Another year, another N1. I feel okay about how I did. If I passed or failed, I’m sure it was close either way. (I hope I passed!) In general, I’m going to focus more on writing to improve my Japanese, as well as reading “meatier” stuff, like literature, as opposed to light novels. That sort of thing. Heading home tomorrow morning. Also, my hotel room is creepy.
[Read the rest!]We had a nice Thanksgiving. Then I went deal hunting on Friday, all while getting ready for the N1 on Sunday. I’m leaving for DC on Saturday.
[Read the rest!]I spent Pocky Day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then went to Kinokuniya. Dinner was with friends in Greenwich Village. Tomorrow I go back home. It’s supposed to snow.
[Read the rest!]I was done with the Career Forum by early afternoon, so I went to the USS Constitution, took some photos, then went to Shiki again.
[Read the rest!]We went to the Raleigh Greek festival last night, and loaded up on some great home-made Greek food. It’s a bit of a drive, but worth it.
[Read the rest!]Another busy week as the entire extended family gathered for our annual trip to Wrightsville Beach, NC. It was good seeing everyone, but I’ll need to cut back on the food intake for a while.
[Read the rest!]Alton Brown came to the DPAC in Durham, NC. I’m a long-time “Good Eats” fan, so I enjoyed the heck out of it.
[Read the rest!]I ran around Manhattan and checked out Book Off and Kinokuniya, then burned my tongue on good pizza at Frank’s. After that, I high-tailed it back home. I got back in around 1:30 a.m., and got to bed at 3. Oof.
[Read the rest!]I took one last trip to the Boston Convention Center for the Career Forum, then did some touring around the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill, and I finished the day in Brookline for dinner. Tomorrow I head to New York City.
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Getting ready for the big test tomorrow; mastering how to say nothing; one last trip to Nagoya to pick up supplies and souvenirs. I’m going to really miss living in Okazaki!
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Today I went to see the Jackson Pollock exhibit at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, then went to the Midland Square Building to see some great views of Nagoya. More book shopping after that, then expensive crepes for dinner, and a train ride back to Okazaki. I managed to take some really good photos with my cheap little IXY, too!
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Today I went to Toyohashi to pick up a calligraphy brush. The famous dish there is the curry udon, or so I was told by the people in the restaurant. It’s good, but really messy. I hope I can go back again sometime.
[Read the rest!]I love the food at Kitsutsuki on the Yamasa campus. Get the A set. I also went to Nagoya to do some shopping, and ate at Mokumoku again. Dumping food over the rice in the bowl is really tasty, too.
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Final exam for N1 grammar, tests on Wednesday, and we’re learning how to mail letters in JBPP.
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In part two, I went to Kinkakuji, LL Bean, and Gion, then took a few trains to get back to Okazaki.
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Part two of my big Saturday excursion, from Kyoto Station to Arashiyama, the Sagano Bamboo Forest, Nision-In Temple, the Togetsukyo Bridge, then dinner in Kyoto, and off to Osaka for my hotel.
[Read the rest!]A short update on a few things, and I learned a new polite phrase.
[Read the rest!]Went to Nagoya, got my money back at Bic Camera, found a nice international grocery story near JR Nagoya, got lost, bought more books, had to buy a bag to carry it all, then ate some organic food, bought a blanket, and even found a Krispy Kreme.
[Read the rest!]It’s Sunday, and I didn’t do much today. I mostly rested. But in the evening, I started to go stir crazy. So I decided to go on a search for a store that doesn’t exist!
[Read the rest!]I headed down to Aeon Mall in Okazaki for a little shopping. I only got lost once.
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After hearing about an out-of-season blooming cherry tree at Nagoya Castle, I decided to go and check it out after classes ended.
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I had the hotel’s breakfast again, then went straight to the front desk to take care of two things: my eyes, which now hurt like hell and finding someone who can do something about the stink in the bathroom. Seriously, what is that? It’s not me. It was like that when I got there. A
[Read the rest!]I woke up today feeling like the bottom of someone’s shoe. My throat was sore (probably from a combination of snoring and the A/C in the room), I had a raging headache, and my right ankle was sore, too. So Greenwich was out. As I get older, I realize more and more that I have
[Read the rest!]Today was a really busy day. I saw the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, then went to Piccadilly Circus yet again to pick up some tea at Fortnum and Mason. After that, I had some noodles and karaage, and picked up some Japanese confections at Minamoto Kitchoan. On the way I came across the
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