Following My Moral Value, Not Buying Things to Scare People, and Hating My Shower

Some of you might think that I made it sounded like a torture for me to learn Japanese this week, especially on Twitter but it was only because I always get nervous whenever I have exam, that was why all I wanted for this week is for the Japanese final test to be over. It finally was; after 12.15 p.m. today my Japanese class for this semester was finally over. The test was not as scary as we thought it would be, actually I should have just study all of the sentence pattern all the week and know no verbs at all and I would do great. All of us (at least those who I asked) managed to do most of the test and our result would be okay. At least we hope so.

Snow Creatures, Study Progress, and Untrained Feeling

Yesterday was sunny again, so the roads have been mostly cleared from snow although some of the grassy areas are still… icy. The snow wasn’t thick and it didn’t stay long either, but surprisingly some creative people managed to make some snowmen (or snow creatures, as some of them are not “man”) in the school ground. Right in the morning of the first snowy day (two days ago), a snowman has appeared in front of the main building and yesterday someone has put some colors in the thing. Yesterday, we also discovered a snow pikachu somewhere near cafeteria one. There is also a little snow creatures in the yard of our dorm, but I’m too lazy to figure out how I can get out there to take a photo of it.

Research, Statistics, and Tainted Reputation

Tokyo is covered with snow again today, and it’s nicer from the last time because instead of snowing the whole day while the wind blowing crazily, the sun was shining brightly while the ground was covered with white. The sky was really bright and blue today, which made Mans commented on lunch that it looked like the beginning of Sweden’s spring. The only down side is that because the snow was thin and it’s starting to melt, some part of the road was covered with slippery mix of water and ice. I’m only glad that I wasn’t wearing that silly ski boots that has no friction whatsoever, otherwise I would be covered with bruises from falling down before I even reached the station.

Uneventful Weeks

Weeks after new years had been rather uneventful, especially because the school started again so I hadn’t had that many time to play. Well, at least not as many as I had in the winter break. I had to go to the lab on weekdays and staring at my computer screen. It was a painful task for me to do because while I had so many things to do, my brain was (is, actually) still in its holiday mode and refuse to process anything other than people statuses on Facebook or twitter, which is to be honest even less challenging than reading 9gag. On the other hand, I do realize that I had to start doing things like my assignments in Complex Network class and my research, but I just don’t have any will to do anything, yet I feel bored. I believe some of you will get what I meant, and maybe some of you are feeling it right now. Actually it’s the exact reason why I write this post although I don’t really had anything interesting to tell: to feel like I’m at least doing something.

The Emperor’s Speech and First Temple Visit of The Year

Japan current Imperial Palace (皇居) is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and huge, amazing stone walls located in the center of Tokyo, close to Tokyo Station. Except for Imperial Household Agency (Kunaicho) and the East Garden, the palace os closed to public. However, at New Year (January 2nd) and the Emperor’s Birthday (December 23rd for the current emperor), the public is allowed to enter through the inner gate and the emperor, the empress, his children, and maybe some adult members of the imperial family, would come out to greet the public in Chowaden Reception Hall and the emperor would give a short speech. Having only one year in Japan, of course this is an event that I have to experience at least once. That’s why, when one of my senpai asked if we want to go to the Imperial Palace on January 2nd to see the emperor’s New Year greeting (一般参賀), I said yes without any hesitation.

A Pretty Random New Year with Way Too Much Laughter

I will start my post by wishing you all a happy New Year and practicing the phrases that were written on the pamphlet about Japanese New Year tradition which was distributed to us in Japanese class: 明けましておめでとうございます。昨年は大変お世話になりありがとうございました。本年もどうぞよろしくお願いします。

I think I repeated that phrase way too much.

In Indonesia, I usually spend my New Year’s Eves with family, as in my ethnicity culture (Batak Karo) New Year’s Eve and the first day of new year are really important and supposed to be spent together with family. In New Year’s Eve, the tradition is to pray together with family members, asking for forgiveness for past mistakes, talk about feelings (which usually brought tears to the mothers), shaking hands and giving hugs, and then (my favorite) eat cakes. Usually we also play with fireworks or watch big fireworks. I spent most of my new year eves with my extended family, either from my mom’s or dad’s side, so new year’s eves for us kids is the day when we meet our cousins and allowed to play all night without anyone telling us to sleep (well, our moms usually do after 1 a.m., but by this time we’re tired already anyway, so it didn’t count). This year, however, while my family was spending theirs camping and freezing somewhere at the feet of Mount Tangkuban Parahu, I was, for the first time in my life, spending my new year’s eves with some friends. In Japan.

