A day trip to Yokohama

Sunday June 12th I went to Yokohama with Yue Min and Tomoko for a visit to my guarantor. Guarantor is a person who is either Japanese, or foreigners residing in Japan, that acts as your representative between you and the university. Most of the universities in Japan requires you to have a guarantor in order to apply. And not many are willing to be guarantors for it is rather troublesome too. I am lucky that under some senior's help, I manage to get a guarantor. His wife came to Narita to pick me up on the day of my arrival, driving nearly 2 hours all the way from Yokohama, and another 4 hours to Hachioji. My guarantor, Mr Ozaki, however, was busy that day so he wasn't able to come. So this time, I travel to Yokohama to pay this family whom I am greatly indebted to for being in Japan, a visit.

We took the Yokohama Line direct from JR Hachioji station straight to Shin-Yokohama. Once we arrived, we went around looking for my guarantor, and one young man with a girl came and approached us. Appears that he is Mr Ozaki, and the girl is his eldest daughter. I was kinda surprised really...I expected somebody older actually haha, he looks like he is in his thirties.

So we got into his car, where his wife and two daughters are around too, and went to Kanagawa Kaikan. We also visited the Toda Peace Memorial Hall and later the park right opposite it, which is next to the Yokohama Harbour. It is a hot day really. But it was fun. I saw lots of dogs around, wearing t-shirts and even sunglasses! Japanese really love their dogs. Later when we walked further there was a man doing a street performance. He was funny, and skillful in juggling fire. We are really entertained hehe..

Time for lunch...for that, we head to the Yokohama Chinatown, which is off walking distance. We had Chinese food there, a type of buffet style where we need to pay a certain amount of money per person, and then you just order from the menu whatever you want. Of course, Mr Ozaki was the one who picked up the tab. Free chinese feast...I miss Chinese food. So I ate quite a lot. I also took the opportunity to eat grape fruits which is unavailable in Malaysia (and fruits are very expensive in Japan) and also had come ice-cream. Oohh...it was a really filling lunch.

Later we head back to Mr Ozaki's home to rest a while, as he himself had a speech to do somewhere. By the way, he is a Komei-to politician. So me, my friends, his wife and his daughters walked to the nearby shopping centre and do some grocery shopping and desert (cake) shopping. Then we head home and prepare some homemade temaki sushi, which is really really nice. First a filling lunch, now a filling dinner. I think I eaten enough for a week!

By the time I am back in my dorm, it was nearly 10pm. I got a headache after that, but it was worth the day...so had an early night sleep. It was a great fun day...

Visit to Soka Elementary School

Last Friday the whole Bekka made a visit to Tokyo Soka Elementary School. It was a really fun but tiring day. We were all (35 Bekka students) separated into 6 different groups to interact with Year 4 and Year 5 students. We depart from Soka University at about 945am.

The day before the trip I was hunting around the web for available scholarships for next year's Masters course. Many of the things I read on the web is disappointing, with not much choices, and usually the scholarship system in Japan does not cover your tuition fee, but only give you a certain amount to spend per month. Which is really weird really, because I find that the main financial problem does not come from monthly expenses, which I can easily earn by working; but the real problem comes from forking out a huge sum of money for the tuition fees and dormitory fees, which could range around RM50k. It was an upsetting search online. And my friends are telling me, hey, you need some chocolates to cheer you up...

So happens that I receive news that Sensei has given us Bekka students a gift commemorating our visit to Soka Elementary School. Lo and behold...it is a bar of chocolates! Swiss chocolates! I was so touched when I found it. Somehow I felt that Sensei understood how I feel and how we, the international students, struggle here in a foreign country.

We arrive at the Soka school at about 11am, have a brief video introduction, some speeches, and off we go to the classes, accompanied by the students. Cute students! Before that, I have to add that we were welcomed into the school compound by Year 1 students, forming two lines and shouting and bowing, 'Ohayou Gozaimasu' or 'Konnichiwa'. They are so so adorable.

Me and my group members were placed into a Year 5 class. In the beginning they sang us the Japanese version of Michael Jackson's We Are The World. Then each of us introduced ourselves. And then we were split into groups...about 6 kids each person. The kids introduced themselves to me, and then started to ask questions...like how is Malaysia?...What do you like to eat?...What is your hobby?...They look genuinely interested, and it is so nice to see their friendly smile.

After that small round of introduction, the kids are in charge of taking me sight-seeing around the school compound. We went to the library, which is really comfortable, the dining hall, one of the exhibition hall (Ikeda Hall) and to the basketball court where they usually play. We ended up playing two games together. One is like the 'kejar-kejar' in Malaysia, the other one is like 'AEIOU' in Malaysia. Phew...I had never ran so much before in my life before this. The kids are so energetic.

Our short time together have to end. After the game they led me back into the room we first arrived and told me that my lunch will be served here, and theirs will be at the dining hall. So we said a short farewell...and I am surprised they actually made an effort to find for simple words in Bahasa Malaysia so that they can greet me in the language itself. I can truly see how proud they are of their school and how excited they are to meet us all.

Lunch was simple...their school lunch...nutritious and very filling indeed. The kids are having their break time and kept hovering around the doorway or the window to sneak a peek at us. We spend some time communicating with them, and I remember at one time this girl asked me from which country do I come from, when I said Malaysia she went like 'Huh?' Then she took me by the hand and dragged me all the way out to a globe positioned in the lobby. Smart indeed. So I pointed out to her where is Japan, and where is Malaysia. Then after a short photo session, we left and went back to the university. All in all we only spend about two hours in the school. Short, but really really memorable indeed...

My first month in Japan has passed

Time really do flies. My first month in Japan has passed. I arrived on a significant day of May 3rd. Suppose to arrive on May 2nd, but well, coincidence maybe? Or fate...I arrive on May 3rd instead hahahah.

Studies are getting tougher day by day as we raced to master the language in a short one year. Expenses are also raising. Especially now that I have a phone. Monthly nearly RM100. Don't know what phone so damn expensive, so I am forced to cut down other type of expenses like food and daily uses. My classmates are all looking forward to eat at a syabu-syabu shop recommended by my teacher, which is cheap in terms of Japanese yen, but very expensive when I convert it to Malaysian RM...about nearly RM100. Aiyo...I eat steamboat at Malaysia also 3 times cheaper than that la. Even buffet cost in hotels or fancy restaurants cost less than RM100. So I decided not to go. I cannot afford RM100 for one single damn meal. That amount of money can support me for at least a week or more.

Next week I am heading to Yokohama (expenses again) to visit my guarantor. Without him and his family I would never even be in Japan. So this visit is definitely necessary. Too bad I don't have any money to buy something for the visit...it is Japanese custom to buy some stuff when you visit a Japanese person's house. But I think they understand foreign students like me have a hard time with money...so they won't expect much I think. I hope the weather will be good, as now is the raining season...and that I will enjoy my time there with some of my friends who will come along with me.

I miss my music...and Malaysian food definitely...even fast food like McDonald's haha. Next time come back must eat!!!