This dates back to 21 March, a monday where it was a Japanese Public Holiday.
Was supposed to go kyoto with some friends and my neighbour. but then felt really tired from the night out at Jmax that I decided to give the trip a miss instead. It didn't help when Reko, who stayed upstairs invited me to drink at her house the night before. Anyway, I think we were so engrossed in eating and drinking that we ended up drinking quite a bit. I was surely a little unstable when I walked home...
Anyway, had a super good sleep nevertheless. Woke up to a perfect weather and an invitation to join Mannie, Chou, Haku, Ko, Kaku and Shin for a picnic at the park! It was really a great day for picnic and also, we wanted to catch the last glimpse of the Plum blossoms before its sister, the cherry blossoms set in. So well we did, bought lots of food and sat somewhere near the lake.
We really had a lot of fun eating, laughing, chatting and not to forget taking pictures. My god, all the girls I went with were really photo addicts! Can you believe it, we spent nearly 1.5 hours just posing around the little park in every possible pose? Wooh....
At the end of the day, it got colder so we kinda had to pack up and go home. That was then we come to realise the park which was pretty crowded when we came was now almost empty. Everyone had long gone home! We were speculating if it could be because we were so noisy that they decided to leave.. well well....
3.25.2005
3.20.2005
Max it Out at J!
Max it out at JMax!
Yup, this is the name of the the place that saw 16 dancing the whole night away...
This is the last weekend where everyone in Yamasa up till now can party together because the sem ends 25th March and a lot of people are making their way home for good. Hence, upon invitation from some friends from another class, I decided to join them for a night's out in Nagoya's uptown club, Jmax.
The first thing that shocked all of us was that all the Japanese girls that night were in gowns! Yes! ball room gowns??!! What was going on? Well it isn't the first time some of us has been to Jmax and therefore, those who have been there know that this is not the normal dressing culture. And really, as typical Japanese, it wasn't just the gowns. It was every detail that made me shiver in my pants. The bombastic hair with acessories, their make-up, shoes etc.... and the thing was, everyone came to dress up in the toilets of the club. Well well...
In Jmas anyway, there are 2 dance halls. The bigger one playing faster music and the other hip-hop. Since everyone else, (the Japanese girls) was in the bigger hall, our group decided to stay put in the hip-hop place well with some other Japanese too. But anyway it was good cus the place was pretty small and thus when 16 of us are all on it, it is just nice.
but well... after a while we decided that it was not so exciting, so we decided to hit the bigger hall instead.
And it was pure perspiration! It was so squeezy that everywhere you move, you are moving into people. but well, a good time was had for all!
Anyway, we had to stay the whole night out and wait for the first train that takes us back to Okazaki at 6am in the morning.. Yawnz yawnz... was tired though but I was talking to my next door neighbour Anna all the way home... hahh... think she is probably still sleeping now...
Pointed shoes! Super popular in Japan
Yup, this is the name of the the place that saw 16 dancing the whole night away...
This is the last weekend where everyone in Yamasa up till now can party together because the sem ends 25th March and a lot of people are making their way home for good. Hence, upon invitation from some friends from another class, I decided to join them for a night's out in Nagoya's uptown club, Jmax.
The first thing that shocked all of us was that all the Japanese girls that night were in gowns! Yes! ball room gowns??!! What was going on? Well it isn't the first time some of us has been to Jmax and therefore, those who have been there know that this is not the normal dressing culture. And really, as typical Japanese, it wasn't just the gowns. It was every detail that made me shiver in my pants. The bombastic hair with acessories, their make-up, shoes etc.... and the thing was, everyone came to dress up in the toilets of the club. Well well...
In Jmas anyway, there are 2 dance halls. The bigger one playing faster music and the other hip-hop. Since everyone else, (the Japanese girls) was in the bigger hall, our group decided to stay put in the hip-hop place well with some other Japanese too. But anyway it was good cus the place was pretty small and thus when 16 of us are all on it, it is just nice.
but well... after a while we decided that it was not so exciting, so we decided to hit the bigger hall instead.
And it was pure perspiration! It was so squeezy that everywhere you move, you are moving into people. but well, a good time was had for all!
Anyway, we had to stay the whole night out and wait for the first train that takes us back to Okazaki at 6am in the morning.. Yawnz yawnz... was tired though but I was talking to my next door neighbour Anna all the way home... hahh... think she is probably still sleeping now...
The early birds.... the girls went in early to avoid paying...
The hip-hop dance floor
We were so high that we actually climbed up to dance on the platform!
The hip-hop dance floor
We were so high that we actually climbed up to dance on the platform!
