Back in Japan update…
Tomorrow I will have been back in Japan for two weeks- it seems like longer because in that time so much has happened- I have caught up with friends, Shun has returned to work, I have started looking for work myself and much more. A bit of an update is needed I think…
- Since Shun works all day and I don`t go out everyday (I try to get out of the house at least for a walk or a trip to the coffee shop each day though, if I have no plans) I have become addicted to Gossip Girl. I watched the first season when I was in Japan last time (thank god for torrents) and I have the second season on the go this time. Sure it is trashy but I can`t help but become addicted.
- As the Gossip Girl addiction is evident, I do know that I need to find something to keep me busy and I have been looking for work. I want to find a part-time job or even a few private students to keep myself busy but it is proving a little difficult. I spoke with a friend over the weekend and she said she would let me know of any international schools she heard of that are looking for summer school teachers. I wouldn`t mind working full time for a month or so even if I did have to travel into the city. Would be just nice to be doing something. I also need some private students- I am working on a mini poster to put up around this area and have signed up for a couple of private student sites but so far not too much luck. I have been filling in some of my extra time with study- see, my Japanese is quite crap. A year away obviously did nothing for it and my level has definitely gone down hill. My biggest problem is kanji and reading- no matter how many kanji I study I seem to forget them within five minutes so I am trying to work on that!!! Any hints are welcome!
- Last weekend Sarah & Nay came to visit me here in Chiba- It was great to meet up with both of them again and this was the first time all three of us had gotten together at the same time. We speak a lot on Skype, and I have met them both before (and Nay came to the wedding!) but as I said it was the first time for all three of us to be together- funny thing was it didn`t feel strange at all- in fact it felt like we had all been together many times before. We had a great time chatting and catching up, doing a spot of shopping and meeting up with Khea for lunch at Ueno on the Monday. It was my first time to meet Khea and she was adorable! I hope to meet up with her again soon for coffee since we are reasonably close to each other. Our bubs will be 4 months apart too so as they get a bit older I am sure they will be able to play with each other!
- This weekend coming I am heading to Niigata to see Sarah and Ryohei! Shun will come up on the Saturday and so will Nay & Naoki. I am interested to see the rice paddy that Sarah has been living on
. I am going up on the shinkansen on the Friday afternoon and Sarah will meet me at her local train station. I have all my train transfers written down in my little book so hopefully I won`t get loss (Sarah laughed at me when I asked which exit to meet her at- since there is only one. I can`t help it- some of the big Tokyo stations have 5 or 6!) - Shun and I had a busy weekend- on Saturday he went to his friend`s wedding reception while I met up with some friends in Jigyuoaka for lunch- we had a BBQ planned but the weather was not very kind. I do hate rainy season! We went to a place that did curry (I should of known from the start this was a bad idea- goma-chan does not like curry!)- and their specialty was yaki-curry which was basically like a curry pie with rice on the bottom the curry, lots of vegies and fruit (it had pineapple and banana) with egg and cheese on top- it sounds disgusting right? That is why I didn`t get it but Junni, Hiro and Cat did and they thought it was great- I stuck to the normal beef curry while Sumi had the soup curry. It was really yummy, but unfortunately it did make me sick. After saying goodbye to my friends I went to Ebisu for the wedding “nijikai”- basically in Japan you have a ceremony and reception and at that reception are your family and work collegues and the reception only goes for about 2 or 2.5 hours. Shun went to that part as well since he is one of Toshi`s closest friends but in most cases wives/gf`s/partner`s are not asked to attend. The “nijikai” is what happens later, usually on the same day later in the afternoon or night and it is like a second party/reception where all the friends come. There were about 80 or 100 people at the nijikai. It was a lot of fun- usually there is food, drinks, games and maybe some singing. We sang the couple a song. It seems a bit strange but it was a lot of fun. Shun and I decided not to have a “nijikai” when we returned to Japan although we have been asked when it will be. Basically because we had a surprise engagement party last May before I went back to Australia which was kind of like a “nijikai” since there was food, drinks, games and a slideshow of pictures of us growing up and also wedding cake. It seems to be the year of weddings this year for Shun`s friends- he was the first, now Toshi and Kenta and Shin have wedding ceremonies later this summer.
