My life in Japan. November 21, 2010

It’s been a few months and I guess I need to update everyone what’s happening to me in Japan, 3000 miles away from my home sweet home. Also, to inform those, who have no idea where I am now, of my current status. lol.

I’m back to Japan on the 6th September 2010, after being accepted by Waseda University’s School of Political Science and Economics, and started school officially on the 27th September 2010.

For about one month, I’ve stayed with my Japanese friend while looking for my own apartment. Didn’t consider living in the dorm as it’s expensive, small, and far away from school(like, 50 minutes away by train and bus). I know, it’s a DORM, so it should be near to school right? Apparently not. The dorms which are located nearer to the school are for 1) foreign exchange students who are only going to be there for 1 year, 2) athletes who have their transport fees all paid for.

So in the end, I shifted to a place called Chikatetsu-akatsuka, which is 13 minutes away from my favorite Ikebukuro and about 20 minutes away from my second favorite Shibuya.

After settling down at my new apartment, I found a job that allows me to teach English according to my schedule. That seriously earns me quite an amount of money for my survival and for my school fees for the next Semester. I can’t really say out loud how much I’m earning right now, but I am definitely earning more than the cabarets/hostesses/girls’ bar bartenders, which are supposed to be the top earning part-time job in Japan for Japanese girls.

As for the scholarship, the system in Japan is as follows: you have to pay the full amount of the school fees, before they can reimburse you with the scholarship. Like.. HELLO?! It’s called “financial aid” for a reason. If I have the money in the first place, why would I apply for the “AID”?!

But nevertheless, I’m still thankful for JASSO for feeding me with money every month. =)

Also, I’ve joined our school’s dance team “Waseda University Breakerz” and started practicing with the seniors with Rose, my sweet Taiwanese friend. I’m spending almost everyday of my life in Japan with her. Even when we meet new guys, we meet them together. *winks*

As for now, my plan for this Winter is to 1) if I can manage to earn enough money this Winter, I’ll go back home and celebrate Christmas, 2) find myself a good guy and spend a good date with him during Xmas, 3) celebrate Xmas with a group of people. =)

But right now, I’m craving for butter-flavored potato chips…

Travel Itinerary + 貧乏大作戦(Operation Yen) November 22, 2008

Gladys’ Winter Japan Itinerary’s out!

Dec 17, 2008

Depart:  6:00 AM(SIN)

Arrive:  1:50 PM(NRT)

Duration: 6 hr 50 min

Northwest Airlines 20

If you don’t want to miss me for a long time, please be nice and come send me off at.. hmm.. 5AM? haha. Just kidding, please continue your sleep, and so I’ll forget about your presents too!(*evil grin*) jkjk

Okay people! For once in Gladys Tan’s life, she’s going to plan her finance for her trip to Japan this Winter.

It’s a do-or-die thing, because my budget’s really tight this time. It owes to my Impulsive Retail Therapy again.. lol. But well, I bought my Winter necessities in SG so I don’t have to buy them in Japan! (I hope I won’t.. cross fingers*)

Let’s calculate the Pessimistic plan first…

Min. amount I should have by Dec 16th: $2390 = 149,375 yen

Transport(+2-way limo-bus) = 36,000yen

CNY Kidnap plan = 86,437.50yen

________________________________________________________

Amt. left to spend on food and shopping = 26937.50 yen

GREAT……

________________________________________________________

Okay, let’s calculate the Optimistic Plan (how I’m lovin’ this. lol)

Min. amount I should have by Dec 16th: $2750 = 171,875yen

Transport(+2-way limo-bus) = 36,000yen

CNY Kidnap plan = 86,437.50yen

________________________________________________________

Amt. left to spend on food and shopping = 49,437.50yen

________________________________________________________

Conclusion is, I’m really poor. lol. But there’s a way of saving money. Stay at home most of the days~ which is not bad at all. =))

So… what else did I not buy yet? LOL.

Purpose? (Friends) November 21, 2008

Just last week, I was so happily preparing all the itineraries and stuffs to pack for my trip to Japan, and now, I feel so tired. lol. Maybe I prepared too early? Or am I just not in the mood?

I’m flying on the 17th Dec, and guess what, I have to wake up like 3++am in the morning for a damn 6AM flight. Alright, I’m not gonna sleep. lol.

I’m going for a longer hiatus this time round, but I’m not really anticipating it as much as before. Except for being able to strut off my Winter fashion on the streets of Tokyo. lol.

Hopefully, my stay this time round can be a little more fruitful and enjoyable. One thing that I look forward though, is to meet the familliar faces of friends in Senshu. heh. Quoting from Kentaro “Kenshukan is the Ghetto man!” hands up!

