Have not blogged for quite some time... and i have much to write about.
First of all, specially to 5D, you have come so far!!!!! All the best for your examinations. You can do it... ALL THE BEST ALL THE BEST!!! GANBATTE NE!

N last Saturday, I went to USJ (Universal Studios Japan) in Osaka with Beth n 2 of the CG girls... Great fun, but there were so many people! N the running from place to place was exhausting...we were like kiasu singaporeans, running from one ride to another and in the end, we managed to get on quite a number of them. :)


Magical land
Think this is somewhere in Snoopy Land or Peanuts.. haha.. i dun remember! But it's so magical-looking and so nice... pretty...


Spiderman - My favourite character! Anyway, we waited longest for this ride, but cos Beth brought with her cards so that we could play the time away, it wasn't that bad! Well, Spiderman says that with great power comes great responsibility... so true so true. I like Spiderman!


The train bound for USJ is really kawaii yah... Oh yes, trains in Japan come in all sorts of colours. Really beautiful.


Turkey Leg - Very nice and very expensive... looks like ice-cream right. Each leg costs about $7.80.



Acting silly, Beth n I


Peko-chan!!! So cute and looks like lala girl. haha.



Ultra man - Specially for Ziwei! Ey, I haven't found ur 1960s Ultraman.. but this pict is for u lar. :D



Halloween in USJ! Naho, Watashi, Chi n Beth!

The morning

I like the morning very much. Waking up may be a little tough when I am wholly wrapped up, snug n cozy, but when I am up and about, I like the feeling of freshness, n the thought that a whole new day awaits me... in my mind, I will plan what I need to do, whether I will walk down to the station or take a bus, whether I should make my own lunch or buy bento from 7-11... I'll think of many many things. I would think of the night before, the things that happened the day before... n I'd also pray for my loved ones and friends in Singapore.. n also of the students in BNSS taking their O levels!

I like to reach school early. I remember that in BNSS, i would usually be in by about 645 in the morning. Here, I reach before 8am (I have to be in by 830). I like to come in early, have a cuppa and a sandwich, sit down at my desk and think about my lesson plans once again and plan my day. I dun like to rush in and feel harried. I also like to feel the atmosphere around me getting livelier as people come in and exchange their morning greetings, ready to start their day. There is life in the place and I like this energy.

Before the day begins, I also like to sit in front of the computer and check my emails. I never really had the time to enjoy reading the daily devotions from Xiaowei in the past but now, I read every one and have been blessed by them. In the morning, I also like to read personal emails, especially those from Wanli. Ahha.. her gargantuan emails... her umazaki, tornado, titanic ones are so funny and interesting to read. I also think of Yanlin a lot.

I like Saturday mornings the best cos I dun have to report to work, and I can do some housework and catch the news in the morning with my breakfast. How often do you catch the morning news? The last time I did was when I was hospitalised for pneumonia! That was Jaunuary 2005! The sun rises at about 530 here and when I wake up at 7, it's usually very sunny and bright. The feeling is really really nice. I will do laundry and I always pray that the weekends will be sunny. It has been so far. I will sun my blankets and my pillows, n then when the laundry is churning in the washing machine, I'll make breakfast... simple fare (usually just coffee and a sandwich or biscuits). Once I had Maggi Mee (Curry flavour) though. :)

Sunday mornings are great too because I go to church! Whahhaha... I reach Kakogawa station 45 minutes early before the church bus comes and I'd go to a cafe, order a cuppa and sit down to read my Bible. Nice nice nice nice nice... :)


MAGNIFICENT
WHO COMPARES TO YOU
WHO SET THE STARS IN THEIR PLACE
YOU WHO CALM THE RAGING SEAS
THAT CAME CRASHING OVER ME

WHO COMPARES TO YOU
YOU WHO BRING THE MORNING LIGHT
THE HOPE OF ALL THE EARTH
IS REST ASSURED IN YOUR GREAT LOVE

YOU ARE MAGNIFICENT
ETERNALLY WONDERFUL GLORIOUS
JE - SUS
NO ONE EVER WILL COMPARE
TO YOU JESUS

WHEN THE EVENING FADES
YOU CALL FORTH SONGS OF JOY
AS THE MORNING WAKES
WE YOUR CHILDREN GIVE YOU PRAISE

My Lord is my shelter and strength

Today, I woke up feeling a bit down, maybe even sad. But it’s ok, isn’t it? All of us can’t escape from going through valleys in our life. That’s a guarantee. But valleys don’t keep going down. There will come a point when I go up again.

