* I Heart Makuhari*

I love it here! It's been completely overwhelming so far, but everyone's been so nice here and the people I'm working with are so incredibly nice!
I can't move into my little apartment until Friday, so I'm a little disappointed... but it'll give them time to clean and disinfect the place before I move in.
The food here's pretty cheap. But then, I'm just moving from New York... so everything's cheap to me.
The weather's been crappy so far. It's still kinda chilly, but it's nice weather to walk around and explore the city a bit. It's a really quiet city, but SO CLEAN! There's everything I need and want here, so I don't imagine I'll have many problems here.
My office is all set up now. I'm sharing with two other guys and they're super nice to me. Our office is HUGE and airy with a big window overlooking the little river.
I really love it here. I haven't exactly started my "real" work yet, but we've already been working for the past week here. The resources we have at our disposal are just unbelievable. We can apply for funding for just about any research project we choose to work on.
Must run... I'm starving. I think I'm going to sit in my office and daydream a little for now. For the first time in history, I'm actually done and ahead with my work!~

*The Mooncake Has Landed*

I'm in Japan! I'm in Japan!
No culture shock... but I've been sick as hell this past week in Japan. What started out as a little bit of the flu from last weekend in Hong Kong, turned into full-blown Bronchitis last week. The fever was running so high, it wasn't coming down and I was starting to worry about brain-damage - one of the bad things about having a degree in Psychology is that you worry about things like that.
The university is gorgeous. It's so big and clean, and we have EVERYTHING we need including our own laptops and private office telephone lines. The offices are huge and we share them with 2 other people.
I've found an apartment, and it's so cute! I have my own little (TEENY) garden in the back, and the place gets a lot of sun since it's up on a little hill.
The city is so clean. A Singaporean has remarked that it's even cleaner than Singapore here!
I can't think of anything else to write about right at this moment... I've already kinda started with work... and I have to be back to proctor an exam.
I miss you all! Especially while I was sick... I missed you all even more!
Will post more later.~

*Why?*

I know you're reading this.
Why do you torment me like this? Just when I've put you out of my mind. I hate that you lied to me and I hate that you felt that you couldn't tell me everything.
I'm moving to another country to get away from you. Where else can I go? Why are you doing this to me?~

*T minus 9 hours*

Am so sick. I have a raging fever of 102, and am coughing like crazy. I feel like I just want to crawl into a hole and stay there forever.
I still haven't finished packing. I just realised that I'll NEVER be finished with the packing. How am I supposed to know what I'll need in Japan? I figure if I don't have it, I'll have to do without.
I'm a little nervous about the move to Japan. I'm trying to remember some really important Japanese, like:

• Where's the loo? Is it a squat-style?
• I don't speak Japanese, would you please explain that using body language?

Gosh... This move isn't difficult, but there are some issues I need to overcome or resolve as I move into this "grown-up" life I've chosen. It'll definitely be nice to be making money again.

Right... My next post'll prolly be from Japan. Kinda exciting, all this... if I really think about it.~

*Oops*

Still haven't packed for Japan... still haven't unpacked from New York either...
I've made plans to come back for the Sevens next year. There are some people I'd love to go to the Sevens with again... so much fun!
Right... gotta pack. Really should unpack first though... Urgh... I really hate this packing-repacking thing. I hate moving. I wish that I could just find a reason to stay in one place for longer and stop running away from everything.~

*Crispy*

I'm fried... totally fried to a crisp.
Rugby today was awesome. The weather was gorgeous, and the matches were exciting.
Canada came second in the bowl category of the Sevens... They played well in the 2 games in the morning, but I thought they could've done better in the Finals.
My arms and my chest are so sun-burnt. I had a maple-leaf painted onto my arm... and now I have a maple-leaf tanned onto my left arm. Kinda cool, but also kinda stupid at the same time. Ya know how people have maple-leaf emblems sewn onto their backpacks when they're overseas? I figure I don't need one in Japan now that I have a maple-leaf tanned onto my arm.
Must tend to my burns now. The burn on my chest is particularly painful and very hot to the touch. No... not the boobs, but the upper-bony part of the chest.
Will have pix up in a bit. Will take a while for me to upload all 160 pictures I've got of the weekend.~

