Diary floor

In Rothemberg

2007-01-15T00:09:00.000-08:00

My updating is always slow but still going.

To visit Rothemberg was second time for me. First visiting was in 2003 with my friend. Then we used a package tour because it was the first traveling abroad for two of us. To tell the truth, our destination was not German then but London. We wanted to go to London to see our friend but we couldn't find any tour for only England. So to visit Germany was a sort of "optional tour" for us. But we had a wonderful time then, I remember well. That's why I chose Rothemberg this time, too.

We arrived there in the early evening. We stayed at youth hostel which locates in the end of the town where is surrounded with old wall.

I remembered what the town was like. I was so excited. On a way to the hostel, we dropped at sweets shop and we bought a Shneeball. We thought we should buy only one that time. Because one for each would be too much for us and we wanted to have some sausages too!! Anyway, it was yummy! And we bought another one, a slice of Stollen and a piece of cake next morning...

As soon as we left our laggages, we went to christmas market. As usual I had a wine :) , but my sister was thinking then. She didn't like that kind of wine. It was strong for her and she prefered another drink. Then we saw one boy drinking something hot and the cup was same as the one for wine. We wondered he was drinking wine or another one. Finally I bravery asked the man who seemed to be the boy's father in German!

me : Entschuldigung. Was ist das?
father : It's a kinderpunch for children. It's not wine.
me : Ah, I see! (...? I could understand...)
father : Where are you from?
me : Japan.
father : Do you like here?
me : Yes!
.....our conversation was like that...I skipped the detail. Anyway, the point I want to mention here is, even I asked in German, he answered in English! Hahaha.

We shared the room with one American girl who was studying in Dablin. It was like "long time no hear" American accent... For me, American accent was used to be the most familiar sound. But now it's changed. And also she might be a teenager or young girl anyway. I felt some difficulty to understand her English.

Next morning, we walked on the wall along the town.
our hostel

When we were walking in a town, one woman spoke to me, "Do you know where the post office is?" in Japanese, ans as if she asked her neighbor. I don't think I was speaking Japanese then but she didn't have any hesitation to speak to me in Japanese. Yes, it's true there were many Japanese tourists...
We went to Minich!! This picture was taken at the station to change the trains. Many Suzuki were carried. :) Just that. :) But it was interesting for me.

Trip in Neurnberg

2007-01-10T06:42:00.000-08:00

I started my trip in Europe with my sister. We flew to Germany from Stansted airport by Rynair. The flight was only for two hours, I think. We arrived at Frankfurt Hahn. Yes, it was no that biggest airport...:( We didn't check where we arrive in Germany exactly. But I could expect there was some transportation to main city. Yes. We found a shuttle bus. It took one hour and 12euro for each. Hum. We doubted we arrived there because our destination was not Frankfurt but Neurnberg. Anyway, we could take a train from Frankfuｒt (big city as you know! We should have done sightseeing there...?) to Neurnberg.

I chose that we would visit Neurnberg. The city was famous for christmas market. And my dicision was right! It was pretty city. We stayed at backpacker's hostel. I wanted to book another youth hostel but it was already full. But this one we stayed was really nice and cute room. In our room, two more Japanese girls were staying.

One of the staff was Australian who attended to us. I felt difficulty a bit to understand his accent because maybe I got used to British accent and also my brain was working in Japanese during being my sister.

Next morning, we went to the bank to change my T/C. There were two men at the reception. And in front of the older man, there was one customer so I went ahead to younger man who looked younger than me.
I saind "Hallo" and continued in English. I didn't know if he understood English or he didn't know if my request was possible. Anyway he asked his boss next to him in German. Then his boss spoke English and yes, so I expected that young guy would do, but no. He told me to wait in a queue. Some people started to wait behind me later soon and the boy was doing nothing and just sitting. Only his boss was working hard and doing everything even though there were many customers waiting.
For me and my sister, this thing was one of funny story, somehow. We guessed he might be on a training. Anyway we never forget that boy at city bank who had bandage on his left hand.