Guess there are a few main reasons why I feel this way. Maybe my expectations weren’t met. I suddenly remember this saying. If you expect nothing, you will receive nothing and then you won’t be disappointed. Have you heard that before? I don’t believe in that. I really want to expect great things to happen, and have the hope and faith that they will happen.

Maybe it’s the weather. It’s been getting colder. Sometimes, I wake up in the night shuddering. Last night, I woke up at 4plus to use the toilet. Yet, I guess the weather doesn’t condition itself to suit me. I have to adapt to it.. n that I will. Actually, though I am apprehensive, I am also excited, cos I haven’t encountered cold weather, and it will be really exciting and an eye-opener to me.

Actually, I know that deep inside me, though I may feel down some days, I have a certain strength that doesn’t come from me. It is a strength that only God can give, a strength that gives me the confidence and assurance that all will be well. How do I know? I know because I know.

N so, I am going to meditate on God’s Word. I am a conqueror in Christ Jesus.

Service in the Sun

Last weekend was the annual church 秋ぱれ (akipare)！I think it means something like a perfect autumn day. :D N it was. The sun was out, and we had service, praise and worship in the hills. Well, first time I took part in anything like this and though it was hard work getting everything ready, it was great fun and I got to know everyone much better.

Reached the church on Saturday evening to help out and stayed overnight with the girls. This year, they have been tasked to take care of the decorations and we blew dunno-how-may balloons. I've never blown so many balloons in my entire life before. The girls told me if I blow 50 balloons in a day, I will have great flat abs! haha.. so i tried my best lar.. but i dun think I have 6-pacs... maybe just 1 big round one.

Staying overnight with them was great fun too. Of course, I din get to sleep much. Studied with Yuriko n Chi till 3 plus, n got up at 6 to get ready. It was very good fellowship. I got to know the girls much better, n they are really hot on fire man! :D We prayed and had devotions together. Really really nice. :)

The entrance to the stage

The P&W team

During P&W

In the afternoon, the sports meet began. Well, it was really interesting, cos I haven't seen anything like this before. Sports Day in my school and in church are pretty similar. They are not competitive. Rather, the purpose of sports day is to cultivate team-spirit and togetherness. People cheer their hearts out and there are various interesting relays and whoever wants to take part can.




Well, the leaders of the church are dressed up as fairy-tale characters by their group members. The most beautiful princess, dressed up the fastest, will win this round! It was hilarious. I was one of the make-up artists of Cinderella, who unfortunatley refused to appear on this blog because of yet another uploading-picture glitch. Hrrruuuumph. And Cinderella won worrrr.

The sports meet took place all afternoon, and when the day ended, everyone got down to working, helping with the cleaning and transporting of all the various pieces of equipment back to church. It was definitely tiring, but at the end of it all, we had a great surprise. The pastor gave the workers and helpers a yummy pizza treat!

Praise the Lord for a successful　秋ぱれ！

Tokyo Travels

Had a really wonderful time in Tokyo cos I met up with my host-stay family. I have not seen them for 5 loooooooooooooonnnnng years and it was wonderful to see them again. Mi very happy to meet them really.

N i went there and came back in a night bus. It was comfy and good enough, n i had a blanket, a pillow, slippers, n even coffee and tea in the bus. Very good and cheaper than travelling by the Shinkansen. I could sleep a little and at the same time, listen to my SONY mp3s and sermons. It was actually great!

Ok, so i din really do much in Tokyo. Met up with Lin Wei, a Eusoff friend, n then went to meet お母さん and お父さん。Went to Kawagoe, visited an old town from the Edo period, where the architecture is still preserved in some parts and bought Red Beans souvenirs for my neighbour and colleagues here. The red beans are really very very yummy!!!! No wonder they are a delicacy. :D

An old town in Kawagoe. It's a quaint little place that's bustling with life. Lots of tourists and visitors.

A shop selling ice-lollies. Looks like a movie setting perfect for those wu xia xiao shuo.

Otousan and Me

Mi posing during dinner

A sumptuous spread

Choco and me! I love Choco. He is trying to kiss me. keke. He is a wonderful dog and very very intelligent too. Well, there are 2 cats and 1 dog in the house. They can cause quite a din sometimes. :D

Some random updates

There are no lessons for us today cos it's the last day of the first term, n we have the closing ceremony for the 1st sem. The kids must clean the classroom, get their results, have homeroom meetings, council meetings, etc. In fact, this week, I had no lessons on Tues (preparation for sports day), Thursday (Sports Day) and today! n next monday is a holiday (break for the last day of first semester) and tuesday, no lessons too (opening ceremony for 2nd semester!)

Ok.. have been wanting to blog a bit, n here goes. This is a random post cos u will get to see random bits n pieces of my life here. :D

This is me, on a tracking route up dunno-which-mountain in Kakogawa. This place has lotsa tracking areas, n if you love to walk n hike, it is really nice!