Christmas and Skiing Trip

On Christmas, every one asked me on Facebook, Twitter, YM, and any possible media this one question: “Where did you go on Christmas?” (or some people asked some extra question: “How’s Christmas in Japan?”). Here’s my respond to that repeatedly-asked question: Nowhere. Believe it or not, I only went to church, then went back home to do some movie marathon (i.e., finishing 3 seasons of Merlin I haven’t watched). Christmas in Japan is considered a day for couple and it’s also really crowded in the center of the town, so I opted to stay home because I don’t really fancy crowds nor do I usually do anything really special in Christmases other than dinner with my family.

Tokyo Disney Sea

Like I said in my last post, yesterday in the Emperor Birthday, instead of paying a visit to the Imperial Palace, we went to Tokyo Disney Sea, which was SUPER AWESOME with all capitals, but was also super cold. Some of us who lived in Umegaoka went to Aobadai at 5.45 because we’re taking the 6.13 train from Aobadai. We met with people who lived from Aobadai, and then went to take the train. The train wasn’t so crowded but still, some of us have to stand. The sun hadn’t fully showing yet, so the sky was beautiful. We passed through Tamagawa river between Futako-shinchi and Futakotamagawa, and the golden ray reflected by the water made a spectacular view of half light half dark river, but the train was going so fast that no one had the chance to take the picture. After reaching Shibuya, the train continued travelling in Hanzomon line, and then we got off at Nagatacho. We then took the Yurakucho line to Shin-Kiba. In Shin-Kiba, there was already so many people, and we suspected that everyone is going to the Disney Resort. This suspicion was proven right because we arrived at Maihama, the station closest to the Disney Resort, almost everybody went off there. Damn.

‘Tis The Season to be Jolly!

Holiday season is coming! Christmas is coming in three days and this afternoon finally I started feeling excited about it. One of the reason is: tomorrow we’re going to Tokyo Disney Sea!! Yayyyyyyyyyy! *bouncing around my dorm room*

Last night, we had a Christmas Party in our dorm with some YSEP students and friends, and because the common room was too freaking cold even with the heater on, we decided to move to our room. It was a little bit crowded but everyone was able to sit so that was okay. I made the right decision to wash the dishes before the party instead of before I sleep like usual, because otherwise our room would be more than a little bit messy. We ate snacks and drank soft drinks, which were basically the only thing we did that day because in the day we had a party in our last Topic on Japan class in this year, in which I ate snacks until I don’t feel like eating lunch anymore (but still, I ate lunch). The highlight of the party was the Secret Santa, where everybody brought a present (I didn’t, because I thought too much and ended up not buying anything), and then we collected it in a big bag and Santa (that being Jouni), who was accompanied by his reindeer, Rudolph (that being Mans), gave everyone presents. The present ranged from a pooping pig (or was it deer?), a toy gun with a sign to tell people to pick their dog’s poop, to 4 cans of different kind of Boss Coffee (good one, Mr/Ms. I-know-who-you-are :p). After 11 p.m., the guys from Shofu went home and Umegaoka people decided to stay a little bit to have some chat, and somehow we ended up going to bed in 2 a.m. after being scolded by someone because we were chatting in the hallway before we went to our respective room.

Happy Birthday to Me, I guess?

Yesterday, December 19th, was my 21st birthday, which means by Indonesian law I’m now legal to drink alcohol and…. I think that’s all the advantage you get when you’re 21 y.o :| Anyway, there’s a special circumtance in my birthday this time: This is the first birthday I spent away from home. All my life, in my birthdays I’ve always been home with my family. Even after I get into University, I came home even if it wasn’t weekends or holiday. There’s no special celebration really, we just get together, eat something at home or outside, and that’s all. Yet, it felt special. Also, usually every year my friends gave me some surprise by bringing cakes with candles out of nowhere (well, not literally out of nowhere, but you get my point), which are at some points those things aren’t supposed to be surprising anymore, especially of you are in this group of friends who do it on every single birthday of every single person, yet it keeps surprise me because the time and method of the things were random. However, this year it’s not possible to come home because I’m in a place that takes 7 hours by plane to go from home: Japan. So I thought this year’s birthday were gonna pass like every other day, because I don’t really have anyone to celebrate with and even that I have friends here, I don’t really expect anything will happen. People would just say “Happy birthday” and I would say “Thank you” while feeling grateful.

Yet people keep surprising me, in some very, very nice ways :)