After we got some money, we went to a sort of castle. It's called Kaiserburg. It's located in a hill and in the end of the town. The view from there was nice!

After visiting this castle, we headed for the market straightly :) They sold many sausages with bread, wine, sweets, ornaments for christmas tree...
↓small ferris wheel
We stayed there for two nights. Next town is Rothemberg.

Happy New Year!!!

2007-01-09T18:42:00.000-08:00

I'm back here in Japan on 5th of January.
My staying in UK for ten weeks and my trip for 16 days finished.

Thank my family for giving me this wonderful chance. I made lots of friend from oversea.

Thank everyone I met during this adventure for their kindness.
Everyone was nice and kind to me. So I didn't get homesick at all. I have one thing I regtet. Every time people left, I couldn't express my feeling, how I was happy to meet them, how I appreciated their kindness... My English was not enought to do that when we were about to be apart. I could say just "thank you" and "keep in touch". These were not enough. I wanted to say more each time to each person.

By the way, these three months has many many stories including silly one for the others but not for me. I don't thing I'd write all of them but I want to do as long as my motivation continues.:)
I guess I should write latest news but as I always mention it, this work is for my studying, so who cares? :)

From Winchester

2006-12-12T08:10:00.000-08:00

Finally I didn't update my diary here...and now I have only this week here. On saturday I'm going to my sister's place and we'll go travel. Germany, Italy and france, maybe.

I really enjoyed staying here. I miss here. I want to tell about my life here but I can't use a computer so long. So I'll do when I go back to Japan!!!

ENGLAND

2006-10-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

I'll leave Iwate to Tokyo by bus tonight. And I'm flying to England tomorrow. Haha. I didn't mention about this at all here. I was so busy recently.
I'll go to the language school and experience homestay for ten weeks. After that, if I could, I'll travel around in Europe. And I'll come back here new year.

I'm really excited now!
I'll study hard!!

I came back from Tokyo.

2006-08-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

I was in Tokyo just for two days. I wanted to stay longer but I couldn't take dayoff so much. Anyway, I'll write about my short story.

My father was back here during obon(お盆）, so he and my sister and I took shinkansen to Tokyo together. My father usually doesn't buy reserved seat to be able to go anytime he wants to go. And me and my sister, we couldn't buy them because we were too late to apply. So we all took non-reserved seats. Of course we could have seats but the thing I worried about was the shinkansen is Yamabiko. It takes about for three hours and an hour to Tokyo. If we could take Hayate, we could get one hour earlier. That's a shame. Well, on the way to Tokyo, my father got off and said good bye and take care to my sister.

We arrived at aroud 2:30. It was not so hot than I expected. That was good for us. First we sought baggage room. Ahh, I should mention about this. My sister's suit case weighs almost 30kg!!! It was really heavy!! In that there were a lap-top PC and a transformer. They were really heavy. But, you know, an attempted terrorism happened in England so we thought we coulndn't take many stuffs to the airplane. Anyway, fortunatelly we found the room in a short time. Then we decided to go out the station and explore around the station.

We neither had any guidebook. So we didn't know what there was around there. I have been to Tokyo several times. But, actually, every time the distination is not surround Tokyo station. So I had never went out it till this time, you know, we don't have to do it to change the trains.
So, till then I had never seen that outside.

And we found Tokyo International Forum. Ah, that is the place that is often showed on TV. We saw a lot of people queueing. It seems that one preview there. We explored inside that building and entered the coffee shop to take a break. The table we sit was chair and another seat was sofa which has long seat like to share it with next table. As soon as we sit and open the menu book, one foreigner sit next to us. First we didn't care about it. But we found he don't speak Japanese when we saw he ordered. The waiter didn't speak fluent English and I felt mine is still better but they communicated enough so I didn't say anything. After a while I noticed he has some guide books and he was reading hard. So I thought he must be a turist not local. Then we decided to speak to him finally.
First I said, "Excuse me?", and he answered "Yes?" with smile. And our conversation started. We heard his English when he ordered, so we expected he is from somewhere English is spoken. But we were wrong. He is French. He told he came to Japan to attend the conference and would stay for a month. He seems to have been to some other contries on buissiness. Ah, I see. That's why his English is so good. I didn't feel any strong accent in his English. We talked about France, Japan, Yasukuni shrine... about for 30 minutes. Thank you for talking with us.