This is dear Beth. She is the wife of Nozo, the American missionary here in Japan. She's been wonderful n God-sent! Well, she's really good in her Japanese language. ぺらぺらしゃべる！


Daiei, my favourite shopping "mall" at the moment. Haha, basically everyone laughs when I say that. Well, this place has all I need, for simple everyday shopping. 5 levels in all, supermarket, groceries, stationery, clothes, shoes, bags, plants, electrical appliances... I always go there after work just to walk walk. keke.
You also see the train station. That's Suzurandai station, n it is on the Kobe Dentetsu line, which is well-known for being super super expensive! I heard that I am on the 2nd most expensive train line. MAN! n yes, it is very very expensive. Going to Sannomiya, the heart of Kobe, costs me 490￥, which is about $6.60, just for a one-way ticket. It is very X lei, considering that there are only a few stops in between. SIGH. Anyway, I try to walk from the school back to the station, and this takes me about 40 minutes. Alternatively, I can take the train for one stop to get to Kita-Suzurandai where my school is located. That's about $2.20 per trip!


This picture was taken on a day where I felt very very happy! I like the place where I stay now. Initially, I was a little homesick because I wasn't used to the mountain, n the forest! Felt really alienated in the beginning. No tall HDB flats, no hustle and bustle of life... Now I love it. It is quiet and nice, n at night, I would go out onto the balcony to just look at the sea and the forest, taking in the vastness. I can see the busy airport, the flicker of lights in the distance at night. Very beautiful. :)



Putting into practice what Pastor Kong preached

I remember how some time back, when he preached about finances, I was inspired and determined to keep a record of my spendings, n failed. Couldn't keep it going. This time, after the marriage seminar where he once again preached about managing your finances, I want to start keeping track of my expenses again! So, I went to buy a cute Cash Book to help myself! Here in Japan, there are lots and lots of different cash books / accounting books / housekeeping books to choose from. I spent a loooooooong time looking at the various books and chose this. My book is very kawaii rite! :D N yay... I have been doing it faithfully since 1st September! It is really true..

A habit needs time and effort to cultivate before it becomes a habit!

And finally.. well, I have been hearing this over and over and over again. "You do not know what you cannot do until you try"

Dr Bernard said this in his 2002 Excellence Conference. Well, this morning, as I was on my way to school, it really dawned on me that yup, I do not know what I cannot do, or what I can do, until I try. And many times, I don't dare to try for fear of failure, or because it requires too much of me. Well, here's how what was preached became so applicable in my life.

In Singapore, whenever I had a problem, especially if it is a technical one, I would turn to Steve. I always feel that I am not very adept at doing certain things, n really, turning to someone else for help straightaway is the easiest thing to do. So here, many times, I have been tempted to ask for help for the simplest things, though I know I could possibly be able to manage it if I try.

I bought a DIY closet to save money and when I took it home to construct it, at first, I really felt very helpless. So many different parts which looked identical, so many screws and hooks... HOW TO PUT THEM TOGETHER? And really, for about twenty minutes, I tried but to no avail. N then, I was frustrated but DETERMINED to make it work, and after looking at the instructions carefully again, I did it... n it was not as difficult as I thought it would be. NOT DIFFICULT AT ALL! N right at the end, I felt so proud of myself. I was so delighted at my small triumph such that I am now even contemplating buying another DIY table, n DIY my apartment. :) It is really fun, and as I think of the DIY-journey, I really feel happy. It is like you have emerged because you tried to do something, n discovered that it ain't so hard after all.

Here are 2 picts of my DIY closet - The Beginning and The End.

So tonight, I am going to DIY my way to Tokyo. Seriously, I would never have done anything like that in Singapore, pondering over maps, figuring out which bus to take, which route to go, thinking thoughts of what would happen if I take the wrong train, walk the wrong way... etc. Here, I have to, because I need to. It is good for me. It makes me feel more confident, though many times, when I was going through it, I felt unsure and wondered if I was on the right track, and I have lost my way and got on the wrong train here. Yet, it's never fatal. Ahha.. I just need to rethink and replan my next course of action and get to my destination.

The EL department

The department had a welcome party for Tom and I last Friday. It was solid!

Well, although I have only been here for a short one month, there are many things that I can see in the EL department that are so valuable in the work place.
1) People here work very hard.
2) People work together. Bonds are very strong, and the team is cohesive.
3) The atmosphere is good and friendships are built and cultivated. There is a certain camaraderie.
4) We talk and discuss lessons together.
5) There is communication.

