So frustrating…
I have tried for over an hour to upload some of our photos from the weekend up here and they are still not all up. I don`t know whether to blame the so slow Australian internet or the super mega sized photos which I probably should of made smaller before deciding to upload.
Some of the weekend photos are up at flickr- others are not and will hopefully make it up there in the next century.
It is frustrating the hell out of me and I keep thinking about what I could of done with that time instead (Although while it was happening I did watch La Bumba the story of Ritchie Valence….you know, the guy who died in the plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper? Well it was good anyway. I have mentioned once before my fathers random taste in dvd`s and this was one of the ones from his collection.
In other news I sent off for my information about AFWJ (Associaton of Foreign Wives Japan) and will be joining up soon. A lot of women living in Japan married, engaged or living with Japanese partners are members and it is a great way to meet up with other foreign women living in your own area. It especially seems to be great for women with kids (A little way off that yet, ourselves!) as they can meet up and chat and share experiences. I already belong to a couple of other online forums, Foreign Wives Club & MIJ and it is great to hear about how other women are doing. It might seem a bit strange to those not in international relationships but I think we can all agree that it is nice to be part of a community and when I return to Japan while I will still have my friends there and Shun`s family (and Shun of course!) it will be nice to have an even larger network of people that I know I can turn too if I need it.
I have well and truly totally fallen off the weight loss wagon- I know I am doing it too yet I can not stop myself. Exercise, apart from walking Abbey a couple of times a week and hooping about 5 minutes a day, is non existent. I have also stopped counting points for weight watchers and haven`t been to a meeting in 3 weeks. I am bad. I know I need to get back on track- I was doing pretty well but I have already put a bit of the weight back on (only a little bit so far but still!). I need to get back on track but I just can`t seem to find the motivation lately…
Shun finishes up English school this Friday- he will have done 8 weeks which means he has been in Australia for about 12 weeks now. Time has definitely flown by. He will be looking for a part time job. We are not really sure what he will do yet or what he can do really. His English is still quite limited but we will write up an English resume for him and see how he goes. Any ideas? I was thinking maybe at a cafe in the kitchen or something? Or maybe a supermarket? I am just not sure he would be able to find any work in the IT/Computer industry unless his English was a bit better….which is a shame because I know he is missing his job.
Anyway it looks as though the photos are almost finished uploading so I might be able to do a post tomorrow with them. If you want to ave a look before then check out my flickr. This is such a random post of mismatched sentences…
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Hey Lulu!
I dont know if Shun wants to work to improve his English or just for the cash, but if it is jsut for the cash, then IBM runs their Japanese customer call center out of believe it or not, Edward Street in the city! Japanese people call a number and get connected to Japanese speakers based in Edward Street. I dont know if they take part-timers, but I have a contact their if Shun is interested that I can put you in touch with for more information.
Other than that, there is always your Japanese restaurant or take away?
Drop me a mail to my hotmail if Shun is interested.
Hi Laura,
Be kind to yourself! It’s okay to give yourself and your body a break! You wouldn’t be normal if you didn’t. You have the personal strength to get back on track and you will! With some almost upon us it’s now time for salads and lighter meals, so that should help too. Omedetou to Shun for finishing English School. I rekon is would be good if Shun could get a job at a cafe or restaurant that didn’t have Japanese staff because that way he would be forced to use his English skills and he would improve fast. Good luck with that and let us know how it goes. I would love to catch up with you again soon. But I’m not sure when. I start my new job on Monday and I’ll be in George Street too, except further down past Elizabeth Street towards QUT Gardens Point. As I’ll be the new kid I’m not sure yet what the people are like so I wouldn’t like to take any long lunch breaks just yet. I know weekends are always busy, but maybe we could we could organsise to do something sometime. I still haven’t met Shun!! Are you keen to go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary or to do something touristy like that?
Hey Lulu!
We all inevitably fall off the wagon, we are therefore human- I have to second what Laura suggested, we have to give our body a break. I was doing the “core” working well I might add and I hurt my back pushing myself too much just to make it to goal. Is there a database or a Recruitment agency which could help Shun find the work he desires because nothing is worse than doing something you hate for the sake of “money”.
I’m not doing WW but I only eat when I’m hungry, and breakie is Balance cup with yogurt and fruit compote of some sort, I try to limit starches and I do have my ice-cream, but I slip, I sure do but I just restart the next day.
I am so happy to hear your joined AFWJ- we need all the help we can get and AFWJ is the best group around.
I think there is a serious commitment to supporting one another in AFWJ and MIJ second to that but I think the other group you mentioned “Foreign Wives Club” is toxic beyond repair. Just my opinion shared with MANY others so be careful! But you can trust AFWJ they hold privacy with the utmost scrutiny and have been a member for a long while now- you’ll meet real people with the REAL intention of becoming friends.
Next to that would be FEW and going to all the meetings, parties is SUCH a blast!!! I can’t wait to see all your wonderful snaps!!!!
Hey Lulu,
The internet frustrates the hell out of me too! Especially since I got used to the super speedy connection I had in Japan (despite being in the inaka)!
I think the weight loss thing is always hard. I actually lost 15kgs last year and have thus far managed to keep it off. I was trying to loose another 5kgs to get to my own personal goal, but have been struggling to get back into the swing of things. It doesnt help that the weather here has been BAAAAD (it rained 27 out of 30 days in August alone!!!) so it’s been hard to get out and go for walks, and that i’ve been trying to get over a virus for 6 weeks now but I think that now that summer is on it’s way it will be much easier. As was said above, it’s so much easier in summer to eat salads and have BBQ’s that it makes ‘healthy lifestyle changes’ much more attainable. n ganbatte ne!
Good luck to Shun with the job hunting! Can’t wait to see the photos too!
Weight loss is the worst challenge! Everyone falls off the wagon - what I’ve learned is not to get on the wagon at all. Meaning, that you don’t forbid yourself certain things (small amounts)! Eat only when you are truly hungry, and remember that depriving yourself of your favorites only makes you want them that much more - and when you do break and have them, you end up eating an entire jar of peanut butter instead of just one spoon. Me: true story…but not just peanut butter - ice cream, chocolate chips, and cookies too!
Also, making yourself drink a full glass of water when you wake up, before you go to bed, and before each meal helps in that you stay properly hydrated, don’t feel as hungry, and it helps your skin stay nice (I imagine it is drier in Australia)…
Most importantly, your health and happiness with yourself, however you look, are the most important, not the number on the scale!
has shun had any luck on the job hunting front?
I think there is actually a big Japanese ex-pat community in Bris - I remember several years ago going to a bbq with some J friends and there was something like 50+ people there, all Japanese. Probably working at the place nooh suggested, now that I think about it (haha).
You have probably looked into it, but other thoughts that crossed my mind were possible jobs or at least idea of companies around Bris to be got from the “Nichigo Press”. Also, isn’t there a Japanese restaurant in Manly, sort of opposite the pub, I think. FWIW, my J friend went to Aus on working holiday and she *seriously* cannot speak a lick of english (all she came back with after a year away was being able to use the word “bloody” in every sentence - which seemed to work, actually, haha). But she was working part time at a Japanese sushi train (in the Valley, heading towards New Farm, can’t remember it’s name). It was run by Hong Kong Chinese anyway, so she wasn’t even speaking Japanese there most of the time! good luck!