Visiting New Places

 

It's autumn in Japan, yesss! As per usual this weekend I made sure to get some fresh air and check out some more local parks in my area (Tokyo has so many nice green spots!) and thankfully the weather stayed nice and warm throughout the entire weekend. Friday was such a nice day with not a single cloud in the sky- we could even see Mt Fuji from our office- so I was a bit worried that that was going to be it and it would rain again in the weekend. But it didn't! All the pictures above are from yesterday and earlier today.

I checked out Bagel Standard, a cute shop selling New York Style bagels in Nakameguro which I can only recommend. They had so many different types of bagels and fillings it was hard to only pick one. In the end I went with a berry bagel filled with cream cheese, nuts and honey. I also got a green smoothie with no added sugar which I then went to enjoy near the riverside. Perfect day to have lunch outside! I was almost tempted to go back and get some more bagels for breakfast next week but instead ended up walking towards Ebisu from where I rode the train home.

Speaking of home, the most exciting thing I did this weekend was probably go to see two new apartments. I liked them both (they are both sooo much better than where I am currently living) and I will be signing the contract for one of them at the end of next week. I'll be moving a little further out of the city just because it is cheaper and my new apartment is literally going to be double the size of my current one. (Which still doesn't make it big by any means but still! I'm exciteddd.) This also means I will be all moved and settled in less than a month's time so I will be spending Christmas in my new place (and at work, haha). Yay!

I don't really have much more to say right now so I'll just leave you with another picture I took in Shinjuku the other night. I had a really good time in our Shinjuku office this past week! ^^

Hello, hello. It has been a while!

I think I am writing this entry mostly for my brother who always reminds me to update this blog. I really enjoy blogging but I tend to get incredibly lazy. Especially with Twitter and Instagram, it is so much easier and less time-consuming to post micro updates instead of one big weekly post.

Either way, I've been quite busy but the good kind (I think!). Work is very stressful and (emotionally) demanding sometimes, but it's also rewarding. I like that with the kind of work I do, I can really have a positive impact on the people surrounding me (if I do it right!). I don't want to talk about work too much on here so I'll end this saying it's been a steep learning curve so far and I have both good and bad days. But I think that's normal and most people experience this with their job!

Weekends are so much more fun to talk about! I have really been enjoying my days off as I usually just pick a random place somewhere in Tokyo I haven't been to yet and go to explore the local shops and restaurants in that area. I'm pretty sure I easily walk 5-10km every time I leave the house on weekends (which is sadly the only form of exercise I am getting right now, but it's better than nothing for now). Food-wise I've found some awesome cafes, especially for lunch- I kind of want to make a separate post about all the food places I've come across so far which I would recommend. 

Despite the fact my Instagram is full of cakes and dessert in general, I feel like I have been making quite good food choices overall. Monday - Friday I often manage to get at least 4 of my 5 a day (if not all 5 on good days!) as I have discovered "Happy Salada", a salad delivery service for lunch. Luckily they deliver to my work place for free which is awesome! All salads are customisable so I've been enjoying having caesar salads with avocado, cranberries and etc during my lunch breaks at work.

Tomorrow I'm already back in the office and I have a busy week ahead with a heavy focus on training this week. For most of this week I will actually be going to a different office (for said training purposes) so I imagine time will fly with the new environment and new people to meet. Fingers crossed the next weekend will be here in the blink of an eye again! Also, all photos above are from this weekend. For more detailed descriptions check out my Instagram. :)

Japanese Subway (Mostly)

It's been a little while again since my last update! I've started work this week which was really exciting (and tiring, but mostly exciting). I feel like I've already learnt to appreciate weekends, though it's Sunday afternoon now and I am already kind of looking forward to a productive day in the office tomorrow. It's a lot of inductions and training now, but I reckon that in a couple of week's time I'll start feeling more comfortable and settled in for sure.

Yesterday I made a trip to Ikebukuro because I needed to get some more bits and pieces (mostly boring stuff trust me, shopping for bath mats isn't very exciting!) but I also picked up the odd random item to help me feel more comfortable at home too. There's certain items I simply need around to make wherever I live feel more like "home". One of such items is a cute mug. It might sound stupid, but drinking tea is a habit I've picked up while living in the UK and I do it religiously now. Definitely became a "keep calm and put the kettle on" kinda gal.

Anyways, I'm rambling. What I wanted to say is that I've been looking around for a cute little mug and yesterday I've come across one I liked! I also gave in and bought some royal milk tea because it's just such a sweet treat which hopefully will replace actual "dessert" for me once in a while. I've been snacking way too much (especially at work, but I feel like this is something everyone can relate to when starting a new job).

The other thing I want to talk about today is SUBWAY in Japan. I love Subway sandwiches and used to occasionally get them in the UK too as there was one close to our university, but Japanese subs are just amazing. A friend of mine agrees that they're definitely fresher (as far as the salad is concerned) but the whole experience feels different in Japan, too. There's the option of oven roasted potato wedges (with different flavours, I tend to get the cheese ones but they have regular and basil too), soup, ice cream floats, all sorts of chilled drinks (iced coffee, tea, melon soda etc) and they have some different toppings too. They will also recommend a sauce to you which I usually just go along with. Below I got the teriyaki chicken sub with mayo (I don't even like mayo, but with this sub it's quite nice!).

