Surina

Memoirs of..............
I'm lovin' it! I really am, and unlike the edible, this is actually healthy.
Well...like everyone says, time flies. But this fast?? So its time for a ramble..It has been long enough I think so let's start from the beginning.

Roll the beat somebody:
So I got here a year ago now
Good bye UK. Hajimemashite Japan.
Spent 3 days in Tokyo at the lovely Keio Plaza & Hilton mingling internationally
Wednesday felt the reality of moving away so far
Time actually stopped for those 2 days.

Previously, everything had been such a whirlwind-Nana leaving
Exams, finals, dissertation, stress of results
Moving house
A shuffle of hearts
A dose of the most desirable
Moving back home.
Packing. Unpacking. Packing. Flying
Everything still in boxes even now.

Empty apartment. Alien nation.
Zoned out. No tune. No frequency.
Lost out of touch
Telephone doesn't work
Friends far away
Daisy in a far away field.
Cry no sleep. Can anyone hear me?
No echo in this valley of mountains.
Two nights of de-emotionionalising
Empty, re-ground re-start.
A much needed pause.
Feel much better now the dam is empty.

Settling in nicely. Making good friends.
Genki welcomes and 'kawaii' encores.

Time begins to gain momentum.
Each weekend booked for the next 3 months
Right let's list them, test my memory

Weekend one sight-seeing around Kofu
The local lego town, but some nice shops
820 yen west of Otsuki

Next day, Hanna, Jana, Kayla and I
Join some other ALTs for rockpool 'fun' at Ojirogawa
Not fun for me though as I jumped when didn't want to
Bruised my eye and submerged from the pool
With no contacts in my eyes
Now that's bad news, considering the rocks are steep and dangerous
With the minor inconvenience of being minus ten –short sighted
Oh well I survived.

Fireworks amazing like I have never seen before
Ichikawa Daimon-a small town via Minobu Line
I meet Kenta and Aki on the train
We exchange mails and now are best of friends
Fireworks are finished so ten of us go to Amy's
Her house is a temple-no actually it is

August weekend shopping in Akihabara-Ronal & Janna
New Digi camera for snapshots of Fuji

September, weekend one
journey up the smokey mysterious mountain
Volcano supposed to have erupted any time now
Amazing pictures taken in anticipation.
Sunrise a spectacular colour show
Freezing chattering teeth at the top, bodies huddled
Noses glow
Down down down
Slip slip skid and fall
Sprays of red sand
Stones in trainers
Merrels are comfy though

Recover. Sleep. Ache.
Rejuvenate for the next weekend of business
Sarah, Fiona, Amy and I
Take the shinkansen for a fast ride
West of Japan to the city once centre of olden day hustle and bustle
Kyoto-Daitokuji, Ryoanji, Ginkakuji, Kin Kakuji, KioMizu
Sleep at Tanni House-nice grandma's Ryokan
She lets us hire the cycles, makes the travelling more fun.

Monday bank holiday we get back to Yamanashi
Tired of course and ‘templed’ out.

Time for body action next Saturday.
Ronal, Mhairi, Michelle and I take the Chuo line to Ryogoku
The first tremor-minor quake we experience at around 11 am
While watching the wrestlers prepare for the big fight
Spend the whole day there, lots of fun.
Then go out in Tokyo for dinner and cheesy music at Lexington Queens
Stay with Sarah, Mhairi, Caroline and Russ at the Asia Centre
Get back Sunday night after getting soaked in Harajuku.
I bought a blue T Shirt

Okay I think we move on to October-mine, Kayla's and Caroline's birthday month

October the 4, twenty five of us sit around a huge long table at Addagios
It's my birthday! Hiroshi san gives me a big cake and we celebrate
Convenient-opposite Otsuki Station, beautiful atmosphere and even a piano
We eat, people drink and have a really really nice night
I feel really happy and touched by all the amazing friends I have made
From Fuji to Kofu and around and about, both Japanese and foreign
We have created strong connections

Wednesday-on the eighth, I stay at Mhairi's and she sings me happy birthday
Throws balloons around the lounge
I open my presents at exactly 11.03-when I first became me

Weekend two-it's a long one for added fun and extra spending.
Let's celebrate again!
Mhairi comes round Friday night and we are too excited to sleep
looking forward to Disney!
I remember we remember faithfully, cheese, baked beans, and a bit of lasagne and garlic bread please!
Saturday morning, we meet Caro, Russ and their mate Laura
Wow Disney is fun. We even buy ears –mine are Minnie Mouse, Mars-Pooh San
Rides, giggles, fries and fizzy drinks
Now we sit and watch the firework show and special Halloween Parade.
Beautiful..amazing to feel like a little girl again.

