I rocked JAPAN!
Can u believe it? There seemed to be earthquake everywhere I go. Just before I left, the earthquake hit Sumatra and affected KL. Now in Tokyo?!? Is this a sign? Am I rocking Japan?
To summarise my first week experience here... SO FAR SO GOOD. Only a few bummers here and there. For example -
1. My luggage was delayed when I arrived. But thank God I have extra clothes in my hand luggage and I bought travel insurance, so I should be allowed to claim.
2. The first 2 days was freezing cold for a Malaysian girl who is so used to 35 degrees and summer all year round. Though the weather fluctuates from sunny to rainy every alternate day, it is most of the time below 25 degrees. It is like living in Cameron Highlands everyday!
3. I lost my way home once and late for work twice. I had to take 2 trains and a bus everyday to work and back. The train lines are like the ramen in miso soup... totally confusing!
4. I spent more than RM700 on my first week and was frantically looking for an international ATM on Sunday. 45% was spent on transportation alone! The other 55% was spent on food, a jacket and souvenirs.
The kindergarten is a super high class and prestigious school. During the Entrance Ceremony (first day of school), parents wear Prada and Armani suit to sent their children here with Benz or BMW. Mums carry LV or Fendi handbags, each dad has a digital camera or video camera. I work with an 3 American teachers and the rest of them are Japanese ladies.
The pre-school education system is very different from the way I was brought up back home. There's no reading, writing or homeworks. Children are allowed to play at the playground most of the time and in class, there's a lot of story-telling and singing. I would say it is more fun being a Japanese kid.
On Wednesdays, I also teach in a English Center below my apartment. The dull time teachers are the owner's daughter and an American girl. This center is something like tuition classes I attended while I was in secondary school. All students are from 4-20 year-olds come for English conversation classes. The working environment is relaxed and fun.
The accommodation is FREE! The size of apartment is something like a single room in a budget hotel back in Malaysia. It is fully furnish with a bed with super warm comforters, a table, hot shower, a stove with pots and pans and most importantly... a washing machine! Er... if you are wondering why I am so happy, this is a little secret I share with you... I have never wash my clothes back home in Universiti Malaya :p!
I am used to eating Japanese food in KL but of course they are not the same over here. The sushi has bigger portion and it is 100 yen (RM3.65) per plate. If you have a chance, try raw horse meat and sea urchin sushi! It sounds yucky, but it tastes so-so. Osaka is famous for cheap finger foods and one of them is takoyaki (pieces of octopus meat grilled in flour balls). Besides that, I am still trying to figure out the different types of Japanese noodles - ramen, udon, soba etc.
All work and no play makes Michelle a dull girl :p! I have made full used of my extra time. In Spring, Japan is famous for hanami. I managed to meet up with some trainees and AIESEC members for a 1-day tour around Kyoto last weekend. I will be uploading the pictures in multiplty.com. It was lucky of me to see some Geisha. Some gaijin have lived here for years but never met any before.
On Sunday, I went to church with the American girl at the English Center. There are only about 100 members, 95% are Japanese. There is also a high number of deaf people as well. I was told that there is a Japanese sign language class on every Tuesdays. I think I will try to find time to join it. I attended the Sunday School for youth and the service. Though everything is in Japanese, but the fellowship there makes me feel very welcomed.
If u would like to keep in touch or if you miss me, pls download Skype at www.skype.com and add babyb3113. It's a free online telephone service. All u need is just a microphone and speaker. Till then...
Mich
-from the land of earthquakes!
To summarise my first week experience here... SO FAR SO GOOD. Only a few bummers here and there. For example -
1. My luggage was delayed when I arrived. But thank God I have extra clothes in my hand luggage and I bought travel insurance, so I should be allowed to claim.
2. The first 2 days was freezing cold for a Malaysian girl who is so used to 35 degrees and summer all year round. Though the weather fluctuates from sunny to rainy every alternate day, it is most of the time below 25 degrees. It is like living in Cameron Highlands everyday!
3. I lost my way home once and late for work twice. I had to take 2 trains and a bus everyday to work and back. The train lines are like the ramen in miso soup... totally confusing!
