Tired of being sick

Today I came home early from class as I just couldn't stop coughing my guts out. It was pretty embarrassing as I had to leave the classroom because no-one could hear over me. Then, when I went to ask of it was o.k. to leave my teacher told me to anyway.

So here I am now, sat in bed with a spare hour to write my blog.

I've just had an excellent weekend but feel now that I have somewhat overdone it and am suffering the consequences through my poor health. I've been ill for quite a while now but I'm just not getting any better. Time for sleep and good food.

Anyway, this weekend....
It started on Friday with my dormitory's winter party (it was actually a Christmas party but with there being lots of people who aren't Christian living here it was named winter party for PCness). It was such a brilliant night; almost everyone that lives here came so I managed to finally meet everyone, as well as all the boys off my course even though they weren't actually invited.
The amount of preparation and effort put in to the party was impressive. The dorm had been decorated, gifts for bingo (including a DS) had been bought and beer and food was free and more important, plentiful! The party ended with a 'disco' which was so much fun as I finally got to dance my heart out. You've probably seen the photos on facebook anyway!
I spent Saturday nursing a hangover avec Jay who had come all the way from Kanazawa and then headed to Tokyo early evening to go out with some of my Hosei and Sheffield friends.
Again, it was really good to catch up with everyone. It makes me wish that I had more time to meet up with all my friends from last year and less time learning things such as how to say 'Dutch studies' and 'Autopsy'. You never know, I may meet a Japanese Doctor with an interest in Holland so I can wow him with my specialist vocab about how the dutch introduced the study of anatomy to Japan. Or not.
And then there was Sunday. Another mega fun day! I went to see Daft Punk in Tokyo with more Sheffield people and it was truly immense. The gig was excellent and I spent another day/evening dancing away.
That was the first gig I've seen in Japan so it was really interesting to see any differences... to be honest there weren't that many. I always thought that Japanese people would be relatively reserved at concerts but quite the opposite was true. Everyone was really getting in to it and having a great time. The only noticeable difference I suppose was that I could actually see the artist on stage because I wasn't the shortest person there like I usually am in England.

So that leads me to now... ill again so ready to have a long nap and hopefully feel better soon.

Sayonara!

At long last...

That's right, after a month of complete neglect I'm back at long last to write another entry. I don't think there is ever going to be a time when I don't start with an apology for not writing.

But, what have I been up to?

Well, November has been a crazy busy month and when I look in my diary I am astounded with how much stuff I have managed to cram in in so little time.
Last month I embarked in two part time jobs, resulting in some nice translation work (which I have yet had time to do!) and meeting a really nice girl who I teach English to. I also took Chris to Kyoto for his 21st birthday, an awesome weekend, spent another weekend in Tokyo with my friend Jay, went camping on another weekend, and attended an international high school festival. All the while doing numerous essays, quizzes, presentations and mid-semester exams. I'm tired just thinking about it all.

I'll start with the boring stuff- the school work.
The classes that I take that are in English are very simple but take up time with the amount of reading I have to keep up with. I never did anywhere near as much reading at Shef. Especially since reading only ever takes place the night before an essay is due.
The Japanese classes range from being difficult to nice and manageable. I did pretty well in all my exams for the Japanese classes so I'm pretty chuffed. I even managed to come top of the class in one, beating the Chinese and Koreans. (Just to explain, we have a general hate for them because they have a much easier time learning Japanese than us, what with having the same writing system and grammar. Jammy b*****ds.!)

The camp that I went on really wasn't a camp in the traditional sense of the word. Rather than sleeping in tents we had lush dorm rooms and instead of cooking over a good old camp fire we had use of a huge kitchen. Japanese just don't know the meaning of the word camp.
Anyway, the camp was run by one of Yokohama university's international societies which is aimed at the students who can speak Japanese. Because of this almost everyone was Korean or Chinese, with me and a 5 others standing out as the only western faces there!
During the camp we were put in to teams and spent a day preparing a presentation to give to the whole group the next day. I spent a lot of it pretty baffled but managed to do my (albeit very simple) bit.
It was a really good experience as I met loads of fun people and was a great opportunity to speak lots of Japanese.