Get back to the hotel-totally knackered-no going out tonight-just sleep is all we want
So we decline the offer to go to the pub and instead get rested for a big day of shopping
Sunday-at Harajuku-Zara-buy lots of jumpers and tops..run out money, ATM no luck!
Meet at the Raj Mahal for yummy Indian, go to the Keio Plaza for an expensive coffee.

Monday-again another bank holiday
we shop and meet Sarah and her friend Charlotte in Harajuku
Go to Pizza Express. I love olives
On the train now-it's an express.
Typically at ten o'clock-so late and tired, we miss our stop!
Comical but not amusing. I just want me bed and now this?!

That last Disney weekend was for me and Caroline to celebrate our birthdays
But there's more –its weekend number three of birthday fun
What an amazing fun night –we go to Kofu for a big night of Karaoke
Caroline's got curly hair and wearing her new Gap poncho.
Everyone's there-singing karaoke-ing their hearts out

Next weekend its Kayla' night and we all eat in Ryuo at an Izakaya
She gets a Bob Sapp mask-the pictures are scary as you can imagine!

Oh its mid year conference time..
By the way when we first arrived we had two sessions I forgot to mention:
Local orientation and JTE seminars.
Good way to meet everyone and learn a lot

Back to Mid-Year-craziness. All the JETS, years one, two and three
All attending seminars by the day
But having fun at night
One night especially-most people piled together in one room
Chains of massages
Josh S plays his mini ladybird decks
People take pictures
I have a good one of Amanda B and Gaz C
Next night Mhairi, Kayla and I take an onsen and have the best sleep.

And already now coming to November
Its time to go home!
I fly with Sal, we board the plane early in the morning
Direct BA, we're so tired and uncomfy
Getting home for graduation!

Arrive Saturday avo, see Aani, Krish, Sheree and uncle Hash
Mummy, Daddy & Summo come at night and we go to Kent
Arrive in Maidstone may be around ten
Its one year since Nana left..feel happy thinking of him
He's the best, so funny, such an amazing character
Made a big impact on me and all of us actually
He's sooo cool..i love his smile
Cheeky sneers as he makes fun of the grown ups
Winds Ba up with his sharp remarks
He's so strong and well built
We all used to walk on him when we were little
'Pelwan' is what he said he was!
Watching clips of what he had recorded over and over again
I was naughty when I was little
I remember sipping his drink when no one was looking
I don't drink now-but I did when I was six LOL
His cooking and Ba's too-SO AMAZING
I’m starving just thinking about how tasty
And filling, the shaaks, the seero, the sev, the athano
The adhu, the papadi, the papad, the dhokra
Oh and on and on, my mind is busy with these
Edible thoughts

Well anyway, I know he's out there, came to Japan with me too
And his jokes about my driving. The memories their endless
His parka was cool-in the 80's..the granddad I was lucky to have.
His morals so good and his knowledge high
He hated conniving people, arrogance he was against
Treat others as equal is what he used to say.

So weekend spent with Ba-she's feeling a little sad
But she's so strong and admirable
I love Ba.

Monday-shop-buy stuff for Japan
At night go to ZiZis to eat
Best friends from school all meet and greet
Ali, Reena, Shamim, Khadija, Sushma & Amy-who I meet later
They are amazing

Tuesday-sort it all out
Best friend in the world
Comes to stay

We all eat dinner and iron our shirts for the big spesh Wednesday
To Bristol. Brother, friend and me drive-get there early
Mother, father also arrive a little later but in time
I see university mates after a long time
We all wear robes with red hoods
And hats that feel like they will fall off
After that we all go to Browns
Eat lunch, say good bye
We all drive back to Leicester
Gosh the day is already over

Thursday & Friday-catch up with family
Saturday, just us four eat pizza
Like we have always done
Its yummy!

Sunday up early meet my mate
It's all a surprise..I drive and anticipate
Goodness friends can be amazing!
We land in Barcelona
So excited and touched by this special gift
We stroll the streets of Barcelona
See Gaudi architecture
Barcelona is my favourite city
Fly home Monday night and return to Leicester Tuesday after my European whirlwind
Spend the day with Mummy telling her about where we went!
I love my Mum she's my eternal best friend

She's so beautiful
The most beautiful in the world
Her soft cheeks I remember cuddling up to when I was and still am a little girl
She used to sing me a lullaby, especially when I was nervous
The night before new term started she would sit at my bed

She can be angry and gosh I used to make her scream
One time she ran and chased me with the vhellan
It was quite funny, but the more I laughed
The more she got frustrated
'Three times I called you-don't you listen to me??'

She made me work hard when I was little
Always testing me with my times tables
Mental arithmetic was our favourite
Seven eights plus fifty six multiplied by ten..quick!

