Just when you think the JET community is quiet... Nick in Amami's lost and found episode when he was rescued from the beach (after being sucked into the ocean while surfing), by not one, not two, but dozens of people in rescue team and several helicopters became quite famous as soon as it broke out. Everybody was wondering if I knew this ALT...
The good news is that he is safe and apparently felt so comfortable on the beach that he actually told the rescue people to come get him later cuz he wanted to enjoy the sunrise... pretty cool, eh? But I heard that he has to pay for 3,000,000 yen for reparation because of all the work put into searching for him... I never heard that people would actually have to pay for the search operation if they are responsible for the incident... hmmm... I wonder if it's the same in Canada.
Anyways... speaking of surprises, last week I sent a mail to Rina and asked if she wants to come see the Kinko Bay fireworks with me Nanette and Joe... Then she replied and said:"hey you know what, I am in the hospital right now because I just had an appendicitis operation, and have to stay in the hospital for 10 days. So I can't make it." I just about fell off the chair after reading the above message. APPENDICITIS?? I don't even think people can get those anymore?! not since my cousin drank too much pop and had to be rushed to hospital when I was 14...
Then I asked Rina what she would like when I go visit her in the hospital, she wrote:"wet tissue"... hmmm... interesting request. Well on wednesday, I took the afternoon off and got wet tissue at the Midori Drugstore, got some cakes in the cake bakery downstairs, and went to visit her. Since my bike was still parked at the bus centre ever since I went to Taiwan, I had to walk there. Took me awhile to find her room because the hospital had 2 buildings and the rooms are marked most confusingly. Eventually I found her room and gave her the cakes, the wet tissue, and the notebook I got in Taipei 101 as a souvenir for her.
After we talked for awhile, I talked about my birthday flight and incidentally asked her when her birthday was. She smiled and said:"It's today." At first I thought she was joking, but then after a few times of confirming and reconfirming, she assured me that it's today... Poor girl, it was her birthday and she had stay in the hospital... Thank goodness that I brought cake! Rina, we gotta go for a drink when you get out of the hospital... probably not anytime soon though, eh?
Went to a daycare visit today and the kid Ren-kun was driving me nuts again... I don't know why some kids just behave so badly so they can get your attention. Wouldn't it be better for me to notice you if you're listening intently and enjoying the game, rather than rolling around the floor and tried to pulled my shirt then stretch it to a lenght that I can wear it as a dress?? Goodness...
Have been really addicted to "Veronica Mars" and now anxiously waiting for the new season to start. Now moving onto "Arrested Development," and glad to say that it's another great show too.
Ah... TV...
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Back in Kanoya... facing the reality...
Well, I know that I had a looooong vacation... and I should be happy that I even got to take times off to see my family (compare to alot of people in my office..) But, 10 days is JUST NOT ENOUGH!! Especially when you know that your family are still touring in Tokyo, having fun without you... :(
Anyways... I'm back to Kanoya, immediately resuming the regular work schedule, eikaiwa classes, meetings, unexpected nonkatas... It's all good.
I'm working on getting my pictures uploaded to either this blog or another space so we can all share what Taiwan is like~ So stay tuned!
(BTW, I think I ate really REALLY too much and it's not even funny anymore. I need to do some serious working out...)
Anyways... I'm back to Kanoya, immediately resuming the regular work schedule, eikaiwa classes, meetings, unexpected nonkatas... It's all good.
I'm working on getting my pictures uploaded to either this blog or another space so we can all share what Taiwan is like~ So stay tuned!
(BTW, I think I ate really REALLY too much and it's not even funny anymore. I need to do some serious working out...)
Thursday, August 11, 2005
I'm off to Taiwan~
Okay, folks... sorry that it's such a short notice, but from tomorrow I'll be taking around a week off from work and go to Taiwan... after being away for 10 years! whohoo~~
So, if you see any irregular activities (which would be blog entries...), don't worry~ but still leave comments all you want.
alright, I gotta go to bed, got an early morning tomorrow!