I have got so much on in December too- most of it fun stuff to be honest! Lots of Christmas parties (hopefully I'll be able to get my first taste of clubbing in Tokyo), going to see Daft Punk on Sunday, and heading to Australia for Christmas with Chris and his family.
I'm looking forward to spending Christmas in Australia a huge amount. Not only will it be massively awesome to have a hot Xmas (it's freeeeeeezing here!) but it'll be nice spending it with Chris's family, being able to eat Christmassy food, but It'll be nice to have a break from the constant barrage of Homework and tests that I get.
Last time I was in Japan for Christmas, even though I spent it in Disneyland, it was a tad lame not being at home. Made me really homesick. Hopefully that wont be the case this year.

Well, it's one in the morning now and I have to be up at 7 so I really should go to bed even though I'm not in the slightest bit tired. I'll do some Kanji, that always swiftly sends me to sleep!


p.s. Some good news, I managed to make up with the pigeons in Kyoto. The ones here still hate me though

The Racist Pigeon

There were lots of issues about Japan that I really wanted to write about on this blog when I got time such as how irritating it is that Japanese people wont bend any rules no matter how menial or pointless they are but unfortunately I am going to have to save that rant for another day. You see, yesterday I had the most horrific and perhaps embarrassing moment of my life.

I encountered a racist bird.


So the story goes like this-

I was standing with my Japanese friend Yui outside of Yokohama Station, just chatting away whilst waiting for my friend Josie to arrive. It was a normal, pleasant day and I was talking about all the things that I want to buy whilst here but can't afford. There were lots of people stood around or passing through the station too.
We were minding our own business when I see from the corner of my eye a mangy pigeon. Next thing I know it's flapping in my face so I swipe it away thinking that'll get rid of the little bugger but to my horror it comes back for more. So there I am, in the middle of a crowd of Japanese people, having my face and eyes pecked by a bloody pigeon. And it wouldn't leave. There was nothing to do but flail my arms wildly, scream and run like a mad woman. It even followed me into the station.
At some point in my mad rush to escape death by flea-bitten bird the pigeon disappeared. Thank God. I was so shocked that all I could do was stand grasping my chest looking terrified. Whilst being stared at by about 50 Japanese people. Nice.
After being comforted by Yui we discussed why the pigeon was so intent on killing me. She said it must be because I have a nice smell. Bu I know the real reason. It saw my hair, my eyes, my face and thought 'bloody Gaijin (foreigner), get out of my country'.
Even the birds hate foreigners here. Sigh, that's life in a homogeneous, racist place.

I have recovered from the horror of it but I think from now on I am always going to be scared of pigeons. And all other Japanese birds. And going outside.

Lodging!

This weekend has been really good as I went 'camping' with Chris and all his friends from Rikkyo university. I use '' marks because it could only be loosely defined as camping since we stayed in a lush log cabin rather than tents.
The place we went to was called Okutama and it's about 2 hours out of Tokyo. Going there felt really bizarre because it seemed like the gray suburbs of Tokyo went on forever then suddenly we came out of the horrible gray mass of buildings into huge mountains that were covered in trees. It was very beautiful.
It made me feel really nostalgic because it reminded me of the village I lived in the first time that I was in Japan in Hyogo-ken. It makes me want to go back and visit all my friends that are there...

Everyone from Chris' uni seem nice and really fun. It was quite nerve-racking at the beginning of the trip as I didn't know anybody and everyone knew a bit about me through Chris. There was no need to worry though as everyone was chatty and wanted to know why on earth I was going out with Chris as he is so rude to them (joking. But seriously!).
The campsite was right by a river where everyone gathered to have barbeque's and drink. There were a few problems with lighting fires at first since nobody had a fire making qualification from scouts but after a heavy dosing of paraffin the fires soon got going. I didn't actually eat much of the food since the choice was either meat or meat. I snuck off to a supermarket to buy my dinner... good job I did or I would have ended up very drunk from lack of sustenance. Actually, I ended up very drunk anyway!
In the morning I got up stupidly early (8.00!!!!!) to go to a local onsen. I was too tired and hungover to even talk but at least I didn't smell of bonfires anymore.
Overall a really good trip.

So much to do, so little time!

