Other updates (non-school related)

Lets see its been a while since i really updated people on what's been going on with me. So i decided to write another blog just to give an Idea as to what I have been doing here.

Over the summer i could not land me a part-time job, mostly due to my location in the stykes and decided to spend my summer studying and riding my bike almost anywhere. I finally got my TESOL certification during the summer and I had registered to take the JLPT2 test in december. The JLPT is the only Japanese language ability certification test there is and by successfully completing the test i will now be able to get normal jobs in Japan and the ability for me to goto college here rises exponentially.

So last week i went to Hirakata to see Joe and some other friends. It was strange to be back at Kansai Gaidai. For some reason i got all nervous of being there since my last semester there was not so great but hell what ever. I got to Hirakata around 9pm and the friend i had planned on meeting decided to blow me off so i was left with an option of staying in hirakata alone or goto Namba and see Mick along with Taka whom i havent seen in a while. So i decided to goto Namba and meet them and to my surprise Alex was there as well. It was as if we had a small Gifu ALT reunion. Anyways we chatted and i had some goood Samosas and then we (me, taka, and bia) headed back to Neyagawa-Shi. We decided to drive bia home and we returned to Neyagawa and went to sleep.

The next day we woke up and decided to meet up with Joe earlier than expected, since he had no phone we had to goto Sem House and hope he was there, well he was and he was annoyed that i woke him up and showed up too early. So we went for some ramen, hung out at donki hote (god i miss that store) and went to various other places before we went to yakitori and karaoke. Good times i think.

Next day was different than planned, i ended up waking up at 8am so taka can goto work (no biggie) and i took the slow train to makino so i can walk to sem house and hang with joe some more. On route i saw a man in a dress and a blond wig while still sporting his beard. Quite weird, i was still half asleep on the train till i saw him when shock woke me right up. "Where am I, NYC?" i thought to myself. So i got off the train and started the long walk to Sem House, it has been 2 years since i made this walk, it was a bit different since i was no longer the same reckless person i was then. Then along the way i saw unusual sight numero dos, a man in Daisy Dukes and a cut off tee hosing down his bike Paris Hilton style. Once again i was like WTF? when did hirakata become so whacky. So i get to the dorm and chat with Oka-san until it hit 10am so i wouldnt be waking joe up any earlier than i said i would arrive. I goto his door and he complains i was too early again, we the discover his clock is 30 minutes behind. So we chill, i help his dorm-mates find the festival that everyone wanted to goto but didn't know any information about (typical KGU style) and then we parted ways. I met with Tatsuya at Starbucks (which now there are 3 within a half mile radius of the station. Two being inside a Tsutaya which made meeting much more difficult) and we hung out. I left for Takatsuki Station at 7ish and headed back to Gifu.

The next day me and nori went to Nagoya to try to fix his iPod.

It turns out people actually still have USB1.1 computers in this world still.

Next we decided to goto the rich boutiques (the ones that would shoo us away if it was NY) and looked at wallets. And i found the wallet I want so badly, its a long Black Burberry with blue lining. It is SOOOOO nice i want it so bad. It was only like 15000¥ which is pretty good for a Burberry. Who knows i might get it soon ;) But its of this Japan Only Brand so hopefully i can get it before it disappears :(

空久 Sorak out

Sports Festival

Ok, so for the past 3 weeks or so my school has been preparing for the sports festival. A sports festival is like the relay days from grade school but they continue them all through out middle school and possibly high school. I thought last year this was a good idea but this year I'm just seeing it as a huge waste of time. First of all all classes are shortened to make room for this "special" day. And typically the last class of the day is cut so the kids can practice jump-rope, run holding hands, or picking up large bamboo sticks and carrying them back to their "zones". Anyways these kids only have their major classes 3 times a week (compare to american schools where major classes Grammar/Lit, Math, Science, Social Studies) were held daily and they have 4 class periods of wasted time. For example on fridays my students have off after lunch to do.... well i really don't know what they do during 総合 "synthesis" time. Anyways i find this sports day to be a huge disadvantage to the children, Japan's education system has taken a few blows in the past including this new "Eased Education" system (that is the real name for this schedule) and I think these kids are going into high school and not knowing things they should be. Granted we have a lot of idiots in america but in america if you fail, you don't continue to the next year. In Japan, you don't need to goto class, do work, pass any test, stay awake, or make any effort to actually try in school, and you graduate from JHS. HS is not compulsory in Japan so some kids just quit afterwards or they goto vocational schools. Japan has had this reputation of having hard schooling and genious kids, and as i spend more time learning about the education system and meeting people i realize these people know nothing about history or world geography/events. It's sad that the government in Japan is actually cheating children much more than the US government is cheating their's in terms of Education.

空久 Sorak signing out.