So, if you see any irregular activities (which would be blog entries...), don't worry~ but still leave comments all you want.
alright, I gotta go to bed, got an early morning tomorrow!
I've been tagged!
I got tagged by Jenn... so thought I shouldn't be rude and just write it out for fun... (ah who am I kidding, I LOVE this stuff!!) Okay, so here goes~
What was I doing 10 years ago?
Hmmm let's see 10 years ago this time... I was getting ready to go to Canada with my dad and two lil sisters. We packed carefully (or rather, my mom packed carefully for all of us) and we were getting ready for our departure... right after my entrance exam for high school in Taiwan. Now that I think of it, if I studied really hard and didn't get addicted to comics and novels, I would've probably gotten into a decent high school... ah well :p I went to Canada anyways.
What was I doing 5 years ago?
Okay... I think that's about the time that pretty much determined what I am right now. That year, earlier in Spring I had won the Japanese speech contest in intermediate category...and then went to Ottawa for the first time and got invited into the Japanese Embassy to do the speech and compete in the National Speech Contest. Then in Summer... something amazing happened to me... I got a free trip to come to Japan, all expenses paid, AND they give us allowances so we could go out and eat and shop and...etc. I wrote an exam in the Edmonton Japanese consulate, and ended up being the person chosen to join 67 other students learning Japanese around the world and come to Japan as their fancy gaijin guests in Kansai Kokusai Koryu Centre. We went to Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Tokyo~ That's when I actually realized that I want to keep learning Japanese and eventually work here.... hence here I am!
What was I doing 1 year ago?
Exactly 1 year ago? Hmmm... I had just arrived in Kanoya, and everyday seemed so boring with the office time but without anything to do. I hung out with the other new ALTs, Daniela, Jeni, Dan in Kihoku, Joe, and Heather. Those good old days we had fun... OOOh I think it's around this same time a year ago, we went to climb Mt.Kaimon... well, Team Canada didn't make it (that's me and Heather), Team UK and Team America made it to the top. (although Dan in Team UK argued that the water in Daniela's water bottle was a bit suspicious, that it had a little something extra in it...) :p hee hee
What was I doing yesterday?
I spent the morning chatting with Chris (the new ALT from London) and changed his keitai e-mail address into something comprehensible, then took the afternoon off so I could go the Yamada denki to get my beloved DVD player back (yes they fixed it and without any charge because of the warranty!! hee hee nothing to do with the lightning!), got photos developed for my grandpa, went to Uniqlo to buy presents for my grandparents...etc. Watched "In America" to prepare the Film Night event I'll have tonight... I had to watch it first in Japanese subtitle to see how the story is distored through the horrible translations...(actually not too bad, just not as good as the English lines..) Then last night I went to DUSK eikaiwa class and was pleasantly surprised that Chihiro became REALLY good! She managed to tell us a long story about why she wants another person to take her clothes to the dry cleaner.. all in English!! Very impressive!
What am I doing today?
Hmmm right now I'm just killing time until I can take the afternoon off... I gotta run some other errands (shopping for necessities...), and then the Kuroneko people will come pick up my luggage so they can send it to the Fukuoka Airport. yep, getting ready for myjourney back to Taiwan!!!! I'm so excited! Oh and then tonight (yes I have to work again..) I have the Film Night event and show the film "In America," and tell them why I am showing the film.. and try to get them to talk about it... if they would open their mouths.
Five snacks I enjoy
-"Cheese Arare" that you can get in 100 yen stores,sooo good
-"Chicken Ramen" dry noodle bits in many different flavours, like yakisoba and all kinds
-"Maccha pudding" or basically anything maccha~
-"Senbei(soysauce flavour)" Shoyu aji is the only togo if you are gonna eat Senbei...
-"Green Onion Cake" a specialty from Taiwan... yum~
Five bands I like
Maroon 5, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Orange Range, ThreeDays Grace, and Nickelback!! (Alberta!)
What 5 things would I do with a million dollars?
-take my family on a cruise
-backpacking in Europe
-buy a car..?
