Broken keyboard at home + busy time at uni = no LJ for Amelia. Sorry guys, I've not read any of your entries for about a month, and will try to catch up little by little, but am unlikely to read everything I would like to ( Read more... )

At 4,400 words, I stop for the night. It's almost quarter to four in the morning, my brain is just starting to go fuzzy, so rather than attempt to push through with a fruitless night I'd rather take a shower, get my Japanese language class homework done (that's another hour lost, but it's scary S-sensei, so there's no helping it) and get at least ( Read more... )

The kareshi's been at home the last couple of days for Golden Week, so yesterday we got a bunch of errands done and had a late Chinese lunch, and today we did some laundry and walked to the local bakery of deliciousness for a lunchbox set. So good ( Read more... )

Today the kareshi started his final year at university. Fourth-year engineers have to enter a lab with a professor and a research group of fellow fourth-year students. I don't understand too much of it, but I know that the lab he wanted to enter is all about space, run by the professor who is the reason he came to Kanazawa University, and is ( Read more... )

Recent Major Stuff:

1. The kareshi made it through to the next round of pilot interviewing! There was much nail-biting, as group interviews crush any hopes of feeling you've made an impression, but he's through to the next interview, reported to be the harshest of the lot. The fly in the ointment: there were three interview days and two filled up ( Read more... )

I've read all my friendslist, had a cup of tea, chatted to a friend in Sheffield - and it's not yet 8am. I may be unable to keep my eyes open by lunchtime, but right now I think I win at life. :D The kareshi has his interview today, so he was up until 3am finishing off his CV, application form and general preparation, then got up at 6am. I kept ( Read more... )

First day without earthquakes! Aftershocks go on for a LOT longer than I expected, and there were still fairly large ones even yesterday. Seems to be over now though, and probably won't happen again before I leave. I'm glad it's something I got to experience, especially since Ishikawa is known for being a calm area, and I'm thankful that it wasn ( Read more... )

My university's Japan Society has a weekly session called Tandem Learning, in which Japanese and English speakers trade language practise over drinks. I went once in my first year, sat with the least talkative person I've ever met and three giggling Japanese girls, but was so exhausted and embarrassed by my hour of attempts to generate ( Read more... )

Last night the kareshi and I got back from the Snow Festival in Hokkaido, over a day's travel away by boat, local trains and shuttle buses. Today is Valentine's Day, and it's customary to make chocolates for your loved ones in Japan, but that's okay! I bought Valentine's Day chocolate-making ingredients last week to be used today, meaning nothing ( Read more... )

So the big, epic, meeting-the-family saga that has been hovering over me for the past year was resolved at New Year's, when I met the kareshi's aunt, two uncles, four cousins, sister, and of course, his parents. It was a very busy, very exhausting week for me as I had to sustain polite Japanese, yet speak openly enough to chat with adults who ( Read more... )