C-kyou

This ol’ place..

With a letter in my post telling me to renew my house contract, I’m reminded that I’ve been living in this place for almost two years now. A full two years sharing a house with 49 other people at any one time. When I first arrived there were only 4 house mates, 3 of which have moved on.

The first night was a big moment, after bumming it at a friends flat, I had finally gotten my own space. It wasn’t until I reached it at midnight that I realized that my bed had no pillow or covers. I slept that night using a t-shirt and towel to keep myself comfortable. Throughout the first year, I met so many cool people from different walks of life. Made a few really good friends too. In the first couple of months I was so excited about building my home up, buying the things I needed etc. it took me a few months before I even had the basic stuff.

At some point in the future, I hope to move into my own place in Tokyo, which will no doubt be a new experience. It’ll also be a little sad to leave so many memories behind. Two full years of banter which undoubtedly helped me through my years as a student.

Next-Gen thoughts.

I still remember the last next-gen launch so clearly, when Xbox 360 and PS3 launched. I wasn’t too bothered by the PS3 so much but seeing my first 360 was an amazing moment. My first 360 too was a special moment. At the time I only had PGR, but still managed to bask in that HD glow.

It seems like we’re beginning to enter that period again. On the 20th of February Sony is expected to show their hand, and I’d be surprised if Microsoft didn’t reveal Durango (next xbox’s codename) by E3.

Unless something crazy happens I will eventually buy both. If their release dates are close then I will most likely go Xbox, with the PS4 soon after. Release titles may play an important role. With games like “Last of us”, Sony’s exclusives are nothing to scoff at.

So what do I want from the next-generation? Well, nothing super-special. Both sides will no doubt have tricks up their sleeves, Durango is rumored to have multi-task gaming which could be interesting. Ideally what I’d like to see is a move towards a steam-like marketplace. The ability to have all my games on-system is way over due, and changing CDs is incredibly outdated. If both consoles are expected to deal with the ever-growing popularity of PC gaming, they need to go digital. If anything, not having CDs and linking games to accounts would put a stop to that piracy-malarkey everyone’s so worried about.

I want Durango to not change their pad design. Xbox’s gamepad is still the most comfortable I’ve ever used. Stick tension was so perfect, my hands never got tired holding it and it makes me sad that I haven’t used one for 2 years. As it always is, the success of these consoles will depend heavily on the games, I genuinely hope they can reveal a lot of titles that no-one knows about. The spring looks good release-wise but the rest of the year?

We’ll have to see what Sony dishes out in 5 days!!

Reflection

With the last few months turns of events I found it extremely interesting to read back on my blog posts from the last two years. It was an interesting hour and led to a lot of reflection.

From April 2011 to January 2013 I was officially a student in Japan. An eye-opening experience which taught me so much. It led to me understanding how lucky I was to have work, as well as confirming that I’m still a terrible student. I think the key thing I learned from looking back was to never take for granted what I have now. There are so many posts and memories where I wished to be in the position I’m in now, and despite there being no fireworks when I finally got here, I should never forget how important it is and the people who supported me on the way. Right now I stand on the same trains I have done for the past 2 years but it feels slightly different. I’ve got so much to look forward to that all the work doesn’t even matter.

In terms of the future, I want to travel more, I want to be able to try new hobbies, I want to try my best to make the most of what I have.

If there was ever such a thing as a new chapter in life, this is it.

Stuff to do!

Man, what a delight! I’ve got my visa here and stuff is looking good!

In an attempt to be more organized and efficient with my time, I’m making a schedule and utilizing a to-do list! So far it seems to be working!
I still need to clean my room, but y’know, the other stuff is working. I’ve got another little while until I start full-time, so I’m using it to relax. Once I do start, I’m gonna hit the ground running in terms of exercise and Japanese study. I’ll need the to-do-list to remind me of the things I need to do, without it I don’t do things as my mind tricks me into thinking it’ll suck up all my time. In reality, a run wouldn’t take more than 45 mins including the shower, yet I usually spend 45 mins doing nothing and thinking about how much of a time-suck exercise is; without doing any real exercise.

I’m trying to build up my cooking skills slowly, to be honest, in the last 2 months I’ve been bombarded with so many new ingredients and dishes, ones that I’m still learning how to use/make. Luckily I’ve got the time to learn! xD

Done!

I’ve spent quite a while writing different drafts of this, and in fact, I’ve been thinking about how to write it for months. Some of the drafts were overly-emotional or in-your-face, so I’ve settled for simplicity.

I got my working visa in Japan.

I put my application in on Xmas morning and received the result on the 11th of January. It was a difficult two weeks as a negative result would have ended up with me being very lost in life.

Luckily, my visa was approved! I’m here! Like, actually here! I’ve got a month or two before I get into full-time working and out of money troubles, I’ll also be looking to take a huge chunk out of my debt.

I would like to thank everybody who has supported me over the last two years, it’s been a rocky road but it’s finally settled!

I’ve been away a while.