-get a HUGE screen TV
-open a bookstore (HOW I would be able to do ALL these with only a million dollars, I have no idea... ;p)
Five locations I would like to run away to?
-to where my mom is
-to the beach
-movie theatre..(any movie will do)
-Uji in Kyoto Prefecture (I just love the place)
-Edmonton... to see my gals~
Five bad habits?
-I tend to talk too loud to the point that people had to tell me to be quiet in the public places.
-I don't tidy up in my apartment unless guests are expected.
-Very VERY forgetful sometimes... (which is why I need my dayplanner with me at all times...)
-Everytime I take a long trip, by the time I'm well out of my house and on the bus/train/airplane... I almost always wonder whether I locked the door/closed the window/turn off the stove... I worry too much.
-I get upset when I don't get to finish the story I'm telling people (like getting interrupted..)
Five things I like doing?
-watching TV/DVDs, blogging (duh!), dip my feet in ariver, reading, talk about books/movies/TV with people with equal passion about these things.
Five TV shows I like?
The Simpsons, 24, Will & Grace, Amazing Race, The O.C.(yeah yeah, I know :p)
Five Famous people I would like to meet?
(I assume living and dead are all fine, right?) J.K. Rowling (so many questions!), Ewan MacGregor (just to look at him~), Thomas Hardy (to ask him if he did call his maid Tess), Li Shi Min (the greatest Emperor of Tang Dynasty in Chinese history), Murasaki Shikibu (so many things to ask her too!)
Biggest joys in my life at the moment?
That I can depend on my family to be on my side, and that I have friends that I can count on. Finally... doing a job that doesn't feel like a job!
Favourite toys?
I know I'm too old for this, but I love bubble blowing things that you can get in festivals and stuff...
Five people to tag?
I don't have that many people to tag this... so am very sorry, Jenn, this will stop here..
Alright here it is~ whew~ took me awhile to get this up.
What was I doing 10 years ago?
Hmmm let's see 10 years ago this time... I was getting ready to go to Canada with my dad and two lil sisters. We packed carefully (or rather, my mom packed carefully for all of us) and we were getting ready for our departure... right after my entrance exam for high school in Taiwan. Now that I think of it, if I studied really hard and didn't get addicted to comics and novels, I would've probably gotten into a decent high school... ah well :p I went to Canada anyways.
What was I doing 5 years ago?
Okay... I think that's about the time that pretty much determined what I am right now. That year, earlier in Spring I had won the Japanese speech contest in intermediate category...and then went to Ottawa for the first time and got invited into the Japanese Embassy to do the speech and compete in the National Speech Contest. Then in Summer... something amazing happened to me... I got a free trip to come to Japan, all expenses paid, AND they give us allowances so we could go out and eat and shop and...etc. I wrote an exam in the Edmonton Japanese consulate, and ended up being the person chosen to join 67 other students learning Japanese around the world and come to Japan as their fancy gaijin guests in Kansai Kokusai Koryu Centre. We went to Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Tokyo~ That's when I actually realized that I want to keep learning Japanese and eventually work here.... hence here I am!
What was I doing 1 year ago?
Exactly 1 year ago? Hmmm... I had just arrived in Kanoya, and everyday seemed so boring with the office time but without anything to do. I hung out with the other new ALTs, Daniela, Jeni, Dan in Kihoku, Joe, and Heather. Those good old days we had fun... OOOh I think it's around this same time a year ago, we went to climb Mt.Kaimon... well, Team Canada didn't make it (that's me and Heather), Team UK and Team America made it to the top. (although Dan in Team UK argued that the water in Daniela's water bottle was a bit suspicious, that it had a little something extra in it...) :p hee hee
What was I doing yesterday?
I spent the morning chatting with Chris (the new ALT from London) and changed his keitai e-mail address into something comprehensible, then took the afternoon off so I could go the Yamada denki to get my beloved DVD player back (yes they fixed it and without any charge because of the warranty!! hee hee nothing to do with the lightning!), got photos developed for my grandpa, went to Uniqlo to buy presents for my grandparents...etc. Watched "In America" to prepare the Film Night event I'll have tonight... I had to watch it first in Japanese subtitle to see how the story is distored through the horrible translations...(actually not too bad, just not as good as the English lines..) Then last night I went to DUSK eikaiwa class and was pleasantly surprised that Chihiro became REALLY good! She managed to tell us a long story about why she wants another person to take her clothes to the dry cleaner.. all in English!! Very impressive!