- Yesterday we had a wedding party thing for Shun`s extended family- only Shun`s parents, brother and sister and law and grandmother made it over for our wedding so I had to be “introduced” to the rest of the family so 20 of us met yesterday at a Chinese restraunt. Basically it was just eating and drinking and chatting and family gave us “gifts” and Shun`s father showed them wedding photos. It was fun and not nearly as bad as I had imagined. Nobody cared that I didn`t speak keigo, a polite form of Japanese so I was fine. There was a lot of talk about whether goma-chan will look like Shun or I and whether it would be a girl or a boy- so far there are two great grandchildren on Shun`s father`s side of the family and two great grandchildren on the other side of the family. On the father`s side, Shun`s grandmother has two great grandson`s and she would really like this one to be a girl so she can dress it in kimono. On the otherside, Shun`s grandparents have passed on and I don`t think anyone really minds but so far there are two girls on that side. We will have to wait and see!!!
- Shun and I have pretty much decided on baby names we think- we have a couple for each sex that we are pretty set on so I think we have our names decided- I am one of those people that thinks you have to see the baby first before deciding on a definite name though so we will have to wait and see!!! We have kanji picked out for two of the girl`s names and one of the boy`s names- I have no idea if they are “lucky” kanji or not though!
- I have been living with the in-laws now for almost two weeks and so far it is not going too bad- Shun and I plan to look for our own place in July and hopefully move out by the end of July or start of August. I have lived with my in-laws before. When I first returned to Japan just before my 21st birthday I lived with Shun`s family for six weeks until I found my own place and moved out- Shun stayed here for two months and then ended up moving into my tiny 1K in Kichijoji with me. Then again, before I moved back to Australia I stayed here for about 3 or 4 weeks and each time I stay it gets easier and easier. MIL gives me my own space- I am allowed to come and go as I please with no explanations and I take care of my own breakfast and lunch and I usually help her with dinner or at least with setting the table and getting everything ready. I do my own washing, but she does Shun`s works clothes (and irons them- i refuse to iron and only buy clothes that don`t need ironing)….When Shun & I live by ourselves he does not wear a suit to work but when he lives here he does so if she wants to iron and wash the white shirts that is fine by me. I would make Shun iron them himself if he wanted to wear a suit to work when it was just the two os us- I used to just take a couple to the dry cleaners before he would need them for weddings or on days he had meetings because they would come back pressed- that was my idea of ironing. Haha. So yeah- living with the in-laws not so bad. The only issue I have (actually there are two things) is that we don`t really have our own space to unpack stuff and I can`t really do any cooking which I miss. The second issue is the family dog. See it hates people that are not blood relatives. I am serious- it hates ALL people. Sarah and Nay will confirm as they had the pleasure of meeting the little monster. So every time I go downstairs the dog barks and snarls at me- Shun`s parents scold it etc but it makes no difference. As soon as I sit down, it is fine- in fact it likes me then and comes up to me if I am eating toast cos it knows I will give it some of the crusts. It is just evil though- and it is annoying to have to stay upstairs most of the time cos the dog goes crazy. I miss Abbey- Abbey was crazy but at least she loved me!
- Oh in other news- I did an early tax return and got a stack of tax back- I don`t know why but when I checked our Aussie bank balance today I was pleasantly surprised!!! Thank you ATO. At this stage that money is going to stay in there since it is connected to my credit card anyway AND I think the exchange rate is just going to get better and better (I hope!) so we might just leave it in there for now unless we really need it!
- Well this update turned out a bit longer than i expected- and if you got this far- good on you and I give you and A+ for effort! Hopefully now, I will find my blogging groove and get back into staying on top of the updates. Oh what am I saying, I doubt that will happen.
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Gossip girl has set a trend to be reckoned with- I bought some of the headbands from the show– I love flowers, and headbands, flower pins, etc, so hell I love it just for the fashion aspect, and “the blond ambition”girl is pretty cool. Esp the Waldorf
Girl Japan- With my short hair I use headbands a lot anyway so I love checking out how the gossip girl girl`s use them! I like the flower hair pins too but they look better in long hair- maybe if my hair got a bit longer!!! Your hair is a bit longer than mine so I am sure they work well in your hair!
Yeah you’re back!
And man, you don’t waste time getting back into the swing of things, huh?
That curry pie sounds umm… like it wouldn’t be for me at all pregnant or not but certainly unique, huh?
Fingers crossed for you work wise and enjoy your Niigata trip- ii naaa.
had to laugh at the which exit- we don’t even need which platform here!