*Woo-wee*

Another exciting day of Rugby...
Canada didn't play well today... VERY disappointed in that, but their game against Portugal was a good one.
I'm so knackered. I have NO idea how I'll be able to start getting up early every day to get to work. I just realised that in a week, I may very well have my own place... Kinda scary.
FOUR days until the big move to Japan. I still haven't packed, but it's easy... I just have to pack all my Penguin things into a bag and I'm set.
I miss New York so much. I can't wait to go back again.
Time for bed now... Will post my 100+ pics from the Sevens tomorrow... hopefully.~

*RUGBY!*

I love rugby. It has to be one of the most exciting sports out there. I had a really fun day at the Sevens today, but was really disappointed with the Canadian team... but then... I guess any team that plays Fiji is destined to lose...
I sat with the other Canadian supporters today. It makes a huge difference to be with other people who are crazy like you. I've found out that Canadians make very rowdy rugby spectators who also have the decency to lose with dignity and class... unlike the English fans...
In this group of Canadians, I met this one person who reminds me of another person I met exactly a year ago... almost to the day. They both share the same first name, they're both Canadian, they both really enjoy taking photos and they both have taught in Korea. I guess it's a pretty common Canadian thing then, this going off to Korea to teach thing... I've done it too.
I'm knackered. Gotta get cleaned up then get some sleep - in preparation for another full and exciting day at the stadium again. Go Canada Go!~

*I Love...*

I love how when it's really quiet at night... I can hear my neighbour upstairs pee.~

*Yawn*

I'm tired, but I've so much to do before I leave that I can't sleep yet...
Rugby long-weekend starts in 7 hours. VERY excited about watching this year, because I actually KNOW people who are playing... VERY cool.
Played my third round of golf this week with Dad. He's got huge competitions coming up, so he made me go with him today for another practice. He played crap today though. He almost killed me several times with his horrible tee shots. I learned to hide behind the trees after the third stray shot missed me by half a foot. We had to reverse-coach today after our round - I had to coach him instead of him coaching me. He definitely improved after we identified the problem... I think my future-career-goal-for-the-week is to be a golf pro...
It was horribly hot and humid today. The bugs and mozzies were out and about. I must've swallowed about a tablespoon-full of bugs today - good protein.
Right. Rugby tomorrow. Will definitely be taking loads of pix. If I have the energy, they'll be up in 24 hour's time in my pix folder.~

Me & Ro @ Wat Arun - BKK 2005 

*Gotta Love*

Gotta love well-meaning people. Check out the prototype for the New York City Rape Map. It only shows Williamsburg (Brooklyn) so far. I can't wait until it expands to Manhattan! I'd feel SO safe then...~

*Balls*

No pun initially intended. Quoted verbatim:
Background information
Early morning, R is frantically packing a small half-set golf bag for a quick game at the 9-hole city course.
Monologue
R: (To self) Shit. Where are all my golf balls. I don't have any in the bag.
R: (Yelling to Dad at the other end of the apartment) Dad! Do you have any balls?
(5 seconds later)
R: (Kicking herself and rolling on the floor laughing. Meanwhile, Dad refuses to answer the question.)

Another eventful day in Hong Kong for the Mooncake. SEVEN days to go 'til Japan...~

*F1*

Hong Kong taxi drivers secretly believe that they're the next Michael Schumacher.

1. They drive like maniacs - New York Cabbies times 10.
2. They floor the gas pedal to go a distance of 5 meters and then immediately slam on the brakes - during a traffic jam.
3. They take corners just like they do on a circuit - cut out, then veer in.
4. They always try to take the route with the most straights - to increase the occurrences of point 2.

