Did not see that one coming.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
久しぶり
internet at the homestay house has not been working well with my computer. (It's a Mac and also seems like Airport has been acting up)
I'm going into the final days of the internship and while I'm ready to get back to life in America, I'm kind of sad to go. I feel like I just finally got used to my internship routine, and getting to know people around the company. Too bad.
Also, I need suggestions for where to go on a trip from Tokyo. Dad and I are staying in Tokyo for a while, but I have about 4 days I don't know what to do with. Something with bicycling like the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Route, but closer to Tokyo (i.e. NOT a $130/one-way shinkansen ticket away) would be nice. I'm thinking we might go to Nikko or Kamakura, but other than that I'm at a loss for what to do since a trip to Hokkaido or southern Japan is not in the budget. Advice for future travel to Japan: fly into the Chubu region of Japan and leave from Tokyo (or vice versa).
A kind of weird, but not unwelcome situation came up today. Because my homestay family has to go to a wake ( :( ), I'm going to be on my own tonight for transportation home and dinner. The president asked me this morning if there were people at the company I wanted to eat dinner with, and while I could easily think of a few, I know these people have lives and probably plans for their Friday nights, and tried to tell him that I could get dinner on my own.
The people who are in charge of me usually don't like the "I'll do it on my own" answers, and seem to get nervous when I suggest them, even if it's as simple as using the bus to get home. For example, I wanted to ship some books home and asked for a box. Now the people I asked are trying to take care of the whole process. I really really promise I can function in Japan, guys. I like getting help, but I know how busy Japanese workers are without helping me take care of my business too. ANYWAY, even though I tried to assure the president I'd be just fine, Tobisawa-san told me later in the morning that we'd be going to dinner after we got back from my newspaper visit. I don't mind spending time with people from the company at all, and I'm used to the forced interaction that usually comes from studying abroad in Japan, but I never get a say in my company plans. EVER. I try to suggest something that seems simple enough in my American mind, and then I'm told, no, we really want you to do it our way. Thankfully at lunch I was told a few other people are joining, which should tone down the awkwardness a little bit. We're going for my favorite food, okonomiyaki, too, so I'm really happy. But yiiiiiiikes, talk about "you will go to dinner and like it".
I'm going into the final days of the internship and while I'm ready to get back to life in America, I'm kind of sad to go. I feel like I just finally got used to my internship routine, and getting to know people around the company. Too bad.
Also, I need suggestions for where to go on a trip from Tokyo. Dad and I are staying in Tokyo for a while, but I have about 4 days I don't know what to do with. Something with bicycling like the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Route, but closer to Tokyo (i.e. NOT a $130/one-way shinkansen ticket away) would be nice. I'm thinking we might go to Nikko or Kamakura, but other than that I'm at a loss for what to do since a trip to Hokkaido or southern Japan is not in the budget. Advice for future travel to Japan: fly into the Chubu region of Japan and leave from Tokyo (or vice versa).
A kind of weird, but not unwelcome situation came up today. Because my homestay family has to go to a wake ( :( ), I'm going to be on my own tonight for transportation home and dinner. The president asked me this morning if there were people at the company I wanted to eat dinner with, and while I could easily think of a few, I know these people have lives and probably plans for their Friday nights, and tried to tell him that I could get dinner on my own.
The people who are in charge of me usually don't like the "I'll do it on my own" answers, and seem to get nervous when I suggest them, even if it's as simple as using the bus to get home. For example, I wanted to ship some books home and asked for a box. Now the people I asked are trying to take care of the whole process. I really really promise I can function in Japan, guys. I like getting help, but I know how busy Japanese workers are without helping me take care of my business too. ANYWAY, even though I tried to assure the president I'd be just fine, Tobisawa-san told me later in the morning that we'd be going to dinner after we got back from my newspaper visit. I don't mind spending time with people from the company at all, and I'm used to the forced interaction that usually comes from studying abroad in Japan, but I never get a say in my company plans. EVER. I try to suggest something that seems simple enough in my American mind, and then I'm told, no, we really want you to do it our way. Thankfully at lunch I was told a few other people are joining, which should tone down the awkwardness a little bit. We're going for my favorite food, okonomiyaki, too, so I'm really happy. But yiiiiiiikes, talk about "you will go to dinner and like it".
