Break :D

There have been so many things going on like internship, wedding, moving...

But I have been touching little by little my dissertation.

Finally by the end of last week, I finished my draft.

On Sunday night, I sent it to my supervisor to get some comments on.

A friend who wrote a dissertation under his supervision told me that it took a week to get teh feedback.

So I 'have to' take a week break :)

Also, the summer, well even (maybe) autumn is going away already so I needed to enjoy some good time in Brighton!

So, first to get to know better the town where I live, I followed Ben by bicycle when he had to go to his university (University of Sussex) for his induction week.

It takes about 30 minutes.

That day, it was very nice day with mild wind so it was great cycling day.

Sussex uni is in fact the university where I was first thinking to go for my master because it has a very famous research department, IDS (Institute of Development studies).

So for the first time, I went till the front of the building (but no courage to get in...)

Ben just started his teacher training at the university.

It seems like this year is the 50th anniversary of the university.

We had lunch on the glass before his class started.

Then I exploited the campus while waiting for him.

The campus was quite quiet probably because other courses have not started yet (normally from the end of the month or early next month).

The library seemed bigger and nicer than the one at UEA...

In the evening of my 2nd break day, wow, I received already the feedback from my supervisor...:0

Yes, I could continue my 'forced' break but as I saw over 30 comments on my draft, I could not live without looking at them.

So my break was done within 2 days...

The long run restarted with uncertain goal line...

Moving

Our moving to Brighton took two steps.

1st: on 6th August from Lincoln to Brighton (4 hours +α by car)

We brought all stuff of Ben and mine that I used at the uni dormitory such as housewares.

Besides, we got two bicycles: Mine, given by Ben's dad; His, a new hybrid (mixing city cycle&mountain bike).

On the way, we stopped at IKEA to buy extra needs.

Although we rent a quite big van, finally it was quite full.

IKEA is too good. I like its simple design with the good variety but it took sooo long time to choose everything we needed...

We left Lincoln around noon and finally arrived at our new place in Brighton around 9pm...(of course including breaks and meals.

The moving did not stop there. We had to bring up all the stuff to 2nd floor...like sofa...

When we finished it, we were dead tired...

Off to bed without touching any of the stuff at that night. zzz...

But from the morning of the next day, we started unpacking.

By the end of the day, we finished it pretty much all.

But this was yet the 1st step.

Because at that time, I was still living in London for my internship.

2nd step: 23rd August

After our wedding, the route was again from Lincoln to Brighton but this time passing by my temporary house in London to get all my stuff.

Finally all our stuff got into our new place.

Our collaboration made a nice interior design in one part, Japanese style, one African and another British, hmmm, which means whatever..

We are both quite happy with the design☆

This is going to be our place at least for a next year.

Hearing the seagulls outside is really a sign of being nearby a beach☆

Why not once a month or two fresh fish&chips nearby beach :)

Look this huge fish! @ Banker, one of best F&C restaurants/shops in Brighton and even in the country (the shop was one of the finalists for the F&C competition in 2010 and 2011).

Also afternoon tea at home (for me, this is not for 'afternoon' but a proper lunch because it is big!)

With Ben's special scones♥

I cannot buy anymore already made scones :D

Brighton

Late July, I went to Brighton to see my, well our new place. It takes only one hour by train from London.

It is a one-room studio on 2nd floor of an ordinary house in a very quiet residential area. But it is well furnished and has roof windows!

It takes only about 10 minutes walk to the beach and about 15 minutes to the center of the city.

We will share the front door with the landlady who lives in the two floors below us. She seemed very kind. She is ceramic object creator and I quite like her style.

Ben made a great choice. I really liked its location and the interior as well☆
After meeting her, we headed to the beach. The weather was not too bad for a walk on seaside so I was so excited!
Right now, it is the middle of summer holidays so there are so many tourists yet it is not as hot as Japan or elsewhere (about max 23 degrees during the day) so there was few people swimming.

They rather enjoy the sun and the atmosphere of "summer vacation near/on the beach" West Pier was constructed in 1866 but closed in 1975 and burned in 2003.
Now there is another pier, "Brighton Pier" to attract tourists for coin games, snack food, restaurants, etc...

There are not only many tourists but also seagulls. They are not scared of humans.

As soon as they see the left over on a table at open terrace restaurants, they fight each other to get food...
This was happening just next to our table of a fish & chips shop.

