It's been exactly one year now since my arrival. I remember that the first thing I did after my arrival was to start working on a paper for a conference. Right now I'm working on a paper for the exactly same conference. Some things never change :-)
It's been an amazing year. I've learned a lot about Japan, its people and culture, and of course lots of stuff related to work. I even learned a few words of Japanese. It has been a great experience. Of course there is still plenty left to discover and learn, but in 3 weeks I'm flying back to Europe.
When I first visited Japan (in 2002) I was very fascinated but I felt that it isn't a place I would want to live forever. I still feel the same way. I'll always be happy to come back, but it's not my world.
Anyway, there is still a lot I want to see, so I'm going on vacation tomorrow. I'll be gone for a week. I'm joining my parents and youngest sister :-)
2007-03-31
2007-03-27
2007-03-26
Cherry Blossoms
Yesterday Tsukuba was covered in a blanket of clouds. It was foggy, it rained, it was a great day to get some work done. Today the sky is blue, sun is shining, and the cherry blossoms started! It's amazing how Tsukuba's appearance changes so dramatically in spring. I had forgotten how beautiful they are. It doesn't seem right to spend the day in the office. I'll have to print out some papers and read them in the park :-)
Too bad I forgot my camera at home... I'd love to take a million pictures.
Too bad I forgot my camera at home... I'd love to take a million pictures.
2007-03-24
Tutoring German
I bet you wouldn't have guessed that I'd end up tutoring German? I'm sure my German teacher in high school never would have :-) However, my karate trainer thought it's something I could do, so I ended up doing it.
Today was my first time, and I really enjoyed it. She's an amazing high school student who decided to teach herself German. She started about 2 months ago. Her parents are extremely friendly people. They had me over for lunch and tea, which was great.
Hey, did you know that in the Japanese version of Pokemon on Nintendo DS there is one character that has a German translation? (But it's one of the weakest, some kind of fish.) I also got to learn a lot about (and hear a lot of) the German music group Dschinghis Khan. Did you know they will be touring Japan in September?
It seems their most famous song is Moskau. Check out this Google Video. BTW, the girls favorite song is Machu Picchu.
If you can recommend any German songs that she might like and that could help her learn German please let me know!
Today was my first time, and I really enjoyed it. She's an amazing high school student who decided to teach herself German. She started about 2 months ago. Her parents are extremely friendly people. They had me over for lunch and tea, which was great.
Hey, did you know that in the Japanese version of Pokemon on Nintendo DS there is one character that has a German translation? (But it's one of the weakest, some kind of fish.) I also got to learn a lot about (and hear a lot of) the German music group Dschinghis Khan. Did you know they will be touring Japan in September?
It seems their most famous song is Moskau. Check out this Google Video. BTW, the girls favorite song is Machu Picchu.
If you can recommend any German songs that she might like and that could help her learn German please let me know!
2007-03-20
Today's Favorite Piece of Music
I came across this while listening to last.fm radio. It's only 20 seconds long. I wish I could do that on the guitar. It doesn't sound that hard...
Invitation to our mental care seminar
I just got this email:
I guess to the Japanese staff most of us living at Ninomiya House seem like we desperately need mental care...
(Ninomiya House is the place I live. The residents are foreign research scientists and their families.)
Hello, this is [deleted] from Ninomiya House office. How are you? Have you already signed up for our mental care seminar on coming Friday, 23rd? [...] Please join this seminar and learn how to [...] maintain satisfying relationships with others. |
I guess to the Japanese staff most of us living at Ninomiya House seem like we desperately need mental care...
(Ninomiya House is the place I live. The residents are foreign research scientists and their families.)
2007-03-17
Waiting for the cherry blossoms and starting to say good bye
I just got back from my last capoeira practice in Japan. I'll miss Norie, Gruiro, Tessore, Neguinho, Raphael, Junior, Himesan, Estudante, Kingi,... all of them are very, very fine people. Even if I don't know how to spell their capoeira names I'll never forget them. Playing capoeira with them and being part of their group was one of the highlights of my stay.
