(Rizaldi asked me to record a travel journal while in Japan, so here comes xD. Rizaldi you better read coz I have spent my opportunity cost writing this stupid journal xD)

To Live is To Travel, quoted HC Andersen....

.... but it was not necessarily applicable towards certain people, particularly a first semester Kenkyusei/Daigakuinsei who just starts the semester, and feels like dying.

Sakuras at Tokodai

Gosh, I think Japanese is the hardest language EVER! I have committed more than 4 hours a day just to learn Japanese (2 hours everyday during the intensive class, and at least another 2 hours at night to catch up the materials). This misfortune happened after I took the Japanese Placement Test. I had no idea of what I have done to the answer sheet, but the result shows that I got the class which pre-requisite is to have mastered more than 200 kanjis. WTH! (Pardon my bad bad bad English, coz i feel that my English is zettai gradually deterioriating in here. Eh, zettai is not an English word? whatever.. iro iro kotoba wa shikatanai yo). In fact, i never really study Japanese before, coz I am easily bored and just quit impulsively (I am infamous of being restless, in terms of moving prematurely toward other commitments without really finishing the previous).

I am zombified everyday. I study until very late, say 3-4 AM, and then wake up early morning to catch the superuber crowded morning train, and thats quite a turn off. I want to scream out of loud "HEY I AM DAMN TIRED, GIVE ME YOUR F***ING SEAT!!!!" but thank goodness am sane enough not to do that -coz I dont think that people do understand English anyway. This is just my third week and I feel like I study for the exam everyday. In fact, I am always in Trans-Am/SeeD/Trance/Sage mode, and wondering if i will be easily burnt out in the latter time.

But...

A couple of really good friends, my nakama, went to Japan for holiday, and I cant resist the temptation to travel together. HC Andersen is damn right, To Live is To Travel! I have to travel in order to live (Obaka!) Consequently, I missed my 3 Japanese and 1 International Econs Class, and now I feel like devour people coz I have to catch up for so many things. Nevermind, Golden Week is coming and I will use my time wisely. I promise. Hopefully xD....

In a nutshell, we covered greater Tokyo, Nara, Osaka and Kyoto. Here comes the brief report...

Tokyo

Asakusa, Kaminari-Mon

Ueno Park, Eki Mae

Asakusa inside

Went to Asakusa and Ueno Park before heading to Akihabara. Asakusa looks like Japaneses Chinatown for me *grin*, while Ueno, being attractive of its shrines and park, is not really interesting without the overwhelming Sakuras.

Akihabara is still my most anticipated destination. I bought 3 BL mangas for 100 yen each (Obaka Obaka Obaka, Setsuyaku jyanai yo!), and found superduper cheap Gundams (1000 yen only for Athrun's Justice 1/100 scale! And 100 yen for Exia and Friends 1/144 scale!). Graaah, I hate of being bimbo! I have to hurry find out the part time jobs!

Shinjuku

Kabukicho!!! LOL

Went to Shibuya and Shinjuku at night. Spotted an interesting nightlife at Kabukicho (plentiful of hosuto kurabu LOL!!!!). Lucky that I read Tokyo Babylon before coming, coz CLAMP's vivid depiction of Tokyo is almost precise. Tokyo is all about modernity and ancient at the same time, whereby the modernized citizens still take out various superstitions.

Venice Doppelganger

???

Disney Sea tengah2

NAKAMA POSE!!!! YEAH!!! (One Piece Reference)

Spent a day at Disneysea, which reminded me of Epcot at Florida, USA. Fooling around with deadly rollercoasters and thrilling attractions such as Tower of Terror, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Indiana Jones, et cetera, et cetera.

Kyoto

The day after i rushed for classes, I had a test before taking Shinkansen to Kyoto (bah, what a bad bad bad Daigakuinsei I am). Kyoto is reaaaaaaaly pretty, especially if thou art fond of ancient Japan; mentions samurais, wars, temples, shrines, onmyoujis, geishas and all (abundance of depiction at the mangas).

Awww Beautiful Geisha

Ryan D'Massiv?

Mesmerised by Gion area in Kyoto, a place whereby so many geishas are still existed. I feel like being brought back to the ancient Japan and enter the PeaceMaker Kurogane's world (or mention any other similar manga in here).