Not from my home or anything, I actually haven’t gone on a trip since Xmas. I’ve just been absent from my writings. There are not too many reasons, from around the end of January I had a few months where I wasn’t really motivated to do things, and I got behind. In fact it was only a month ago when I got some terrible test scores that I decided to get over the issues I had and get back on the horse. Sadly I was also just going through the end of term tests etc for school.

However, now I’m on holiday! I’ve got just under two weeks with no school and a little work, so I’m able to finally re-charge. Over the last 3 months I’ve only had about 5 days where I didn’t have to wake up at 7/8am. So I’ve got some time to lie in (arguably my greatest hobby), catch up with this stuff and organize myself.

So what have I been doing? Well.. Not a lot really.. (Slow down Captain Adventure!). I’ve been taking the sweet spare time I did have to..do nothing.
Actually I’ve been getting into Starcraft 2 quite heavily. The first game I’ve played in a long time that is based on mostly skill and one that I strive to get better at. I’ve been watching world tournaments and reading up on it, thanks to one particular friend I’ve been able to get to a playable state. I’m sure I’ll end up writing a separate post on it so I won’t bore you.

Those who know me on Facebook may be familiar with a project called Wribble. A weekly creative writing challenge that has also suffered from my dead batteries. It’ll be restarting next week and I hope anyone who enjoys writing will have a go, here look, I’ll even give you the link. Www.facebook.com/Wribble

Easy huh? It’s actually something I’d like to see take off, sadly it’s a little restricted to however many friends of friends I can reach.

In breaking news. As I write this on the train a guy is falling asleep and managing to elbow my sides every time he slips off.

I’ll be right back while I pretend to fall asleep and elbow his face…

To my Father.

For those who have known me a while, would have seen this blog start up in the beginnings of 2011 as I started to prepare for moving to Japan. Since coming here I’ve done so many amazing things, met so many incredible people and realized so much more about myself. Even now, a year later, I’m still working to try and build a life here. I’ve blogged about some of the fun stuff I’ve done and the problems I’ve had, but never really spoke about how I manage to keep going. It’s one of those near-invisible forces that pushes you to do your best, despite the issues it creates.

For me, I would never have been able to do this without my Dad.

I know for sure that whenever anyone has ever asked me why I’m so confident, or why I’m apparently so brave to come here alone, I always point the finger at my Dad. When I was in high school around the age of 14 or so, I was miserable at school. I’m not sure why particularly, well, I don’t particularly remember. After breaking down one day (again, no idea why) my dad came to school and took me home. After a long talk we both agreed that I had quite a lack of confidence, I didn’t understand how to be that confident, happy person. So he taught me. He taught me golden words on how to be that person who keeps their head high and to just not give a F**k. I’ve always felt that my life just took off from there. It wasn’t long before I got a beautiful girlfriend, was making new friends and just generally being happier. It led me to try and join the army as an officer, (which I passed but never took the final offer up on), to come to Japan at the age of 17, and it helped me get a great job when I got back to the UK.

The last 3 or so years has been tough for the both of us, a time which shook us to the core but ultimately brought us closer together. In a twist of luck, I was able to try and be the same driving force behind him as he was for me in my time of need. I know now I was sometimes overly harsh, but I always tried my best to be there for him when he needed it. Towards the end of 2010 we had become a great team, both working hard (him more than me admittedly) and we were working towards that brighter future. Alas, I was struck with the realization that I was never quite over Japan, It pestered my thoughts. When I was given an opportunity to get back here, I was nervous about leaving my Dad. He had already taken a huge financial burden for my stupidity, yet when I was down and defeated, he again stepped in with magical words, more accurately, a question that I’ll never forget and one that I’ll be sure to ask my own children one day. The question burned into my mind and ultimately pushed me here. In my time in Japan, I’ve gone through student poverty, working to extremes with even a little heartbreak mixed in. He has still always been there. At the end of an internet connection with a wonky camera that never seemed to point the right way. 

Now, he knows the kind of independent person I am, I have no problem going my own way and looking after myself. He knows this, mostly because this is the man he brought me up to be. It sometimes ends up that we don’t speak on skype for a while, or he’s too busy to answer emails, but he (hopefully) knows that I am always thinking about him, and on days when I don’t want to do anything or when I’m down about stuff, it’s always him I think about. I think about him telling me to make the most of life, to stop bloody worrying about money, to just get out there. When I get worried about my future, it’s him that pushes me on.

I’ve always said that my time here has been one of great self-discovery and experience, without such an amazing father, none of it would have been possible. I still hope everyday that I’m making him proud.

The question he asked me before I left, the one that pushed me on, is one of the simplest things I’ve ever been asked, that still guides me when I’m lost. I would like to think that he also remembers it and asks himself the same thing from time to time.

“If you could do anything right now, without thinking about how, what would you do?”  

Obviously my answer was my burning desire to get back to Japan. His reply? A stroke of genius which he said to me while smiling.

“Then let’s do that.”

So here I go…

Happy Fathers Day Dad,
miss you millions.  

This has got to end

I’m not going to lie, I’m not having the best time right now. Despite nothing terrible happening, I’m feeling down about my future.