The workplace is such an integral part of our lives, intertwined, inseparable and we spend so much of our time in the workplace. The workplace can bring you up or tear you down. Most of the time, it's the words that people say that either encourage or discourage you. No wonder the Bible says that the power of life and death lies in the tongue.

A good boss and leader brings out your best. There is no fear of failure and you know you are allowed to make mistakes, learn from it and move on. There is a certain energy and motivation when people work together for a common goal. So far, I have worked with Mr Fujiike (HOD), Ms Miyaura, Mr Hasegawa and Mr Koike. Really really enjoyable, n I have learnt lots from them too.

Well, the welcome party was a very successful one. We had Yakiniku at this very famous place in Shinkaichi. It's like one of our Katong laksa stalls, or Geylang Dou Jiang. When you enter the place, you see lots of pictures of celebrities and their signatures. And the food is really awesome. First time I had such great beef, n it's almost almost almost as nice as salmon belly. (Maybe u would think it's much nicer.. but i have such a penchant for salmon belly... oooo...) The teachers were really generous. If I am not wrong, we had the famous Tajima beef. Very very very tender and juicy and succulent. You put the whole piece into ur mouth, bite into it, feel its texture, and mmmmmmm, fatty and heavenly, and you savour the taste, and swallow it. How can I describe it to u?

And this is a picture of us, all happy and satisfied after the meal. :D


  

My lovely neighbours

I just came back from Chisato's house, bathed and now feel warm and fuzzy. Outside, the wind is blowing. There is a typhoon in Japan now, typhoon no. 13, but here in Kobe, we are not quite affected though my window's been rattling quite a bit. Thank God that the weather is still quite fine here.

Well, this post is dedicated to Takarada Sensei's family. His family has been a great blessing to me, every single one of them. Tonight, I had Bi Bim Bah, a Korean dish. Chisato is really a very very good cook. めっちゃおいしかった!!! And last Saturday, she cooked for me too. I was so touched! It's really the simple things that make my day. Sometimes, she would bring the kids up to my place just to give me some rice cakes, or a simple meal. Their generosity and kindness warm my heart so much. :D

My dinner on Saturday. :D

It's not only the food. Many a time, when I return home, I will have their three lovely children running up to me, shouting my name. They will shout "Orenji, Orenji" and run up to me. Haha, and I would hug them and talk to them for a while. In all ernesty, Mayu-chan always tries to tell me about her day, or she would hold my hands and ask me why I feel so cold. They are so innocent and lovable. Today, Mayu-chan told me about the Hiroshima Memorial. Wow... can u believe that she told me about the war?

Little Momo is very cute too. I dun understand what she says most of the time, but she loves my ear rings! She always touches them. Haha, she's quite fascinated by them, oh yes, and by the necklace I am wearing too. :) Maybe next time, she will become a jewellery designer!

N Broccoli-chan. He is Kosei, and well, he's the split image of Takarada sensei. They look really really alike! N he loves broccoli. The first time I had dinner with them, he ate so much broccoli! N he eats them with mayonnaise!! Today, I played with him too, and carried him, n wrestled with him. I think he had lotsa fun.. I did too. :)

Momo, Kosei and Mayu

Mayu-chan made a card for me. :)

Thank you very much dear neighbours.

A horsy discovery

When we go buy our lunches at 7-11, Tom and I have to walk quite a distance downhill, and there is always this picture of a horse, hmm, a cartoon-like picture, staring at us, on our uphill walk back.

So, one day, we decided to explore the area a bit. We went through some hidden tracks, and ahha.. we discovered a stable! To me, it was a huge huge surprise. Tom wasn't so surprised.. cos he said there were horses in England, ahhhha, but to me, I was fascinated.

Some time back, I dreamt that I was on the ECP, on a horse, catching some armed robbers. I was really riding it, feeling the wind in my hair, galloping to nab those robbers. Haha, that was a strange dream... Well, if you ask me for my 3 favourite animals, I would tell u that they are "Dog, Horse and Bear". Well, when I really came face to face with one that day, it was a little scary though. They looked so huge! Enormous, especially their mouths. N the care-taker was feeding them, and so I took in all these and asked myself if I would dare to pet them or stroke them. Haha, in the end, I din have the guts to do that. The horses really have huge mouths!

Scared yet wanted to go nearer

Aiyoh, quite the best I could manage. Look at its mouth! It is actually very big!

And Brave Tom. He looks so at home with the horse!

Today

It's really late now and I am supposed to be asleep, but am not. There was a cockroach in my fridge...

