Japanese lady from the bus.....

Horyu-ji temple, Nara

2007-03-03T23:33:00.000+09:00

Horyu-ji temple, Nara

2007-03-03T23:28:00.000+09:00

Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan

2007-03-03T23:26:00.000+09:00

And this is the drop...

Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan

2007-03-03T23:22:00.000+09:00

Waiting in the queue for Jurassic Park. One of the best rides in my opinion.... We dropped of a 31m high waterfall after being terrorised by a massive T-rex.

We had to wait about 30 mins for this one, the longest wait was 80 mins for Spiderman, but it was so worth it!!

Universal Studios, Osaka, Japan!

2007-03-03T23:20:00.000+09:00

This was on the 1st- 2 days ago... and my body still hurts!! Theme parks are hard work!

Garden in Sanjusangen-do temple, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:18:00.000+09:00

I want one like this at my house!!

Sanjusangen-do temple, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:17:00.000+09:00

Sanjusangen-do temple, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:16:00.000+09:00

see? I really was there!

Sanjusangen-do temple, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:12:00.000+09:00

This is the longest temple in Japan.

When you walk inside it, the floor boards squeak really loudly (and musically). It was specifically designed like that so they would hear intruders. Omoshiroi ne!!

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:10:00.000+09:00

found some Geishas....

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:08:00.000+09:00

Imran and I are pretending to be Korean... I don't think they noticed....

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:07:00.000+09:00

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:05:00.000+09:00

Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

2007-03-03T23:03:00.000+09:00

Kyoto and Nara Trip

2007-03-03T22:47:00.000+09:00

I just got home from an amazing 3 day university field trip to Kyoto, Nara and Osaka!

After getting absolutely NO sleep on Tuesday night, I had to be at the university at 7:30am on Wednesday to meet the group of about 60 international students.

I was crying uncontrollably as I'd just said goodbye to my Brazilian friend, Silas, who was flying home that day :(

We flew to Osaka where 2 buses were waiting for us to take us to Kyoto. Each bus had it's own annoying Japanese lady who talked non-stop for the entire 3 days, loudly over a microphone so we had no choice but to listen.

We saw 2 temples, and then checked into our hotel in Kyoto.

The 2nd day was free time, so 6 of my friends and I went to Universal Studios in Osaka.

The 3rd day we saw 2 temples in Nara, then back on the bus to Osaka airport with the Japanese lady. We had 2 hours free time in the airport, I really can't believe they did that! But amazingly all 60 of us were through the security zone and in the waiting area on time.

It was a really great trip, and the whole thing cost us 3000 yen! Airfares, hotels and food included! We're really lucky, I love Kagoshima University!! Do I have to go home....?

(Photo above is in front of Todai-ji temple, Nara)

Food Poisoning........ not fun!

2007-02-16T23:48:00.000+09:00

I didn't think it was possible in Japan with how totally safe everything is here, but last Friday I somehow got food poisoning.... I went to Salsa class on Friday night, and then out to our weekly drinking place, Kusa no Hana, but had to go home early with tummy pains...
After a night spent in the bathroom, throwing up from midnight to 8am, I asked my tutor to take me to hospital. (I had food poisoning once before and discovered that no, it does not just go away by itself!)

I was at the hospital for about 3 hours, got a quick check-up and was sent to bed with an IV drip! A first for me!! And then sent home to bed with a big bag of drugs...

A week later, I'm feeling alot better, but still have a bruise where the drip went in, and a bruised jaw from trying to sleep on the sink all night...

Not fun! :p

Snow on the Volcano!

2007-02-08T16:09:00.000+09:00

It snowed! It snowed!

Last week we had 2 super cold days, and it did snow, but it was early morning so I slept through it.... but when I did get out of bed, I looked out the window and saw Sakura-jima dusted with snow!

To other news, I haven't heard anything from the creepy guy from last week, I think I scared him off with the boyfriend comment.

I had my first exam on Tuesday, and I have maybe 2 next week. The Tuesday exam was good, we just had to write an essay in Japanese on a subject of our choice.