Also, Subway in Japan is a super affordable lunch option with 620 Yen for the above. That's about £3.50! While in Sunshine City (a huge shopping complex in Ikebukuro) I also saw advertisements for a new Pokemon Centre opening up in December, yayy! On my Twitter I also posted a few more bits and pieces of stuff I got, including a heart shaped pillow for when you're taking a bath and a little duck which floats in the water and glows (too cute, I couldn't help but take it home). Japanese gadgets! (★^O^★)

Trip down to Kyushu

On Wednesday this week I came back from my trip down to Kyushu to see some friends, mostly in and around Kumamoto and Fukuoka. It was nice seeing old faces again before I start work next week but I might have been a little too ambitious by traveling down only 2 days after having arrived in Tokyo. I feel like I've spent the majority of last week just traveling on trains, busses and planes. Wednesday night when I came back to my flat in Tokyo, I'm pretty sure I crashed within an hour and slept for a solid 12 hours.

The trip was still worth it though! I went on a road trip with one of my friends from Kumamoto and also got to enjoy a few very, very nice dinners including some very traditional "bbq" (see above) in a tiny restaurant somewhere in the mountains.

Back in Tokyo, I finally went to see my workplace and met my colleagues for the first time. Everyone seemed really kind and it was nice having lunch with one of my co-workers and my manager. I absolutely love the area around where I work too; so many fancy restaurants, brand shops and tall buildings, it automatically makes you feel more motivated and $$-driven in a way. You can't not think of all the shopping there is available in Tokyo...!

Today then I just felt like going for a walk and getting some fresh air, so I headed to one of the many parks in Tokyo. I'm still avoiding parks like Ueno and Yoyogi because of the mosquito issue (actually, they might still be closed, I'm not even sure) but this traditional garden was perfect to catch the last few remaining sun rays of the day. :)

 

Hello from Tokyo

 After an 11 hour flight and some more hours spent traveling in general, I arrived in Tokyo yesterday morning! My first day wasn't much fun to be honest as I was really tired and jetlagged, and having to carry massive bags (which weighed a ton) throughout central Tokyo didn't help. I spent most of the day exploring my neighbourhood and taking some pictures. Also, raiding the 100-yen shop nearby with some 'essentials'. Sometimes I think 100 yen shops are basically made for foreigners who have just arrived and are trying to settle in. While I find that in most 1€ shops that I've visited, for example, they mostly carry junk, in Japan you can find pretty much everything you might ever need. Cutlery, general kitchen utensils, bathroom and cleaning products, storage options, food, clothing essentials, more homeware.. and etc.

So today I went to get my address registered in the nearby ward office. The area around the ward office was really nice with a little park closeby and what I assumed were shrines on top of a hill. (I'll check them out next time). I had to get a bit more essentials shopping done so I headed to Ikebukuro next, which is undoubtedly one of my favourite spots in Tokyo. It feels so buzzy and exciting, especially after it's gone dark. I'm still not completely over my jetlag and my feet hurt quite a bit from running around all day again, but what I noticed today is that I really, really like the fact that a traditional Japanese park can be right by a lively shopping street or awfully high skyscrapers. It feels like 'old' meets 'new' and even 'Japanese' meets 'Western' at times. 

I've definitely got the feeling I can get used to life around here.

The Cat Edit

People who follow me on Instagram know that I tend to take photos of Merlin a lot when I'm home. I only see him once or twice a year really, but then the space on my phone tends to fill up with photos and videos rather quickly. I've tried not to upload too many of my favourites this summer and instead make a little blog post about him.

I'll start by saying that I'm most definitely a cat person.

I love dogs too- we have a Golden Retriever called Nicky as well- but cats are simply much easier to take care of, I like that they have their 'own lives' and are quite independent, but still get attached to you nonetheless. One of the things I like about Merlin so much is the fact that, no matter the amount of time he doesn't see me, when I get back home he'll instantly recognise me and follow me around all day. I find the presence of a pet really relaxing and comforting in a way. When I had my wisdoom tooth out the other day, I spent the majority of my day watching films and it was so nice to have this little fur ball purring next to you. Merlin really is the best company you could wish for when you're in bed on a rainy day with your laptop and a cup of tea.

Merlin is really special to me for so many reasons. We picked him up during a time of my life which wasn't easy for me, but I fully believe that having a pet around is a very healing experience. It might sound strange but I'm sure pet owners will understand. Even though it is my brother who takes care of all of ours pets mostly (and I am very grateful for that, not just because I have moved out 4+ years ago now), taking care of an animal can be a very rewarding experience.