Sigh, when I opened the fridge and saw the dreadful and gross creature, I just couldn't say or think logically. I dun understand why I have such an immense fear of cockroaches. Even as I type the word, I feel totally grossed out. And it was in the fridge. How on earth did it get in? Unless it was already in some plastic bags... but then i dun think so, cos there was nothing much in the fridge. It was really very difficult for me to even look at it and I stood there thinking about how I should get rid of it. I really felt useless.

I called Holly for help. A good friend she is indeed. It was really late but yet she came up straightaway and helped me get rid of it. I felt so terrible.

It was the first time I saw the c in my house. I really thought I would be able to handle it if I ever see one, but I couldn't. There was just an indescribable intense emotion, n those who know me will know of my hate relationship with this creature, dating back to the time when I was 7 years old.

Sigh.. I pray there will be no more of these in my house.



Anyway, apart from this episode, my day was fantastic. I had 3 tremendous lessons today and really enjoyed myself. I love it when kids are motivated and desire to learn. The attitude is so important and everything begins with a desire. Some of these students are just so so so so shy.. yet when given the encouragement, they start to try to speak. :D

And that's not all why my day was great. Today, I went to the gym!

It's been 5 long weeks since I last ran. Wow... I felt so happy. Was on the treadmill for 40 minutes and I was so happy. Abel and I decided to go to the gym, n this place is very very affordable! 200 yen only! That's like less than $3.00! N the equipment was good, the trainers very helpful and friendly. I stretched and ran. Din really do much on the various pieces of equipment, but I tried this very interesting massage-like machine. It's very good! You use the machine strap on a certain targeted area and it will massage it... not with kneads, but with a very fast and strong pounding, vibrating. Hmmm, actually I call it a massage, haha, but I think, it's more supposed to relax ur tense muscles and help you do a warm-down.

After that, we went for sushi! It's like our genki sushi, except that it's nicer! Wow... I had lotsa salmon sushi and chawanmushi... finished it with a chocolate cake, washed down with green tea. Very very very ooisshiiii.

I am going to rest my tired body now. Tmr is Friday again. I love Fridays! :D

Thankful

I came back with Holly after shopping for groceries and it was dark and raining... n we were both soaked, cos we had only one umbrella. It was also cold and I was hungry too. Ermm... not exactly a very nice feeling...

However, when I reached my apartment block and saw the lights on on the 2nd n 4th floor landings, I really felt so thankful. Most of you may not know this.. but when I first arrived, I had no lights at all on the 2nd n 4th floors, n it was dark and creepy. It was strange why this was so, cos all other units in my block had lights on at their landings, except for my particular staircase. I stay on the 5th floor, so when I go home, and when it's dark, it's kinda unsafe and eerie.

And I tried to get the problem solved, n spoke to many many many many people. The problem remained for a month.. n yesterday, I had such a HUGE surprise, cos when I reached home, I saw the lights on. Someone must have helped me. I know it's amazing cos Jennifer, my predecessor couldn't get it to work when she was here, which means the problem must have existed for a looooooooooooonng time. I really thank God for the lights. Haha.. Let there be light! N also to the someone who has helped me with it. I really dunno who you are, but I really appreciate the kindness.

N...... Get ready for this.

So I climbed up 5 levels, n reached my house wet and uncomfortable... n
I SAW A PAPER BAG HANGING ON MY DOOR KNOB.


I was so so so surprised. Took the paper bag into the house, n tada.. there was dinner inside. My gosh.. for a moment, I stood there, stunned. I just thanked God in my heart, knowing that He is indeed a good and faithful God.

The dinner was made by my kind neighbour, Chisato. She is Takarada Sensei's wife, and the family is really kind to me. They have helped me so much, getting my fly screens fixed up for me and inviting me to their house for dinner... Totally touched by what I saw in the paper bag, I decided to make kaya toast for them a second time. Their kids love Kaya toast!

I had kaya from Ya Kun, a surprise gift from Steve.. n it was so good. Thanks dear, for this surprise!

Anyway, yup, i made it and brought it over... n it was such joy to see Mayu, Momo and Kosei eating them! :)

I came back n enjoyed the wonderful dinner too. Really delicious. Simple fare, but sooooo nice. I love the vegetables. Got lotsa tau gei! I like!!! Tasty and healthy. Chisato san is an awesome cook. Even the coffee she makes tastes different. Maybe it's cos there is love and warmth in it. :)

Thank God for His goodness and my kind neighbours.

5.10 pm

The sky is dark and looks threatening. It is raining here and this change is interesting and exciting for me. Last night was a cold night. Snuggled n tucked in comfortably, I slept well though I felt a little cold.

I am surrounded by so many people in the staff room. I can leave, but decided to stay back for a little while more to just blog an entry. Everyone is involved in some kinda work and chatter, talking about their classes, about their work... It just feels kinda surreal.

