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!!!