Sleepyheads.... They were too tired....
Pointed shoes! Super popular in Japan
3.19.2005
Class H gathering!!
We finally had a chance to gather our whole class plus teachers together for the very first time in the 6 months we are in the school. This is the class I had for last sem and it is, the very best and fun class I had up till now. (well, in any case I only had 2 so far). We used to party a lot last sem too, in fact everyone or 2 weeks after our test. But then, it usually excludes the teachers who are always super busy, those who do not stay in Okazaki city or for some reasons, cannot join us.
Anyway, it was a really great time of gathering. Everyone, even our teachers just let our hair down for once. No formal form, respect form etcs... everyone just sprouted in casual form across the tables even to the teachers. At one point, I was talking to my teacher and he said in the most sincere tone that he really thought we have improved a lot in our conversation. But really... it was all just casual manner. Ha... my casual speech might have improved cus we talked a lot to friends here. But formal form is ehh..... uh hem...
Okok... a good time was had for all. Photos... food.... beers.... alcoholic drinks. Really can't resist ordering one too. Well.. was in the mood to drink and also the weather was darn cold. Great party!!
We finally had a chance to gather our whole class plus teachers together for the very first time in the 6 months we are in the school. This is the class I had for last sem and it is, the very best and fun class I had up till now. (well, in any case I only had 2 so far). We used to party a lot last sem too, in fact everyone or 2 weeks after our test. But then, it usually excludes the teachers who are always super busy, those who do not stay in Okazaki city or for some reasons, cannot join us.
Anyway, it was a really great time of gathering. Everyone, even our teachers just let our hair down for once. No formal form, respect form etcs... everyone just sprouted in casual form across the tables even to the teachers. At one point, I was talking to my teacher and he said in the most sincere tone that he really thought we have improved a lot in our conversation. But really... it was all just casual manner. Ha... my casual speech might have improved cus we talked a lot to friends here. But formal form is ehh..... uh hem...
Okok... a good time was had for all. Photos... food.... beers.... alcoholic drinks. Really can't resist ordering one too. Well.. was in the mood to drink and also the weather was darn cold. Great party!!
The pretty girls! My teacher is the 2nd from the left. She's super Kawaii!! Single and Avail.
Class Photo 1
3.15.2005
White Day
March 14th: White Day
This is exactly one month after Valentine's Day. In Japan, the practice on Valentine's day is for the ladies to buy chocolates for the guys. It is not limited to just lovers but also your colleagues, friends and superiors etc... Well of course these are obligatory as we all know how Japanese make such a big deal out of giving gifts. But well for the guy you really liked, it is usually an expensive box of chocolates and then with the addition of one more gift. A tie or something of the like.
Then on White day, it is the time when the gentlemen recipocrate the ladies' feelings. Once again, you have to buy obligatory gifts or well express your feelings for someone on this day. Well if not, it is a day for the litmus test! Check out which guy is stingy, which guy has so many gifts to return to or well simply if anyone is interested in you.
Yours truly got 2 box of chocs today. Hmm... One is from my teacher, the other from a friend. The funny thing today is that, out of the 6 guys in my class, all 5 chose to be absent today for one reason or another. So the remaining one actually came unprepared. Immediately he was branded as a stingy guy... haaa
ok well, I took some pictures of the chocs, actually cookies my teacher gave me. Was a pleasant surprise though. And also the other one my friend gave me. And, that was another surprise cus firstly, he came specially to pass it to me. Secondly he is well not that kind of person as I thought. As in one to take effort to buy stuff for others. But according to him, he took some time to chose it and he thought it was exactly something I would like. Hello Kitty and Pink... well well...
Beautiful boxes...
This is exactly one month after Valentine's Day. In Japan, the practice on Valentine's day is for the ladies to buy chocolates for the guys. It is not limited to just lovers but also your colleagues, friends and superiors etc... Well of course these are obligatory as we all know how Japanese make such a big deal out of giving gifts. But well for the guy you really liked, it is usually an expensive box of chocolates and then with the addition of one more gift. A tie or something of the like.
Then on White day, it is the time when the gentlemen recipocrate the ladies' feelings. Once again, you have to buy obligatory gifts or well express your feelings for someone on this day. Well if not, it is a day for the litmus test! Check out which guy is stingy, which guy has so many gifts to return to or well simply if anyone is interested in you.