I saw 2 movies, 'The Pursuit of Happyness' and 'Little Miss Sunshine'. I recommend them both! 'The Pursuit of Happyness' was so sad, but really well made and acted. 'Little Miss Sunshine' was just so funny, and it was non-stop drama/comedy, there was absolutely no boring bits! Go see them!!

OK so I have to go to work... but I don't wanna gooooo!!!!!! :'(

Abracos

about Sunday...

2007-01-30T17:56:00.000+09:00

Every Sunday I am paid to supervise an English conversation class for 2 hours. The class is made up of adult professionals, and they each prepare a topic to present in english every week. My job is to listen, correct and ask questions in english.

After the class, we have coffee and biscuits in the lobby and everyone can relax and chat in Japanese.

Last Sunday, drinking coffee in the lobby, I noticed a dodgy looking Japanese guy walking around, and he kept looking at me. It looked like he hadn't shaved in 3 months!

I had a really bad feeling about him.

I stayed close with my group, and we all walked out together. This guy followed us, he was really close to me and I could feel him looking at me.

When we were outside, I put my group between him and me, and after a while he went back inside. Then I got on my bicycle and got out of there. I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure he didn't follow me, and I went home.

I got back to my room and started getting some homework done.... then after about 10 mins, there was a knock on my door.

It was that guy!!

He told me that someone at the place I work had told him where I live, and he was hoping that he could practice english with me. (I was a bit scared actually, but I know kung-fu!! :p )

He asked me a heap of questions in english (his english is pretty good). And he told me that he's just about to graduate from a medical degree and he will become a GP.

Before he left he asked if I have many boyfriends...... I said "no, just one... and I love him very much"......

Weird.

(Photo above is of my class)

Australia Day!

2007-01-28T13:05:00.000+09:00

So..... Friday was Australia day, and in the first time in my life I had class that day! No BBQ lunch in the sun with a few beers listening to Triple J's hottest 100... I had class from 8:50am until 2:20pm, lunch was re-heated chinese take-out from the night before, and the weather was cold....... but I did get to listen to about half of the count-down over the internet, so that's something.

And Friday night, another Aussie girl and I organised a little get together at an "English pub" in Tenmonkan (the party/shopping district of Kagoshima). There was 4 Aussies, and some Brits, South Americans, a Canadian, 2 USAians and a few Japanese. We drank so much to celebrate Australian day.... even though we couldn't agree on what Australia day is actually celebrating.... but we have it figured out now!! But the main thing is that we did a great job celebrating Australia!

So this picture is me with my very good friend Toto from Peru. In the background you can see a couple of English guys.

Jan 25th

2007-01-25T15:51:00.000+09:00

In the past couple of weeks I've been trying to be a bit more focused on study.... so nothing too dramatic....but...

Last weekend one of my friends here told me he didn't want to see or talk to me anymore, and wanted his stuff back. I had no idea what I'd done, he thought I should know somehow, so had no intention of telling me!

I tried to find out what was wrong, he wouldn't tell me and he'd already made his decision. Boys! :p

6 hours later he knocked on my door and apologized, he didn't mean anything he'd said, and he wanted us to be friends.

So, we're friends again... for now... haha

I saw Marie Antionette and The Departed this week, both good, but Lucky Number Sleven is still number 1 for the year so far.

OK, have to go to work..... :(

Liss

First post

2007-01-15T18:04:00.000+09:00

I've been living here in Kagoshima since October 1st, 2006, so thats 3 months now.

I'm studying Japanese at Kagoshima University and living in the 'Ryugakusei Kaikan' (college for International students).

Since I arrived here my life has been a non-stop soap opera (when has my life not been a soap!?).... Every week brings more dramas and more interesting stories, but through it all I'm still smiling, having fun, and meeting the most beautiful people!

So I'm going to try to make notes of all the crazy things that happen here, cos if I don't write them down I will definately forget.

Melissa