Year 2010

Already the end of the year.

It was super busy, time-flying year:

After 2 years in Burkina as volunteer, I went back once to Japan in March but after one month short vacation, I went back to Burkina again to continue a job in the same place. 

However, a huge devil in my stomach made me go back home "again" in May.

Then in September, I came over to England.

In December, despite all assignments and an exam at the end of the semester, I went back to Japan for a week because my sincere grandma was severely ill.

I study environment but I did pollute a lot our mother Earth this year... ;(

The destination chosen to finish such unique year was Paris.

Without particular reason, just because it seemed quite difficult to spend Christmas at Ben's house (boat), we decided to go to the city of culture and love!

I was first too ambitious. We bought tickets of departure on December 17th because I had thought I would finish all essays and exam by December 16 and also it was the latest and cheapest day of Eurostar.

But, unfortunately I had to bring two essays with me to Paris...

In a small suitcase, I packed 4,5 big books for the essays.

The ticket was the cheapest because it was the first train of the day at 5 am... 

From Norwich, we drove to near Oxford at Ben's friend house to park his car and took a train to London at 11pm.

The time when we arrived in London.

After walking for an hour to get to Eurostar station with heavy bags at freezing night with at least -5 degrees, we headed to Paris.

Finally we arrived at my friend's place in Paris at about 11am.

We were exhausted and no way to have enough energy to study...

Next morning, I started attacking my assignments and they were done 3 days after...

(Of course, without Ben's help, it would not be possible to finish in 3 days !)

During the period, we did nothing but study in front of books and computer apart from grocery shopping although we were in the center of Paris...

Anyway, we were so so so lucky!

Because from the night of 17th when we arrived in Paris, a huge snow storm hit UK and France (well, all their neighbour countries as well). All transport was shut. Many many people who wanted to travel for their Xmas holiday from the Friday were blocked at the airport, Eurostar station, on highway, etc...

Many of my university friends who had planned to go back to their country for Xmas could not make it and had to pass Xmas in UK due to the snow...

After the three hard days, I removed "study" from my mind and enjoyed Paris with Ben who came there for the first time, by doing sightseeing, having coffee and dinner with my Parisian friends, etc...

The whole city was in Xmas mood, especially with snow☆

Inside of a department store

Xmas market in Champs-Elysées street

On Xmas day, although we were in Paris, we "tried to" prepare British Xmas dinner.

It was delicious ! more than I expected :D

But to finish the dinner, we had Bouche de Noël as traditional French style.

Paris has too many different types of delicious food and dessert! 

I am quite sure during my stay in Paris I gained back the weight I had lost since September due to the intensive and stressful course :D

I could totally forget the study and enjoy fully fun time for a week☆

On 27th, we took again the eurostar which just restarted working normally after the huge snow storm and now staying at the friend's house near Oxford until New year.

I will go back to Norwich by January 4th to start writing another last essay for this semester of which the deadline is January 10th...

Ahh, I am always with essays... whether the end or beginning of a year...

Only 9 months left, I can make it !(I try to cheer myself up by saying this...)

"All's Well That Ends Well" (By Shakespeare)

Although some of the events of the year were tough, I can say that in the end I am happy and in good health with no other problem. I learned many new things in life.

Also I felt the most that so many people supported me in my life.

I hope I can support them or others next year in return!

I wish you all a wonderful new year 2011 !

With such a big smile on our face as often as possible :D

First Snow of the year

What a happy moment !!!

Recently sun goes to bed at 3pm, and it has been very often gray weather...

But yesterday, the first snow fell in Norwich, well all over in UK.

I have been quite stressed and busy busy due to several assignments to hand out before the Christmas vacation.

Snow gave me a moment to take a peaceful break and breath deeply.

In fact, this is the first time to see snow falling since 3 years ;)

Je love it !

Halloween

I went to attend at a charity Halloween party organized by Ben's sister on the Eve of Halloween (Oct 30).

It is "charity" because her son has Cystic Fibrosis since his birth.

The purpose of the party was to contribute to the disease treatment for kids like him.

Unfortunately he had chest infection a couple of days before the day of the party and had to stay in hospital for 2 weeks.

Of course, this 3-year-old little cute boy was not going to attend at the party but we worried about him.

Fortunately, 2 days go, he could go back home.

He looks like other kids when nothing is wrong but once he gets a spasm, it can become very serious problem.

Anyway, for the first time, I had to disguise in a ghost.

I did not have time at all to prepare because of all university work.

Friends told me to disguise in the ghost lady coming out from TV screen in a the famous Japanese horror film.

I know I don't look like her so much...

I was so impressed by other people very seriously disguised !

Also I had heard that the party would be for friends and relatives.

But, when I got there, I was so surprised of its scale...

Not at all family party but huge, very well organized gorgeous one！

There were over 240 people!

Live band music and DJ as well.