Suddenly, I forgot what’s my purpose of going to Japan for sooo long. lol. Then I realised, “oh, to visit my boyfriend (and his friends).” lol.

I’ll really miss all my friends and my family in Singapore during my stay in Japan. Because they let me know my self-worth and recognise my importance. =)

So.. What should I buy in Japan? LOL.

I’m back down to Earth. October 7, 2008

I’ve been slapping myself back to reality since last week. I need to get back my nice image, so…

1) Extreme Retail Therapy

Omg, I now understand why women love to shop so much. LOL. However, I bought mainly beauty products, such as the DKNY Apple Delicious perfume, Exfoliating scrub, Slimming Gel, Facial Toner and Moisturizer, and lastly a set of lingerie. Okay, then I feel so good about myself, but when I looked into the mirror, something’s not right. So i went to pluck my eyebrow at Erabelle. Oh god, they’re so good with it, such that I look so much more spirited(and prettier, lol).

2) Studies

I am SO engrossed with my studies that I forgot everything else other than that. I want to learn so much more things that my hair is tingling with excitement of what I will learn tomorrow. I don’t want to lose!!

3) Exercise

Been hitting California Fitness with Xinni(Chia) these few days and really feel SO good about myself after all the workouts, steam bath and sauna. THIS IS LIFE!! woot~ haha. I will be starting my dance lessons from 16th October onwards, hopefully I’ll be able to pick it up again. I bet my stamina is so darn lousy now. Lol.

4) Work

Work hasn’t been too bad because I use most of my time to study. But despite of the 6 days work week, I’m going to use my break day to work too! Will be guiding Japanese high school students around Singapore! So I now declare that I’m going to use my super power battery all the way until… 23rd Oct~! How does that sound like? Ah, but actually, I’m using my off days for dance lessons too, so.. LOL.

I am Glad. Really glad. =)

Test June 26, 2011

Nerve-wrecking Interview May 22, 2010

Time really flies. When I realized, I have not been blogging for 1 1/2 years already. But that doesn’t mean that I have wasted my life (I hope not lol.)

After blogging on Mixi in Japanese for the longest time, it’s kinda weird for me to blog in English again. But rest assure that I’ve NOT forgotten my English command.

As most of you may have already know by now (if you follow my status updates on FB closely), I had an interview today with the Professors from Waseda University through video conferencing at Waseda-Shibuya High School. Seriously, I have never thought it would be so much more nerve-wrecking than meeting VVIPs.

There were 3 persons before me.

First person was equipped in full lounge suit, and speaks American English. He said he was being asked A LOT about his application essay. He went in for 35 minutes.

Second person just wore a short sleeve collared shirt, came out after 35 minutes as well, said the same thing but.. unfortunately, as she didn’t write the essay on her own, she couldn’t answer some of the questions. In my mind, seriously I was thinking, even if someone helped you to write it, shouldn’t you have seen it through before the interview?!

The third person‘s a young Japanese lady who has been to International School in Singapore, but she doesn’t speak Japanese. Her Mum was rather surprised and delighted when I started to talk to her in Japanese, and complained to me that her daughter can’t speak Japanese. When she came out from the video conference room, she couldn’t stop complaining “they are SO STRICT!! and they asked me SO MUCH about my essay”. She, was in there for 30 minutes or so.

Then, it was my turn.

I went in, did self-introduction, being asked a number of questions regarding my experience in my work, my well-established portfolio, my future ambitions, what subject I am most interested to learn in GLOPE and my relationship with the Japanese Language.

I told the Japanese teacher that the very first Japanese “thing” that I had chanced upon was “Natto”, and he’s like “NATTO?!?!?!?!?!” and the other 2 Professors laughed. Then I explained that I really love eating Natto with raw eggs, and since then I’ve tried a lot of Japanese food, which are readily available in Singapore. Then I further told them how influenced we are by the Japanese, in terms of commodities, culture and people.

At the end of the interview, the Professors commented: 「面白いですね」 (You’re interesting.)

And? I only went in for 20 minutes and I wasn’t being asked about my application essay AT ALL. WHY?!?!?!

*shock*

Control. December 5, 2008

In my 21 years of my life, I have not been so bad-tempered and easily irritated before. It’s making me feel really bad about myself, and I feel sorry towards him too. I’m not going to let my emotions come over me anymore, because I will CONTROL.

This is what I’ve got through some soul-searching last night before I sleep. And I thought it may be good to share with you all who may be facing friendship/relationship/family problems.