PROMISES

I promise to blog much more often once school starts up. I plan on blogging the weird as i do on facebook. plus other randoms .

kk ttyl ciao smooches

Long time eh mate?

Well it definitely has been some time since I posted, but i say what the hay (yay for rhyme!)

Anyways Quick update to those who do read this still.

I am in Gifu 岐阜, in Japan AGAIN.

Gifu is not quite hirakata, but its tons of fun, and full of history. I am currently studying for the 日本語能力試験2級 2nd Level of the Japanese Proficiency Test and working as an ALT (READ: Students object to laugh at and molest quite regularly). I am deciding to take up Incense Ceremony 香道 since i am entranced by incense lately. Finally since I have a lot of time not being a full time student I am learning to make so many yummy goods. Biscuits, Aloo Gobi, Parathnas, Corn Bread, Arroz con Gondulas, Banana Bread, Cookies, etc. if your in Japan, stop by for a bite! I love to entertain.

Anyways its 3:30 in the bloody morning, quite late init.

I'll be back soon, i promise.

Ciao Mateys!

嵐山

On saturday I went to Arashiyama with Troy and Shingo. It kinda sucked because it was raining the entire time but it was very beautiful. They had a Fall Foliage Light-up festival and the trees there were in full color. I took my brand new Nikon D70s and took many photos but alas it is new and i didn't quite get it because of the rain and it being new, but I did manage to get a few good shots.

The shots are my first with the camera so take a look and tell me what you think

土曜に僕とトロイと真悟は嵐山に行った。その日にすごく雨降った、大変な〜。でも、嵐山の天龍寺に紅葉ライートアップがあったから、めちゃきれいな。嵐山に僕の新し一階レフカメラ持った、たくさん写真取った。それは僕の初め使う時だし、雨降ったしなのに、少ないいい写真がある。そして、見てとコメント送って下さい。m(_ _)m

Click here for more photos! もと写真見たいにここでクリック

Video of Kurama Festival

鞍馬の火祭

So back to my travels. Last week I went to the Kurama Fire Festival 鞍馬の火祭 this is a festival that dates back about a thousand years. The festival is to remember the enshriment of the protector diety of the local Kurama Temple 鞍馬寺. The festival includes children carrying small torches up to men charrying large 10 meter torches.


This is an example of the Large Torches



I went with my friend Tatsuya 達也 first on a jam packed train and arrived about 6:30 to Kurama. There were so many local Kansai people 関西人 and tons of foreigners 外人. Later on the rest of the group arrived as the festival went underway. The festival included an amazing feet where they lifted these large torches into 2 lines and then took them back down and continured up to the temple. The police said this part of the festival was for locals only, but I think that it was to get the foreigners to leave.



We get on the Jam packed train and head back to Hirakata, me and Tatsuya arrived to my apartment at midnight, since he lives too far away I let him sleep there, which he was happy that he didn't have to wake up at 6am to goto campus. It was a great festival and I am glad I was able to attend!

Click here for more Kurama Photos 鞍馬の火祭写真

Panic Attack?

Recently I have been having a problem with Panic Attacks, they are a scary thing i will say. They can feel like Heart attacks and other times like an asthma attack. It is a strange problem because I really havent been under stress, not like when I am at SUNY Albany. It is strange, but everyone I am taking medication and I am feeling alot better~

最近僕はパニック発作がありました。メッチャ怖いね〜。時々狭心症みたい、その他時喘息が起こるみたい。でも、最近応力があらない、オルーバ二校でたくさん応力があたけどパニック発作がありませんでした。皆さん心配しないよ、今薬を飲んでる。＾＾

Moses? Beverage?

DAKARA Commerical



Some reason Moses and a Energy Sports Drink goes well together.

なんでモゼス？？？？？？

Long time

Hello everyone. 今日はミクシの友達！
最近、ミクシとBloggerの日記が一緒で書ったら、今アメリカと日本の友達は同じ日記読めるよ〜
Recently I relayed all my blogger posts so now my american and japanese friends can read the same posts.
そして、今から日本語と英語で書く。
So all my posts will be in Japanese and English

Midterms are coming soon, and I finally got all my books from America so I can start my thesis. It will be a busy 2 months ahead! Also i will be working for the Ohtsuki Noh Theater as a translator for their play programs in hopes of making more Foriegn People interested in Noh Theater. This works good because now they will help me with my project, including free Noh plays and ability to watch the children of the theater train. Im excited!

中間試験は近くですよ、昨日アメリカから本が着いたから、私のレポトを書く始まるよ。次の２ヶ月は忙しいになるかも、でも頑張れます。今から大槻能楽堂に翻訳者になった、そこにが外国人は能劇に観るためにプログラムが日本語から英語に訳す。そのことはメッチャすごいな、清水さんは私に彼女のお子さんのとライニングのことを見えます。楽しみ〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