Ima totemo sabishikunarimasu...

Am absolutely sad right now - am in my room crying actually.

Today was a day of very mixed feelings actually. The second year students graduated today (my prog is the only 1yr prog and we will have our own graduation soon) - which was realy awesome. So good to see them all marching and receiving their certficates etc and getting to spend time with them ...but also very sad - coz now they have left.
3 African students graduated today (I will be the only one in my graduating class) - they all just left now to catch a 1am bus to Tokyo (really hope they make it coz they left with like 20minutes to go, and it takes abt that long to get to the next town to catch the Tokyo bus) - they will be there for a day then they catch their home bound flights day after 2mrw (Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana).

I miss Cece already.
We took lots of pics - I still have to sort thru them later, but this is one (attached) of a collection she burnt on CD for me.

Man- parting is such sweet sorrow.
One yr feels like 1day now.
Twas just the other day Cece and Muso (Zambian guy) came to pick me up at the station, and now I am saying bye to them. Cant believe it.

And ya, soon my classmates and I will also say our goodbyes - I cannot even imagine. I think I will be in pieces I have been thru so much with them. But one thing I have learnt since coming out here, is that it REALLY IS A SMALL WORLD and I certainly hope to meet some of them in some other parts of the world - someday.

Goodnight,

Ems

Final Presentation 21 June,2006

End of Spring Term 2006

Final Presentation - yup, I am basically done now- unbelieveable. Just thesis submission to go - and I will be working on that over the summer holiday (once I get round to it- man, I have just been lounging since I began my holiday) ...technically if I finish my thesis 2day (fat chance), I can go home 2mrw...

Dont think any of my presentations had me (or us, I suspect) as nervous as this one.
This presentation was in front of an external client who we have been working with for about 6months now. This was a BIG presentation.
God came through as always, presentation was good (definitely much better then the interim one when he came over a few months ago) - all in all, VERY good experience.

Definitely challenging working with these guys (one of them was in the army, and I think sometimes he tried to run things like he was still there!), but definitely learnt a lot, and at the end of it, worth all the effort! [now if I can just get a job...]

Yairo-en Elderly Home Visit 22 June 2006

A couple of hours with the grannies!

Thursday was busy on campus in the morning - but spent part of the day at the local old people's home. It was my second visit - last visit last term we performed an African dance for them.

This time round, most of the African group was busy (only a couple of us could make the visit this time round), so we didnt perform, but the Vitnamese girls put up quite a show!

This is ONE VERY FORWARD granddaddy right here - within 30minutes, he had propositioned me! [Vietnamese chick I was with was quite jealous coz she spent more time with him, but no proposal was forthcoming;) Guess when you have lived so long and seen life, time is of even greater essence huh;)

He is a really sweet bloke though - but age has caught up with him, and I had to repeat the same things so many times (every couple of minutes he would ask again) - but by the end, he had mastered some stuff about me, and ofcourse, he had also asked me out!

Hokushin Elementary School Visit - 20 June 2006

A day with the kids!

Was fortunate enough to be one of just four foreign students chosen to spend the day with the kids at Hokushin. This was the first time their school had such a type of visit, and it as also my first official school visit in this capacity- so both sides were very nervous.

Murun (Mongolian girl next to me), Emiko san (their teacher - you would NOT believe how old she is - but then agian if you have been in Asia long enough, you kinda realise most Asian women look much younger than their actual ages. When I discover their secret...I'll be willing to sell it to y'all;) with part of the class. The class before this was really tough - we had quite a bit of extra time (and it was our first class so we were still kinda warming up) - so Murun and I had to improvise quite a lot of conversation afterwards. I had no idea I could speak that much (probably broken) Japanese (hope the kids understood though;)

The sweetest thing - girl with the white top (with the '03' on it) - she took me under her wing as it were. I was like her best friend of the day. She took it upon herself to be my 'guardian' and make sure I was fed etc. She actually speaks English quite well (for a Japanese child her age) - I think she tries extra harder coz she REALLY REALLY wants to travel to foreign countries (including Zim;) when she gets older. Between her beginner English and my basic Japanese, I could get around quite well. She wanted to be pen friends (so junr school huh) - never did get her address though (taechers told them thay had to go clean up when she was gonna give me). Wish her all the best. Maybe will meet her agin one day. Trust me, its a small world!

We played games with them and taught them songs our kids back home sing. We also had to say a bit about our countries, show them where they are etc - in Japanese!
Very interesting indeed.

oh, did I mention they wanted us to try and dress in our national costumes and stuff . Zim has no national dress, but I tried to at least look African - gees, African attires are not made for playing with kids on a blistering hot day!

Absolutely brill. Cant wait till my next school visit - I should have another couple coming up soon.

E Biz end of Spring Term BBQ - June 17, 2006

Term's not quite up for all of us, but for most of us, the term is over. I still have one more presentation next week - but hey- I'll face that when it comes!

Love this one...call it "Ems the Thinker"...very befitting ne? [dnt u think]



Nyama ngayidjiwe vakomana! Ah man, Hide (he is Japanese but he has a Chilean brother in law or something) has this Chilean beef thing going on - man once u taste it...beef will never be the same anymore ...

Greek Adonis anyone? [Periklis- crazy, guy. Absolutely hilarious- never a dull moment/class with him!

Akio and Angel - awarded "Best Entertainer" and "Most Charming Guy" - hmm...wonder what criteria was used;) [thats what the certificates are for- Hide's idea to add some fun to the whole thing. Very nice.]


E-Biz 2006 - well, just a part of it. Jamal, Riyadh, Angel, Masa, Kyoko (Akio' wife) , Akio, Ems, Yas and Tuna


Not your average Nihon-jin (Japanese person) at all! Hide-san.


Basically the whole crazy bunch. Prof. Jay with IUJ E-Biz Class of 2006!!!
Thandar and I with our main professor (biker, rock band member...totally cool guy) - Jay-sensee.

New Farmer;)

My first rice planting experience.
Totemo tanoshikatta desu yo! [ very interesting] - now I know where that oishii (delicious) Niigata rice comes from (I am fortunate to be in the prefecture that has the best rice in all of Japan- something to ddo with the weather, this part being "snow country").

There were some wierd moments though- barefoot in the mud- a couple times we could all swear we felt living things in that mud and I am sure I touched a few too - but trust me, once u feel it, u dnt stay long enuff to investigate!

Lovely BBQ afterwards.
[with Rochi in pic]





Awesome day - there are just no words to describe the beauty of nature out here- and just to spend some tym out in it...wow!