Mr Anpo, my colleague who sits beside me, is marking test papers. One of the students actually drew a Doraemon on the test paper. Haha, he showed me the cartoon and well... haha, students
are really students, whether in Japan or Singapore.

Mr Anpo is really a very nice and friendly teacher. He seeks to constantly improve himself and he is learning English. He reads the Time magazine and often tells me about the articles he has read. He asks me when he doesn't understand and I am just very encouraged by his desire to keep on learning and acquiring knowledge. Oh yes, and he is super helpful as well. He has helped me and Tom many times. He's sent me home, helped me look for tables, carried them home for me, bring me to the station in the rain... His mere presence beside me in the staff room, n his daily genki greetings do brighten my day. Thank you Anpo Sensei!

Anpo Sensei and me :D

















And Knowledge is Power.

These days, I have started catching more news. I am teaching 2 Current Affairs English Classes, so it is actually good for me too. I have to keep abreast on what's happening and I go on CNN and BBC and read about what's happening around the world. Indeed, so many things happen everyday and as I read and reflect, I find myself getting more interested in these things. There is this article that I read titled 'Why we do what we do' and it talks about a senior correspondent, Bobby, who has covered Baghdad for the past 3 1/2 years. It was a very good article and got me thinking.

Why I do what I do.
Why do you do what you do?

And in the last paragraph, it was mentioned that Bobby likes to dine with his beloved wife who is 7000km away in Singapore. Wow... I was so touched as I read on. There was a picture of him eating in front of the webcam on his laptop, with his wife looking on.

Brrrrrrr and school

This morning, it was very cold. For the second time, there was no need for the fan throughout the night. I felt a little excited yet apprehensive at the same time. This is cos I have never been in a country where I can experience the 4 seasons!

Tom said that at 20 degrees in Britain, people walk around in shorts! And that to them, that's the kinda weather they deem comfortable enough to be in just t-shirts n shorts. I told him I'd probably feel very cold at 20 degrees, n would need a thick sweater!

I just wanna give thanks for the beautiful family that stays very close to me. Once again, I had dinner with them last night. Kare Soba (Curry Soba). It was really good. The kids were lovely and Mayu-Chan, the eldest girl who is 6 this year, made me a card. Haha. So sweet! The 3 kids can't really speak or understand English, so I hope to be able to help them! Well, they call me Olen / Oren. :D


学校について
In school here, each period is 50 minutes, and there is a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes for the students and teachers to rest and go to the washroom, take a break, etc. School begins at 8.30am here, n at 8.30 am, there will be a short staff meeting where announcements are met out. It's kinda good I think. They have lessons all the way till 3.15 pm, with a 45-minute lunch break. Students bring their bento sets (lunch boxes). Their CCAs begin after that and gosh, some CCAs have activities every single day, even on the weekends.

Oh yes, there's something very special about this Senior High School. Unlike the standard Senior High School in Japan, my school offers a variety of courses. There are even Indonesian and Chinese classes. I was invited into a Chinese Language class yesterday and to my surprise, I saw 2 おばあちゃん　(obaachan - grandmothers) attending the lesson too. They will come to school just for the Chinese lessons. Yup, my school offers a variety of courses but to be eligible for them, you have to take a test and go through an interview.

Tom and I were very surprised by the number of students in sports CCAs. Here, sports is HUGE! Most students seem to be involved in some kind of sports. Baseball is BIG BIG BIG. There's also softball, volleyball, beach volleyball, basketball, kendo, judo, track n field, soccer, rugby, tennis, table-tennis, cheerleadin, swimming.... A LOT! Considering that the school population is only about 750 students, it is really really amazing.

And I have observed a few trainings with different sports. They are disciplined. VERY VERY disciplined. There is no coach or teacher around when they do their warm-ups, which can last 2 hours before the actual training begins. I really salute these kids. My school is apparently very good in the various sports!

Rain n Dinner

This morning is a very cool and breezy one. The sky looks dark and it has just begun to rain. It's really so nice, especially after a month of stifling heat. The rain smells so sweet too; it's just like a time of refreshing. All activities ceased for a moment. The students stopped their training and ran for shelter. I too stopped for a moment and looked out at the fields.

Today, one of the teachers of my school will be giving me a party! Yay yay! N he has 3 adorable and lovely children. I am gonna enjoy myself.

Last night, Holly and I went to this very wondeful place to have our dinner. It's antiquated, n has been standing there for 30 years. It's really like what you have seen on TV programmes before. The brown, rusty Japanese inn, and when you go in, you see an old man and his wife serving dinner... there are tatami mats and low tables for people who want to drink sake and eat dinner, n those big clay jars / pots where they put vinegar, or sauce, or wine.