Sorry about how irregular and late my blogging is already; it seems that even though I have only been here for two weeks my little schedule book is quickly filling up and finding time between studying Japanese, going out with all the other international students and harassing Japanese people to write my blog is really difficult.

This week is the second week of lessons at Yokohama and I think I am getting used to the regime already. Luckily for me, because Yokohama is a national university, the timetable isn't so difficult and quite different from the stereotypical view of Japanese working hard at all hours of the day.
University is a three year holiday for Japanese between the hell of Cram school when they are in High School and the ridiculous pressure of joining the working world. It's not so difficult for us international students on our year abroad; the 'Joy program' that we partake in here is nicely renamed the 'enjoy program'.

On the second day of being at Yokohama we were all forced to take a placement test... it was awful! From the test I got placed in an intermediate group which I was quite disappointed with to be honest but I gave it a chance and went to the first class anyway.
The class was horrendous- I had studied everything before in my first year (Kanji, vocab, grammar etc.) so was incredibly bored and inspired to complain about the level I had been put in. Anyway, it turned out that I had been marked down for the harder class as well (probably due to Maria, the exchange girls from Sheffield that was here last year) so I was allowed to change classes no problem.
The harder classes are so much better. They are actually challenging and even though I don't understand anything at the beginning I know what is going on by the end of the (1.30 hour long!!!!) class. Other than Japanese lessons I do some random modules taught in English which are very similar to those back at Sheffield so they are nice and easypeasy but difficult to stay awake in.

In my time off I either come back home and study Japanese as I'm quite behind after not doing any work all summer or go for lunch, dinner with friends.
I can see already that it is very easy to get into the habit of not speaking Japanese and clinging together with other international students so I am going to make an extra effort to meet more Japanese people and chat pointless crap.

That is a picture of my lovely little box room! I hated it when I first moved in because it was so empty and boring but I have bought lots of random stuff for it so it feels much more like home. The best buy is my massive rug so it feels like I have a carpet and can sit comfortably on the floor. Just need to buy more mugs so I can have people over for tea now...

Righto, I'm off to see Chris in Tokyo now, I promise I will write more often in the future!

Made it!

I'm finally here! I feel tired, busy, stressed, excited, confused... a bit of everything really. I've been so busy since getting here last Friday that I have barely had time to sit down.
It's three in the afternoon at the moment and since my classes finished at 12 today I have the afternoon free to get my room sorted, contact people and, more importantly, relax for a bit.

So I guess I shall start from my first day then. There is so much to tell that I will make it brief, I really can't talk about everything.

I got to the airport ok after a 12 hours slog on the plane and was picked up by a rather late Chris. I was incredibly happy to see him again so I didn't mind too much though. Then we went straight to my friends Saoris house where I stayed for a few days which was great because I was so tired and her family were really nice. They kept me well fed so I was a happy Liz.
In my first few days I didn't anything touristy around Tokyo but met up with friends from my class who are also studying in Japan and some Japanese friends that were in Sheffield last year. It was really nice to see everyone again and good to know that there are already friends here.

I came to Yokohama on Wednesday and this is the first time since coming that I have had a decent enough amount of time to make an entry.
So far everyone I have met seems very nice and lots of people that are keen to go out and have fun. I went out with some of my senpai last night (the study abroad students that have been here since last April) and a couple of guys who also do the 'JOY' program. I had a really good time and it made a really good night out. We all went to an izakaya (Japanese pub) that served Chinese and Japanese food. I tried lots of random food and drank lots of cheap beer that has given me a rather nasty hangover today. And then , of course, we went for some Karaoke!
Now, I know that my singing voice isn't up to scratch but being rather tipsy and having already been made to do the first song along with one of the other new students anyway I decided to sing along to every song no matter what it was.
Off out tonight too as it's another course friends birthday. More of the same I think!

The dorms that I am living in seem quite nice. There is a ping pong table on every floor which is good random fun. Haven't had a chance to do it yet mind.
My room is really bare at the moment and I have a million things that I need to buy for it. I think when I have got all the stuff I need sorted it will be quite a nice room. It's bigger than most hall rooms i've seen before and I have my own kitchen and bathroom which is really good.

