Blog post #2 - 2010: Time Leap - skipped past February to Mach

A new era, a new outlook, new plans, new projects, new procrastinations, new problems - or perhaps the same old story in a new guise.

February's blogpost was duly ignored due to exams, but now I've finally finished what feels like the 2 most important exams of my bachelor's degree. The outcome? Haven't got the results back yet, but I feel good about the exams. Part of me says "I'm not failing, so it's all good", while another part of me says "Well, I'm not happy unless it's atleast a ...!" I think it's fair to guess that the outcome will be somewhere in between those to extremes... I still have one more exam before the summer, but mostly to fill out the rest of the semester.

So... the most important exams done, now I have to find a job. The dreaded, scary jobhunting era has finally begun. I still have some courses I'd like to take at my university, so it looks like I'm staying in town for another year or so - unless I get a steady job somewhere else. A steady job trumps everything else.

My activities nowadays will be jobhunting; research businesses and companies, looking up internships, requirements and application deadlines, writing applications, updating my online profiles and applications.

On the leisure front I'll be sewing a pair of curtains, making a commissioned painting or two, reading japanese litterature, rewieving japanese grammar and vocabulary, and hopefully blog the occasional blog post.


February, though exam preparation hell: 
We had the best party ever! Coctail & Tapas, Triple Birthday and House Warming Party! We had about 40 guests, no fights, only 1 broken glass, and no neighbour complaints! :)

Oh dear... That was longer than expected..

The hiatus I mean...

As my previous post states, I intended to blog some more in June, but as you plainly can see I never got around to it. There are several reasons for this, even though there are things to do there isn't necessarily anything one feels worthy of reporting on. Like June for example, I hd work, but didn't do much apart from work, and blogging never felt natural and thus became forgotten. July, more of the same, but a different job and more of it, generally  a standard summer back home: same job as earlier years and the same friends home briefly and then gone away again. 

What has been happening, is the ensuing chaos regarding my education. I was expecting to get my bachelors' degree last summer, but a string of unforeseen complications came a long and after a pretty comfusing 8 months here I am, at a change of scenery, back to my "old" environment at my university again trying to sort out the chaos as best I can.  I'm back in Bergen, at a new flat with new flatmates, back at university and back at Japanese, but with new classes and new classmates. 

Being back in Bergen feels right. Although a lot of things have changed, and still it is the same. I have some peripheral friends all over town, but as I returned here I realised that only members from the core of my former social circles remain actual friends. Sad, but true. However, I'm confident I'll meet new interesting people to compensate for those that have moved on, and my new flat mates and their friends seem like a promising start. Through one of these connections I might have landed myself a bi-weekend job as well, where I can meet even more people. Fist shift next weekend, and I'll se what happens after that.

And there is still plenty of time for school, if I could just sort out my concentration and motivation  issues. I plan on reviewing a lot of material this semester, + retaking my history exam from last semester. Luckily my class is small and gives our sensei more time to adapt the classes to each of us if necessary. And, on a more personal level it is also an extra motivational factor: since my participation is 25% of the class contribution, it actually matter. The new courses bring new aspirations to meet, and althought the school situation/status is still unresolved I'm at least able to deal with it now.

There are expectations and exasperations aplenty. I've got room to move, room to think, but I'll be glad when I get some furniture and an additional lamp or two.. I won't make any promises for the next blogposts as there is enough stuff to do these days, but what happens might/might not, be worth reporting upon. 

~Cecily

A Sense of Spring

It's still a lot of snow here, and a slight risk of more of the stuff falling on our heads the next month or two, but toady there was a sense of spring (or just optimism?) in the air. The sun shone brightly, the snow was melting, most of the roads are bare of snow even if the ditches still seem to have inverted themselves lying belly-up and reflecting their white bellies of snow. It was a joy to be outdoors today. Beautiful light when I went home from work today. Took many nice pictures on my way home.

Other stuff: an update since last post seems to be in order...

I'm still job-hunting, but not as intensely as I did earlier now that schoolwork has caught up to me. 1-2 months until my final deadlines and then exams, and I have about 15-20 pages of Japanese writings to do (of various smaller stuff that is, a 15 page japanese sakubun would be a real nightmare!), a 10 page semesterassignment discussing the debate around R. Benedict's the Chrysanthemum and the Sword, and then 1500 pages of history curriculum to read, + general repetition of Japanese grammar, kanji and glossary which should be done continuously regularly...