I had a very very nice dinner, with sanma fish and salmon. And lotsa other side dishes. Absolutely yummy. N there is this pumpkin stew too. Excellent!

He asked about our cultures and families. N he got mixed up and thought I was from Hong Kong and Holly from Singapore. When we went in and sat down, after a while, we realised that there was actually English music! It's really thoughtful of them. :)

Mi getting ready for my dinner! See that big beam on my face? I love fish! And with that raw salmon staring at me from the display, I couldn't help myself and I ordered an extra salmon dish. :-D

I thank God for Holly. Even though we have only known each other for about 3 weeks, the friendship has really blossomed. She's thoughtful, sensitive and caring. Reminds me very much of Xiaowei. :)

Sometimes, Blogger drives me nuts. It's so difficult to put in pictures or delete them. It just doesn't work!

My first completed Self-Introduction Essay in Japanese

It was not easy man. I have forgotten so many so many things! I spent like 2 hours trying to write this out so that I can speak to the entire school population on Wednesday. Already as I am thinking about it, I am feeling the jitters. It's a speech I have to make in Japanese in front of the whole school and I really hope I won't fumble!

I finally finished my speech 5 minutes ago, and got 2 Japanese Language senseis to help me check through it. :) Haha, I really feel like a student now. Really. Dr Bernard said that we will all have to go through stages and levels, n there will be an entire stage of learning before you go on to the next level. How true that is!

And I am enjoying myself learning. I will try to remember my mistakes and learn from them! And really.. as I write out this entry, I just think of 5D n the English lessons I had with them the past 2 1/2 years. Let's all work hard together people!

Yup, n I pray I will be able to articulate everything well, that I won't be tongue-tied!

And I end my speech like this. Guess what it means? One of my favourite quotes! :D

優勝者は　いつも負けない人じゃなくて、ほんとの優秀な人は　ずっとあきらめない人です。
Champions are not people who never lose but people who never quit!

Joy

I woke up this morning feeling exceptionally happy and refreshed. There is simply no way I can explain how I felt, and at this present moment, I am still feeling very happy. I know it is the joy of the Lord.

It is a certain strength in me. A certain inexplicable joy. I sang to myself and got about getting ready. I looked at my room and felt that it was nice, roomy and breezy. I looked out of the balcony and saw the wonderful landscape. Haha... I really felt happy lar.

I sent smses to some people and navigated my way down to the station. Last night, my neighbour, Abel, who is half-Australian and half-Japanese taught me how to do it the fastest way, n this morning, I walked that route!

I reached school half an hour early, and sat down for a cup of rich and creamy sugarless soya bean drink. Slurp. So nice!


This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

Third week here in Japan

Well, I just registered for internet services and yup, I may be able to get my own access next week. :)

This morning, as I walked to school, i brought some breakfast for Tom and myself. The bread was very nice, like Breadtalk! Haha, n i finished everything, then realised i forgot to take some pictures of them.

Anyway, here are some pictures for everyone.

A picture of Holly and I having dessert last night at Sannomiya (三宮), the bustling city of Kobe. It's roughly the distance from Tampines to City Hall. There are lotsa restuarants there, n shopping too. I've been good at this point in time. I haven't shopped much or bought shoes or bags!















Some other picts of 三宮




























Oh yes, and as Holly and I walked along the streets of Sannomiya, we saw this provision stall that looks out of place! Japan is indeed an eclectic mix of the old and new. Holly said that it reminded her of Hong Kong.. n well, I think it looks like those provision stalls you would find in a wet market in Singapore.


My School
Well, when I stepped into Kobe Kouhoku Senior High School (神戸甲北高甲等学校), I didn't really feel very foreign. Haha, I think schools all over the world smell and feel the same? Maybe it's because of my 3.5 years in Bedok North. The students look the same, the teachers work the same, and the school atmosphere feels the same. :) As I walked around the school and took some pictures, I thought of the classes I've taught in BNSS. I miss my form class 5D. How is everyone there? Are all of you coping well?


The Staff Room

Me at my desk. And oh yes, the stunning pink 3G keitai (which means handphone) belongs to me. :) Tom has an even cooler one. Tom can watch TV on his handphone for free!

And this is Tom. :) He is a really unassuming and nice guy. He is from England and man, he is good with maps and roads. He taught me how to navigate through the hilly and seemingly impossible routes!

My School Principal, Mr Ijiri

He is a nice man. And looks like Yanjiang's dad. He's also a keen learner and would ask Tom and I into his room to talk about our cultures and the different education systems.

