住めば都 (sumeba miyako)
Translating as 'If you live in a place long enough, it becomes home'
I like this proverb. I've said these words to myself many a time during the roughest patches here in Japan. Seeing as I've just embarked on my second and final term, these words seem more pertinent now than ever. I now feel like I have all the tools (language, cultural understanding, opportunities) to really make it happen. It will be long (15 weeks long), challenging, probably embarrassing at times too, but I want to leave here feeling like I made it.
I had my second class today. Surprisingly it seems Kobe have actually taken into consideration some of our many complaints from last term. The first two lessons seemed more engaging than before, rather than being entirely grammar and vocabulary focussed like last term. We will be reading newspaper articles (finally!). In response to our wish to have more audio visual work in class, Kobe Uni decided to install a TV by the door way of our faculty- not really what we were hoping for but I guess the idea was right. I'm obviously not expecting miracles but, so far cautious optimism.
I also hope to make myself much more busy in order to take my mind off missing home and things like that. I am now a full member of Kobe University Orchestra and rehearse with them 5 hours a week. I'm also going on a trip with them at the beginning of May- a sort of 'band camp'. Saki (fellow flautist) says its something they do annually to welcome the new freshers, with rehearsals in the morning, and nomikai (drinking!) in the evening. So hopefully it will be a laugh.
Finally, I have to take 3 (rather than 2 as of last term) majors this term, which I will pick much more carefully to make sure its something I'm actually interested in.
So anyway, those are my thoughts heading into the new term. Basically its gonna be more work but hopefully worth it. Onto more exciting news, on Wednesday I returned from the island of Bali in Indonesia where I was visiting Steph, a good friend from Oxford. I think it may have been the best holiday I have ever had: 30 degrees every day, beautiful beaches, lovely people and wonderful hospitality. Here are some of the highlights:
the beach
dinner with Steph and her mum
my room in Bali
our place
entrance to my room
one of the other villas on the complex
day on the beach with Steph and Sooji (left)
Mie Goreng- fried noodles :)
entrance to Steph's place
Sea food on the beach
the pool
A bar Steph's mum took us to on the beach side
One day we went to look at these houses made entirely out of bamboo in the middle of the jungle. They were absolutely incredible. The guy who was head of the project was quite mental to say the least, and also a bit of a twat, but I guess it takes that kind of person to invest all your money in building bamboo houses in the middle of the Indonesian jungle!
Dancers at the hindu temple
final meal- another sea food banquet!
So as you can see, it was totally amazing. It's really depressing to come back from this to the drab weather of Kobe I must say. Nose back to the grindstone :(
I'll write again in about a month :)
Take care everyone at home,
Sean
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