Here I am in the land of the rising sun, however corny that sounds. For the past 6 days, life has been very good, very very good indeed.
For example,
this look harmless enough
but what's this?
Oh, it's a camera!
Yup, I went to the digital city and got myself a brand new sony cyber-shot the Japanese model for 27 000 yen = RM810 (An early birthday gift from very very good friends). Why the Japanese model as in having the menu all in Japanese? A. Cause its way cheaper than the overseas model (around 42 000 yen). B. Cause its way cheaper than the overseas model (if I had the money I would not be explaining this).
The store attendant was sooo nice. His name is Te and he speaks better English than most would assume. He was the one who recommended me the camera and provided me with the English guidebook knowing how wonderful my Japanese is. But its fun having an authentic Japanese gadget like my sony. One thing at least everybody will know that I got it in Japan (show-off). Secondly, it would help me with my almost non-existent Japanese.
Which reminds me, classes started today. The first class that we had was Basic Japanese. Now I've always been indifferent to placement tests of any kind, but the Japanese placement test that we had made me feel like a bad-*ss school kid whose main purpose going to school is not to learn but to piss off the teacher or something like that. Yes, the reason for the test is to filter us into two classes, the beginners and the intermediate. With my Japanese language education back home, it gave me an added advantage to be placed in the first class. Despite how the name might suggest, and knowing the extent of my personal tutoring of the language, it would be obvious to which group I belong. Thankfully, I shall not be alone as some of my American comrades are standing along the same line.
Funny thing is, I think I did pretty okay in the oral test. I understood most of the questions although I replied most of them in English. But outside of the classroom, with the help of Bertlitz Phrasebook courtesy of my brother Adi, I can pretty much survive.
So far, I have
1. worn a Yukata.
2. went to a summer festival.
3. eaten Tenpura with Soba noodles in a traditional soba noodle shop.
4. ridden on the Tokyo Metro for more than 5 times.
5. went to an outdoor rock gig that happens twice a year in Ueno Park.
6. eaten raw Mackerel and regretted it.
Lets just hope I won't be too lazy to write them all in this blog. (My poor lil bloggie, you need some tender loving care, don't you?)
NOTE: Kirim salam kat semua kat Malaysia.