After that we had dinner at the station and headed to Hotel in Narita. We got to the bus stop in time but we found a notice there. It says the bus stop to ○○ hotel has changed since October. October??? Last year? We rushed to the new bus stop because it was the time the bus leaves. When we got to right bus stop, still some people were waiting. And we checked the schedule and found it also had changed. Huh. J○B~!!! We followed the information they gave us. I have to complain them "for next customer".

We got to the hotel almost at nine. We checked the stuffs in the suitcase for security check. And we thought over how we make the suitcase lighter. The answer was "put on." But it failed. We both didn't feel it worked. And we went to bed.

Wednesday morning, it was raining. On the check in counter, we found the suitcase weights 27kg, haha. Anyway we were released that heavy baggage and had breakfast.

I saw my sister off and went back to Tokyo by myself. I was going to go to the art museum in Ueno. But I felt tired a bit so I went to Aida Mitsuo museum (http://www.mitsuo.co.jp/museum/index.html Tokyo International Forum. I like his works. It is good to visit there when you feel down.
After that I have enough time before shinkansen I reserved, so I went to Idemitsu museum, too. But from the bill, I didn't get interested in the exhibition, I didn't enter.
I walked a little and headed to the station. I was tired. I had one hour free time but I took earlier non-reserved seat.

In this trio, I didn't do special thing but still fun!

(I couln't up my pictures somehow...:( )

Tomorrow

2006-08-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

My sister is going to England tomorrow. Exactry to speak, she is flying to London via Singapore. She will study at university for one year. This time is the first time for her to go abroad. So I'm going to Narita airport with her to see off. After that, I'll go to an art museum. So I have to check the website to find which museum has nice exhibision.

At kirin beer restaurant

2006-08-08T08:02:00.000-07:00

Today I went drinking with a friend. It's been a while that I went drinking for a certain reason. Now I'm released so I decided to go drinking.
We went to kirin beer restaurant. It was first time to visit there for both us. The restaurant was really nice atmothphere like a bar and dish was good but eccept the only one thing we dissapointed is closed time. We got there maybe about 8:30. We started to have good time then but when it was around 9:00, the waitress told us the closed time is 9:30. We ordered 3 beers each of us and some dish. We ate and drank them almost for one hour. Usually once we get into a restaurant, we spend for two hours at least. So tonight we were really in a hurry. As a matter of the fact, we were the last customer for them. When we went out the restaurant, usually both of us are strong drinkers but we both were drunk, I'm sure. It was just around 9:30 so it was too early to go home. So we decided to stay at coffee shop. Usually I wouldn't make such stupid mistake but I was drunk tonight. When I arrived in front of the door of the coffee shop, I couldn't open the door. You know, on the door, there is a mark like "引(pull)", but somehow I tried to slide it...and I said "it's heavy." Oh, I was stupid...but not only me. My friend, too. When she got our drinks and walked to the table, she dropped one of them. Haha. We just said sorry to the saff.

It's been a while.

2006-08-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

I've just started to work at restaurant as a part time job since this month. So I've been apart from this. It's really stressful for me now because I haven't got used to that new job. I was going to update this recentry but I couldn't or I didn't feel like doing it when I sit in front of the PC. I have a lot of complaining about new job but it doesn't cause of jot itself or coworkers. Just I haven't got used to new sorroundings. Or I'm not proper as a waitress.

Plants 2

2006-07-30T21:51:00.000-07:00

left side: Italian parsley right: Lemon barm(?)

They've really grown up although I didn't take care of them at all... I use parsley sometimes to add to spaghetti or salad. As for right one, I used it just once to decorate on the cake. I haven't tried it for tea. It seems that it works well for perspiration. Hm, maybe I'll bake cookies with that herb sometime soon.