The school compound

Well, there is a swimming pool in the school and also a huge soccer and baseball field. Oh yes, and my school is also on the mountain, just like my house. I went to take a look at the kids who were having their basketball training and they were really shy. :) Saw the girls in training too. They were fast and tough. I might be able to join them for their trainings and help out, so that'll be good!

And the 7-11 is where Tom and I get our lunches. It's about a 15-minute walk downhill and they sell lots of packed lunches. I've had quite a variety of Japanese food and they are quite salty and tasty!

That's all for this post. Study hard people! n 5D and 4I, persevere!　

In Kobe

Dear friends, I am in Kobe right now, sitting in front of my desk in school. It's been rather difficult to get online ever since I got to Kobe, so finally...

Today is Friday, which means it's almost a week since I got here. I've been busy this whole week, especially after I arrived here in Kobe. It's been quite an eventful week, but that's good. I am kept busy by all the administrative work and it's only late at night that I would be back at my apartment.

I know many of you want to look at pictures... heez, but it'll have to be some time later! I have yet to get my own internet access.. n it'll take some time for me to get connected. That's really really difficult for me. Thank God this morning when we arrived at school, we were told that we could get online.

Well, this post is getting all over the place, but here are just some general updates.

トマス　（Tom - Thomas Pontefract）
I am working with Tom, who is from England. He's sitting beside me now, on the internet too! We were like 2 ravenous wolves.. online all the way... tap-tapping all the way, from morn till now. It's very nice to have one more person here with me.. cos it's hard to always make an effort to conscientiously listen and speak in Japanese. At least with him, I could speak English!

Well, we have to do up a website that talks about the cultural, education, etc of our home countries. That will be fun! I think I will go back knowing so much more about Singapore!

天気 (Tenki - Weather)
The weather is really really really blistering here. HOT HOT HOT! And what's more amazing is that the students play sports out here in the afternoon! They are used to it I guess. Tom and I looked at each other when we heard that n thought that they were crazy?!

日本語 (Nihongo - Japanese Language)
In Japan here, people seldom speak English. Most people have mastered the set phrases, but none could hold a conversation really well. This means it's actually a good challenge for me. It keeps me on my toes! I have to constantly practice. I really pray that God will help me and bring to my remembrance all the different words and sentence structures. I guess I also have to study very hard if I want to improve!

アパート (Aparto - Apartment)
My apartment is quite roomy. It's really very warm in it! I have to climb up 5 levels to reach my apartment and on the very first day I arrived, Watanabe Sensei and Kacho Sensei (The Principal) went with me to my house.... n guess wat.... They had to carry my 2 terribly terribly HUGE pieces of luggage up the stairs for me. I really really felt very glad that they were there, else I would be stuck! Keez, also, can u imagine the Principal carrying my luggage for me? :-}

感想 (Kansou - Emotions)
Haha, anyway, I'm getting on fine here. Leaving the airport and all my loved ones was very very very difficult. I shan't even dwell on it here cos I may just cry here in this staff room! Reading blogs also make me very emotional. :) I read Xiaowei's and Stefan's entries.. n kinda teared a little. It's amazing how powerful words can be. Also, some emails were very touching. As I read them, I can't help but thank God for the people in my life. My family members, my cell group, friends, students (especially those who have become very dear to me), and Steve... I couldn't have done it without my cell group members... I really couldn't. They made it possible for me... their prayers and their love for me. I will miss all of you very very much.. (Heez, I am getting EMO again...)

I thoroughly appreciate those who came to see me off.. n those who wanted to come but couldn't. I've replied plenty of emails, and I shall keep this blog updated as best as I can so that I could talk to everyone at the same time. :) I also just wanna say to all BNSS students, esp 5D and 4I, to work hard. GANBATTE KUDASAI!!!!!

In Japan

Right now, I am in Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku typing this. :)
Touched down Sunday noon, n since then, have been attending lotsa meetings and conferences. Met many different nationalities here. About 1000 of us here at this orientation.

Dear friends who came to send me off at the airport, I just wanna say a huge thank you. Hmmm, I read Stefan's blog. Thanks bro, for being my friend. :)

I'll be going to Kobe tmr morning on the shinkansen. That's the bullet train. And I heard that there's gonna be a typhoon tmr! Well, anyway, my thoughts are running all over, n I'm typing them just as they come to me.

I'll have lots to do when I reach Kobe. Meeting the Board of Education there, retrieving my luggage, moving into the new apartment, settling in, getting internet access, getting my keitai (handphone) line. I will be internet-less for at least a few weeks I heard. Let's hope i'll get it real soon! Oh yes, I'll also be staying at Hyogo's Education Centre.. which is pretty much like our MOE. :) There's a dormitory n hostel there.

Ok, that's about all for now.
Really wanna write more, but very tired.