What am I doing today?
Hmmm right now I'm just killing time until I can take the afternoon off... I gotta run some other errands (shopping for necessities...), and then the Kuroneko people will come pick up my luggage so they can send it to the Fukuoka Airport. yep, getting ready for myjourney back to Taiwan!!!! I'm so excited! Oh and then tonight (yes I have to work again..) I have the Film Night event and show the film "In America," and tell them why I am showing the film.. and try to get them to talk about it... if they would open their mouths.
Five snacks I enjoy
-"Cheese Arare" that you can get in 100 yen stores,sooo good
-"Chicken Ramen" dry noodle bits in many different flavours, like yakisoba and all kinds
-"Maccha pudding" or basically anything maccha~
-"Senbei(soysauce flavour)" Shoyu aji is the only togo if you are gonna eat Senbei...
-"Green Onion Cake" a specialty from Taiwan... yum~
Five bands I like
Maroon 5, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Orange Range, ThreeDays Grace, and Nickelback!! (Alberta!)
What 5 things would I do with a million dollars?
-take my family on a cruise
-backpacking in Europe
-buy a car..?
-get a HUGE screen TV
-open a bookstore (HOW I would be able to do ALL these with only a million dollars, I have no idea... ;p)
Five locations I would like to run away to?
-to where my mom is
-to the beach
-movie theatre..(any movie will do)
-Uji in Kyoto Prefecture (I just love the place)
-Edmonton... to see my gals~
Five bad habits?
-I tend to talk too loud to the point that people had to tell me to be quiet in the public places.
-I don't tidy up in my apartment unless guests are expected.
-Very VERY forgetful sometimes... (which is why I need my dayplanner with me at all times...)
-Everytime I take a long trip, by the time I'm well out of my house and on the bus/train/airplane... I almost always wonder whether I locked the door/closed the window/turn off the stove... I worry too much.
-I get upset when I don't get to finish the story I'm telling people (like getting interrupted..)
Five things I like doing?
-watching TV/DVDs, blogging (duh!), dip my feet in ariver, reading, talk about books/movies/TV with people with equal passion about these things.
Five TV shows I like?
The Simpsons, 24, Will & Grace, Amazing Race, The O.C.(yeah yeah, I know :p)
Five Famous people I would like to meet?
(I assume living and dead are all fine, right?) J.K. Rowling (so many questions!), Ewan MacGregor (just to look at him~), Thomas Hardy (to ask him if he did call his maid Tess), Li Shi Min (the greatest Emperor of Tang Dynasty in Chinese history), Murasaki Shikibu (so many things to ask her too!)
Biggest joys in my life at the moment?
That I can depend on my family to be on my side, and that I have friends that I can count on. Finally... doing a job that doesn't feel like a job!
Favourite toys?
I know I'm too old for this, but I love bubble blowing things that you can get in festivals and stuff...
Five people to tag?
I don't have that many people to tag this... so am very sorry, Jenn, this will stop here..
Alright here it is~ whew~ took me awhile to get this up.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Hmmm guess what slanguage I speak?
Wow... so this proves that I'm a true Canadian... finally? Thanks to Jenn for introducing the blogthings~ I absolutely love these trivial things :)
Your Slanguage Profile |
| Canadian Slang: 75% |
| Aussie Slang: 25% |
| British Slang: 25% |
| New England Slang: 25% |
| Prison Slang: 25% |
| Victorian Slang: 25% |
| Southern Slang: 0% |
If you're a true Albertan...
I just realized that Jenn in Aira is from Edmonton too!!! that's so cool :) The Canadians I've met so far are all from the east coast, and it's just not the same... (you know what I mean...)