They should make sick bags mandatory in the backs of HK taxis. They have 'em on planes, so why not in taxis?~

*Sore*

My abs are sore from running.
Wait. My ABS? My legs are just a little sore in the hamstrings, but why my abs?
Anyways. My abs are sore.
End of a fascinating day in Hong Kong for me.~

*Amazing Race*

I did something pretty darn crazy today! I did the Hong Kong equivalent of "The Amazing Race"!
I found out 2 days ago that Cathay Pacific was putting up 100 pairs of tickets for the public to win for the Rugby World Cup Sevens that are held in Hong Kong this year. My dad had misread the dates for the Sevens and had thought that we would all be out of the city by that weekend, so he didn't get tickets this year (World Cup Year!). When I found out, I was disappointed but then was ecstatic when I found out that there was a chance to win a pair of tickets to the RWC.
The way to win the tickets was by playing a game that was like "The Amazing Race". Two days before race day, we had to register online in order to receive a text message ON race day that told us where the starting gate was. On race day (today), the text message came in at 7:09am that told the racers where the start point was and that only the first 600 there qualified to race. Of the 600, only the first 100 who made their way through the course, got 3 stamps from the 3 "stops" and got the final clue AFTER getting all 3 stamps, got the tickets. Boy was it MAD!
I was woken up by the beeping of my cellphone from the text message and made it to the start in 40 minutes (HK Coliseum). From there, we registered and were given our clues and started the race at 11am. The 3 checkpoints were:
1. The site of HarbourFest 2003 (Tamar Site)
2. The battleground for RWC Sevens 2005 (HK Stadium)
3. The Central Party Zone (Lan Kwai Fong)
It was so much fun. We were such a crazy pack of people, racing around Hong Kong. In reviewing our day, my new friends and I realised that we could've gotten ourselves killed at MANY points in our mad rush to the finish line. Highlights include:
1. 20 people rushing off a bus onto a heavy-traffic street (Where Happy Valley comes out to Leighton Road by the Football Club) and not caring about the traffic nor the lights.
2. Standing in the middle of a VERY busy intersection, trying to grab whatever cab we could.
3. Running from Cotton Tree Drive along Upper Albert Road and down Glenealy in the rain - the equivalent of running down a double black diamond without skis when the surface is all ice.
4. Trying to find the Peak Tower in the fog, while maintaining a break-neck running speed... and not knowing that there are steps ahead.
Despite all the near-death experiences, I managed to get to the finish line in 41st place! I am now the proud owner of a pair of RWC Sevens tickets and I'm NOT giving them up for anything!
It was so FUN! I'm now addicted to this whole race-scavenger-hunt-thing. I have a new-found respect for the contestants on the show. It's all about luck. I managed to be in the front of the pack because I jumped onto the first bus that got me 'cross the harbour and didn't care where it dropped me off. Had I missed that bus, I think it would've set me back 5 minutes and 5 minutes would've put me out of the running.
I'm definitely going to try and get on the show now. I hope you're ready, Bex!
Today's Lesson
I learned of Hong Kong people's favourite past-times today. While waiting for registration to begin, I was sandwiched for an hour and a half between Mr. Creepy and Mr. Gross. In observing their behaviours (and those like them, around), I have found:
1. Hong Kong men like to give girls a sloooow once-over... BLATANTLY. My response? VERY evil looks at him and giving him the same treatment... with a very disgusted look on my face.
2. REALLY digging deep for the buried treasure - up their noses... and not even caring that people around them are looking - in horror.
Gosh I love Hong Kong sometimes. It's great for people watching. Get me outta here!~

*Window?*

Just a quick thought:
Are dreams really a window to your inner-most desires? If so, I'm in trouble. I had a really nice, but fairly troubling... and maybe disturbing dream about one of my good friends last night. No, it's not a girl friend... but a guy friend I have a fairly decent friendship with. Troubling, because I had always thought this guy was gay... until I was told the contrary recently.
Does this mean I like him? Eeeww... boys have germs...~

*O Canada*

My Dad's so funny. He came running out of his study last night to ask me to help him download a lot of Michael Bublé's music. He added that one of the main reasons he wanted to listen to his stuff... was that he wanted to support Canadian music.
He's already gone through his Céline Dion phase. I'm glad he's outgrown that... there are only so many times you can hear "My Heart Will Go On" on repeat.
Today was a fun day. I consulted in my first education/psychology case. I'm thinking of maybe going further with my Psych interests instead of continuing in Linguistics. Oh well... I may change my mind AGAIN in a day or so.
I had a lovely dinner with my best friend C tonight. We always have loads to talk about and we can always pick up from where we left off the last. I love having friends that are on the same wave-length.
Hong Kong's humid as heck today. It's supposed to be real foggy tomorrow. I'll be heading out for a round of golf with Dad. I wonder if I'll be able to find my ball through the fog?~