Yours truly got 2 box of chocs today. Hmm... One is from my teacher, the other from a friend. The funny thing today is that, out of the 6 guys in my class, all 5 chose to be absent today for one reason or another. So the remaining one actually came unprepared. Immediately he was branded as a stingy guy... haaa
ok well, I took some pictures of the chocs, actually cookies my teacher gave me. Was a pleasant surprise though. And also the other one my friend gave me. And, that was another surprise cus firstly, he came specially to pass it to me. Secondly he is well not that kind of person as I thought. As in one to take effort to buy stuff for others. But according to him, he took some time to chose it and he thought it was exactly something I would like. Hello Kitty and Pink... well well...
Beautiful boxes...
From my teacher
From my friend
And it snowed again in my area!!! In march? That's crazy. The temperature went up to 17 deg a few days ago.. and really I took my coats to dry clean thinking that winter is finally over. And it snowed on and off for a few days...
3.13.2005
Weekend...
It's 2 weeks away from the last day of sememster where a lot of people is going home.... Sigh.. really feeling the sense of lost again.... But it's ok now except there are lots of gatherings, parties going on. Just helped one of my friends pack his room last friday. But I guess this is just something I have to get used to.
Anyway had a very relaxed friday. Despite the fact that the final exam is next week, I am not really in the study mood now.
Went Nagoya in the afternoon to shop with a friend. Yeah, she's going home to Taiwan too at the end of the month.. * sobz*. Didn't get to shop a lot because we spent most of the time picking out a electronic dictionary for her. Then I had to rush back to Okazaki because another friend invited me to her house for dinner.
Reached my friend's Man Yee's house about 7pm... (yup the HK girl) but she was still at the super market with another friend so I sought refuge next door at Owen's.... His room was in a mess... all the things and boxes strewn all over the place. In the end, we ended up looking at photos and talking...
Ok back in Man Yee's room. She and Chou, the other Taiwanese girl were cooking good food! Wah... but a tad long. By the time we started, it was already 9.40pm! Wooh... hungry but then still, when they were so nice to offer to cook for me, how could I complain. Ok so 3 of us tucked in hungrily... Drank some alchohol too, was pretty cold that night...
Chatted, laughed at mad... sing to some songs, even got up to dance.... talked about deep intimate issues.. and it was 7am! Wah my gawd! Unknowingly the sun is up and 3 of us are still talking... We looked at the sky and it looked kinda dark so we decided we had better go home quick...
Went to get our bikes when we heard a someone greeting us. Looked up and saw Owen. He woke up cus he heard us in the doorway. He was amazed that we 3 could actually stay up all night to talk.
Wooh.... got home bathed and slept really well..... I will really miss Man Yee! Her food, how she always goes out to meet me, even in the rain once whenever I call her... Man Yee jie...
Anyway had a very relaxed friday. Despite the fact that the final exam is next week, I am not really in the study mood now.
Went Nagoya in the afternoon to shop with a friend. Yeah, she's going home to Taiwan too at the end of the month.. * sobz*. Didn't get to shop a lot because we spent most of the time picking out a electronic dictionary for her. Then I had to rush back to Okazaki because another friend invited me to her house for dinner.
Reached my friend's Man Yee's house about 7pm... (yup the HK girl) but she was still at the super market with another friend so I sought refuge next door at Owen's.... His room was in a mess... all the things and boxes strewn all over the place. In the end, we ended up looking at photos and talking...
Ok back in Man Yee's room. She and Chou, the other Taiwanese girl were cooking good food! Wah... but a tad long. By the time we started, it was already 9.40pm! Wooh... hungry but then still, when they were so nice to offer to cook for me, how could I complain. Ok so 3 of us tucked in hungrily... Drank some alchohol too, was pretty cold that night...
Chatted, laughed at mad... sing to some songs, even got up to dance.... talked about deep intimate issues.. and it was 7am! Wah my gawd! Unknowingly the sun is up and 3 of us are still talking... We looked at the sky and it looked kinda dark so we decided we had better go home quick...
Went to get our bikes when we heard a someone greeting us. Looked up and saw Owen. He woke up cus he heard us in the doorway. He was amazed that we 3 could actually stay up all night to talk.
Wooh.... got home bathed and slept really well..... I will really miss Man Yee! Her food, how she always goes out to meet me, even in the rain once whenever I call her... Man Yee jie...
Hatcho Miso… The product of Okazaki. What Okazaki is most famous for.
I finally had a chance to visit it upon an invitation by my Japanese friend whom herself had not been there before…
Anyway it was pretty fun although really half of the time we didn’t know what the guide was saying. My friend had to say it to us again slowly. Haa… but then the food tasting was the good part! Got to eat a lot of food.