Since Jenn said that I can link it... Here it is. A list of things what a true Albertan would do/be/like~
Check this out! Western Canada Rules!!
(well, the Eastern part isn't so bad either...)
Since Jenn said that I can link it... Here it is. A list of things what a true Albertan would do/be/like~
Check this out! Western Canada Rules!!
(well, the Eastern part isn't so bad either...)
Friday, August 05, 2005
Nomikai and Karaoke
okay so we went to the okura hotel for the beer garden, as a wrap-up party for our summer festival thing.. look at Nakano-san, talking about something amusing... probably, and Yume-chan is "romancing" Matsuyama-san, the guy who went to Niger for a year to teach automobile mechanics stuff. He was the guest of honour. We had a nice night out, under the stars~ drinking beer and having second-rate food (yeah the food left alot to be desired...)
And on the right, is Yume-chan, on Chris B's shoulder... yeah she didn't really meet him before this, but that didn't stop her from climbing onto his back so she can enjoy a great view. Well, she looks really cute in this picture, and I think it's probably all that matters anyways...
And then we went to nijikai at the karaoke close by... just me, rina, kawahara-san (my sup) and Chris B... we decided just 4 was too sabishii so I called up Daniela and Gary, and they showed up soon afterwards. hee hee here, you see Chris and Gary singing their hearts out...while Daniela posing in the back :)
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Blogthings!!
Found something on Medea's blog... and just had to try this out. This is kinda interesting... hee hee check it out~
I did the Japanese name generator, and look what my Japanese name would be!
Your Japanese Name Is... |
 |
| Your Hidden Talent |
 You're the type of person who can turn a whole room around. The potential for great leadership is there, as long as you don't abuse it. Always remember, you have a lot more power over people than you might think! |
If I'm not mistaken, this picture is probably the Senbiro no taki waterfall in Yakushima... I really like yakushima, everyone should go at least once... especially those who live in Kagoshima!
The Newbies have arrived!
The newbies~ from left: Alison in Tashiro (Fergus's successor), Nha-thy in Kanoya (Mike's succesor), Chris in Kanoya (Jeni's successor). Note the glass of shochu in Nha-thy's hand! It's Osumi's own Kojika shochu!
After a long day of traveling all the way from Tokyo to Kanoya, Chris and Nha-thy had finally arrived~~ We met up for supper in the restaurant next to my apartment and then I called up Nanette and Joe. Then Daniela went to get Alison and her sup... then Michael from Nejime came as well... this tiny little bar was FULL of us gaikokujin!!
I just had to upload this picture... hee hee I love my blog!!
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
See you later, Heather
So... Heather left Kanoya this morning, and I seriously doubt if she would ever come back... :p maybe to Japan, but who knows when she would actually come to Kanoya in the near future.
I've been preped for this moment for awhile, but still sad that she's gone now. I guess I'll still see her again since she's just back in Canada. Ah... it's gonna be strange that I can't c-mail her anymore...:( Especially she stayed at my place on Sunday night and last night too... It was weird to see her go...
Well, last night we went to Nabeshima for Yakiniku, treated by Ono-san... Jeni, Chris, Mike, David, Heather, Nanette and I went...along with Ono-san and his wife. I don't even know how I got invited, just that Nanette sent me a mail and said that she's coming to pick H and I up so we can go for yakiniku at 8. Ono-san finally called me something other than Joshikosei (highschool girl--because he thought I look too young to be working...)... he called me a Joshiko Ninensei(2nd grade highschool girl).. Yeah, so I have finished my first year,and now I'm a 2nd grader in Joshiko :p
We ended up eating too much food and H had to walk around my apartment (and outside) so she wouldn't feel so bloated. It was a LARGE amountof beef we consumed... It's been awhile since I went to Yakiniku last time... I can't even remember when was the last time I had yakiniku!