My plants 1

2006-07-30T21:41:00.000-07:00

This is blueberry. I have this to make a blueberry pie. But this seed;omg in only less than one years old. So it has only one berry still...:( I wonder when I can make a blueberry pie with own berries.

Ume-shu（梅酒） jelly

2006-07-27T03:38:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was going to go to practicing aikido but I skipped it because I was late to leave home falling asleep. I gave up aikido and I decide to make ume-shu jelly. My aunt, who cooks really well, gave us some Japanese apricots simmered with sugar. So I thought that'd be nice if I put them in jelly. And actually I didn't use gelatin. I used agar（寒天） or vegetable gelatin? This is the first time to use agar. So I didn't know how much liquid is proper amount. It seems that I add liquid too much or agar was a little. That's why too mellow. But tastes good!!

Now...

2006-07-25T20:57:00.000-07:00

I was busy for some reasons. But now I'm released! It's still early afternoon. I'm wondering what to do today. Go out for jogging? No, it's too hot to do that. Go shopping? Hmm, I want to. But I'm poor now. Bake a cake? That'd be nice. But I should not take sweets so much... Well, tonight I have aikido practice...umm...should I go? I like to excercise, but for aikido,(to be honest) summer season is not acceptable for me...too hot and sweaty...terrible...(It's seacret.)

Shoben Kozo~summer style~

2006-07-20T06:25:00.000-07:00

Hehe:) It's a kind of my pleasure to check his fashon when I pass through by him. He is standing in front of the police station. What a humorous person who changes his clothe...

How much does it work...?

2006-07-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

One of my friend, she is sometimes(or always...) strange. She brings an iron dumbbell in her bag to go to a work every day. That is 1kg weight. According to her, she brings that to train to get muscles. but I doubt she could. Because she just has a bag and walks for 15 minutes, not lift up it repeatedly. But she believes she can get a training every day... I prefer a light bag for a work.
An iron dumbbell in a bag... isn't it a weapon? Ah, maybe she has that for self-defense...that'd be make sense... If you see a girl who has that cute bag, back off!

TOMATO!!!

2006-07-10T02:16:00.000-07:00

My mom bought that huge tomato!! First I saw her holding a segment of that, I thought they would be apples.

hamburgers

2006-07-10T02:07:00.000-07:00

Haha, not good shot. Really, after eating them I reminded I had a camera. How stupid of me. We had a super at freshness burger. Before that, we talked about burgers with some people. Somehow Macdnard is not so popular for Americans, Australians or other people from abroad. They say such like that Mac is not good but Mos burger is ok. That sounds strange a bit for me. Because who made Mac? I guess the taste is for westerners who eat those kind of food, like french fries, sandwichs, BBQ...I mean really western food. Well, I agree Mos or Freshness are better than Mac. But how much's the difference? Oh, well, that's ok. I don't mean to argue that here. I'm just wondering that. As for me, I feel like having Mac's french fries occasionally. And the CM makes me feel like trying new products even though I could guess the taste. But I usually don't expect that they would be delicious because they are processed food and cheep enough as them. For me, hamburger is just one of snacks, so that's ok.

Space flavor???

2006-06-25T19:17:00.000-07:00

I found this juice at the supermarket. I decided to buy immediately when I saw this. Ah, I'm a good consumer for those producer...haha. This picture is so cute and atractive. And more, what's space flavor?

The taste was...normal soda. I expected something that has strong flaver and colored with vivid one as if it's not good for our health. Anyway, I like Japanese sweets or products because their packages are really interesting and humorous.

Sad news

2006-06-24T02:01:00.000-07:00

It might be better not to read this. Because after reading, you'll remind of your sad experiences... This work is just for me to expand my English expression.