I think it works well in short or long hair— yea, my hair is pretty long now, I cut it off a while back but let it grow out. The clothes.. have me swooning..
Heather- Well, I am not up with the Japanese country train system. Sarah had to make sure my shikansen got in at a time near a time I could catch a local train since it only comes every two hours! haha!
And yes I am back in Japan and I have full weekend planned until July. Crazy busy! I do hope I find some sort of work soon- I am bored staying at home. There is only so much gossip girl i can watch.
Girl Japan- I prefer the headbands. Although Serena does pull out some awesome dresses!!!!
Yay it will be nice to see you both again so soon. Hahah and I did give a bit of a gaffaw at the whole “exit” thing. We don’t have a ticket machine either – you have to hand your ticket to the man at the window – IF he’s there. If not you just walk out lol. You will see in 4 days
I’ve never watched Gossip Girl but am watching a bit of Ghost Whisperer… i just started so we will see if it scares me off or not!
Take it easy this week since you’ve got such busy weekends coming up for a while
Sounds like you’re doing well with the in-laws living arrangements! My MIL has a tempermental little dog as well, he’s old so he doesn’t go that crazy but he still barks every time i go in the house., oh and i’m not allowed to say walk, cheese or let’s go infront of him becasue he will hear…they go a little bit cukoo over the dogs here eh.
I’m definitely with you on the ironing front, I haven’t even unpacked mine from when we moved and I don’t really intend to, I’m lucky Ryota works outside and in the dirt so he can wear anything. Good luck on the job front, I’m sure you’ll pick up some privates in no time!
Hi Corinne, haha- i kind of tease the dog all the time and say “holly-kun, pan no mimi hoshii” when I am not even eating bread. Yeah the dog is called Holly and it is a boy. Stupid name I know. I like watching his ears peak up when anyone says “sanpou”
I am glad you are with me on the ironing front- I know some will think I am lazy. But I clean and cook and help MIL out around the house at the moment cos I am not working and I do not mind helping to cook at all. I just hate ironing. And seriously, Shun could iron his own clothes if he needed to and I told MIL this- she looked at me like I was crazy though and said “but he works…” – yeah? So what.
Thanks for the luck finding private students- I need it!
Hey Sarah your comment got stuck in spam but I saved it- It seems to happen with messages that have smily faces for some reason but I am trying to sort it out.
I can`t help it that I am a city girl- I do know that some train stations don`t have ticket machines though- I was very confused by this the first time I went to the Hiroshima country side. I was like standing there thinking “um, what do i do?” cos no-one was there and there was just a window but no man. LOL. If there is no one there on Friday I will just work through!!!
I am taking it pretty easy this week- but off to get my licence translated tomorrow and to have lunch with James. But serioulsy, that is like my only plans til Friday!!!
Oooh. I can definitely relate to the curry thing. Its something this little one (we don`t actually have a cute nickname for it) has not cared too much for. The only time I`m ok with eating curry is when I make my own (a coconut curry).
I`ve never watched gossip girl but perhaps I should start. I`m like you, Thank god for torrents, I`ve seen just about everything that I might be interested in, Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, The Tudors, Kings (though this only has like 4 episodes), Bones, and several others that aren`t popping up in my head at the moment. I`m downloading the ghost whisperer at the moment but I still have a way to go.
Can you start on a hobby or something that you can make for the baby, a quilt, or knit a blanket? That might help fill in some of your time.
I like the way you think. If my husband wanted to wear ironed shirts, I would let him iron them himself. Food is the only thing I will go out of my way to give him (yet you would think from his comments “I`m starving” that I never feed the poor thing).
As for trains, I lived in Kochi (on Shikoku) for 2 years and moving to Tokyo was a big transition when it came to the train statins. The poor Kochi train station you actually bought your tickets from a person and gave them to a person to check when entering the station. If you wanted the faster trains you had to pay more. It took me awhile to figure out that in Tokyo all the tickets are the same price to the same location, doesn`t matter if its a fast train or not.
Sounds like everything is going at a nice pace =) The days are very long home alone… even with cooking, cleaning, exercising, grocery shopping, a walk… I still usually have a good 6+ hours to myself a day. I think a part time job is a great idea lol Hope you manage to find something.
I really liked your choice of baby names too btw, it’s great that you could agree on a few so soon. Our babies will definately have to playdate once in a while!