4. I spent more than RM700 on my first week and was frantically looking for an international ATM on Sunday. 45% was spent on transportation alone! The other 55% was spent on food, a jacket and souvenirs.
The kindergarten is a super high class and prestigious school. During the Entrance Ceremony (first day of school), parents wear Prada and Armani suit to sent their children here with Benz or BMW. Mums carry LV or Fendi handbags, each dad has a digital camera or video camera. I work with an 3 American teachers and the rest of them are Japanese ladies.
The pre-school education system is very different from the way I was brought up back home. There's no reading, writing or homeworks. Children are allowed to play at the playground most of the time and in class, there's a lot of story-telling and singing. I would say it is more fun being a Japanese kid.
On Wednesdays, I also teach in a English Center below my apartment. The dull time teachers are the owner's daughter and an American girl. This center is something like tuition classes I attended while I was in secondary school. All students are from 4-20 year-olds come for English conversation classes. The working environment is relaxed and fun.
The accommodation is FREE! The size of apartment is something like a single room in a budget hotel back in Malaysia. It is fully furnish with a bed with super warm comforters, a table, hot shower, a stove with pots and pans and most importantly... a washing machine! Er... if you are wondering why I am so happy, this is a little secret I share with you... I have never wash my clothes back home in Universiti Malaya :p!
I am used to eating Japanese food in KL but of course they are not the same over here. The sushi has bigger portion and it is 100 yen (RM3.65) per plate. If you have a chance, try raw horse meat and sea urchin sushi! It sounds yucky, but it tastes so-so. Osaka is famous for cheap finger foods and one of them is takoyaki (pieces of octopus meat grilled in flour balls). Besides that, I am still trying to figure out the different types of Japanese noodles - ramen, udon, soba etc.
All work and no play makes Michelle a dull girl :p! I have made full used of my extra time. In Spring, Japan is famous for hanami. I managed to meet up with some trainees and AIESEC members for a 1-day tour around Kyoto last weekend. I will be uploading the pictures in multiplty.com. It was lucky of me to see some Geisha. Some gaijin have lived here for years but never met any before.
On Sunday, I went to church with the American girl at the English Center. There are only about 100 members, 95% are Japanese. There is also a high number of deaf people as well. I was told that there is a Japanese sign language class on every Tuesdays. I think I will try to find time to join it. I attended the Sunday School for youth and the service. Though everything is in Japanese, but the fellowship there makes me feel very welcomed.
If u would like to keep in touch or if you miss me, pls download Skype at www.skype.com and add babyb3113. It's a free online telephone service. All u need is just a microphone and speaker. Till then...
Mich
-from the land of earthquakes!
posted by babyb3113 @ 10:12 PM
4 Comments:
At 6:49 AM,
Vkin said…
nice nice... babe u sure not the kids teaching u japanese instead? :p
At 3:51 PM,
Weight Loss said…
Greetings babyb3113, you have a pretty cool blog here. I was searching for work from home pc. I just started my home business and you can see it at this link - work from home pc. Your post title caught my eye - I rocked JAPAN!. I'm just looking for tips on how to be a better mentor. I know that’s not what you’re going on about in this post but I am trying to expand my vocabulary phrases so I can talk to many different personalities. I mean I have to talk to a lot of people and I need to be able to connect with everyone.
Anyways babyb3113, this helped. Keep it up, I'll be back.
At 6:13 PM,
Lose Weight said…
babyb3113, why can't more sites be as good as yours!!! You see I am changing my life at the moment and I have decided to start a work from home directory site. I am trying to get inspiration so I can become easier to talk to. You site has given me some ideas. I talk to a wide range of people and I need to relate to everyone I come across so thanks for your posts! The title 'I rocked JAPAN!' caught my eye so I thought I'd post on this one. Cheers.
At 6:43 AM,
Weight Loss said…
babyb3113, why can't more sites be as good as yours!!! You see I am changing my life at the moment and I have decided to start a work at home mums site. I am trying to get inspiration so I can become easier to talk to. You site has given me some ideas. I talk to a wide range of people and I need to relate to everyone I come across so thanks for your posts! The title 'I rocked JAPAN!' caught my eye so I thought I'd post on this one. Cheers.
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