One of my relations passed away on last Tuesday. She is my father's aunt, who is my grandma's sister whom I don't live with. She had had a car accident so after that she needed nursing service all the time. But this death was in a suddern. She had one son who hadn't got married yet. And her husband already passed away long time ago. My father's father, my grandpa died when my father was child. My grandma and her sister had a good relation in their family. So the aunt leaves her son with grandma during her work and he wad getting along with my father and uncle. He is like a yonger brother for them still now. I mentioned my father's cousin hasn't got married yet. So the aunt(not aunt for me...how can I explain?) loved me like her grandchild. That's why we helped him with carrying on all the stuffs.
On Tuesday, I went to the wake. Seeing into the casket, on the body, there was a red dress with big white frilled collar. Yeah, I remember her style. She was always gorgeous and different from my grandma. It seems she had worked at theater when she was young. So she knew and learned fassionable world.
On Wednesday, thecremation was carried on. There were five furnaces in the room. I really felt sad. I didn't cry because I didn't meet her much aften. But something came up from in the bottom of my heart. I did experience this ceremony twice before. I was thinking then, and this time too, like I don't want to meet this situation again. Anyway, when the time the casket was about to put into the furnace, celphone's melody sounded. はあああ～？？？？I couldn't believe it. I never failed to do such stupid thing. But it was the sound from my celphone, I thought. So I checked it in an instant. But my celphone was on mannar mode and didn't show any sign that tells the record. After that when going out the room, I checked it again but it was same. And beside me, my aunt was checking her celphone and told me she got an mail from her daugter. I like my aunt very much. But I was disappointed then and had an anger at her because I thought everyone who was there thought the melody was mine... After a hour and a half hour, we moved to another room to remove her bones in the wood box. Her bones went all to bits. I really apreciate all the staffs working there. They see many bodies, do their work and see the bones. I can't work there. But we need their work...
On Thursday we had a funeral in a temple. To carry on that, two priests and three young priests who seem to be training joined. I was surprised a bit about that.
Aftrer that, except me and my brother dined on there. We could join but my brother had a school and I didn't want to join because I didn't know well other people. We thought a lot where we have lunch but finally headed to EAON SC. Easy choice, haha.

Concert 2

2006-06-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

His concert was really good. Our seats were on third floor and which is 4th seat from the front along the wall. So pretty close to the stage and I could see their performance very well. I guess he is about 40. This year seems to be the 20th year for him since he became a singer. Well, when I got to the hall and saw the fun(someone may be like me), I felt something generation difference. They looked over 30 or over 40. Only three girls in school wear I could see. I felt I was pretty young in them, hehe. Well, I was on third floor, so I was watching some audiences during the performance. It was fun. The man, who was in front of me was in suit, was interesting. He was dancing like he had danced at some dance clubs when Japan was in the bubble economy. Before the concert, he looked not excited so much, looked cool. And even the concert started, he was sitting on the seat still. But when one rhythmic music started, he changed. I hadn't expected that he danced such like. Yeah, music has amazing power.

By the way, about that picture. I was walking on the street yesterday and happened to see that tuor truck!

Concert!

2006-06-14T19:51:00.000-07:00

I'm going to concert tonight for free! "For free", this is the point. My friend got some tickets for free because in her friend there is someone who has a connection with someone who is working at TV company which cosponsors the concert. "SO" I was so happy and excited! Do you understand why I use "SO" emphatically after that explaination? That's not because I can go to the concert for free.
The concert is by Kubota Toshinobu. He is a R&B singer, maybe. I can't identified exactly.http://www.toshikubota.com/　He was popular in Japan in 90's. I think he is a one of the competent singer. I like his songs and style even though I don't have any his CDs (sorry). To the honest, I'm not a big fan of him. Well, why am I so happy?
What I want to tell is how I can go to the concert. Usually I think when you want to go to a concert, you'll buy a ticket for yourself. Well, sometimes you may buy extra tickets for your accompany. If so, you'll ask them if they want to go or the day is available for them before buying tickets. (Ahhh, I found I had written in the way of Japanese thinking. Where is the conclusion?? ) Anyway, it was like a drama that I got the ticket. Tonight's concert hadn't been in my plan. On the spur of the moment, I got the invitation last night. And it was by the connection. That's why I was excited.
Accoding to his website, he was sick last month. Umm, I wonder if he is all right.