Well, yesterday I also walked to Yamada-denki to take my DVD player for them to fix... On Sunday night, I put in "In America" to watch... and no sound came out. The screen on the player was blank as well... I took it there, and the guy immediately said:"is it from Saturday?" Apparently, lots of people have brought in appliances because they had stopped working due to the lightning-thunder storm on Saturday. If my DVD player was damaged because of the lightning, the manufacturer would not cover the repair with warranty... so I'd have to pay for it. I asked the guy if they could throw it away for me in case they want me to pay to fix it, he laughed and said of course. So, in a couple of days, the Yamada-denki people will call me and give me the verdict.
Am still at work, and it's gonna be lunch time pretty soon. I made a sign for Nha-thy, Mike's successor, and Daniela made a sign for Chris, Jeni's successor. D's gonna take the signs with her and Mike when picking the newbies up at the airport. I put a "Princess Kanoya" picture on Nha-thy's as well... thought she might like it. hee hee~~
I guess I'll read JAPAN TIMES for awhile before the lunch time chime...
I've been preped for this moment for awhile, but still sad that she's gone now. I guess I'll still see her again since she's just back in Canada. Ah... it's gonna be strange that I can't c-mail her anymore...:( Especially she stayed at my place on Sunday night and last night too... It was weird to see her go...
Well, last night we went to Nabeshima for Yakiniku, treated by Ono-san... Jeni, Chris, Mike, David, Heather, Nanette and I went...along with Ono-san and his wife. I don't even know how I got invited, just that Nanette sent me a mail and said that she's coming to pick H and I up so we can go for yakiniku at 8. Ono-san finally called me something other than Joshikosei (highschool girl--because he thought I look too young to be working...)... he called me a Joshiko Ninensei(2nd grade highschool girl).. Yeah, so I have finished my first year,and now I'm a 2nd grader in Joshiko :p
We ended up eating too much food and H had to walk around my apartment (and outside) so she wouldn't feel so bloated. It was a LARGE amountof beef we consumed... It's been awhile since I went to Yakiniku last time... I can't even remember when was the last time I had yakiniku!
Well, yesterday I also walked to Yamada-denki to take my DVD player for them to fix... On Sunday night, I put in "In America" to watch... and no sound came out. The screen on the player was blank as well... I took it there, and the guy immediately said:"is it from Saturday?" Apparently, lots of people have brought in appliances because they had stopped working due to the lightning-thunder storm on Saturday. If my DVD player was damaged because of the lightning, the manufacturer would not cover the repair with warranty... so I'd have to pay for it. I asked the guy if they could throw it away for me in case they want me to pay to fix it, he laughed and said of course. So, in a couple of days, the Yamada-denki people will call me and give me the verdict.
Am still at work, and it's gonna be lunch time pretty soon. I made a sign for Nha-thy, Mike's successor, and Daniela made a sign for Chris, Jeni's successor. D's gonna take the signs with her and Mike when picking the newbies up at the airport. I put a "Princess Kanoya" picture on Nha-thy's as well... thought she might like it. hee hee~~
I guess I'll read JAPAN TIMES for awhile before the lunch time chime...
Monday, August 01, 2005
The Karate Kids in Kag
Yesterday I went to volunteer at this karate tournament event in the city... and I took a few pictures of the event.
The event itself turned out not exactly as what I thought it would have been...and I was a bit disappointed. So I ended uptalking to Mike the whole time. Especially since he's gonna go back, so it's quite nice to hang out with him for a bit before he goes home.
So here are some of the pictures I took... Mostly not that interesting.. but ah, that's all I did anyways...
Here, Mike... for you~ (I don't wanna say anything offensive about this picture, so I'll let Mike tell you all about this picture.. I'm sure he'll have it on his blog as soon as I uploaded this.
The event itself turned out not exactly as what I thought it would have been...and I was a bit disappointed. So I ended uptalking to Mike the whole time. Especially since he's gonna go back, so it's quite nice to hang out with him for a bit before he goes home.
So here are some of the pictures I took... Mostly not that interesting.. but ah, that's all I did anyways...
Here, Mike... for you~ (I don't wanna say anything offensive about this picture, so I'll let Mike tell you all about this picture.. I'm sure he'll have it on his blog as soon as I uploaded this.