Inari Jinja... I liiiike

Kyoto Eki

Small shrine at Kiyomizudera

Inari Jinja

Next day, run to the Kiyomizudera as well as Inari temple. GOSH THEY ARE SO DAMN PRETTY!! Nevertheless, I found Inari Jinja more appealing due to its tranquil environment, unlike Kiyomizudera that is so touristy.

ONMYOUJI!!!???

Kiyomizu

Inari Jinjaaaa

Nara

Contemplating... gosh life is so tough yet here I am fooling around

New nakama: Tony Chopper

Have no idea why we ended up being in Nara. Reason being is because our two Oniichans are the big fan of Lucky Star and intend to run a weird errand: do the Lucky Star pilgrimage at Nara (whereby Konata CS went for a study trip to Nara).

Lucky Star pose!! LOL

freak Onii-chamas

Nara's mocchi is the best mocchi i have ever tried! And a lot of maccha flavor tidbits could easily be found around Kyoto-Osaka. Tanoshikatta!!!

Osaka

Osaka Castle

keren deh, LOL

One word for Osaka is, unique! The people, the food, and the culture. Osaka is the place for having fun! We covered just Osaka Castle and Denden Town.

Tried Okonomiyaki, Yakisoba as well as Takoyaki in here. SO DELICIOUS! Had a great time too listen to Osaka-ben (Osaka's accent everywhere LOL). And, Osaka is real Osaka with a Karaoke session -and this is where the unfortunate event began.

Takoyaki hunting

Dotonburi

Had a crazy Karaoke session, sing plentiful of Anime and Japanese songs (GOSH I AM SO DAMN HAPPY!), ranging from GReeeeN, Orange Range, One Piece's Crazy Rainbow Star, ARASHI's, Naruto's, Code Geass', Gundam's to AKB48 =___=. But, we missed out the last train to Kyoto and had to spend a night as vagrants! Hostel or Hotel are so expensive that we choose not to opt for it, and finally we went to Manga Kissa to wait until morning to catch the earliest train.

And so, my dearest Nakamas went back to Singapore and Indonesia last Sunday. And i feel like those fun we had are just fatamorgana (SOBS!!!!). I have to deal with the reality: crazy workload and tough life. Zettai sabishii desu kedo, GANBARU YO!

Oh sh*t, its already 1 past and I have to prepare for today's classes. GRAH i need another holiday (Obaka-sama, please die).

A Quick Note, For Now...

I loathe it when my mother talked to me pertaining to marriage issue...

While hasty generalization sometimes misleads, I personally thought that most ladies perceive marriage until certain point they become a bride -and doesnt really take into account that life must go on after the fairy tale like-wedding, and it will be tough. Reality bites!

Parents, most of them, wish for their kids to be the creme de la creme of the society, especially girls, to be princesses, that own everything from head to toe: from lavish crown to fancy gowns. From stable job and perfect soon-to-be spouse. As if education and physical attractions are not enough, they demand status.

As for me, I am not a realistically ambitious person yet not a strong believer of status either. I just want to be happy and make an endeavor to do the best (and not to be the best -there is a difference!). Why fight for status when it doesnt make a single bit of happiness? Why follow what society thinks while you yourself take all the impossible burden. We are humans, not Hercules who could accept the divine 12 godly tasks. We just want to be happy, ne?

I left my stable job up there, get out from my comfort zone, and make myself blindfolded of all the expectations i could never fulfill. I descend to the land where everything is still uncertain, but I am sure that I will be fine! The mantra is "i dont care, as long as I am happy!". Dont force me to "catch" a random guy, appear as if I am ready to settle down, make an effort to be domesticated, while I am not the one suitable for that role -for now! The difference between mature and childish is: responsibility. As long as we are responsible of our life, and not being a burden to others, that is called an adult! And an adult, could really do everything they wish for, because they are likely to be responsible of their own mess!

Currently, I have never put myself in this situation before. I really DO struggle, academically and financially -and i cant think of anything besides those two. Language issue is my biggest impediment (i never thought that it will be this hard), and secondly, the people. People in my cohort are really the top of the top, both academically and socially. They are both future leader and academicst, party goers who also spend their weekend reading papers. I feel like an insignificant dust over here xD.

Nevertheless, i enjoy the feeling, no, I am grateful for this feeling. We are alive when we are struggling to live :). And after I succeed to conquer all these, I believe that I alone could survive nuclear ;)