Japan

To the people involved in the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, I hope all of you the best. My condolences are with you all. It's devastating but I am sure you will overcome the obstacle in the end.

I remember the first time I encountered japanese culture, it was actually through tv shows when i was a kid. I watched a lot of cartoons when my parents were away to work. They would leave me and my sister at home with the babysitters, and we would watch tv. We watched much cartoons, in particular the ones from Japan. My sister loved doraemon, and so was I. I also loved to watch this anime, it used to come on on Saturday afternoons. We sat there enjoying it.

As I grew older, the Japanese cuisine became part of life. My mum loved making sushi. She took me and my sister to this Korean supermarket near our house and we would ask the lady at the counter about what ingredients to put in the sushi. She would tell us all the details. My mum would emulate what she said. It created good memories from that on.

Now I am studying Japanese. I wanted to visit Japan someday, so my heart will go out to those affected by this. I hope everyone there the best. Only a matter time they will overcome the tragedy.

Enlightenment

I have canceled my appointment with Brige for this coming Monday session. I will be starting at the job with my brother during this time, so that is the reason I am canceling the appointment. In the beginning my sister insisted that I should be returning to Auckland so I could see Brige, but that is not the wise decision.

About my previous session with her, we were talking about change. I was telling her that I hate change. That is the reason why I don't want things to move forward, just have them in stationary as long as possible. We then talked about if I had returned to Cambo, because there is a chance that I haven't had closure to the dramatic change that was the move to this country.

The conversation further conclude on the point of change, how it is necessary for life to continue in the manor that it builds on who you are. I told her that I wanted to become a gerontologist in hope to develop anti-aging medicinal pill. Brige on the other hand had believed that by having such thing, lives would be stopped, meaning that you won't gain new life experiences as a result. I rebutted with her saying that the pill would allow people to remain where they are and still have experiences. The undirected result from the pill would be stopping death itself. She doesn't agree, so that we left it at that.

Anyway, the whole time we talked about the change that every person on the face of the planet faces, was actually quite enlightening. I felt shadowed by my own dark thoughts, and in a way, it made me feel that I don't like the way life is dictating you. In the way that God had made people born in this world of uncertainty, the way that we are born to develop these relationships with our loved ones and have that be stripped away from us, is cruel. I don't understand or comprehend the thinking of such a life design. So by speaking to Brige on these topics, she had opened my mind that I am not alone in asking these questions. There have been many many philosophers who have dealt with the same mentality, in reasoning why are we here. They all came to the conclusion in varying degree of their own enlightenment, so I will find my own niche eventually.

Hope she is right, because right now I am as confused as ever.

Blogging From The New Apartment

This morning was a momentous occasion. It was finally the day that I moved out of the house. Well, technically, I haven't moved out because I will back and forth as I go there to see my sister, who still resides there. My brother was going to bring me here yesterday, but yesterday we were busy and were kinda late to drive an hour to this apartment. So we delayed the trip to this morning.

I just unpacked my stuff, and it looks alright. Not much to unpack by the way, the things I did pack were because of my sister. She insisted that I should have my own washings so I bought the body and hair wash, perfume, etc. The funny thing is that I am not staying here permanently, only remaining here to help out my brother and his wife. I would be returning to AKLD when the school begin, which is in July.

My sister is currently looking for work. She called me this morning to inform me that she had found one vacancy at the winery. The work involves shelving, packing, etc. I don't want her to work in such place as I see it being boring, and not suitable to her liking. The pay my sister said, is reasonable. So I don't know aye.

Then she called again saying that she had applied for this work in Ponson. It is copying job for Fuji. So yea.

Right now I am feeling a bit sad. Actually a lot sad. I miss my sister already. When she called for the second time, I hadn't seen her in about 3-4 hours. I was happy to hear from her again. Am i that sensitive?

She said she would be coming when she gets accepted for a job. She would be visiting, maybe with the children for one weekend. So I think it would be interesting to see her again.

This Week's Big Events

A lot of things happened this week. And, it's only Thursday. I have been really busy lately, so I won't go into details of the events that took place. I will write more on those events when I get the chance to.