I’m glad I’m not the only wife who refuses to iron hehe… I’ll just hang the clothes in the steaming shower room and it’s usually good enough.
Sounds like you have been seriously busy!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Gossip Girl as well. They are showing the second series here in the UK and it is my guilty pleasure (that and One Tree Hill..) Glad things are going well back in Japan and will be sending “find cool private student” vibes in your direction!
Melanie- Torrents are my saviour in Japan when you have a husband that works late most nights! I download EVERYTHING. Luckily so far Shun has had early nights and been home by 8pm each night.
I was hoping the curry dislike would dissapear but you are 20 weeks now and still having issues? Damn- I love curry and I miss it! Once we find our own place maybe I will try and make a coconut curry to see how the baby likes that. I had some kimichi for dinner tonight and bub didn`t like that much either. Must be just spices in general.
I can knit- and I bought my supplies but I think it is getting a bit too hot for knitting. I will sew once we have our own place and I can set up the machine but for the moment that is in a box. If it wasn`t so hot though I would knit. It is winter in Australia now and my mum is knitting the baby a blanket which I am excited about!
I am so glad there are more of us non-ironers out there. I am now not as ashamed!
Khea- Same goes to you for the ironing. Our bubs will definitely have play dates- I still think mine is a boy so maybe they will be each other`s first bf/gf!! haha! Lets meet up for coffee in the next week- I will mail you later!
I am going nuts without work- it would be different if Shun was home but he is not. I have made posters and flyers now and tomorrow I am busy but on Wednesday I will be printing and distributing them. Hopefully i get some prospective private students. We could definitely use the extra cash!
Midori- Thanks! Gossip Girl is definitely a secret pleasure of mine. I am almost finished the second season now and then it will be over…I will have to wait for season 3. I don`t know of One Tree Hill but I will check it out. Thanks for the good vibes- i hope i find some soon too!
I am really late in replying again – I’m sorry!
You definitely have to show me how to use these torrent thingo’s when you come and visit!! I have yet to be able to download and watch any English TV since I have been here. Thank goodness mum sends me DVD’s every couple of months or else I think I would go crazy. We do have cable here but only 1 channel so it doesn’t give me a lot of variety!
It sucks that goma chan doesn’t like curry or other spicy food for that matter… especially when most Japanese kids end up loving curry!! It will be interesting to see what else goma chan decides he doesn’t like! I love reading updates about him/her (I still think goma chan is boy too btw!)
I am too trying to write a pamphlet to put up in places around my new city. Fingers crossed that it works and you find some private students soon! I know that being at home by yourself everyday isn’t always a good thing… Although you will probably find that you tire more easily now so you don’t want a job that is too exhausting for you!
I wouldn’t be too embarressed about your train conversation with Sarah!! I think I would definitely top your story if anybody found out what I said to my cousin at Cleveland station just after moving to Brisbane… although I think I will keep that one a secret, lol!!
Can’t wait to see you on the weekend!
I think a lot my dislike for curry right now steams from the meat in it. Thats one of the things I have avoided. I`ve had a couple of cravings for hamburgers, etc, and once filled I spent several hours running back and forth to the toilet.
The coconut curry I make is with chicken and is much more soup-like which I think helps.
Nay-not sure what kind of TV you usually like to watch but watchtyvsitcoms.com has quite a bit of variety. The only annoying part is that it sometimes takes awhile to stream the video so its always pausing. For awhile it wouldn`t let you watch more than 72 mins in a row and then you had to take an hour break before going at it again. But its definitely better than nothing on some days.
Nay- I will show you how to use torrents when I come to Shizuoka for sure- or if we have time in Niigata I could show you what you need to do but it would probably be easier to get you set up in Shizuoka- maybe after you move. I hope to visit in July if possible! I would die without English tv- and the funny thing is, in Australia I don`t watch much tv at all.
I thought my morning sickness was over but this morning proved me wrong- so I am unhappy with goma-chan today since he made me vomit on a train platform (sorry about that Akihabara commuters!)
I am excited to see you tis weekend too! And Ryohei, who I haven`t seen for more than a year and Naoki who I havent seen since the wedding. It will be fun!
Melanie- I seem to be okay with meat- but today toast with vegemite and orangejuice made me vomit- so maybe it is just food in general and not just curry. As I said above I had throught my morning sickness was over but I guess not.
I will check out watchtvsitcoms.com as well! Thanks for the tip!