*Frumpy*

I don't mean to sound conceited or full of myself, but I think I have a pretty decent sense of fashion. I know what looks good on me and I wear what makes me comfortable. I like to keep abreast with what's "hot", but I don't usually buy "fad" clothing.
I have no problems with dressing myself when I'm in New York. I usually look fairly presentable there and manage to wear functionable clothes to enable me to get around the city (ok, maybe my shoes don't get me around so well). But Hong Kong is another matter. For some reason, I have a LOT of trouble dressing myself here. Whenever I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror here, I see Frump Girl. On closer inspection in the mirrors, I end up looking worse and worse. The hair never sits right (the humidity makes my hair frizz), and my clothes always seem to be wrong. I can wear the exact same ensemble in New York and manage to look alright, but something in Hong Kong makes me look like Frumpy - the long lost eighth dwarf.~

*O-C-D*

The O-C-D-ness in me is coming out again.
I've been rearranging my clothes here at home. My mum's "hinted" that since I won't be living at home anymore, my things should all be moved to Japan.
Uh... the problem is this... I don't think there's an apartment large enough in Japan that can accomodate all my things...
Anyways, I'm arranging everything in categories - tops, bottoms, sweaters, etc. I've even got an inventory of every single item I own on file and a hard copy is printed out and placed in the drawers with my clothes.
Yeah... I'm re-reading what I just wrote... I need help.
So this is just about how exciting life in Hong Kong is right now. Between running errands for my parents and getting over this cold I've got, there really isn't much for me to do. I'm glad I have a real break before I start work - albeit only for 2 weeks.
T.V. here sucks. Even with cable, it sucks...
14 more days to go...~

*Beginnings*

This is going to be my diary for my next two years in Japan. It's going to be brutally honest... and I'm going to try to make it an unedited version of my experiences. I imagine there are going to be some times when the material's going to be rated "R", but hey... it's me... of course there's going to be "R"-rated material here!
I suppose it's only appropriate to begin my blog with my departure from New York.
So I left the city at 5:30pm to make my 9:30pm flight to Hong Kong. Think that's enough time?? I thought that was loads of time. It ended up taking 2 hours to get to JFK - a trip that usually takes me 30 mins. So I haul my stuff into the check-in hall, to see a HUGE line-up for check-in. As I was stepping in line, an airline staff comes up to me to tell me to go 'round to the first class check-in desk. I go to the First Class check-in desk and the guy at the counter engages me in friendly banter and UPGRADES me to business class and gives me a lounge pass so I could enjoy a massage, snacks, drinks, etc. at the lounge!
So yeah... It definitely pays to be a girl, and it definitely pays to dress nice and flirt a little. Needless to say, my overweight suitcase (only 2 kilos over this time!) had no problems going through baggage check... except when they did the mandatory inspection... when the guy found my "toy"... He went incredibly red and started laughing real hard...
The flight was so long. A word of warning: NEVER take Cathay Pacific from North America to Hong Kong. There were about 15 babies on board that flight, if not more. They were crying non-stop, 2 at a time, at any given time throughout the whole 18 hours we were in the air. All the mothers were mainlanders though... which makes me think that they all flew over to the states just to have their babies there.
The second leg of the flight after the Vancouver stop-over wasn't so bad for me. I knocked back a couple NyQuil caplets and knocked myself out for a good 8 hours and slept through the screaming babies. I love NyQuil. I think I may have found the one thing I can't live without...
So here I am, in sunny Hong Kong. It was actually quite a pleasant experience arriving this early into the city. There was a nice feeling of calm and serenity... like the city just came out of the wash.
I'm now comfortably ensconced in my room at my parents' place. I managed to get in without waking them up. They have no idea I'm back...
So in about 2 weeks, I leave for Japan. I'm not really feeling nervous or excited or anything right now about the move. It'll be a nice change, and I'm glad to be starting something new again. I left New York as an unattached, single girl... and I hope to leave Japan in the same state.
I'd better start unpacking... My hairspray exploded in my suitcase and my room smells like a hair salon now.
I'll keep y'all posted with my adventures. Ta for now!~