1. I went to see Brige on Monday night at 6. The topic was change and life and death. My hate for change.
2. Earlier in the week, we went to the car dealer to check out the car. For two days straight we checked the car but it wasn't done. Tuesday was a waste of time being that the car dealer promised it would done by 11am but upon our arrival, the car was still in the cleaning process. We went to have lunch at the Try it Out restaurant, and when we got back, we waited some more for the car. My brother entered their garage to check and tell them what to do, and still they weren't finished. Around one hour later he returned to the car, where we waited endlessly in there. L was also present, so you could feel the tension as she was fuming to get out of there as soon as possible.
   Anyway, the paint work wasn't done in the proper manner, so Ken suggested to them that he would come back on Friday. So we left there disappointed.
3. Ken and his wife left for their new apartment on Tuesday afternoon straight after the long wait inside the car at the dealership. K wanted to go to the library to pick up some books, so she asked my brother to drop us off at Manu City Centre. Once there, we came out of the car and walked to the library.
   I was going to go to the National Bank to get my bank account set up properly. The bank was closed. We bused home.
4. On Wednesday was an adventure. We properly spent majority of the day sitting in public transport buses and train. The charges for these rides were so much that it could serve me and my sister one big meal at a restaurant.
   We planned to go to Manuwa, to see a JP. So we took the bus to Manukau, then transfer to Manuwa.
   The plan came to fruition. The problem was the money issue. I couldn't understand why the high charge for using public transport. The govt wants people to use as much as public transport, so why the hell they charge us so much for using something deemed good for the environment over the use of private cars.
   Anyway, when we reached Manuwa, the JP there was absent. Apparently they close on Wednesdays. We couldn't get the copies certified, so I kinda pushed my sister to go to the city via the train. I wanted to enrolled to AU as fast as possible before I went to Hamy. My sister agreed and we got on the train, which was just arriving. The fare for this ride was six dollars per person, which was again so dear.
   Arrived at Brito station, we walked to find the clock tower. For ten minutes or so, we searched until we got to the destination. We had the people copied our documents and officially we enrolled for the school.
   We wondered around the uni ground for some time to find JP there, so I could certify the copied papers. I still wanted some certified copies so I could enroll at the Otag U. For this reason we walked in search of the JP in the IT place. The JP was absent.
   Bused home directly from the uni ground, the charge was $6.80 each person. We sat on the bus for the next hour and fifteen minutes.
5. Today we waited for my brother and his wife who were coming from Hamy. They came for our sake, because the dealer had called him to check on the car. It was finally completed the cleanup and some touch up. He arrived at around 2.30pm. For some time at the dealership, we even had an around town test drive, the car was finally settled. It was finally completed to the satisfaction of my brother. K was ok with it, and as for me, not really. They promised NEW tires, NEW rims, the complete package. The promise wasn't up to the standard. I am happy for this reason. But despite my concern the breach of the promises, my brother was satisfied which spoke for the rest of us. We gave them the money, they changed the ownership's name of the car in exchange, thus the car is officially K's.
   My sister is very happy with it. Her first car.

I will write more on these topics. I am packing for tomorrow's move to Hamy. I will blog from there the next time I write.

Going to Counselling

Going to counselling tonight. WE haven't got a car last week nor today, so we are relying on asking aunt for the car to drive to the place. I will be asking, something I don't want to do.

First Time On the Bus

Yesterday was the first time that Jude went on the public bus. I thought the kids never went on the bus, but apparently Jord had been on it before with my sister. The reason for going on the bus was that we were heading to the library and we didn't have a car. It was good time.

My brother called early in the morning because he wanted me to go with him to Hamilton. He was going to ask his other brother in law to help him move the stuff, in the fish van, but he was busy with going to seek for a car for his sister, so I am the opportunity cost. When he called, I was still snoozing, so I couldn't pick the phone up. My sister did and she came to inform while I was in a daze that he needed to go with him. I said yeah, yeah, but I would get up at 1030am. When I woke up, sis changed her mind and said she'd be the one to leave with my bro, while I remained at the house to look after the kids.