My excuses.

2006-06-12T01:02:00.000-07:00

I want to make some excuses for my absent.
For these weeks, my internet connection has been not good, and still now. The radio wave condition(?) is 18% now!! Usual maximam is over 40% though. It's not with cable but wireless. Terrible:( So the connection is often broken while I browse. It really irritates me...（泣）

And more, last week, really last monday, I was sick. Not cause of hang over, never, for sure. I felt terrible dizzy and had a high fever the evening. In addition to that, my body hurt badly like after heavy excercise. Mostly my normal temperature is about 36 degree centigrade or less than 36 correctly. So even the temperature is over 37, I feel sick and don't feel like to do anyhing. I went to bed early that night but I wake up again and again all the night and my temperature varried between 37 and over 38. (fortunately it didn't reach to 39) Next morning I went to see a doctor. He said I might have cought a flu. Oh...too bad. Well, I also didn't think I cought a cold because I didn't have neither a sore throat nor runny nose. Just I felt sick. Anyway, he didn't examine for flu exactly but gave a prescription for it. I haven't seen it before.

It's a kind of aspiration medicine. The medicine which is powdery is in the shilver case as if it is a bullet in a gun. To take it, first I need to stick it with that needle and made a hole. Then the powder comes out and down to the plastick case.

This is made in German...?

And mouth it like a whistle but breathe. It was strange or weard for me... I really don't like usual powdery medicine. This medicine was not bitter but sweet a bit.
I have a conversation with a pharmacist, who is a young girl as a pharmacist and looked as old as me.

P: Did your doctor tell that you had a flu?
me: Ah, he said "probably".
P: Oh, I see. Well, this is the medicine for flu. Have you used it before?
me: Never.
P: Ok. I'll explain now. First pull them adn set this into it. Then stick it like this and
the powder comes out. And...........So...........Do you understand?
me: Uhh, oh, well...
P: Ok, now let's try together. .........ok.........yes........... Ok, now breathe it.
me: Breathe this?? This powder??
P: Yeah, of course. :)
me: ( I breathed it gingerly or timidly.)
P: Did you take?
me: Uh, well...the powder stuck on my throat.
P: That's ok.

Anyway, I'm comleatetely all right now. It's better I go out more and get flesh air and sunlight.

I'll keep this blog!

2006-06-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

I was sooooo lazy. I haven't written any comments for a while. That's why I couldn't speak or express in English what I wanted to tell. Yeah, now I know how much this work was usefull and effective for studying English. Even though my grammar has mistakes, it's enough to make my brain thingk of English and feel the way of thinking in English. It's a kind of excercize.

Really, I had beed tired of "my English" not using English cause of that I couldn't express well my stories or feelings. But now I expect you all viewer will guess and figure the point from my broken English, hehe!

Strawberry mousse

2006-05-15T04:50:00.000-07:00

This morning that my grandma came here to give us strawberry mousse, instead of my cake.
My aunt made that. She is a really great cook!!! I like her dish very much. Her dish is always added something special or taken a lot of time. She is my master!
This was very big mousse! So I tried to take it our to a plate. But I failed it. AHHHHH!!!

Sooo sorry, aunt...:( Even though, taste was so good.

Mother's day

2006-05-15T04:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Mother's day. So I was baking a cake for my mom and grandma. When I was sponge cake, my another grandma, who lives with my dad' brother family, came to our house and brought a lots Japanese sweets! Thanks! I like chocolate or ice cream but also beans paste, anko. I'm happy to be Japanese.

Anyway, after she went home, I started to decolate a cake. This time I mixed powder of strawberry flavor to the cream. It became pinkish a bit. Hmm, not enough.

In the evening, my mom looked at this cake and suggested we brought this cake to my grandma, who is my mom's mom in law, visited us this day.
That's why I couldn't present that for mom and eat. But I can bake again and present easily because we live together. So it was good to present this day, though I worried about that taste...