In addition I've got a job; I'm temporarily working as an assistant (substituting a woman on extended sick leave) on a local shcool's after-class-club (or something, I have no idea how to say it in English really...).  It's not a full time position, but I having somehing to do outside the house, income, and still have time to study, it's almost perfect. I never thought I'd ever work with kids, but now I do..  And it is fun -most of the time. :)

Last week I even tried being a teacher! It's really nice to receive phone calls which go along the line of "Can you come tomorrow? We need you!" It was a different school that called me when one of their teachers was going away on a seminar, and they wanted me to fill in for him for a day. So now I've tried teaching Math, Norwegian, Religion (Buddhism) and elementary school biology to 12 year olds. I was given a prepared program for the day so I did OK even though I had no experience and I'm not majored in any of those subjects.

Now I'm off to bed, I've plenty of curriculum and fresh air waiting for me on the other side of sleep, so I'd rather get my share of it by then.;) 

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I'll add pictures tomorrow if I have time.

Week 5: Change of plans (backdated)

Power cut. And I feel small streams of sweat form up as soon as the ceiling fan stop working. Yes, ceiling fan, not air condition. No air condition in this apartment, no-no. Aircon makes you sick. I’ve had a cold for a week now, just because of an encounter with mild air conditioning. 

The power returned quickly today, after just a couple of minutes. Lucky, lucky. But it can also mean that the systems are instable and the power may be cut again at some point today. But we’re lucky here; I think it’s more than a week since we last had a power cut. 

My plans keep being changed. (Usually by me, fortunately.) This weekend I had planned to go to Kerala, but as I still have a cold I decided it would be too intensive for me to travel that far and that much with that many people at once at such a limited time. And thus, the first change of plans. So Lina and I were thinking of going to Ooty – until we learned we would need at least 4 days for any Ooty-trip frm Pondi. Second change of plans. We decided to stay home in Pondi for the weekend, perhaps take a daytrip somewhere, but mostly study. 

We’ve had an intensive week at school this week, up until Wednesday which was the last day before our long weekend. 

• Monday – lecture and then field trip to a Dalit village (village of people from the "caste-less" caste in India; the “untouchables”).

Dalit woman and her grandchild dressed up for having their picture taken:

 

• Tuesday – seminar for the whole class (usually we’re split in groups), then double lecture. Plus a lot of readings weighing on a student’s conscience. And errands in the evening, and a dance class I didn’t go to because of 1) errands making me late, and 2) still not well from the cold.

• Wednesday – Another day on double lectures, and lots of people leaving for Kerala. I wore khaki shorts and a casual t-shirt to school, and received the comment “Oh, how unusual to see you in Western clothes!” … has my wardrobe turned that much Indian? I hadn’t realized…

• Thursday – Went out for a morning walk with Lina at 5:45, we snuck out early to avoid the yoga instructor in case she came and admonished Lina for not going to the yoga class at 6:00. We walked to the beach promenade, had chai and watched all the people, including a weird French guy walking his marionette (“Ernesto” we were told) at the beach before he began his yoga exercise. We weren’t the only ones taking pictures of him, a crowd of locals had also gathered around. After returning home we meant to go to school and study, but lack of proper sleep brought about a slight change of plans, so we ended up staying home. 

Ernesto out for a morning walk at the beach:

• Friday – Actually went to school to study, and studied! In the evening there was a movie night at Kamachi, but I ended up changing my plans again, and chilled back home– surfed the net ‘til I slept.

• Saturday – slept long – café – blog/study evening – in my own company.

• Sunday - ..studying!!! Let’s hope this plan won’t change…

Missing Japan, listening to Jp. goodfeel music – genres changing with my mood. 

Picture post!

the study center & scenes from the study centre:

 

  

queueing up for breakfast nice lunch at school

 

 

Ganesh on "Ganesh Day" (Ganesh Puja?)

People preparing for the Ganesh festival 

 

group sightseeing & guide 

 

beautiful settings

 

back in the quiet street outside my building

  

was overjoyed to find this at out local store:)

 

another happy moment for a Japan-starved mind:

 

Peace

 

An update!

