I do not write on it because there is no body here to read it. Last four months I did not visit this blog at all, and only today I've got a glance and to add today's diary.
Today we went to a Universal Studio of Japan (UFJ)in Osaka. Yesterday, me and my first son were talking about how to spent a golden week, and we've got an idea to go the UFJ. In the morning we got up early and I hurriedly fried eggs and prepared breakfast. We ate it in hurry and we rushed for a train.
In 10 a.m we got there. We bought tickets for whole day. Everything was adventures, the scene there was like in the US. It was noisy but the attractions were interesting. Sometimes they were frightening, especially for my little son of a four year old.
Since we decided it in a quite unexpected way, we even did not buy drinks for us. Inside UFJ, everything was so expensive. One bottle of cola was 250 yen which was ridiculous price. The price was three times higher than the normal price. Food was also very expensive.
We ate pieces of pizza and very meager pasta for 7500 yen, which was so expensive than the normal restaurant here. My husband and my "big" son did not get full on this lunch. It was really our mistakes that we did not plan at all this holiday. We could buy our drinks from outside of UFJ, we could prepare our lunch boxes.
We finished to visit attractions by 7 p.m and we were in Kobe around 8 p.m Then we went good restaurant, the Italian one, had a good dinner at 3000 yen.
If there is anyone who is planning to to the USJ, you should buy your drinks and I would strongly advise you to buy or prepare lunch before entering to the USJ, because once you have entered to the USJ there is no reentry, and inside of it, everything is charged at least twice higher than the normal prices.
The attractions were good, but waiting time was ranged from 30 minutes to 50 minutes.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Getting in preschools in Japan
As for my second son, he was born in Japan and taken back when I finished my study. After two years, I rejoined my school for a doctoral program. My husband was studying while I was back with my little son. He stayed with older one, I stayed with the little one. After 1 year and 8 months we rejoined in Japan. My second son was about 2 years. We went to a ward office to apply for preschools, but they rejected our offer at least for a half year. My husband and I had to go to school, that was really tough. Somehow we have managed it, and we have received the letter of rejection to preschool. My husband went there and he was earnestly requested preschool vacancy explaining how we spent last 6 months. Luckily they have listened him and they promised to consider it. After two weeks in mid of March we have received acceptance letter for a preschool. We were so happy.
Entering in preschool in Japan was so difficult. They always claim that what the mother is going to do, how about the father, what about the grandparents etc.? Basically, it is strongly assumed that a child should be born in a family where its mother stays at home. In fact, Japanese wives are staying at home when they got married. No matter how the their job is important, how much they earn, they just quit when they got married. So may be that is why the public service on preschool is very limited.
Once, your child gets in it, the service is very good. Well that is all for today. Seems, too short, but most of the blogs are very short. By the way, the service about the preschool is bigger topic. I will talk about it separately.
Entering in preschool in Japan was so difficult. They always claim that what the mother is going to do, how about the father, what about the grandparents etc.? Basically, it is strongly assumed that a child should be born in a family where its mother stays at home. In fact, Japanese wives are staying at home when they got married. No matter how the their job is important, how much they earn, they just quit when they got married. So may be that is why the public service on preschool is very limited.
Once, your child gets in it, the service is very good. Well that is all for today. Seems, too short, but most of the blogs are very short. By the way, the service about the preschool is bigger topic. I will talk about it separately.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Getting in Japanese preschool
Well, I am writing my blog with any topics that is related to Japan. You may get confused sometimes, but anyway I will write what I would like to write about my life experiences in Japan.
In 2003, my son, a 5 year old boy, had to get in a Japanese preschool, or kindergarten. In Japanese it means hokyu-en. Fortunately, my brother who had lived here for 4 years, advised me to apply as early as possible. He said earlier the better. He has a little son and he faced the same problem with me. In his case, he had applied for a preschool for his son and the boy had to wait for a half year to get in.
I came to Japan in July 2002 and my family did join me in February 2003. We need a preschool for our son because, we both my husband and I have to study for graduate study. Following my borther’s advise, I went to a social section of a ward office to apply my son’s preschool in November 2002. I asked my tutor to join me to this, and explained to a office lady that my son is going to join me in coming February, etc.
