Je suis au Japon

I`m in japan now

Life`s gonna be different here. For one thing, I have to get used to using this keyboard. Arrived yesterday evening and stayed at Toyoko inn.

Thursday Sep 2, I left early morning for 中正[zhongzeng] airport. I got there by 9:30, the checkin counter for Cathay Pacific opened at 10:00. I waited for half hour, then I checked in and paid the overweight of my baggage. The flight took off at 13:00. I was expectant and worried, I sat next to the window pretending to read something or watching some entertainment, but I couldn't pull my focus on anything. I took some pictures from the window after I enjoyed the meal served on flight.
We arrived at Narita Airport at 17:00 local time. I got off the plane and clamed my baggage then I walked to the lobby and bought some FRISK peppermint to sooth my throat and a calling card to reach the office. I made necessary call home and office from the lobby then I proceed downstairs to Narita Express. I bought a ticket at one booth and went in to platform 2. I waited for 20 minutes and the train arrived with NEX logo on each car. I climbed into car no. 7 and sat at the very back of the row next to a Japanese guy. His name is Hironasa Yamashita. We chatted for a while. He was just coming back from a business trip to the states. He's working for as a project manager for IT section in a mobile contents company. He showed me his laptop and all and how people usually got connected in Japan. He had a bunch of mobile phones in his bag, may be six or seven for different purposes. We talked about where we came from and what we did and we soon close our convoy as we reached Yokohama Eki. He offered to show me the way as it happens he's also going to 反町「tanmachi」 station. I followed him for the train transit from subway to chikatetsu. It was a long walk and I had a lot of stuff with me. It really killed all my muscles. I reached tanmachi with him at about 20:00 and　元倉さん　「motokurasan」　and 岸本さん「kishimotosan」 were waiting for me outside the gate. We walked ten minutes back to the office and put my stuff there then we soon got to an italian restaurant where we had calzone, spagheti, fish steak, and the first taste of Japanese beer. Ichiban desu!

From the restaurant, Kishimotosan showed me to Toyoko Inn in 阪東橋[bandoubashi]. It was another long walk. when we eventually reached Toyoko Inn, I was really dead beat and could no longer do anything. I took a quick shower and get a rest on the soft bed. I woke up early morning and followed my root back to the office. I always got lost but somehow I just reached the office. Good Lord. He has shown me helps and guides wherever I go.

ax

Le dernier jour en Taipei

The last day in Taipei

Now my feelings are all mixed amongst the sadness of leaving behind those people dear at heart, the excitement to what I shall experience next in Japan, the fear of what might comes in the way, the worries for whatever all the uncertainties in the future and the conviction that God is watching me all the time. I went out of the office at 11:00 to 台灣企銀 [taiwan business bank] to buy some Yen for use in Japan. I got back to the office at about 12:00, grabbed my back, and went out again to Subber in 長春復興北路口[intersection of changchun and fuxinbei]. I met Damien there and told her to call Gus to let him know that we'd arrived. Gus Joined us in about 10 mins and we started ordering some hotdogs, made a short prayer and start having our lunch and catched up with eachother. We talked about my trip, Gus' project, and Damien's academic life. Damien left us at about 1:30 and Gus walked me to the bus stop after making a bank book printing at the corner of the street.

ax

Aller prendre mon visa

Picking up my Visa

The moment of truth has just arrived. I went to the interchange assoc. today buy bus 288 from in front of our office to 南京東路[nanking east rd]. I walked thru the hot sunny day and the debris of burned incense and and paper money in the air. When I got there, it was crowded with multitude of people already. I stood in line for counter no 2 and showed them my receipt upon my turn. I waited there for about 20 minutes and my name was called. I went to counter no. 1 to pick up the visa and paid the NT. 900 fee. I walked back to the bus stop and headed back to the office. Praise the Lord! Everything had worked out now. I can have a safety trip to Japan on Thursday now.

ax

ビザを申し込むので交流協会へ行った: もう一度

To Japan Interchange for applying Visa: Again

今日は早くで終わりましたけど、家へ帰ったんパスポートを持った。あとで事務所へ行った。到着だったら、どちらもいらないんだった。ＤＨＬのノートはドアにパストされた。どんどんＤＨＬへ電話を呉れた。
I only got connected after the second call, the operator girl put me thru to a 張先生[zhang xiansheng]. I told them I need the document immediately and asked if they can have it delivered at once. They promised me to hand it over before lunch, and I relented to their promise.
Fiona and Yahui arrived. It's still 中元節[zhongyuan jie] today, and every office is making offerings downstairs. I went down outside the lobby where they put up a big pingpong table for people to make offerings to polytheistic Gods and ancestors. I though Christian, pay the same respect to their tradition and offer an incense. I made a prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ to grant me safe journey and to grant the company I work for, a prosper future and smooth expansion in Asia. We burned some paper money and collected the offerings and went back upstairs.

