Video of the Week

This week was hard to choose. I just had a vibe telling me to post some stuff I used to listen to. I don't really post up Reggaeton and Dancehall stuff just because the stuff I like/liked rarely has videos or I just wouldn't post it for other reasons :P

Anyway, enjoy!

Goin to Tokyo!!!

In a few days, I'll be going to Tokyo!!!I'm only going for about two days or so, but it's for a good reason. I'm going to a setsumeikai (説明会・せつめいかい） for a company that I have been eying for a long time...lol

What is a setsumeikai?
If I translate it literally it means explanation meeting. I'm not very familiar with them, other than what people have told me, but from what I understand it's basically a big gathering where the company talks about what they do and stuff like that. For many companies, this is the first step of their recruiting process.

At the one I'm going to, there will be an explanation for about two hours and afterward there will be an aptitude test. In order to sign up for the setsumeikai I had to answer a few questions. I don't know how much weight they put on the questions, but I don't think my answers were adequate. I just wanted the experience of going to a setsumeikai. You never know what could happen!
We'll see how it turns out!!

Completion/Graduation Ceremony

On Friday, we had the Completion/Graduation Ceremony. I'm not exactly sure but maybe about 6 or 7 people graduated. Most of the students that graduated spent about a year, and boy does time fly. I wish them the best in whatever future endeavor they have. Some will return to their country, but some will stay in Japan and make a life of their own here.

Full of Support

Well it's been about 6 months since I've been in Japan studying in language school. After 6 months I feel like I can talk about things that I've observed first hand at school after giving them lots of thought.

Probably the biggest thing that I like about Kobe Toyo is the support. The teachers and staff are there whenever you need them. Whether you want to talk about something you don't understand in class, whether you want help with your personal goals, or you just want to chat, they are always there. They never hesitate, and will be right there to sit down and talk with you about whatever.

You will definitely become familiar with the teachers after a few months, especially since you have a main teacher and 4 others that will rotate throughout the week.
Also, everyone is very cheerful. Coming to an unfamiliar place, or going from being able to communicate your every feeling and thought to not even being able to the most simple things can be frustrating. The teachers definitely help make this transition a bit easier by being patient and just being there.

The time is going by so quick!! I'm looking forward to a new semester in a new challenging class :) The new semester starts October 12, so the new students should be on there way!

Final Exams

This week and last week we've been having final exams.
Last week's final exams were based around conversation. So we had a basic conversation test, a keigo test, and a presentation.

I will say I did the basic conversation test and keigo test on the fly, no studying because I feel like in real life you don't know what people are going to say to you or what words they're going to use, so just let it be natural as possible.

As far as the presentation, we had to introduce a city we've been to. I prepared a presentation about Athens, Greece, which is beautiful, and if you haven't been you should definitely go to Greece. Surprisingly I was able to remember my spiel with not much trouble. This was definitely a good exercise, because I feel like I really want to improve my speech.

Starting tomorrow, we'll have a series of tests. First, kanji, then grammar, and then probably the last test will be a placement test of some sort to see which class we will place in for the next semester.

Then Aki yasumi!! Fall Break!

海

海のどこが好き？
海の自由な感じ
一か八かな感じ
どこが始めか
どこが終わりかわからない
海はどれくらい深いの
海はどれくらい広いの
自分の心の深さくらい
自分の心の広さくらい
海の波が好き
現実逃避できる
波のリズムで
夢を追いかける

Gotta Run!

Probably since I started university, I got in the habit of running about 2 or 3 times out of the week. The biggest reason is just so I can keep a mental/physical balance going. When I was younger I used to do sports, but I stopped liking the competition. Especially because I sucked, and people don't give you opportunity when you suck...lolYou just sit on the bench and watch the game, no sweat, no dirt, no adrenaline.

So I mainly practiced on my own, or played with friends, so just as I would start to feel like was getting good at something I would loose interest mainly because it was always about winning and not about the personal and team development, which I think that's one of the reasons sports are there.But to be fair, I guess it is about winning too :) lol

Anyway, since I've been here I've not stopped running. I usually run from my place to the sea, and back nonstop. It used to take me about 50 to 40 min. but now I can usually do my route in about 30 min. The feeling afterward is priceless! Not to mention I get the best sleep ever afterward.

Here are pictures of the halfway point. Simply beautiful, nice breeze, ocean waves, people holding a meditation, fishing, exercising, doing martial arts or just spending time together. I'll definitely be out there in a few hours!This last picture is facing the direction of my house and the mountains.

Job Hunting!

I know I just wrote a few posts about me recently getting a part-time job, but that is not the end! Probably since the beginning of the summer, even before that, I've been looking for full-time jobs. Before June, I was probably looking on and off, but since July when I'm not in school or not studying, or at work, or playing :), I'm looking for jobs.

It's funny, when I was in university since I knew I was coming here, I never really focused to much on looking for a job. I went to a lot of career related events, especially thanks to my major, but it wasn't time. However, now I understand why everyone was running around like a chicken with their head cut off. lol While everyone was always talking about their jobs and internships, especially the last semester, I had my eyes directed at Japan. :) Now that I'm here, I'm definitely ready to see what is out there. It's time, so it will all work out.