If anyone wants to send me any lovely things (please????) my address is-

Elizabeth Leigh
Foreign Student House of Y.N.U C318
2-31-1, O-oka, Minamiku
Yokohama-shi, KANAGAWA
232-0061
JAPAN

and if you're ever really bored send me and email to my brand new shiny phone on lizbuff@ezweb.ne.jp

Work and worrying

On monday I started my first day of full time work which will go on for the next three weeks until I head off to Japan. The job involves inputing all the new students registration details for the University Health Service. So everyday I type in to the Emis system every students name, date of birth, address and contact details. Again and again and again. And that's it. As I'm sure you can imagine, this isn't the most mentally stimulating work so ends up in games involving registration numbers, the the highlight of the day being that I won because I got the number 90,000, and hypothesizing on what name I would like to have instead of Lizzy. Again, that's it really. Hopefully in a week or so I will be upgraded to using the scanner but I doubt it. I'm computerally incompetant so there isn't much point trying to teach me how to use a new machine and system.

The large 'to do' list is gradually getting smaller, I have bought my flight, insurance and have finally got the things I need to get my visa sorted through the post. In light of that I headed down to London for the day to the embassy. Unfortunatley it only took five minutes to get everything sorted for the visa but I had a ticket for the whole day which my mum had bought a while ago; I had no idea what to do for the six hours I had left to waste in London after I has sorted my visa. Normally I would quite enjoy a trip to the capital but have grown less fond of the big cities recently so would rather have spent the day at work. And that's saying somehting.
I did pop in to the massive Oxford Street Primark, it was mental. Unlike Primarks which are up North it has quite a lot of fashionable clothes and it isn't full of over-weight single mothers who have probably never had a job. The shop has a slight sense of hysteria to it- the lingering feeling that everyone is competing for the best bargain and no shelf or clothes rack will remained unsearched. Because of the madness that Primark imparts on people I couldn't really be bothered to get involved so just bought 18 pairs of sock and went on my way.
The big things that I have left to do now are 1.Pack 2.Sort out Japanese work 3.Remember all my Japanese.

Along with the forms for the visa a letter from Yokohama arrived in the post. This letter tells me stuff like where I'll be staying, how to get to Yokohama and so on. But more worryingly it has informed me that the I will have a test on the second day in Yokohama. This test places me in the group that is most suitable to my level of Japanese. I have to try hard because it is really important not to be put in a lower level group; even though it will mean I have a fun year it will be highly detrimental to my fourth year back in Sheffield

Chris flew to Japan on Thursday. I've been very worried for him and haven't been able to sleep well because of it but everything seems o.k. and he's settling in fine.

Phew.

イベント紹介

「JapanSociety」はメンバーのために、色々なイベントを良く催します。日本語が話せるとか日本語が習いたいメンバーのために、タンデムラーニングと始め、英語は話したい日本人と会えるイベントがあります。しかし、楽しむことが大好きな人々のために、その人々は日本語が全然わからなくても、日本に興味があったら、行きたいイベントもあるでしょう。

私もアリスもJapanSocietyの委員になってから、宿題までする時間がないほど忙しくなりました。私達はジェネラル委員として知られていますが、実際にほかのメンバーより私達のほうが親切で、めったに委員会の会合を休みませんから、私もアリスももっといいタイトルがあったほうがいいと思います。（笑！）

毎年、Jsocはクリスマス・パーティーがあります。一年生の時に、勿論言って、すごく楽しかったです。
それから、今年のクリスマス・パーティーを準備するために、委員がいりました。そして、私は忙し過ぎるにもかかわらず、Jsocの会長のろにさんは「助けてくれる人は誰」と聞いた時、私はボランティアをせずにはいられませんでした。決めた後で、良い所を探したり、切符を売ったりしなくてはいけませんでした。
最初に、切符は十ポンドもしましたから、全部売れるかどうか心配していましたが、皆早く買ってくれました。

なんでそのパーティーは印象に載っているかの理由は、もう日本に帰った友達のもコースの友達も来たからです。その上、私達の一番好きな日本語の先生さえ来ました。

パーティーに行く前に、買っておいたキラキラする緑のドレスを着ることにしましたが、全然きれいな服を着ないので、ちょっと恥ずかしいと思いました。でも、皆は高くて、きれいな服を着ましたから、問題がありませんでした。特に、アリスはきれいでした。