There was a bar and a section to get professional photography, too.

The meal was very nice☆

It was a very nice party and I was happy to get to know about the disease although it is very rare disease among Asians and to contribute to it a little bit.

Since one month...

It has been already a month since my master course started.

My lifestyle has been pretty much settled.

Well, in a quite negative sens though...

This is it !

What did you understand from the photo ?

Answers:

1. Read books and journal articles recommended for each class

2. Complete assignments (essay) for each class

3. Revise what I did not understand during classes

4. Preparation of seminar of each class

5. Read additional literature that professors recommended in a class

What else I do ? 

Well, eat and sleep.

By the way, the number 5 has not been done at all actually...

" sleep → eat → reading・classes・assignments → eat →reading・classes・assignments → eat → sleep "

I have never yet been to 50 m swimming pool at university ! 

What a shame !!!

I have never experienced such life...

But I have no choice !

I am still struggling a lot to understand classes in English as well...

I can't wait for "reading week" with no class on 2nd week of November !

New life in Nowrich

I have been very lazy to update my blog, sorry...

Because I moved to Norwich on September 23rd, where my university is then from the next day of moving, orientation programme started followed by the start of courses on Monday.

Everyday, time flies so fast with so much new information and preparation of each modules.

Plus, for the first 10 days since my arrival, everyday it rained.

I finally experienced typical British weather : after a short sunshine, it starts raining...

So the first thing that I bought was a folding umbrella.

Everyday when I leave my room, I take it with me even though it is nice weather at that time.

The non-stop new information with lots of work exhausts me but the courses are quite interesting.

My university is located in very countryside, 15 min by bus and 30-40 min by walk from downtown.

Wild squirrels and rabbits run around on campus freely.

In my course of Environment and International Development there are 22 people from all over the world:

3 Japanese (including me), Italian, Swedish, British, Malawian, American, Korean, etc...

Everyone is very kind and I like discussing with them who have so different rich experiences.

1st welcome school party

I'm going to live in university accommodation this year. It's 5-10 min by walk from university.

Courtyard view from my room

The rent is quite expensive but it's not far from university with free internet and some TV channels so, I can live for a year :)

My 5 flat mates are international as well:

Scotish, Malawian, Nigerian, Chinese and Cyprian.

I am trying to get used to this new life style little by little.

It will be very very intensive busy year but I will enjoy as much as possible！

Bonus:
There are so many chestnut trees along the car roads.

Right now is the season and nuts are everywhere on the streets !

I love chestnuts and I wanted to pick them all up but their prickles are so sharp and also I would feel embarrassed of doing so, I brought back one to my room :)

1st week in UK

I arrived well in London on 7th from Malaysia.

I had to wait so long time at the immigration. There were so many Non EU people waiting.

But suddenly one immigration agent cut the line and let people come to on the first line for 2 new gates.

And I was the first person to benefice it !

So lucky :) But as soon as he checked my passport, he asked the letter of acceptance from my university which I didn't have with me. (it was in my suitcase...)

He gave me a glance saying stupid (kind of) and started questioning me (where I study, how long, who pays my stay, etc...)

I told him about my volunteer in Africa which actually helped me to save up my money, etc...

Because of that story, he let me go exceptionally.

I was happy that he was very generous.

At the exit of the airport, Ben's dad and sister came to pick us up then we continued toward his hometown, Lincoln, 3 hours from London by car.

The house is boat on canal.

At first, I was not comfortable with water movement but I got used to it after a couple of days.

Last weekend, we did canal boat trip with Ben's best friend and his gf.

Although we had several unpredicted incidences,

 it was great trip with nice weather.

 The oldest bridge with a building above in UK

They look like boxes but no, they are horses !

I navigated a boat for the first time without license ! (Not illegal, no worries :)

Until 23rd when I move to the university residence in Norwich, I spend time here on the boat.

Detour

It has been already 10 days since I arrived in UK...

Yes, I have been very lazy and no update by today.

So finally I decided to write some about since my departure from Japan on September 4th.

Before arriving in UK on 7th, as we had to change planes in Malaysia, we decided to spend some time there.

It was nicer in terms of temperature and humidity there than in Japan.

At capital, we did not do much and stayed near airport.

Then next day morning, we flied to resort island Penang.

We walked around the old town.

Hinduism (Indian),

Islam (Malay) and,

Buddhism (Chinese)

 exit all in different parts of the town.
(this could be also a part of cultural mix↓ :D）

We also enjoyed cheap but delicious food.

 

 with famous Malaysian beer :)

We tried jet ski for the first time, too.

We could forget sad feeling of leaving Japan.

Bonus ①
Oh,"Panasonic !"
Hnnnn?! No, P"E"nsonic ! 

Bonus②
Many bike riders wear their jacket like this.
I don't know what for... maybe to avoid wind or dust...