Luckily, she was a nice lady. She said they have a vacancy, but she said if my son were little younger age then there is no chance to get in. For my son case, he was 5 years old and next year he was going to a elementary school. It was lucky for my first son.
Wow, I will continue this story tomorrow. Now I have to go.
In 2003, my son, a 5 year old boy, had to get in a Japanese preschool, or kindergarten. In Japanese it means hokyu-en. Fortunately, my brother who had lived here for 4 years, advised me to apply as early as possible. He said earlier the better. He has a little son and he faced the same problem with me. In his case, he had applied for a preschool for his son and the boy had to wait for a half year to get in.
I came to Japan in July 2002 and my family did join me in February 2003. We need a preschool for our son because, we both my husband and I have to study for graduate study. Following my borther’s advise, I went to a social section of a ward office to apply my son’s preschool in November 2002. I asked my tutor to join me to this, and explained to a office lady that my son is going to join me in coming February, etc.
Luckily, she was a nice lady. She said they have a vacancy, but she said if my son were little younger age then there is no chance to get in. For my son case, he was 5 years old and next year he was going to a elementary school. It was lucky for my first son.
Wow, I will continue this story tomorrow. Now I have to go.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Being an illiterate adult
May be this topic is more related to the previous topic. However, I want to talk about how I felt when I had to deal with papers and documents in kanji. In fact, it was very surprising for me that a country like Japan, the second largest economy in the world, is built or designed only for Japanese. I thought, in the globalization era, all developed countries have own way of welcoming foreingers. But I was wrong, especially in Tokyo, you will see not a single title in english on the streets. Japanese people also do not speak english that much.
I my case, my school language is english, so at school I can communicate. But in the society, in malls, supermarkets, ward office, bars, restorans, and on the streets you have to know japanese, and you have to deal with kanji.
First time, when I went to a clinic, to have an eye drop from a doctor, the clinic requires me to fill out certain form of first visitors. I could not do nothing with it, because it was all in kanji. I asked them, if there is an english version of the form. But they said they do not have it and they are sorry for that. However, a very nice young lady, a nurse, came to me to read the form, and she filled the form for me.
If you go to any type of mall, supermarket, drug story, you feel like you are a blind guy. When I did shopping, it was so difficult because the products are so much differentiated, choices were abundunt and all explanations are in kanji. My first choice in supermarket was sugar, but I wanted to buy salt. I needed dressings for salad, but there were many types of it depending on which kind of vegetable are you going to have. Again, that was embarassing.
When I receive my first bill for gas, electricity, telephone etc, the kanji appears again. I could not distinguish which bill was for which one. Even, you know Japan use different calendar. For instance, this year is Heisei 21 year according to Japanese calendar. In that case, it is even very difficult to recognize the date of the bill.
Last funny thing I remember that is when my son enter a elementary school, on the ceremony day the school manager asked me to submit some documents which should be sent from a ward office. I did not have that document probably I just throw it to trash.
I truly felt how hard to be an illiterate person. For those who can not read and write, whole society becomes very closed, mysterious, and risky to deal. The most important thing that I recognize about illiteracy is that I lost my preferences about the society. I can not infer about the society. In other words, it seems illiterate guy easily get lost in "common sense".
I my case, my school language is english, so at school I can communicate. But in the society, in malls, supermarkets, ward office, bars, restorans, and on the streets you have to know japanese, and you have to deal with kanji.
First time, when I went to a clinic, to have an eye drop from a doctor, the clinic requires me to fill out certain form of first visitors. I could not do nothing with it, because it was all in kanji. I asked them, if there is an english version of the form. But they said they do not have it and they are sorry for that. However, a very nice young lady, a nurse, came to me to read the form, and she filled the form for me.
If you go to any type of mall, supermarket, drug story, you feel like you are a blind guy. When I did shopping, it was so difficult because the products are so much differentiated, choices were abundunt and all explanations are in kanji. My first choice in supermarket was sugar, but I wanted to buy salt. I needed dressings for salad, but there were many types of it depending on which kind of vegetable are you going to have. Again, that was embarassing.