Sunday, July 26, 2009
things have been really busy again. this is really great and really exhausting at the same time. I had a pretty fun week at work. Thursday I went to the Tokyo Gas Showroom and the "What is gas?" Museum (trust me, way more fun than it sounds), and Friday I got a tour of newspaper companies in Tokyo (the Gas Energy Newspaper, Tokyo Newspaper Reporter's Club, and Mainichi Newspaper Company buildings). Unfortunately, the cheap heels I bought before I left just aren't at all supportive or helpful for gallavanting around Tokyo trying to keep up with Japanese businessmen.
Friday night I went to a local bar with the homestay mom to meet with her gospel group. Saturday was the Hundred Lantern Festival that Bushu Gas and the interns participate in every year. Sunday I volunteered with another intern at the International Junior Soccer finals. We gave the medals to the first, second and third-place teams.
More on this later I hope. I keep trying to write down things I want to post later: more on these events and how this country just does not take care of themselves--they never drink water (only juices and tea), go to the bathroom or stop to cool off in the high-humidity, persistently high 80-90 degree weather. Yikes.
Good night. Turning off the air conditioner before I go to bed :(
Friday night I went to a local bar with the homestay mom to meet with her gospel group. Saturday was the Hundred Lantern Festival that Bushu Gas and the interns participate in every year. Sunday I volunteered with another intern at the International Junior Soccer finals. We gave the medals to the first, second and third-place teams.
More on this later I hope. I keep trying to write down things I want to post later: more on these events and how this country just does not take care of themselves--they never drink water (only juices and tea), go to the bathroom or stop to cool off in the high-humidity, persistently high 80-90 degree weather. Yikes.
Good night. Turning off the air conditioner before I go to bed :(
Thursday, July 23, 2009
＼(^o^)／
I just went to the bookstore to buy Miyabe Miyuki's Brave Story. I looked at the first page and could understand the first sentence without any help. That's a first for me with Japanese novels.
Also found floss for under $5. Victories all around.:)
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
long time, no update
I've been typing my these entries into Word for the past few days because of lack of Internet, and although I have Internet at work, I have no time to upload them there (and I also forgot to put the Word file from my computer on flash drive ><). I've been using my free time for getting a start on the Japanese version of my final report, researching internships, jobs, and fellowships in Japan, and also looking into reservations and activities for when my dad gets here. My experience with Japan is if you don't by the tickets or reserve something for a trip a month in advance you probably won't get to go if its a popular event.
I have learned something else valuable from this internship: Never assume two groups are keeping each other informed, even though they're supposed to. I recently told the workers from the Saitama government that I'd volunteer to help at the International Junior Soccer Tournament that's taking place at Saitama Stadium. After talking with them I was pretty sure they'd inform my company of this and let them know I was going to stay at one of the Saitama worker's houses (where another intern will be staying) because it's a little far. I happened to mention it today, and they had no idea about it. Whoops.
If the next house has a nice internet connection then I'll upload the rest of the entries tonight. For now, I'm getting back to work.
I have learned something else valuable from this internship: Never assume two groups are keeping each other informed, even though they're supposed to. I recently told the workers from the Saitama government that I'd volunteer to help at the International Junior Soccer Tournament that's taking place at Saitama Stadium. After talking with them I was pretty sure they'd inform my company of this and let them know I was going to stay at one of the Saitama worker's houses (where another intern will be staying) because it's a little far. I happened to mention it today, and they had no idea about it. Whoops.
If the next house has a nice internet connection then I'll upload the rest of the entries tonight. For now, I'm getting back to work.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
testing... let's see if i can update from my phone
おはよう〓
Trying to send an email from my phone to see if it'll post to the blog. It'd be really great if the emotes/顔文字 showed up, too.
Trying to send an email from my phone to see if it'll post to the blog. It'd be really great if the emotes/顔文字 showed up, too.
Right now I'm headed to Omiya to meet the other interns for a day trip to Chichibu.Today is 海の日 (Umi no Hi/Sea Day)
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