I can safely say I’ve had enough of working 7 days a week. Even though I came back to school feeling recharged and ready to go again, I’ve almost instantly fell back into the same situation. I go to school all afternoon then work at night, getting home at 10pm. Even when I’m home I have the pressure of studying, doing some god damn exercise and making dinner. This is all before I can even consider doing something I want to do, for y’know, fun.

So I decided to apply for a working visa, something which I don’t actually qualify for considering I don’t have a degree. I’m hoping to get by on unique experience and a number of impressive references. My chance of success? Around 5%. I want to just work, pay off my debts and finally enjoy Japan. I will most likely apply next week, after that I have to wait 3 weeks, (providing they don’t just throw hot coffee and my application in my face) then take it from there. If I do squeeze in, I’ll be the happiest man in the world, I’ll run through the street naked. However if I don’t get it then I’ll be considerably crushed, not because I didn’t expect to fail, but because I have to continue on with this struggle.

The second thing I’ve decided is to move into central Tokyo, I’ve been offered a nice place in Ueno, north central Tokyo, where my work commute is less than 20 mins. I’ll get a good 2 hours of my day back and even if I don’t get the visa, it’ll be a bit more manageable.

It’s the not-knowing that’s the worst. There’s a small chance and whether I get that or not will be mostly luck. The whole situation is making me low though..

Och Aye’Do

One of the perks of the old man coming to visit is that I was able to take some time off, and time off for me means a visit to snow-central, Hokkaido.

It wasn’t 48 days from dad landing in Tokyo that I booted him into a plane to the north. Albeit it wasn’t so much booting as making him wait hours in an airport due to my planning. It was through micro-last-second luck that I realized our plane wasn’t leaving the difficult-to-get-to Narita airport, it was infact leaving the difficult-to-get-to-and-closed-until-five am Haneda airport. Did I mention that our flight was 5:50? and that we didn’t start packing until 50 minutes before the last train at midnight? Oh,…cool.

Despite all the trouble, we got there on time, and even got a day of wandering round Sapporo, a city I love but have noticed more than once that it feels a little lackluster (read: dead) in the new year holidays. An evening bus got us to Toya in time for dinner, not before I spent the whole trip getting excited about the snow and trying to point out landmarks to my sleeping dad. Our trip was a little uneasy, as it was Christmas, we were luckily offered accommodation by several people in toya, however only for one or two days at a time. During the trip we repacked our suitcase and moved house no-more than 5 times over a week! The great part of that was that dad got to see a lot of styles of Japanese lifestyle. From the quiet apartment to the shop-house - to a nice countryside house filled with grandchildren. Not to forget a night with Shiro, something only Toya volunteers (and now my dad) can appreciate. The grandchildren house was also great, dad was quickly dubbed Santa-San and we even got to try the old man’s karaoke system, which broke so we decided to use his BACKUP karaoke machine…

Christmas was quiet yet lovely with the town Christmas party. Not traditional, but I still hope dad enjoyed it.

The final leg of our journey was the obligatory 3 days in Niseko. Boasting the most snow they’ve had in 50 years, even the bunny runs were deep in powder. It was amazing being back there and just having a beer in the town was a great feeling.

Throughout the whole trip, the onsens, walking in the snow and everything inbetween gave a memorable break, one I hope my father enjoyed. Without the generosity (again, something only the Toya volunteers will understand) of the people, the trip wouldn’t have been half as special. I would like to thank Yuko & Atsuo, Namiko, Big-dawg-Shiro, mr Hara & mrs Hara and the Niseko B&B that donated a room to our adventure. Let’s not forget all the Japan volunteers and everyone else in Toya. Thanks for giving my hard-working dad something special, as well as me.

I know what I did last summer.

Well, hi there. Long time no see!

It’s now January 2012. Can’t quite believe that but hey, shit happens. (As does time.) My last post was back in August, and if I were to try and recall everything I have done, I’d probably collapse where I stand. I will cover some of the biggest stuff. I think I’m going to start posting quite often again, I have settled a little and also have easy means of doing so. Enjoy my fall/winter highlights of 2011!

* New job! - I got a new job! My first job was great, but there was a severe lack of hours and I was only getting less and less as time went on. Luckily, during a friends birthday bash, I met the owner of a great school near my Japanese school! 5 months later and I’m happily enjoying life working 7 days a week. Literally. I do 15 hour weekends and every night during the week! I can honestly say that I enjoy working there though, the environment is great, as well as the people I work with!

* New Class! - I’ve officially started D class, The fourth class of Japanese, as of yesterday. Again it’s great. The step up is nice yet not so insanely difficult. I’m looking forward to learning more and more!

* New.. - Ironically around the time I stopped posting on the blog, I got someone really special in my life :-) Sadly she has gone back to Thailand (where she’s from, I know! Madness!) so it’s developed into a long term relationship. I miss her a great deal but at the same time, finding her has been amazing and I’m really happy.

* Dad! - during my winter holidays, dad came to visit Japan! Having him here was great, he got to try lots of different things and we visited Hokkaido and Toya. It was especially nice to see him relax, he’s been working like a dog for over two years now and this was the first time I’ve seen him fully-relax!

Anyway, welcome back to C-Kyou.

Oh, and happy new year.