December again

I can't believe it's December already again. Where did the time go?

Now another year's over, another year's gone.
Mine was a good one, so many things done.
Hope you had some fun too,...
I hope you enjoyed.

Another year'll be starting, many surprises it'll bring.
some good and some less ones,...
lets treasure them all!

I'll continue trying to keep you up to date of my surprises here, but please keep me up to date from your side as well!!!
Happy New Year! �މ�V�N (kin ga shin nen!)

Getting a haircut

Well, as always in Japan, when you think things are getting normal, it will surprise you once again. Today I went for a haircut.. I brought with me: 2 dictionaries (JP->EN and EN->JP), one piece of paper with something written on it I couldn't read (which supposedly was how I wanted my hair done), and a lot of courage. 10 minutes later and a lot of hair and only 1000 Yen (EUR 7,80) lighter, I had had my haircut, AND was vacuumed with a vacuum cleaner.. and I think it doesn't even look that bad. Moreover, I didn't even have to use the dictionaries!!! (Thanks Takako, for the writing!)
Amazing.... Japan.

3 months after leaving...

...and the interesting experiences from the beginning are getting more normal now. Did I already write that they call the green traffic light blue here? The color is the same, but somehow, Japanese call it blue.... Oh, by the way, If someone ever tells you about the autumn skies in Japan, and tell you there is nothing like it, just believe it. Because that's the way it is... I've never seen nicer skies then the evening skies here now.

And now you are reading this, I'd also like to ask you something; "How are you doing?" Please let me know how things are going with you, since I am almost forgetting there is a life besides the wonderful one I'm having here ;-)!

Hope to hear from you soon!

OK, very soon

The BBQ from yesterday was amazing, it all tasted so good! and because we were at the river side, it was lots of fun as well! Even though it was only supposed to last until 2 pm, most people left at like 5 pm, the weather was too nice, and the event itself was a big success! Only my face thinks otherwise. It got sunburned :(

But it still was fun though! and the river was so nice, a bit strong current, but that made crossing it even more fun... :)

Two months gone

No, I won't repeat from the previous entry. I still don't feel like I know much more Japanese then when I arrived, but somehow, I'm able to get done what needs to be done. I guess I mastered like the 3 most important words, and know when to use them.

Oh, before I forget, 2 weeks ago (already!) I had my summer vacation. I went to Kyoto and Osaka. Sooo many temples and shrines in Kyoto! Amazing! We were also so very lucky with the weather. yeah, I'm starting to like this country more and more. But a 1000 words can not describe it well, pictures might be able to tell; they say more than a thousand words (at least to me :) ).

Anyway, it seems like life is settling down, even though I still have little time for myself, there is so much to do, for instance, next Monday it's a national holiday, but because there is a BBQ from the company, I'll be out all day! I love it! Well, talk to you again soon!

One month gone

I'm here for one month now, and still don't speak much more Japanese then I did when I arrived here. However, I think I already can call this place home. I have found ways to do my shopping and getting around, with the limited Japanese I know. I owe a lot to my friends though, both the other international students here, as well as the Japanese. I think the main reason why this place feels like home already, is them. Not like we are doing things together all the time, but just knowing you have them as a friend somewhere around... However, I need not to forget the Japanese in general, they are such a nice people, that helps a lot as well. Even without many words they are capable of making you feel welcome. A very nice quality if you'd ask me :-)

Just an update

I finally got a cellphone, makes meeting friends (e.g. in strange train stations) a lot easier. I also got myself a bicycle, which makes getting to town a lot easier. It's a 30 minute walk to the station (and 10 minutes to work), but by bike it is so much faster!!! Even though they don't know bike paths here, you just use the sidewalk, or the road, whatever is easier.

Akihabara

Have you ever been looking for a certain elektronic device, and none of the shos in town (nor in the next) would have it? I don't think hat can happen in Tokyo. In Tokyo there is an area, Akihabara, where there are more elektronic stores then I have ever seen before in total! There was even one street which had only shops selling computer parts. It was so amazing to walk around there! Talking about shopping, doing your purchases in a country where you can not read, nor speak the language gives a totally new twist to "just getting groceries". :)

Fireworks in Yokohama

My first weekend in Japan, and already a festival to go to. Or at least fireworks. This one was in Yokohama, other days during the comming weeks I have visited the festivals of Ebina and Atsugi. The fireworks were nice, although the Dutch new years eve fireworks are more impressive, I think. However, seeing a smiley, heart, or catface or even carrots falling from the sky was a new experience.