When I receive my first bill for gas, electricity, telephone etc, the kanji appears again. I could not distinguish which bill was for which one. Even, you know Japan use different calendar. For instance, this year is Heisei 21 year according to Japanese calendar. In that case, it is even very difficult to recognize the date of the bill.
Last funny thing I remember that is when my son enter a elementary school, on the ceremony day the school manager asked me to submit some documents which should be sent from a ward office. I did not have that document probably I just throw it to trash.
I truly felt how hard to be an illiterate person. For those who can not read and write, whole society becomes very closed, mysterious, and risky to deal. The most important thing that I recognize about illiteracy is that I lost my preferences about the society. I can not infer about the society. In other words, it seems illiterate guy easily get lost in "common sense".
Friday, January 23, 2009
Japanese Kanji
At first, all of these kind of characters really bugged me. I felt frustrated when I met kanji in every places that I visit. Because of the Kanji, I wanted go back and it made me feel so isolated.
By the way, what does it mean Kanji?
Kan-means chinese , and ji means characters in japanese. Overall, it means "chinese characters". You know what? The thing is, Japan had borrowed the kanji several hundreds years ago. But now in 21st century, it is still considered as "chinese". Even, chinese themselves do not remember that those "Kan -Ji" belongs to them and chinese characters has been developing for those years and had been changed a lot. But Japanese people remember that these characters from outside and they label them as "foreign" one. You see, once you belong to a different world then staying in Japan for several hundreds years may be not enough time to be considered as a part of Japan title.
Anyway, if you know about two thousand kanji, it is said that you can read newspapers and your professional books. My oldest son attends 5th grade of elementary school in Japan. He learns kanji all those years, and he knows about thousand kanji-s, I guess. Next year, when he finishes the elementary school he is expected to know about 1945 kanji.
In my case, I did not have any intentions to learn kanji. I wish I were learning kanji.
As far as know, learning kanji requires a lot of different skills and steps. I mean, even you know meaning of the certain kanji, it does not means that you can read it properly, and can write it. Because, almost all kanji have two ways of pronounciation: Chinese and Japanese. They call it On-yomi and Kun-yomi.
Also, there is one more frustrating fact. On-yomi is not unique. At least it has two, or more ways of pronounciation, that you have to memorize. While, it seems, the kun-yomi, the japenese way of pronounciation is unique. Usually, it is quite common that when you learn how to pronounce the kanji, you have to memorize at least 3 different ways of pronounciation.
Writing a kanji also very orderful. I mean, kanji consists of strokes, that have own orders of writing. Second strokes should follow first stroke, third stroke should follow second and first etc. You see, even if you learn one kanji, you have to learn seperately, how to write it, how to pronounce it and what does it mean.
By the way, what does it mean Kanji?
Kan-means chinese , and ji means characters in japanese. Overall, it means "chinese characters". You know what? The thing is, Japan had borrowed the kanji several hundreds years ago. But now in 21st century, it is still considered as "chinese". Even, chinese themselves do not remember that those "Kan -Ji" belongs to them and chinese characters has been developing for those years and had been changed a lot. But Japanese people remember that these characters from outside and they label them as "foreign" one. You see, once you belong to a different world then staying in Japan for several hundreds years may be not enough time to be considered as a part of Japan title.
Anyway, if you know about two thousand kanji, it is said that you can read newspapers and your professional books. My oldest son attends 5th grade of elementary school in Japan. He learns kanji all those years, and he knows about thousand kanji-s, I guess. Next year, when he finishes the elementary school he is expected to know about 1945 kanji.
In my case, I did not have any intentions to learn kanji. I wish I were learning kanji.
As far as know, learning kanji requires a lot of different skills and steps. I mean, even you know meaning of the certain kanji, it does not means that you can read it properly, and can write it. Because, almost all kanji have two ways of pronounciation: Chinese and Japanese. They call it On-yomi and Kun-yomi.
