10/7: went for my first haircut in Japan. found a shop in Minatogawa tt offers haircut at onli 1575yen (abt SGD20). this is considered v cheap as most haircuts are at least 3900yen in Japan. i also got a free shampoo with the coupon i cut out from "Hot Pepper" magazine. had difficulty communicating tho. i wonder if they tot i was strange or something cos of my weird Japanese. then i also dropped by Vodafone shop to change my HP email address and make other enquiries, once again with my limited Japanese vocabulary. after tt, went down to supermarket and buy groceries and rushed home to cook bento. ended up being 20mins late for work! oh no~ =P

at nite, our student, Kuma-san, a 50+ unmarried taxi-driver, decided to bring C and mi out for supper. he was feeling rather down as his taxi was broken into and he couldn't work for a few days. he was v generous but also a bit too over? kept ordering lotsa food for us while he drowned himself in onli sake and didn't touch the food. nonetheless, i got to taste Japanese shabu-shabu for the first time.


after tt, we went to a bar on the top level of Oriental Hotel which overlooks Harbourland. so so beautiful! but it was super exp, with cover charge and exorbitant prices for drinks and snacks.


11/7: my best fren, En's 23rd bday!! altho i couldn't be with her today, but somehow i felt rather at ease cos she already found the love of her life to celebrate this special day for her. wish u happiness always, En!

it's the 2nd tues of the mth, which means drinking day! went to hv 100yen beer and Karaage again... and this time in a party of 8! v fun but i was also a bit stressed out cos my high-level student was sitting beside mi and asked mi English questions. still an enjoyable nite anyway. =)


12/7: went Hyogo Intl Association near Nada to take a Japanese level check test. i had found out on the internet tt they were going to hv an intensive summer course for foreigners in Kobe. came here last week to enrol and the vacancies were actually filled already. however, i was told to take this test anyway and they would inform mi again if there were more places.

13/7: mi and C decided to cycle to Sannomiya together today! juz so happened tt we ran into Boss, so we had lunch together.


back at home, we finished watching "1 litre of tears". really cried for the poor Aya and her strong will to live.

14/7: it's 1-week holiday nx week and i had decided to travel to Tokyo by myself. stayed up v late to read more abt Tokyo and how to get around.

15/7: after making bento, went to Sannomiya to get the highway bus tickets to Tokyo and Hankyu tix to Kyoto tml. didn't go to dance class at nite cos there was some "Gion-san" festival and Boss brought mi and C to see it. there were many food and games stalls. reminded mi so much of the Touka-san in Hiroshima last yr. we had a nice time walking and eating.