\(^-^\) 1-year anniversary in Japan!!! (/^-^)/

yup, 28th May 2007 marks the day when i've been in Japan for exactly 1 year!

the past 1 year really hasn't been easy. i got to experience lotsa ups and downs, so much more than i ever did in my 20+years in Singapore. but at the same time, i also learnt a lot, as well as grew up a lot. (i think so, anyway! =P)

Summary of my 1-year Achievements:-
the DOWNS...
- trapped in a 21-hr bus trip to Tokyo
- lost my wallet containing various cards and 15,000yen
- had my bicycle stolen and gotta buy a new one
- countless bicycles accidents & injuries
- sadly bidding farewell to many ppl around mi
- unrequited feelings
- put on 3KGs during winter
- getting arrested by police for nothing
- sense of loneliness.... which comes ever so ever so often

(*in total, i've visited the police station in Japan 3 times within 1 year, but 0 times in my entire life in Singapore!*)

the UPS!!!
- got to know many friendly, kind and ernest students/friends
- hanging out & going on mini trips with boss, colleagues (C then J), etc
- various school parties & events
- visiting exciting Tokyo
- touring Korea, Pusan finally
- bringing Mum around Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto
- going back to Hiroshima and seeing all the friendly faces again
- returning to Singapore to find all my friendships still alive
- travelling around Shikoku alone
- enjoying the 4 seasons and the beautiful sceneries along with them
- receiving numerous comments & messages from my mixi frens

(*keywords: travel & friends!)

things i've learnt / changes i've gone thru
- cycling (albeit a little reckless)
- cooking (lotsa room for improvement tho)
- household chores =Pp
- interacting with ppl (well, tt's my job!)
- drinking various alcoholic drinks
- eating beef (and all sorts of weird cow parts)
- nearing dogs & other animals (i still fear them tho)
- wearing skirts and acting ladylike ;p
- going to hot springs without feeling embarrassed abt my naked self
- dancing hip-hop the Japanese style
- speaking better English (teach & learn simultaneously)
- speaking & understanding more Japanese (or rather, Kansai dialect!)
- lotsa lotsa Japanese cultures & ways of thinking
- the world is big, many places waiting to be explored
- better outlook on life (talking to students of various age groups allow mi to see things from various stages of life)

(*it's amazing how much one can learn by living independently)

all in all, the past 1 yr is really eventful and enriching at the same time. i will never regret this decision to come Japan bcos it cultivated a much mature-thinking and independent mi. even with all the bad experiences, i think they've made mi stronger to deal with watever misfortunes in life now.

Wish that my 2nd year in Japan will be a much more smoother one!!