Odd. Yesterday I felt homesick after videoskyping with my sister for 2 hours. Now I feel that it is too soon to leave. BTW, in case you don't know yet, I'm arriving in Vienna on April 21 around midnight. However, I'll only stay until the 24th, then I'll go visit Gwen for a week in France. The two days I'm in Vienna might be very busy because of some work related stuff. If I don't get a chance to see you then, maybe we could meet on May 3rd. I'm not sure when I'll be in Vienna again after that.
Another odd thing is the perception of time. It's seems like I've arrived in Japan only last week. I remember my first impression of Tsukuba as if it all just happened yesterday. I particularly remember the cherry blossoms everywhere and my first earth quake (btw, now I got so used to them that I hardly take notice of them). Soon the cherry blossoms will be every where again. Here is a picture I took at the same place I took the cherry blossom pictures I posted previously (April 1, 2006).
Cherry blossoms are very special, but by far not the only amazing thing in springtime. Plumbs have been blooming for weeks now (and to me they look very similar to cherry blossoms), and there is another tree that is blooming right now, and I've never seen anything like it. The blossoms look like white roses, and they are huge! Here is a picture I took but it's a bit hard to see how big they really are. There is one flower right in the center of the picture which has almost opened all the way.
Odd. Yesterday I felt homesick after videoskyping with my sister for 2 hours. Now I feel that it is too soon to leave. BTW, in case you don't know yet, I'm arriving in Vienna on April 21 around midnight. However, I'll only stay until the 24th, then I'll go visit Gwen for a week in France. The two days I'm in Vienna might be very busy because of some work related stuff. If I don't get a chance to see you then, maybe we could meet on May 3rd. I'm not sure when I'll be in Vienna again after that.
Another odd thing is the perception of time. It's seems like I've arrived in Japan only last week. I remember my first impression of Tsukuba as if it all just happened yesterday. I particularly remember the cherry blossoms everywhere and my first earth quake (btw, now I got so used to them that I hardly take notice of them). Soon the cherry blossoms will be every where again. Here is a picture I took at the same place I took the cherry blossom pictures I posted previously (April 1, 2006).
Cherry blossoms are very special, but by far not the only amazing thing in springtime. Plumbs have been blooming for weeks now (and to me they look very similar to cherry blossoms), and there is another tree that is blooming right now, and I've never seen anything like it. The blossoms look like white roses, and they are huge! Here is a picture I took but it's a bit hard to see how big they really are. There is one flower right in the center of the picture which has almost opened all the way.
2007-03-08
Google Maps & Privacy
It seems possible to get extremely high resolution images using Google maps. In fact, it seems possible to identify different people. Check out this page including examples. Scary isn't it? Here is a direct link to a Google map.
2007-03-04
Snowshoeing in Nikko
Yesterday Asanosan (our group leader) took us on a wonderful hike in Nikko. It was fun to go hiking with colleagues from work, and it was great to see mountains and snow again. The scenery was beautiful. I enjoyed the silence which was only disturbed by the sound of the snow crunching underneath our snowshoes :-)
After the hike we went to an onsen (Japanese hot spring). I don't like very hot water, but somehow I managed to sit in it for a bit. Afterwards I felt amazingly relaxed, it was great :-)
After the hike we went to an onsen (Japanese hot spring). I don't like very hot water, but somehow I managed to sit in it for a bit. Afterwards I felt amazingly relaxed, it was great :-)
2007-03-03
Today's Favorite Song
I usually don't have favorite songs. I have a list of artists I enjoy listening to very much and there are songs I like more than others. But recently I found a song that just instantly puts me in a good mood and which I have listened to almost everyday since I found it.
I found it via the Late Greats blog. You can actually download the full track there. I don't know if that is legal... however, in my case I can argue that I would have never found those artists otherwise. And now I know which album I will buy next :-)
I found it via the Late Greats blog. You can actually download the full track there. I don't know if that is legal... however, in my case I can argue that I would have never found those artists otherwise. And now I know which album I will buy next :-)
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