C = Confidence; Believe in what you see, what you choose, and most importantly, believe in yourself.

O = Orientated, socially; One has to be equally balanced, no one can live happily without their life partner/family/friends.

N = Neutral; No one is perfect in this world. If he/she does not subscribe to your beliefs, let it be, because that’s him/her, and you’ve chose to be with him/her.

T = Tenderness; Everyone tends to remember all the agony and bad things associated to the person, but forgot all the love and tenders they got from the same person.

R = Rational; Sometimes, our emotions ride on our head and we do or say things that are hurtful to our loved ones. But at the end of the day, you know you will hurt yourself the most.

O = Obviate; If you know you are going to do something bad/hurting, just remember one super-duper good thing about that person, and I think it can be stopped.

L = Learn (your lesson); Never repeat the same old vicious cycle again.

The once forgotten, is now remembered. I will not let any bad emotions ride over me again, because a lifetime’s too short to be in agony even for a second.

I will Control. =)

Girls night IN. =) October 5, 2008

Chun, Jos and Ni stayed over at my place on Friday night till Saturday morning.

It’s been so long since they’ve last stayed over at my place, and I feel so loved. They are absolutely the ones whom I can trust the most for advice since all 4 of us have really different characters and opinions. Everytime when we spill our troubles out, problems regarding family, friendship and relationships, I really feel at ease and felt that I’m being healed. Though I may have many friends, but I realise at the end of the day, there are many friends that don’t know who I am. Partially because, I don’t show them who I really am.

Being with the girls make me feel like I am me again. I can tell them every little tiny pieces of secret within me, with so much ease that I feel good. lol. I think Jos is right. Though we know that we may have little conflicts at time, at the end of the day, we’ll still be as good.

Jos: Though you told Lieqi about… but somehow or rather, I can’t get mad at you. LOL. All the best for your first flying experience and.. HMM.. yah. TRY HARDER. LOL.

Ni: I like you when you’re with us, and I know you like it too! So you don’t have to change ‘cos you’ll always be important in our heart!!

Chun: OMG, I love your cool way of handling relationship! You’re my aim, woman. Haha. After talking to you, you let me found myself once again.

Love you girls~!

Trust. October 3, 2008

I know I have been on hiatus for a super long time again. Lol. Well, when something major happens in Gladys’ life, she doesn’t really blog that much if you have already noticed. I’m not really sure how long am I going to continue posting new posts this time round, but I’ll definitely write if I’ve inspirations that suddenly springs upon me. =)

Trust. I used to think that, it’s really easy to trust in a relationship, so I didn’t really understand why couples quarrel. However, being in a relationship myself now, it really takes a great deal to trust your love one. Oh! But I still stand firm to the point of “argument-free relationship”. Why make your life bad when you know at the end of the day, while you’re hurting him/her, you’ll get double the pain? I don’t understand the logic at all. Hmm.. Maybe someday I’ll quarrel(playfully) with my husband about “I don’t wanna change diapers for baby..” or “My hands are turning jelly, so I can’t cook today..”. LOL. But I’ll still do it anyway~ Haha.

Okay, back to topic.

As some of you may have already know(’cause I’ve been saying that I missed him..lol), my love one was already far apart from me(Japan and Singapore), but now he’s flew to America for studies, and we’re like.. 11 hours apart now. It is so hard for us to talk, as when I’m awake, he’s asleep and vice versa. However, we still manage to talk for close to an hour each time on MSN. Honestly speaking, I was rather upset and disappointed by the fact that he can’t talk to me much, but I knew it can’t be help. So I’m rather contented the way things are now. Because.. hey, he bothers to talk to me even when he’s busy/tired! That really means a lot to me.. At the beginning, I kept thinking “where is he now?”, “is he having lots of fun till he’s forgotten about my presence?”, “is he falling for another person?”, etc etc. Then gradually, I realised, and I’ve learnt that, to trust, it has to be from the heart.

It doesn’t mean that he/she doesn’t love/think of you when both of you are far apart. In fact, he/she who’s sleeping next right to you now, may be thinking of another man/woman! It’s not about the physical distance, but the mental distance. Something will always be inside your heart that makes you wriggle with joy; something you’re so proud to have that it warms you up whenever you think of it; and something you embrace with so much enthusiasm and contentment that you feel that you’re not in this world.

I believe, so far in my life, only one person has made me felt this way. And I hope he’ll always be the only one who can make me feel this way. =)

I trust you. S.H.M.I.L.Y.

I think too much. June 22, 2008

Okie, ignore my post yesterday. heh. =)