Summer in Japan was a miserable period ~ warm & humid. Sometimes my room temperature hit 29deg & above. It’s worse than Spore’s weather. In Spore I could use the air-con but in Japan I often stayed in school till late to escape the heat at home. I didn’t want to burst my utilities budget for the month by using the air-con.
Not sure what came over me, but I wanted very much to return to S’pore for a short break during the summer holidays (end June – early July). Not that I missed anyone in Spore...But I dropped the idea coz it’s not worth the costs. Wanted to go traveling, but didn’t get around to planning anything, and before I knew it, it’s already the holidays which was miserably short ~ 1 week only :(
I had a “summer heartbreak”. I couldn’t take it...almost my whole month of July was spent in misery. But I was lucky that I had friends who were there to pull me out of it. July ended on a happy note. I was in Osaka USJ attending the GLAY EXPO concert. The concert nearly had to be cancelled due to a typhoon. Glad the weather was fine after all. The concert was so happening!! 100,000 people ~ stand-up concert ~ 3 hours of songs & dance. I just went crazy there (luckily I wasn’t with any friends!) My obsession with the group grew after that. Wonder when will be their next concert...
The highlight of summer was the fireworks festival in August at Okazaki Park. We had fun searching for a nice kimono & wearing it. We had no idea how to wear a kimono then ~ just try-&-error. Thanks to Aaron we had a very good spot from which to see the spectacular 2-hours fireworks display. It was very fun ~ a group of about 20 of us having picnic in the evening till the fireworks began...after it ended we went for supper with the teachers.
2 days later it was Spore’s National Day. We had a little Sporean party and played with fireworks as well. I finally had the chance to play with the fireworks. I simply had to try playing it myself coz we’d never be able to play it in Spore. I wanted to buy more to keep till Jaycee/Pris comes to Okazaki & we’d play together but the season/weather wouldn’t be suitable then, so the idea was dropped. I like fireworks...hope to have to chance to attend a fireworks festival again or play with it in Japan.
I started learning how to wear the kimono in August. I had signed up for a kimono wearing contest to be held in November. The weekly 2-hr kimono lessons were quite taxing. My goodness, there’re so many layers to wear before putting on the actual kimono. It was quite a challenge to remember the numerous steps & wearing it well. I didn’t do it well enough to win the contest, but had a very good experience in learning how to wear it. I hope to have the chance to learn the other variations of tying the obi (belt of kimono) in future, but such courses are rare in Spore...coz who’d want to wear a kimono in Spore’s weather?
September was the month where there were 2 earthquakes in a day ~ headline news in Japan. There was no panic over at my apartment block, though I heard those at the other blocks rushed out of their rooms. I was really blur. When the first one came I thought it was vibration caused by my neighbor sliding the door or heavy vehicles driving past. This is not unusual, considering how thin the walls of the apartments are. I only realized it when the shakes went on for a while, but it wasn’t scary enough to make me leave my computer then. The 2nd quake occurred at midnight when I was about to sleep. This round’s tremors were stronger & more sustained than before...I was thinking whether to get out of bed when the tremors stopped. Searched for my passport & wallet and left it by my desk in case a big one hits later & I need to evacuate. It was fine for the rest of the nights & days to come.
There were many typhoons during this period as well. Quite irritating because of the rain it brought. I can’t remember when the first serious one struck, but it was scary, seeing stationary cars shaking, trees almost being uprooted. My friend drove us out for lunch & we waited till the weather cleared in the evening before going home. There were no lessons for the next 2 typhoons so I just stayed at home, wondering when my window’s gonna be blown off, or neighbor’s stuff being blown right thru my windows. Luckily none of those happened, but the partition separating my neighbor's balcony & mine collapsed. It was fixed back immediately the next day, but collapsed again during the next typhoon. Haiz... it’s a matter of time before the whole apartment collapses!