STILL the first week

Although Japanese beds are mainly wood, with only a very thin matras, and I have some trouble to get asleep except for when I'm very tired, do I have a good time here. It actually is quite frustrating, the talking around me, and all the writing around me, and I don't have a clue what it's about, most of the time. It just looks and sounds like random lines and sounds. However, yesterday (thursday) I went to a Japanese class, intending to learn to speak and understand some Japanese. However, the first lesson was to learn to write (and thus read) hiragana, I still don't know a word more Japanese than I did, but this evening I have been running around my appartment scanning text for characters that I recognized. I still can't recognize all 50 hiragana, but already it was a real amazing experience to see a text recognize characters, remembering the sounds and seeing those texts aren't just a collection of random lines. Actually, the best moment I had, was when I recognized 3 character in a row (in one word). Even though it was only part of a word, it was SO amazing to READ those characters and SAY the "word" out loud, it sounded so much like Japanese! ...Although it STILL sounded like a random collection of sounds ;-)... I think that was the best experience this week.

Also "strange" is when you walk on the left side of the (very small) streets, and cars come from behind, pass you, and steer LEFT!!! I guess it would be kinda similar in England, although the streets can never be as small as here in Japan, which adds to the confusion!!!

First day

It was only a one hour flight to London, so that was no problem, but the flight to Tokyo was actually 11 hours and 40 minutes. Now THAT was a long flight. Actually, I don't know most of it, after about 3 hours flying I fell asleep and less than 2 hours before landing I woke up again.

I was told that the weather in Tokyo would be hot and humid, well, it was kinda humid, but it was only 20 degrees Celsius with a nice breeze! So that wasn't too bad. Anyway, after landing I still had a two hour bus ride to Atsugi City, a little town(220.000 inhabitants), especially compared with Tokyo(10 million), through wich we drove on our way. (so much little houses at so little space!) my colleague Keiji Shimada picked me up from Hon-Atsugi station and helped me to my appartment. It actually wasn't as small as I expected, only the bathroom is very tiny! Thereafter we walked to the ATX building, where I will be working the next year, and I met my 3 other colleagues. Yoshi Nogoshi is my boss, and the other 2 names I don't remember exactly anymore. After a little talking we went to have dinner together (Keiji, Yoshi and me) in a noodle restaurant just outside the ATX tower. I had "parent" (or that is how it translates) rice with chicken and egg. Quite good! After that Keiji showed my a convenience store on the walk back. That evening I unpacked my suitcase and went to bed full with new impressions to dream about...

Tomorrow I Leave

Tomorrow morning I will fly to Londen and from London to Tokyo by British Airways. Today I finished packing my suitcase and an additional box wich I have to send by regular mail. I never knew that the 23 Kg you are allowed to bring in your suitcase can only contain so little!!!

Anyway, I am very excited to go, even though it is almost a 12 hour flight from London to Tokyo, and I will update this page as soon as possible about the flight and arrival ;-)

Preparations nearly done

Today I have my last final. After that, I only have to make my last preparations. I already have my visa, ticket and quite some other stuff. It's still a little early to start packing already, so I guess I'll just finish some little things needed finishing before I go. I don't know what I can be expecting when I arrive there, but as for now, it almost seems like there is a new family that I'm going to. The company realy support me in all the preparations, and I almost can't wait going there.

End of a chapter in my life

Today I emptied my appartment in Eindhoven, in which I have lived for nearly 4 years while I was following classes at my University. When the room was empty and I pulled the frontdoor in its lock behind me, it realy was like closing a chapter in a book, the book of my life.

At this page I will try to make it possible for everyone who is interested in following the next chapter, the chapter of me in Japan, to keep up. However, I'm pretty sure you'll never enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed the real experience!

At this page I will try to write something, everytime interesting things have happened. I don't promise anything, I'll just try. I might also try to put some nice pictures in, as they say: 'a picture is worth more than a thousands words'!