Wow... more than a month since I blogged last... Seems the blog went on hiatus in June and the beginning of July; sorry 'about that.

At least I'm a little better than a friend of mine whose last blog posts were named "Long time no Blogging", "Innlegg schinnlegg" and "Hisashiburi" (japanese equivalent of "long time no see!") before the long silence... When I no longer intend to keep this blog I will announce it, I promise.

Since last post I've been in Okinawa for a week (which was great!), occupied with new classes, and then hit by an apathy-spell lasting the rest of the rain-season (which is June). First of July came and went, and the sunshine returned about the same time, hopefully to help me I kicking the apathy away now that it's just 3 weeks until the final exams (eeeeek!).

I guess I could write some words about Okinawa and my first Karaoke-experience (after living 9 months in Japan...), but apart from that June/rain season was nothing but curtains of rain and fog. You didn't miss much.

July so far has been lovely, but is now turning into living he**. The sun is shining, temperatures usually lies around 28-30 degrees, and the humidity from 50% to 80%; making everyday life a list of priorities revolving around finding shade, getting enough fluids, air condition, etc. Temperatures and high humidity makes it hard to focus on the upcoming exams, even though, or perhaps just because it's only 3 weeks left. The end is near.

This sounds very ominous, but it's true; It's just a month until I'm back in the mother country. My mind is (unfortunately) more preoccupied with what has to be done (packing, traveling, socializing, etc.) before departure rather than cramming for exams...

I foresee few (if any) blog posts the next month; I will try to post once more before I'm heading home, but I cannot promise anything. When things start to happen here everything happens at once...

Djaa ne!

post-17th celebration update

The Norwegian Constitutions Day was May 17th, properly celebrated an' all - blog post coming.
Plastic Tree Concert Review is still being postponed, due to ... well... life.

At the moment I have 2 reports, a Final Exam and a Japanese Midterm Exam looming on the horizon over my head, of course in addition to regular classes (luckily not more than 2 per day) and their homework (not so lucky) and my non-APU readings and writing projects...

+ what social life I can manage to squeeze in between it all!

たいへんだよ・・・・・

But, on a brighter note, there are nice things here too; tea & chat time with the girls, going to ofuro, the occasional dinner with various people, etc.

And in the QuarterBreak I'm going to Okinawa with a small group of friends
(but unfortunately at the same time as a horde of other APU students..)

Yay!

short update

I'm mostly repeating the same old routine up here on the mountain, so there's not that much to say. A few changes though; I've joined a circle (a student group or club or association or whatever) for practicing Japanese, and I've gotten involved in a collaborations for designing a t-shirt for my floor for a "World Festival" we're going to perform at in June. I did say "we", but I'm only contributing to the performance in off-stage activities, like (helping) designing the floor's t-shirt. The artistic challenges that this t-shirt project will let me play with will be a nice break from my other school work.

I've picked up again my Plastic Tree Concert review project, and I will finish and post it at some point. This is as much a promise to myself as to any of you out there, because you've probably lost interest already since I haven't gotten around to it yet, but I really want to write it. It's become my favourite procrastination activity - but I can't afford to procrastinate that much nowadays unfortunately...

other things;
The weather is shifting, awful, windy and rainy yesterday, and today the most beautiful sunshine and pleasant temperatures around 19-22 degrees (a bit cool, almost chilly actually, compared to last week). The view was clear enough that we could see to Shikoku - a fact I find very romantic. The view is one of the major things I'm going to miss from APU.

Middle left: The Kunisaki Peninsula,
Center Background: the tip of Sadamisaki Peninsula, Shikoku

And here are some more or less random pictures from Campus - taken with my phone so please excuse the quality...

1-2: Daffy and Donald (Look Aunt B! Donald in Japan!)
3-4: The invisible man, and alternative vases at the Osaka Ferry
5-6: Cake, and how to make animal figures out of sausages
7: Another proof there are fancy things in Japanese supermarkets
8: The Exoticness of APU - an Asian performance the amphitheater, lacrosse practice in the sports field in the middle background, and then view of Beppu and Oita
9-10: Random cool car in Beppu, and how APU teach hirgana to new students
11-12: Fantastic flowers blooming outside AP House
13-14: Sunset view from the APH bridge, and Christina noticing the price of pasta screws.
(100 yen ≈ 1 USD or 5NOK, you do the math...)