I didn't agree with it, but despite my protest, my sister still went out anyway. I had breakfast and played beyblade stuff with the kids, in particular who was in the mood to beat me. I was winning because I used a strong beyblade. Eventually I decided that I would take the kids to the library via bus and I thought it would be cool for them to ride on the bus for the very first time. I cooked lunch in anticipation to have them prepared to go out.

We had rice with the duck meat leftover from last night. We ate it taking us thirty minutes. Eventually I took them out for the 1255pm bus. The children were excited. i asked if they had been on the bus before, and the girl said that she has but only on the school bus. The boy, however, said that he had been on it with my sister. I thought he was kidding but my sister confirmed this later. The bus was prompt.

ON the bus the kids both wanted to be seated next to the window, so I had them sat at the place with four seats are facing each other. There they moved around. I even brought out my Ipod to take pictures of their excitement being on the bus. It was good experience to share with them.

The kids in unison pressed the stop button, and we got off at the shopping centre. We walked to the library. The boy thought he was going to the Manukau library, then he decided he didn't like the place. I said every library is somewhat similar. They are not that different. We stayed there and borrow a book each. I used my new library card for which I am happy to do.

Walked around the mall, we went to this cheap store, the warehouse, Farmers, in search for Mighty Beans. The kids are now collecting them, so I wanted to get something they would like. All stores we went to all sold out the product, something I found to be strange. I couldn't help but thought that probably they just didn't stock them anymore.

We had McDonald's snacks, and came back home on the bus. We got home, and my sister returned also from the moving only forty minutes or so.

So the day was cool. The children were so excited about getting on the bus, especially Jude's first time riding on it. The joy on their faces couldn't be more real and so delightful. It was just a good day.

Moving To the New Apartment

Today is the moving day. My brother and his wife are officially moving to hamilton today. We helped them shift when we also tagged along. It was a productive in that we did some cleaning in the new apartment.

The apartment is located at CBD, right over the main shops. There are two bedrooms, with a sizable kitchen and quite large living area. It was good.

We arrived at the place where there was a gate blocking the entrance to the garage of the apartment. L and ken were figuring out how to get in. Then, they called the real estate people, to which they learned that they have to dial to the security number and the gate would automatically open. They did just that. Next we were trying to suss out about the keys and stuff to get to the third floor, thus the apartment itself. Eventually the sussing out was done and we carried on with moving in the things.

We cleaned for one or two hours. The cleaning was done predominantly in the kitchen because that was the area that wasn't properly cleaned by the people. We did it to ensure the cleanliness in the place where we cook. It did quite awhile but in the end you could feel secure.

We had to go shopping for some things for the new apartment that include dish drainer. We did the shopping for quite some time. Actually it had taken us longer than expected. The shopping mall that we went to looked similar to any one of the malls we have in Auckland. I don't mean to snarl it, but it looked similar and there wasn't much to do over there. It was quite boring and generic shopping mall.

The only thing I thought was good was the ceiling. It was a high skyline ceiling which made the place very spacious. It made you feel engulfed by the size of it, but at the same time it looked different. So that is a plus.

We returned to the apartment to drop off the goods. We then returned home to have KFC with L's brother and sister. Her parents were at a wedding. The dinner was awkward. There was this dead silence which could actually murder you. Ok, it wasn't that bad, but it was close to.

Eventually we returned to the house. During the ride home, my brother asked for our final choice on whether to remain in the house or to go live with him. My choice is undecided, being that the children is my primary reason to stay. But I do realise that I want to have my freedom. So it was not a good thing either way, whether to stay or go. In the end, I think I would have to go, despite my concern for the children. My brother shared his view on this, and he said that he would like me to help him out at the butchery. I have to concern about myself, not the kids. They have their parents for that. I know that, but I don't believe the parents have the best of interest for their very own little kiddies. So that is also a concern for me.

We have made it to the house. We called it a night and tomorrow we don't have to go with him as he will be driving his father in law's fish van. I am glad to not go because I wanted to spend the day with kids.