Anyway it was interesting how the miso was made. It was being put into this barrel (which according to the guide, only 3 people in Japan knows how to make the barrel) and then, a lot of rocks was place on top of it to compressed the beans I think..
Ok… after that it was still early, so the foursome decided to go to the park to look at the plum blossoms and sit down to talk. The plum blossoms was great! It was so beautiful! Cannot resist taking a lot of pictures! Can’t wait for cherry blossoms to come too!
I finally had a chance to visit it upon an invitation by my Japanese friend whom herself had not been there before…
Anyway it was pretty fun although really half of the time we didn’t know what the guide was saying. My friend had to say it to us again slowly. Haa… but then the food tasting was the good part! Got to eat a lot of food.
Anyway it was interesting how the miso was made. It was being put into this barrel (which according to the guide, only 3 people in Japan knows how to make the barrel) and then, a lot of rocks was place on top of it to compressed the beans I think..
Ok… after that it was still early, so the foursome decided to go to the park to look at the plum blossoms and sit down to talk. The plum blossoms was great! It was so beautiful! Cannot resist taking a lot of pictures! Can’t wait for cherry blossoms to come too!
The four of us in front of the famous giant barrel
The rocks on the barrel
Erina chan and me! With Hatcho miso ice-cream
In a long while...
Wooh.. haven’t update my blog for nearly a month.. shall try doing that now.
Let’s start from the fateful speech competition. Well, I would say that the little repertoire we put up went great. It wasn’t so much so we sang superbly well. In fact it was quite the opposite. I had Owen standing beside who didn’t know the lyrics at all, fooling around at the back and disturbing me or smiling brightly at the audience, Jan standing on the other side not singing in sync with the rest of the group. And me of course, trying to stifle my own laughter at the 2 idiots. But well, it went great cus at some point in time, we had relaxed and were actually having fun singing and just grooving to the music. The audience were great too to join in clapping and cheering.
Ok after that we went off to lunch and then well, karaoke. Hee… it was the first time I had lunch with so many people. A mixture of people from all different classes, I would say 20+ of us together. A great lunch at a ramen shop that was tad far actually.
The karaoke session that day I think, is one of the most fabulous and high session I ever had. The session saw all of us standing on the sofa dancing away right from the beginning. At one high point, it was also about 16 of us in the room, including 2 teachers, all standing together, singing, shouting and dancing together to very silly but well-known songs like YMCA or bamba… I truly had lots of fun. I think Karaoke does wonders, I myself was high beyond words. Ha... and well the fact was that not everyone in the room knew everyone else. But still we had lots of fun.
Ok then it was dinner together and home…
Let’s start from the fateful speech competition. Well, I would say that the little repertoire we put up went great. It wasn’t so much so we sang superbly well. In fact it was quite the opposite. I had Owen standing beside who didn’t know the lyrics at all, fooling around at the back and disturbing me or smiling brightly at the audience, Jan standing on the other side not singing in sync with the rest of the group. And me of course, trying to stifle my own laughter at the 2 idiots. But well, it went great cus at some point in time, we had relaxed and were actually having fun singing and just grooving to the music. The audience were great too to join in clapping and cheering.
Ok after that we went off to lunch and then well, karaoke. Hee… it was the first time I had lunch with so many people. A mixture of people from all different classes, I would say 20+ of us together. A great lunch at a ramen shop that was tad far actually.
The karaoke session that day I think, is one of the most fabulous and high session I ever had. The session saw all of us standing on the sofa dancing away right from the beginning. At one high point, it was also about 16 of us in the room, including 2 teachers, all standing together, singing, shouting and dancing together to very silly but well-known songs like YMCA or bamba… I truly had lots of fun. I think Karaoke does wonders, I myself was high beyond words. Ha... and well the fact was that not everyone in the room knew everyone else. But still we had lots of fun.
Ok then it was dinner together and home…
The is the group of us singing, minus the teacher sitting in front, from left, and Reko from the right.
Emmie Chan! Our Class rep
-------------------------------------------------------
Went to the local Primary school for some fun as a volunteer? Nope.. I was being volunteered on. By the kids. It was kinda a interaction session where those of us from Yamasa will take on 5-6 kids in a group each to play some games or just interact. I got a whole group of girls and they are so sweet! They look sweet, behaved sweetly. Hey I am serious, they spoke rather slowly to me to make sure I understood everything they said and then when I won in some games, they were so encouraging! Haa… in the end, each of them even gave me some little hand-made they did. I was soooo touched! I wanna go back again!
Me with the girls and the table full of hand made things
The rest of the vounteers in in the class and the children
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)