パーティーの間に、責任が二つありました。一つ目の責任は全部の委員と踊ることでした。アリスはトナカイのルドルフのような服を着て、かわいいダンスをさせられました。また、ジェイは、ダンスのために、ドレスを着ていました！それはとてもおはしかったですが、ちょっと変でした。果たして、私はすごく酔っていましたから、このダンスを忘れてしまいました。笑！
二つ目の責任は、レドミルと言うクラブに皆を連れて行くことでした。それはよく成功しました。
それから、終わったところで、皆は酔っていたし、恥ずかしいことがたくさんあったし、楽しかったですから、私に一番良い夜でした。

自分が受けている授業

去年、一年が終わりつつある時、来年の授業を選ばなくてはいけないと言われました。それについて全然考えていませんでしたから、それはめんどくさいと思いました。それから、できる授業を調べて、ちょっとがっかりました。なぜなら、つまらなそうな授業か難しそうな授業しかなかったからです。私はジェンダー論に興味を持っていて、ジェンダーの授業がありましたが、四年生のためですから、選ばないほうがいいと思いました。

そして、この問題を解決するように、知恵の源のジョセフと言う先輩と話すしかなかったんです。彼は私に「日本の政治について考えたことがあるんのか。とてもいいコースで、政治の先生もちょう面白いと思う。」と言いました。
日本政治の先生は「Hugo・Dobson」と言って、実は三年前シェフィールド大学へ初めて来た時、Hugoに会って、彼は日本の本をすすめてくれました。
元々は、彼はリーズ大学で歴史と政治を勉強していて、その後、日本に興味を持つようになりました。だから、いい先生だと思います。

最初に、コースの友達は皆「日本語進化論」と言うコースを選んでいたので、授業のサイズは小さいはずでしたが、その授業はキャンセルされてしまいましたから、今、授業のサイズは前よりもっと大きくて、二十人います。

どうしてこの講義を選択することにしたでしょう。理由はいっぱいあって、まず先輩のアドバイスのことですが、また、私は政治を勉強したことがないのに、新しい情熱が探せるかもしれないと思いました。よくいわれていることとうらはらに、政治はとても面白いです。得に日本の政治も面白いです。
日本の政治とイギリスの政治と違って、あまり民主的じゃないと言われていますが、この講義のおはげで、それを信じません。日本の政治は民主的ではなくなく、実施にほかの国も民主的ではないと思います。

このコースにおいて、色々な政治のことを習っています。例えば、私のクラスメイトのサリーさんが「LDP」と言う政治についてプレゼンテションをさせられました。　LDPは１９５５年まで権力をなくさずに、主要政治として残っています。それはとても面白いと思います。

つまり、日本の政治を選んでから、私の学生の生活に少しずつ満足していますから、すごくハッピーです。

シェフィールド・キャンパス案内

私はシェフィールド大学の「Students Union」が大好きです。イギリスでシェフ大学の「Students Union」は一番良い「Students Union」で、毎年、学生の雑誌に一位に選ばれます。
Student Unionと言うのは、友達と遊びに行ったり、パソコンを使ったりできる毎日開いている所んことです。Students Unionについて話したいことがいっぱいありますから、このブログがちょっと長くなって、全部説明しにくいでしょう。
Students Unionの一番大切な事は、学生のために、学生に支配されている事だと思います。ユニオンを支配するのに、ユニオンの委員が八人いて、委員によって、それぞれの責任が違います。例えば、女性委員という人は女性に対する問題を処理するのに対して、スポーツ委員という人はスポーツのサークルを組織したり、スポーツのイベントを提供したりしなければいけません。
シェフ大学のユニオンには、色々な便利な商品を売っている店は勿論、安いバーとギャラリーと言う所もあります。そして、ギャラリーと言えば、そこに行くと、まず「Give-it-a-go」と言う
プログラムがある「SourceDesk」が見えて、シェフィールドの情報の掲載がある本棚があります。それに、試験がある間、勉強できるように、２４時間ギャラリーが使えます。
イギリスの大学生は日本人の学生と違って、お酒を飲むことが大好きなものです。だから、たいてい、イギリス人の学生は何かにつけて、授業があっても、お酒を飲みます。その学生は卒業するまでにアル中になりかねないようで、私までユニオンに行けば行くほど、ビールを飲まずにいられません。そして、九時の授業に二日酔いながら、行きがちです。
勿論、シェフ大学はユニオンだけではなくて、教育機関もあります。シェフ大学の図書館は大きくて、「Reading Room」とパソコンの部屋トスタックスと言う所に三つからなります。「Reading Room」では、話してはいけなくて、よくすごく込んでいます。あなたが私のように、うるさく話さずにはいられなかったら、行ける適切な所はスタックスです。そこであまり人々がいませんから、話したいだけはなしてもいいです。
最後シェフ大学はシティ・センターから遠くないので「Students union」がつまらなくなると、シティ・センター　へ買い物しに行けるし、面白いカフェで昼ご飯が食べられますから、すぐ又楽しめるはずです。
つまり、このように、私はシェフィールド出身なのに、このようないい点のおかけで、まだシェフィールドが大好きです。シェフィールド大学で留学しようと思っていたら、ぜび来てください！