I was busy planning my trip to Hokkaido in September. I had started planning in August, but only finalized the plans just a week before departing. And I ended up not following my plans! But that’s the fun of it :) I fell in love with Hokkaido immediately & plan to revisit the place again, esp. the sunflowers fields...I could just stay there the whole day looking at the vast fields of sunflowers & greenery. I can go on & on about the Hokkaido trip & the friends I’ve made, it’s the highlight of my 1 year in Japan...I wrote about it soon after I returned from it. I plan to make a little scrapbook on it...that’s going to be my project for 2005 :)
I was still in the holiday mood for the first few weeks of October and had difficulties concentrating in class. And because my student visa’s been renewed, I no longer had to worry about attendance & started skipping lessons I deemed a waste of time. It became a habit….after a while I felt guilty about it & tried to attend most lessons & start revision. But I lost interest easily, probably because I’ve already used up all my energy for studies the previous semester where I often stayed in school to study. I had a goal then ~ to finish the whole JLPT 2 grammer book. I achieved it and didn’t set any new goals after that. It’s just revision & practice papers for the exam that mattered to me.
From October I started searching for jobs actively, but the job market wasn’t good for foreigners. I couldn’t teach coz I’m not a native speaker, couldn’t take up other jobs as I neither have the experience or Jap lang ability. Had insomnia over it for weeks...
Jaycee & Pris came to Japan in end October/early November. I met up with them in Kyoto. The reunion nearly didn’t materialize as I was too concerned about it being near the exam, and my financial reserves in Japan were almost dry. But I really wanted to spend some time with them in Japan, so went ahead with it anyway. And I’m glad I did. It was so fun! It’s like being back to those days in Europe where we walked for ages & talk cock along the way, pigged out or had picnics. I went for a hiking trip with my friend as well ~ surprisingly relaxing day of hiking. I could feel my strength slipping away during the past 2 months, but the short weekend break with them recharged me. Their presence never fails to brighten up my days.
From mid-November onwards, I started skipping school & stayed at home the whole day almost every day, unless I had to go to work or buy groceries or run errands. I became disillusioned with my studies. I wasn’t making much progress in the language, I couldn’t find a job, I was very lost. I didn’t know what I was doing. Going to school no longer held any significance to me. Even if I did go to school, my mind was often blank. I was in my own world. I started writing...about anything...sometimes I passed each day in a daze, not remembering what I did the previous days...except that it’s lots of TV & internet. Sometimes I cried, not knowing why...Only on days when I had to go for kimono lessons did I cheer up a little ~ the change in environment, the people, the challenge in wearing the kimono took my mind off negative thoughts temporarily. Teaching in the evenings cheered me up as well, but it saddened me at the same time...knowing that our lessons were coming to end soon. I finally got out of this state the day before the JLPT exam. I was very “high” the night before, and was quite crazy the days after ~ must have been the exam blues.
My sister came 2 days after my exam, and it was holiday all the way with my siblings until my departure for Singapore. It was the first time that the 3 of us + bro's gf had travelled together. I’m glad they came soon after my exam, and together with my sis, i left for Singapore. Their presence & the fun we had together helped take my mind off the farewell & other problems awaiting me in Singapore.
I was very reluctant & sad to leave Japan, to leave the environment I loved, the friends I’ve made. Having to adjust to life back in Spore was a problem, made worse by job hunt blues, future plans etc... The thought of returning to Singapore with little hope of going overseas for a long-term stay was miserable. I’ve waited for years for the chance to be out of Singapore, and I really dread going back. Although I’m back now, I haven’t given up the hope of finding a way out of the country again. Japan’s my first choice, but I don’t rule out other countries although there isn’t any that I’m so obsessed with now.
My farewell was held at my place. Had a feast...it ended late but on a happy note. Most of us are going to meet up in Spore in the future anyway, so not too sad. Returning from my holiday trip, i went to school & McDonalds to bid farewell. Dinner was another mini gathering at my place with just the few of us Sporeans. Departed for Singapore early next morning...Back home, i adjusted back to life in Spore faster than expected. It was quite tiring for me in the beginning, shopping for xmas, searching for jobs, going for interviews. Finally settled most stuff after the New Year & could start meeting up with friends.That's my 2004...in brief! Wonder if 2005 will be just as interesting....
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