Majimena-mode strikes back

I'm cancelling all non-homework activities this weekend, even tonights' party plans that I confirmed yesterday. I feel bad for doing this again, but I have to prioritize what is important. Socializing is important too, and might be just as, or even more, important than mere tests; the social life here is the foundation of close friendships and future international contacts.

But: I have 2 tests, a presentation and a mid-term next week... And when I got back my last Japanese test, my teacher commented "this is not so good..."; Implied meaning; this is bad (≈ you suck). Good results for the next test (kanji, kanji, and more kanji) will be the foundation of good results of the 2nd test (text with a lot of kanji), and studying for both will aid my preparations for my presentation. And then there's the mid-term exam...

The presentation is an interesting piece in itself; "Present a product your hometown is famous for!"
Cecily - "Can I make my presentation about the Vikings?"
Sensei - "No, it has to be about a product."
Cecily - "But, how about the boats the Vikings produced?"
Sensei - "No, that's still history."
Cecily - "... There's a silverware factory...?"
Sensei - "Good! Present how they are famous, and why they're in your hometown!"
Cecily - "...There's really no reason why they chose my hometown..."
Sensei - "Please look it up."
Cecily - "..."

I really have to study for my Japanese tests, and for that I'll have to cancel (my appearance at) tonights party plans. If I went to the party I'd only be thinking of the lost study hours (and there are enough of them already!) and not have fun; resulting in no point in going to the party at all, but spend the time constructively and be happier tomorrow (or possibly next week when I get my tests back).

I have a complete set of arguments and reasons for this, but I still hate cancelling again.. I've been doing this too much lately, but I can't really help it. I hate letting people down.

Do anyone have a cure for the "Good-Girl Syndrome" ? Please call me if you do.

I'm way too serious about school these days, but I am going to deal with it - after I've finished my homework. Then I have quite a project ahead; learning how to find and maintain a good balance of schoolwork, motivation, restitution and social life.

Wish me luck.

---
Majimena (Jap. adjective) = serious, earnest, sincere, honest, sober, solemn, but in everyday use it has slightly negative connotations to people being (a little) too serious as opposed to fun-loving.

Status report

Writings:
Concert review and related stories - part 1 - is now in a process of editing. Will be posted by Monday.

School:
So-so. I was a really, really, good student last week, but not so much this week. Hope to remedy this next week. My courses are still interesting (even the seemingly boring one), but I have to study better for my next kanji quiz.

Social life:
I'm way too social, and yet not social enough.

Other:
I still have many half-finished (or half-started) projects. I still want to do everything - including sleeping in on Sundays.

I'm making Norwegian rice porridge on Sunday, partly for my Norwegian classmate's birthday, partly because I want it myself, and partly because I cooked way too much rice here the other day and need/want to get rid of it...


Comments still appreciated yo!
("yo" here: Japanese sentence suffix indicating a sense of imperativity in the general meaning of " (...) I tell you!" def./expln. by Cecily)

yes, still alive...and kickin'!

Beklager at det har gått nesten en måned siden sist jeg blogget, men skole og skolearbeid tar MYE tid her. Og når leksene er gjort sitter man igjen med valget mellom 1) komme seg ut av rommet og få litt forandring, 2) sosialisere med folk så de ikke tror du er død, 3) sove; så man kan gjøre alternativ 1) og/eller 2) dagen etterpå.

Jeg har masse jeg kan skrive om, men siden jeg har 3 rapporter, en "liten" prøve i japansk, og en japansk Midterm Exam denne uken, legger jeg det på vent ennå litt til, og skriver heller mer når jeg har samvittighet til det.

Kanskje kommer det en fellesmail i tillegg hvis jeg er flink. Og til folk som har sendt meg mail som jeg ennå ikke har klart å svare på: Beklager! Men det er akkurat det samme her og; null tid... Personlige svar kommer selvfølgelig også når jeg får tid.

I tillegg håper jeg at jeg da får tid til å skrive innlegg med litt mer innhold. Sålangt er det stort sett bare oppramsinger av hva jeg har sett og gjort, men ingen ordentlige refleksjoner rundt det jeg har opplevd og observert.

Anyway, jeg har bloggmaterialet, bloggposts kommer så fort jeg får tid /får unna nok skolearbeid.

-Cecilie