My tenth birthday party was wicked fun
She bought me this lovely red dress from Marks and Sparks
We all went swimming at Evington Pool
Boys and girls fighting competing for the big floats
Then getting changed, hair still dripping
we all sat around the table an ate our specially ordered fish n chips
Oh so yummy! From the shop called 'Grimsby'
Then we all danced to Kyle Minougue
did the loco motion..
She's still cool now I'm in my twenties
I love Kylie she's so hot and I am as little as she
But her butt is better
Mine has deflated in the Japanese heat

Both Mum and Dad work so hard
They have given us everything
Even though we aren't rich with money
We are with with our hearts-or so we have been taught to be
We have always had the best
Good schools for both Summo and I
Sent on holidays even though with both Mum and Dad
We have never been away
We have been raised so beautifully
And the best thing is that we can laugh and joke about everything together
Sex education around the dinner table-it's okay

All that matters is what they think-not some
Old bitchy relatives and gossip in the community
I hate that
It makes me so angry how people think they have the right to judge
Talk and bitch
Bitch. For ****s sake take a look at your own
Your family's all messed up and about others' you moan?
Please shut up I don’t care what you say or think, for you are not my
Faith, my God, my conscience or karma
Nor are you my mother or father
Or anyone I love or care about actually
And by the way don't come to my wedding.
Sweetness by the face and all evil inside
I don’t want to waste my time in the company of shite

God is the one who watches
Everything and everyone
The two faced bitching
You heard of karma?
You have a conscience?
You writhe in excitement at the fall of others?

No mum don't feel sad at their remarks
You have your God-who cares about the sharks
Believe in yourself
That's all you have to do
If you are truthful to what is inside you
You don't need to waste time on the who said what when and to whom

Anyway that's enough energy on the Eminem style outpour
No more energy to waste on dirt and lies
Leave that to God-that's his job. He got the power.

I love Eminem. My mate, my 3 cousins, my brother and I
Saw him at Milton Keynes
Had a wicked time
I think he's really something and wasn't impressed by the scene
With him and Brittany Murphy-that was unnecessary

Back to the time spending with Mum.
Basically we did lots of house stuff
Choosing new doors, gas cookers, gadgets for the sink
Meetings with Stuart and the building company
My goodness-when will our house ever be finished
Oh and the moving back to number 45?
Its already a year over time
But that's building companies for you

Well we did this and did that and before I knew it,
Time in UK was over again
Back to Watford Saturday night
We all drove to Heathrow in good time
To catch the plane and say goodbyes in reverse order of course
Me and Sal a bit sad at first
Well we have each other even over the phone

And that was 2003, almost complete
Just December to go and then 2004.

So December came and you know how it went
Travelling around Kobe, Osaka and Nara
Saturday to Tuesday
Got back NYE, slept got ready
Took the Azusa to Shinjuku
Changed for Harajuku
Met Heather, Gayatri and Phil-Sal's mates from Ishikawa
Then we all went to Meiji Jingu Mae
Spent a traditional New Years throwing 'go-en' to the shrine
Cheering and celebrating the start of the new Year then ate
Got to Roppongi went to Media Bar
Cool DJ playing old school
Chilling on the white sofas
And then from here to there it was daylight again

Me and Sal feeling old missing our beds
We end up snoozing for 2 hrs in Starbucks
Get our stuff and head to the Asia Centre where we shower and sleep
Deep deep comfort

January second, we meet Laurie at the Imperial Palace and see the Emperor
Hirohito san and his family
All of us waving our red rising sun flags
Still got mine. It's by the door next to the calendar

And then after that, we eat, shop
Buy 2 pairs of shoes each from the sale at Zara
And tops from Gap in Harajuku
An then we go to Shibuya
The first time for both of us-well last time I came I didn't stay as it was raining
So we're lost in the high of the neon scrapers, at the world's busiest crossing
Admiring the wow factor
We decide to watch a movie at the movie theatre
Or the cinema-whatever. Get comfy, lights low
It's Tom, Watanabe and their gang.
We really enjoy it and love Japan
This whole week of travelling has been so much fun
Celebrating New Year Nihongo style
Japan is amazing – the old beautiful culture
Please youth and Westerners remember to preserve it and spread the word
Don't get lost in the Starbucks and McDonald's
Yes evolve but grow with your roots
Keep the old and the new
Mix them both carefully and enjoy the two.

Well Friday-last train home and straight to bed
Wake up next morning and meet Setsuko san and her lovely husband
Drive and see the wonderful lakes bowing to Mt Fuji
And then back home after the chills outside
Rest relax and then Sal says goodbye
On Sunday she leaves and we give big hugs and then back to routine for the new term.

Now its January, I need a break, got a lesson in a minute so will be back later.