Royal Pavilion is located in the middle of the town center. It was built by the order of the King of the Wales George IV in 18th century who used Brighton as his holiday house. For his taste, it was designed in Indian style outside and Chinese style inside.
We saw a guy making “origami” at the corner of a main street.
It was quite well done so Ben bought a flower for me although the guy did not care how much we put in the coin box and was just concentrated on making more.
Next topic will be moving to the lovely apartment in this lovely city!

Londonian Life

Ahhh, finally I became incapable or unwilling (!) to keep my blog even once a month...

This is just laziness, sorry...

But to be honest, if I had extra time to spend writing my blog, I would do something else not sitting extra time in front of my computer that I do allllll day for my internship and my dissertation....

Yes, for those who are not informed (sorry, again!), I have been doing an internship at Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in London since the early June and staying in a house of the aunt of my British friend living in Japan.

This is for the purpose to first get some professional or work experience in the domain and second to start getting contact with people working in the domain, particularly in London or the UK because it seems like my next 1-2 years will be set in this country.

I am working for a project regarding REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) that I talked about briefly in the earlier blog when I talked about my dissertation topic. The project, called REDD-net aims at creating networks to share information and experiences concerning social issues and equity in REDD+ programmes among organisations particularly working for and with indigenous people and local communities (NGOs and CSOs).

Although I work only 3 days a week, what I do is to stare at computer screen a whole day like I have been doing during the Master course all the time...then in fact, I have to continue that after work at home this time for my dissertation...

A week passes soooooo quickly.

Plus, the area where I live now (North London:Dalston-Hackney) has so many independent unique or vintage shops and small but tasty restaurants (African, Turkish, Indian, Mexican, Thai, British, Italian, etc...).

And of course, at the center of London, there are always a number of events and music festivals going on during the summer.

You can imagine now how hard to stick home and do my dissertation or to find a good balance among internship, dissertation and fun...

Here, some stuff that I have done...

Early June for the birthday of the daughter of the landlady, I made sushi with fresh salmon and tuna. I bought them for the first time in the UK.

Both ladies love sushi. And this time, they did not only eat but made their own makizushi!

 They were quite good actually :)

I am so grateful that they accepted me, unknown japanese woman to stay at their place for three months!

Ben and I tried kebab in the area that they told us the best kebab in London. The shop is called, indeed "The Best Turkish Kebab" .

It was huuuuge but reasonable price (£4). On the wall of the shop, there were many articles spotted the shop.

A number of slices of lamb was tasty but not oily at all with lots of veggies in. Even me (greedy maya) had hard time finishing all.

It is hard to recognise the size with this photo but it was about the size of an adult hand.

Indeed, it was the best Kebab ever in my life!

Last week, I went to a jazz gig on the top floor of a big shopping center at St Paul.

It was a bit windy thus chilly but the rain stopped when the gig started and I could enjoy a wonderful landscape (the tall building under construction is going to be the tallest building in the UK or EU, I am uncertain and indifferent :p)

I also went to Cambridge one day (less than one hour from London by train) for an interview with a researcher for my dissertation data collection.

I could have done the interview by skype but in person is always better and also I could visit the town.

The interview went very well. The researcher has worked so long time in Tanzania and in the domain very well known but really friendly and kind to me.

Then I walked around the town and visited some of the very well known colleges of  University of Cambridge, I did not get inside though.

King's Colleage

 Trinity Colleage

The whole town seemed very historical with so many tourists...

Within London, I went to Camden, an area very popular to tourists especially young people. It was like 'Amemura' in Osaka.

In the street food area, we could choose a plate between £4-5 among Mexican, Asian, Brazilian, and Middle east food stands. For each food style, you can also mix different taste of sauce!

We decided finally to take Mexican and Indian and enjoyed them by sitting on a scouter seat alongside a river/canal.

Hmmm, (as always) I ate too much...

These were only very special occasions. I have been enjoying everyday something!

Next week, I am going to Brighton where we gonna start living from August-September for a year to meet the studio landlady and get the room key.

We have made the contract several months ago but I have not seen the place (Ben did all...) so I am very excited to see my new place nearby ocean!

In August, Brighton is very busy with lots of tourists from outside and inside of the UK.
I can forget my dissertation again for a day!

I will update soon!