自己紹介

みんな、リジーのブログへようこそ！

はじめまして。シェフィールド大学で
一年半ぐらい日本語を勉強していて、ホーム・タウンまでシェフィールドのリジーリーです。ようろしく。
日本語を始めたきっかけは、日本人の友達です。二年前に六ヶ月初めて日本に住んでいました。その時、私は日本語が全然分からなかったのに、はりま自立の家と言う車いすの所で働いたから、色々な人々と友達になりました。又会えるように、日本に帰ったほうがいいと思いました。だから、私の希望は、次の会える時に、もっと上手な日本語が使えることです。

ごめんなさい。。。私の日本語はまだあまり良くなくても、我慢してください！

元々はビジネス学とアジア学勉強するつもりでした。でも、ビジネスなんて、私に大変つまらないと思って、ビジネスを勉強する代わりに、今日本語を勉強しています。自分にたいして、この決定は一番いい事でしょう。

コースからの固い友達はアリス、ジェイ、おさるのようなクリスです。（ほかのコースの友達はこのブログを読めば、ごめんなさい！あなたも大好きですよ）。時々、私達は互いに憎み合うようなのに、実は大大大大好きです。私もジェイもアリスもJapan Societyの委員会のメンバーで、私もアリスも同じアルバイトをしています。このように、私とアリスは色々な点で似ています。

実際に二年生ですが、来年日本のコースのために、日本に行かなくてはいけなくて、本当はすぐ三年生になりたいんです。日本に帰りたい理由はいっぱいありますが、一度説明してみたいです。
まず、去年の夏休みに北海道に住んでおかけで、私の日本語の話し方が上達して、九月から、Jsocのイベントを通し、留学生の日本人と友達になりました。その友達はイギリスで五ヶ月しか留学しなかったので、もう日本に帰りました。それは残念ながら、次の九月に私が日本へ行ったら、皆と又会えて、楽しめるでしょう。

別の理由は、日本が大好きなことです。日本に行くと、いつも楽しくて、面白かったです。最近、先生は私が横浜国立大学に入ることにしました。そして、横国にすごく行きたかったですから、私はとてもラッキーだと思います。その上、去年横国に行った先輩に横浜について質問を聞いたばかりで、彼によると横浜は楽しい所だそうです。でも、私はお酒を飲むことを始め、厳しくない事がしたいからと言って、日本に居る間、日本語を頑張らないと言うわけではありません。

私のブログを読んでくれてありがとうごさいました！

My third blog

This is my third blog page thingy that I have made and it will hopefully be the last- I seem to have lost the other two.

Anyway, I'll use this to keep in contact whilst I am in Japan, rather than sending irritating group emails. So you only have to see how I'm getting on if you actually care!
I'm (hopefully, if I can be bothered) going to post in both Japanese and in English with all the Japanese stuff that I should have done about six months ago added in at some point.
The English bits will be about what I've been up to and the Japanese bits, if you can't read them, will be entirely random bits of information so you wont be missing out on anything there.

I finally booked by ticket at Sta Travel today; I'm off on the 28th of September so have plenty of time left to get ready. I'm sure it will fly by though and I will be just as unprepared the week before I leave as I am now.
Still, I hope I get to see everyone before I go... if not see you there or after I get back!