When I got back to the office, Fiona handed me the document from DHL. I quickly opened it and checked the contents inside. I had it copied at once and wrote an email to Japan to confirm receipt. From the office, I rode down to 合流協会[kouryuu kyoukai] and presented them my papers. They told me I need to extend my staying permit in Taipei before I can apply for the Visa, coz my last permit only allowed me to stay until Aug 31. I walked out of Interchange Assoc. and quickly hailed a cab to Foreign Affair Police in 西門[ximen]. When I arrived, I made a missed call to Iping. She showed up a bit later at her desk. I approached her and she told me to give her my Passport. It was stamped in second while I was making a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility again, since they require front and back copy. When I came back to Iping's desk, she handed me my passport and had me to check of it. I confirmed and nodded making a gesture to show my gratitude and dissapeared from the office. When the cab arrived at Interchange assoc. again, I quickly filled out the application forms and handed it to the girl at Counter no. 2. She checked it dutifully and went to her supervisor office for about 20 minutes and eventually came out and wrote me a receipt. I was told to pick up my Passport and Visa the following day. Yeehaaa!

I made a call to 岸本さん[kishimotosan] in Japan telling him that I'm gonna make a visit to Cathay Pacific ticketing center and asked them if he wants me to change my flight schedule or shall it remain on Sep 2. It was confirmed that I shall have my flight on Sep 2. I hurried down to 民生東路 3 段 [minsheng east rd 3 sec] and the lift lauched me up to 12th floor. I picked a queueing ticket and soon sat in front of a Miss Lucy Lin who hurried packed all her novels and got back to work. She couldn't concentrate for a while too happy with the book gifts from some friends. She asked me what I came for and I handed her my ticket and got her to reissue it for Sep 2. She explained about the losses I shall bear due to the price difference, but there was nothing to be done now. I was going to leave soon as scheduled. She had the ticket printed and politely handed it to me. I bid her a thank you and went on my way back to the office.

I was only relieved now to even have the appetite for a meal. I bought a 弁当[bentou] and some 珍珠奶茶[zhenzhu naicha] for the girls. Mmmh....what a day! I'm tired now.

ax

基隆港中元祭：放水燈

Day trip to Keelong - Festival of water lantern

今 天我也蠻晚才起來。兩點後就決定陪麗娟去基隆把攝影機還給一為潛水教練。我就跟她去松山火車站買了一些零食到車上 吃。車上看到各式各樣的人。一位少年在 我我旁邊穿著黃色「ナイキ」的 T-血在看中國日報。標題上寫「年輕人的國際館：留百」。我腦海理轉轉轉也才不出來留百的意思。麗娟坐在我對面。她旁邊作了一為穿白色 V-領的小姐。在他的左邊有時一個穿著像芭比娃娃的小美眉。臉甲打了粉紅色的紛。手指和腳指都油了紅紅的指甲油。再不到多久，麗娟右邊的「おばさん」就拉 著行李準備要下車了。我就趕快走過去換位置。Fine, enough with Chinese. I'm tired thinking in Chinese. Switch back to English. We arrived after a while in Keelung station. I called my coworker, Fiona who lives nearby to see whehter she's around while Vicky called the Trainer's to let her know that we have arrived. The trainer's daughter showed up a while later in a red sports car. A beach girl came out of that car handing some pictures to Vicky while her little puppy keeps barking in on the half opened window. After she left, Vicky told us that the girl said about a festival coming that evening in Keelung and want me to stay with her and watch. I okayed her as we walked down to Tourist information center and picked up some guidebooks. We walked further down to Miaokow and enjoyed all kind of delicacies. We had some octopussy meat, eels soup, and raw fish with wasabi at a sushi bar. I also had some 剉冰 [chuabing] which I enjoyed very much coz the 粉圓 [fenyuan] is really Q [chewy].

From 廟口[miaokou] we walked down 基隆市政府[Keelong City Hall] where they set up a makeshift stage to welcome international guest to celebrate this special event. We found a nice spot in front of a bank where we can watch the parade coming. Once after another parade show set in. The skateboardist, the drummer girls, the Chinese trumpet, the Dragon dance, the Lion dance, the Chinese Drum, the paper vessel girl throwing candies, what else? mmh...Oh hearsay all this shows are funded by those rich businessmen in 基隆 [keelong], and the first many shows bear the same 姓[surname] as mine. They are all 謝 [xie]. But after a while surname 許 [xu] take over the shows. I saw over twenty more shows contributed by the 許 [xu], Vicky said, the 許 [xu] is running over 謝 [xie], I told her it's alright. They are close to eachother, they both have 言 [yan] which to Vicky is a very cold joke. The fireworks were fired from the top of Keelong skycrapers. I haven't seen fireworks for ages and I must admit it looks much much better than in real and it gives the feeling of awe and wonder than looking it off the computer screen on some winamp or winmediaplayer's effects. Oh there's also this performance done by a group from Penang, Malaysia. They did this huge 15 meters high flag and balancing it on their forehead or their mouth. They are a group of Chinese, Malay, and Indian and they seemed to cooperate well with eachother. Hearsay the gave a lot of international performances worldwide. The show was contributed by China Airline and Malaysian Tourist Association.

We left 基隆[Keelong] before the performance finished to avoid stampede. We walked back to the station and bought some candies at 豆苗 [doumiao] shop. We arrived in 松山[songshan] at about 8:00 pm and still took the time to go to 五分埔[wu fen pu] for a stroll. I bought some new socks and we also had 甜不辣 [tianbula] nearby.

ax
ps. earlier while we're buying the snacks. I learned how to read Pringles in Korean. I guess it was transliterated as 프링글스.