As well as putting in applications to places online, I'm also considering trying to join the regular crowd here for job hunting just for the experience. I have my Japanese resume ready to go! The only thing is that my connections are not as big since I'm not going to a university here, and that's probably the biggest part of job hunting in Japan for students. So if you want to work in Japan, you may want to consider finishing your degree here or something along those lines. That way you can properly do job hunting.

Most of my friends have all gotten jobs for next spring, which I'm not surprised at since they're all pretty bright. :p Having gone through the process here, they've given me a lot of advice on what to do, and are always there when I need help.

It feels a bit nerve wrecking but good at the same time, preparing up for interviews and stuff like that again. This is it, this is where I'm going to build. No matter where you are, or want to go opportunity is definitely there. I didn't fully have a plan when I came, but I'm slowly just following my path as it is illuminated. Everything will come together, piece by piece. In good and bad times, opportunity is there my friends.
Yes, I love it here. Di place nice! :p

夏の最後の花火・Summer's Last Fireworks

Last night I met up with some friends in Osaka to do what I would say is the last fireworks for the summer. All summer, there were firework shows, and people doing there own fireworks. Around now, the sale of fireworks definitely slows down.
Fall is coming. You can definitely tell because the wind is picking up, and it was hard to light the fireworks last night...lol

From nezumi hanabi(rat fireworks) to senkou hanabi (sparklers?) there was a good variety of fireworks to choose from.

It's like magic!

Yes Smile, Yes Yurt!!

Yurt is the name of the restaurant that I started working at. I didn't know but "yurt" actually has a meaning...lol It is actually a tent-like home that nomads live in or something like that.Yurt is definitely a stylish restaurant/cafe with like a European/American twist to it. You can get anything from curry to bbq to different kinds of deli salads. It's delicious!! Also drinks are all 500 yen, alcohol included!The restaurant opened up last Friday, and it looks like it's been doing well from then. I stopped in for lunch yesterday, just to better study some of the food :D, and the place was jam packed!It's located right behind my school. The area where it's located is perfect because it's in the shopping district as well where a lot of people work. So people go there between/after work and to take a break from shopping.

I'm working in the hall of the restaurant. So that means, greeting people, taking orders, serving food and drinks, and rotating washing dishes and stuff.

Probably the best aspects of this experience is being able to deal with people, and getting to work in a Japanese environment.Everyday I get to meet different people. I usually get the opportunity just to chat with them as well as my co-workers. Before, since all my friends live mainly in Osaka, especially when I first got here, I would just walk around just to see who I could meet...lol I would chat to people at the supermarket, or just sit at the park and chat to whoever I happened to stumble upon. I still just chat with random people when I feel like it, because it's fun...lol

Also this job, gives me the opportunity of dealing with Japanese people in their regular everyday activities. Going to a language school, I would say that it's hard to meet Japanese people besides the teachers, and language partners that are affiliated with the school. Unless you're willing to jump outside of your comfort zone and just chat with people outside of school, go out on the town a bit, or you already know people living in Japan, it can be hard to meet people. Some people will come up and talk to you, but maybe because you look different, or because they want an English speaking buddy or w/e. But they might be weird....lol j/k (no I'm not) lol

Everyone at my job is about in the 20-30 age range including the bosses so that's pretty cool. I'm the only foreigner so that's cool as well. So yes, everything is in Japanese, and not much is broken down for me only, so I have to be on my P's and Q's all the time.

Also, there are a lot of cultural things that are not in books, or that you don't learn at school that you definitely learn on the job. For example, different salutations , things that are acceptable to say and do. I think language school is pretty lenient when in comes to stuff like this, just taking in account that people come from different places and they want to accommodate the students to some extent.

I love this job, even when I make mistakes! I'm glad that they give me this opportunity. Everyday I'm learning and growing and hopefully everyone can learn from this experience.

If you happen to come to Kobe or are in Kobe, check it out!! I usually work nights! :P
The windows can be folded back so you get a full tentish feel..lol It's pretty cool.

Back 2 School

Yesterday was the first day of school after Summer break. After 2 weeks we will have final exams or something like that, and then we will have Fall break! During that period probably new students will come in for the Fall term starting in October.

I don't know if I can say I was happy to start back, mainly because I feel like I just got here yesterday, and now it's already September.

As far as my progress, I feel like school is a lot slower. It is good to reinforce the things that I learn outside of the classroom, but it feels a bit too slow and watered-down for me..lol
Spending the whole summer just hanging out and being in my Japanese environment, whether with friends, or at work, maybe I couldn't see any growth in my Japanese because of the learning curve but maybe there was just a little :) At work and play is probably where I'll get my full meal of Japanese everyday :)

This will be another progressive semester!

Speaking of Japanese Language School, there is a manga called Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo, which is now a drama. This is probably one of the first mangas I read, but it makes more sense once you actually understand, because you can get the humor of the mistakes that people make when learning Japanese. If you have a chance you should check it out. It's basically about what a Japanese Language School is like. It covers everything from the crazy things that students say, to even the teacher not knowing the answer to some questions about Japanese or Japanese culture and student's responses. It's a bit exaggerated, but I can definitely relate to it since I'm going to one. lol