Have you ever wondered what to do in Fukuoka?
As I studied there for a year, I especially enjoyed daily life there, but let me attempt to list up what you can do when you want to get out! If I have a blog about it, I will add it as a personal experience 😀
First of all, type in ‘Fukuoka’ in Google images, sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy the view… Don’t you wanna hop on a plane and leave? Continue reading
The past days I’ve been trying to really get working and do something useful. Not going out to eat, no long chats in the kitchen with my roommates and no slacking. Trying, I said, it clearly doesn’t always work out 😉
Sunday it’s finally time for JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) and I’m getting rather nervous. How do I actually prepare for this? Damnit, I haven’t read all the handbooks.
Last week I tried a mock exam and I had around… 55-60%? So I barely made it. I hope Sunday is going to be better, but then they have these crazy hours.
I’ll have a test from 12.30-14.30h and 15.10-16.15h and well.. that last hour is an hour of listening. How do they expect us to be able to focus that long? 😛
Furthermore I’m writing my ISP (Independent Study Project) and I’m kind of really getting into the subject. Currently, my title is Burakumin: Evolution of liberation movements during the 20th century.
Or well, to say it very short: discrimination of a minority group in Japan.
I have to hand in the paper by Thursday the 9th, but I’d like to have it finished as soon as possible… (then I can work on my other deadlines)
Current number of words: 3281 words. Goal: 5000
Problem is my main resources are currently in Japanese… and I’m struggling to understand it. It took me hours and hours and hours yesterday to write merely 500 words.
My process goes like this: try to read page, understand one sentence, understand more, after a long time figuring out that the page is useless to me and go on to the next until I find something. Hah!
But hey, at the same time I’m practicing for Sunday, in a way, no?
Killing two birds with one stone?
Ps: If someone is interested in my Burakumin-paper, let me know
Ps2: Yes I’m probably procrastinating by writing this blog :’)
Ps3: I really want to write a few more things. Last week I went to Nagasaki with my host family but… well… next time!
Announcement of JLPT
Every Monday evening there is a dorm activity from 7pm. Most of the time it seems to be lectures, but last week the organizers had planned dodgeball!
Everyone was divided according to the floors and there was a price for the winning floor. Since there are a few girls of my volleyball on mine and my roommates wanted to go, there was nothing else to do than join and have fun! Continue reading
Yesterday my uncle asked me on Skype if I am even studying here at all, or if all I do is going out and eating (yes, I tend to do that a lot 😛 huhum!)
So for you, nonkel Luc, here I go! 😀 Continue reading
Yesterday morning we (WJC students) went to Kamado shrine (竈神社) at Dazaifu to walk on fire. “Walk on fire?” you ask. Yeah, well, that’s all I remembered from class, as I was dozing off during the explanation.
Luckily, I díd pay attention when we arrived, so behold, here follows a blog with tadadadam.. some information!
We attended a ritual called gomadaki (護摩焚き), which has influences from Buddhism and Shintoism. The Kamado shrine was built to put a stop to bad luck and once a year they build a big fire and everyone can write their wish down on a small piece of wood (300円). As soon as it is thrown in the fire, the wish can go up to the sky to the god up there (or were it gods?) so it can be granted. So, well, purification ritual.
Makes sense, no?
Last week I attended the opening ceremony of Fukuoka Women’s University. All the new students were in (mostly black) suits and seemed to be excited. It was their big day, they finally became university students. Continue reading
Suddenly the end of February approaches and five months of my stay in Japan are almost over. It seems like yesterday that I arrived here, had no clue what to eat and I was amazed by everything, from the kaitenzushi to the 100 yen shops, to the funny colored spiders and every little thing around here.
By now a lot has happened and I have (more or less) gotten used to life here.
There have been times I loved everything, times where I was gloomy and everything was going wrong and well.. right now I feel more balanced. There are things that make me very excited (like meeting up friends, the holiday now, sporting, finding new things) but there are also things I am still trying to find peace with.
For our Food and Environment course we went to the recycle station “Kururun” (くるるん).
First we got a lecture about how they try to manage the town’s waste. Their goal is to “recycle garbage, recognizing that it was originally a valuable resource, and strive to eliminate garbage incineration and landfill disposal by 2016″. But time is running out, there is not so much left to reach this goal and in the meantime 40 percent of the garbage is burned. Continue reading
Imagine sushi on plates rolling around you, just in reach to grab how much and whatever you want. And on top of your table, you find tea, spoons, chopsticks and just.. whatever you basically need to dine quietly. That, my dear, is kaitenzushi for you! At least, that’s the impression that’s stuck in my head. Continue reading
October is at itss end and today I want to write about Canal City, my roommates and Halloween! So if you don’t sigh or roll your eyes at the idea of those topics, just keep on reading! 😉
CANAL CITY
Last week I finally met up with an ‘old’ friend of mine: Saori. We met in Leuven two years ago, while she was studying abroad, and we’ve kept contact up to now. So it was time to catch up, talk and explore Canal City together. It is a large shopping center of Hakata (where I saw the pretty lanterns last week). It was relaxing just to walk around and talk and watch all the pretty things! We did some shopping and when we passed fountains in the center they started to move on “Be our Guest” of Beauty and the Beast! Hah!
Apparently it’s every hour a ‘show’ and it was really pretty! I made some video’s of it, but I can’t seem to upload it…So you should go and watch it yourself! 😉 An hour later we passed by again and it was a nice French song about one of the most famous avenues. Guess before your curiosity forces you to click! Did you get it right? Now let’s sing along! Continue reading
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