Also, there is one more frustrating fact. On-yomi is not unique. At least it has two, or more ways of pronounciation, that you have to memorize. While, it seems, the kun-yomi, the japenese way of pronounciation is unique. Usually, it is quite common that when you learn how to pronounce the kanji, you have to memorize at least 3 different ways of pronounciation.
Writing a kanji also very orderful. I mean, kanji consists of strokes, that have own orders of writing. Second strokes should follow first stroke, third stroke should follow second and first etc. You see, even if you learn one kanji, you have to learn seperately, how to write it, how to pronounce it and what does it mean.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
My first day in Japan
I have lived in Japan for last 5 years. I study here economics. My school language is English, so I do not speak japanese that much as I expected . Even though, these 5 years were years of experiences and explores.
I remember my first day in Japan. It was in Shinjuku, the most concentrated business center in the world. It was 1st of July 2002. When we arrived at 5 p.m in Narita we were transfered to Shinjuku hotel. Very hot, humid and so crowdy country it was. Totally, we were 20 of us, as JDS fellows of Japanese Government Scholarship Students. We were supposed to stay in there for a week, and then moved to each places we were supposed to study for graduate degree. Mine was Kobe.
Faces of people in Tokyo were cold, dull and indifferent to anything. That was little bit uncool. Besides, if you walk in Shinjuku, the most business place in the world, you have to just rush and may be better to run faster in the crowd. Because, you can not just move on slowly when everybody is rushing, and running around you. Actually, that was very annoying for me. I was just visitor of Tokyo, I wanted to look around Tokyo.
My other fellow lady was annoyed very much. She was very beautiful and high class lady, in fact. When she walks around the Tokyo, she claims that no men are looking for her and that is the most stupid thing she ever met in her life. She said when she went to Italy, and walks around it sounded around her like wow, she's hot, or she's cool etc. That was pretty cool for her, she said.
Another lady with us, hates also Tokyo. She says their such a dull, and indifferent face just kills me. She said she wanted to hit and give punches to everybody in the street. That seemd to me too much nervous for strangers.
For me, that rushings was annoying. I was wondering what if all japanese people are like that and if the streets are full of running people, how I could survive in Japan for 2 years. That was my first impresion of my first day in Japan.
So far I how spent almost 5*365 days that I used to it. Some of them were just dull, some of them interesting, some if them fully engaged in something. Anyway, I have many interesting experiences in Japan that I am going to share with you in this blog.
I hope you will like it.
I remember my first day in Japan. It was in Shinjuku, the most concentrated business center in the world. It was 1st of July 2002. When we arrived at 5 p.m in Narita we were transfered to Shinjuku hotel. Very hot, humid and so crowdy country it was. Totally, we were 20 of us, as JDS fellows of Japanese Government Scholarship Students. We were supposed to stay in there for a week, and then moved to each places we were supposed to study for graduate degree. Mine was Kobe.
Faces of people in Tokyo were cold, dull and indifferent to anything. That was little bit uncool. Besides, if you walk in Shinjuku, the most business place in the world, you have to just rush and may be better to run faster in the crowd. Because, you can not just move on slowly when everybody is rushing, and running around you. Actually, that was very annoying for me. I was just visitor of Tokyo, I wanted to look around Tokyo.
My other fellow lady was annoyed very much. She was very beautiful and high class lady, in fact. When she walks around the Tokyo, she claims that no men are looking for her and that is the most stupid thing she ever met in her life. She said when she went to Italy, and walks around it sounded around her like wow, she's hot, or she's cool etc. That was pretty cool for her, she said.
Another lady with us, hates also Tokyo. She says their such a dull, and indifferent face just kills me. She said she wanted to hit and give punches to everybody in the street. That seemd to me too much nervous for strangers.
For me, that rushings was annoying. I was wondering what if all japanese people are like that and if the streets are full of running people, how I could survive in Japan for 2 years. That was my first impresion of my first day in Japan.
So far I how spent almost 5*365 days that I used to it. Some of them were just dull, some of them interesting, some if them fully engaged in something. Anyway, I have many interesting experiences in Japan that I am going to share with you in this blog.
I hope you will like it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)