Another thing I love about Merlin is how 'vocal' he is. He'll greet you when you walk in the door, follow you around meowing if he wants something (food/attention mostly!) but it's happened to me on several occasions now that especially when I wasn't feeling well, Merlin would hop onto my bed and start meowing at me as if asking, "What's wrong?". There's been so many incidents in which he made me feel better by just 'being there' and giving me the attention I needed.

I'm going to end this post with two more shots I took this week which I thought were really funny/cute. Let me know if any of you pet owners feel similarly about your favourites, and hopefully I didn't come across as too crazy!

A Day Out In Graz

It's been so nice and sunny out you could think we're still in the middle of summer. I've had to spend a couple of days in bed last week because I had one of my wisdom teeth out (no need to be scared btw, the actual procedure was far, far from painful!) so I was really craving some fresh air yesterday and today. I went for a stroll around town with my mum both yesterday and today, but sadly yesterday I forgot to take my camera. Today I borrowed my mum's when we were out and about and the above are just a few of the shots I took.

I honestly like my hometown, Graz, a lot. It's got a bit of a Mediterranean flair and there's SO many unique cafes and restaurants to check out. One of my favourites is called Las Tapas; it's a Spanish place, and I've been going there for years. What I usually get is their patatas bravas with garlic dip and some grilled chicken skewers. I am also convinced that Austria does the best ice cream I've personally ever had- maybe because we're so close to Italy- but either way, Charlie Temmel is my favourite place to get a scoop or two. Though their scoops are so generous (and incredibly cheap with 90p per serving), you usually don't need more than one. 

It was kind of fun walking around with a camera and taking shots of all the places I've been to loads of times and pretty much know inside and out. Not having lived here for over 4 years now, I've really come to appreciate Graz. Lately I've counted myself quite lucky to have grown up in this beautiful town, and I'd happily recommend it to anyone visiting Austria!

For pictures from yesterday, feel free to check out my Instagram!

Distance Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Since my flight date is coming closer and closer now (I leave in about a week), I've started to slowly but surely sort out my things which I'd like to take with me. The hardest bit is probably going to be deciding what shoes to take as I usually struggle to find a pair that fits in Japan.

Apart from clothes, shoes and beauty products, I also always take a handful (or more) of "personal items" with me. These are things I either picked up myself, or were given to me by friends and family which I consider precious and hold very dear. Sadly I'm quite limited with a luggage allowance of 23kg but thankfully, a lot of these things are actually very, very light. 

Letters, post cards, birthday and Christmas cards, farewell and good luck messages. It's probably silly and overly sentimental, but over the years I have collected so many lovely messages by friends that it is quite easy for me to feel at home and loved wherever I go. The handful I take with me I keep in the little case I got from Cath Kidston a while back.

This is only a small fraction of what I have collected over the years; the rest is carefully kept in boxes and drawers in my room at home. As useful and quick and convenient emails and texts are, I'm still a big fan of writing letters in general. I love receiving things in the mail and I find that a little card can really brighten your day. Walking around town and picking up little things here and there along with a pretty card or stationary is probably one of my favourite activities ever.

However, while I am all for telling people how much they mean to you and show them that you care because life is short and opportunities can pass in the blink of an eye, I have also come to realise that sometimes, things don't need to be said out loud or written down.

Sometimes you just know and they just know, and you know that they know and they know that you know and it's simply nice and comforting and makes me just as happy as any card, or gift, or whatever else you've got.

Friendship, and distance, is a curious thing.

A Month Of New Beginnings

It's September! September and December are my two favourite months of the year. December, I love because Christmas is very special to me and I enjoy the weeks leading up to it almost as much as actual Christmas Day. I'll be the first to put up bits of decoration around the house, light up cinnamon scented candles, and walk around town simply enjoying the various illuminations. Though Christmas in Japan is very different and much less festive than what I am used to from home, I know Tokyo is going to have super pretty illuminations at the least. 

But let's come back to September first. The reason I've always enjoyed this month is because it sort of symbolises new beginnings for me. After the long summer break, I've always looked forward to going back to school or university in September, and it feels a bit weird to me that this year will be the first year in many, many that I'm not going to go back to classes.

September is when the days are starting to get cooler again, it's rainier and gives me more excuses to get all comfy with a cup of tea inside. Despite the fact I used to complain about the rain a lot while I lived in England, I've come to realise that I secretly enjoyed English weather a lot, because nothing really beats a hot drink, a cozy blanket and some Netflix while it's pouring it down outside...

Going to miss my little man when I move, d'aw.

With school starting in September, I've always had a good excuse to buy new pretty stationary too, as well as perhaps get a hair-cut or get that new piece for my wardrobe which I could wear on my 'first day back in school'. I always enjoyed seeing familiar faces again and September is usually when my motivation for the new term was at its peak. By November I usually felt a little worn out already, but then I had December to look forward to again.

Now, this year is going to be a little different. Instead of catching up with friends while complaining about the new class timetable, compare how little school work you've done over the summer and sit on your phone during the first few introductory classes, I'm going to be moving across the globe to start a new lifestyle and full-time employment for the first time in my life. I've been to Japan often enough at this point that without a doubt, in a way it will also feel like going "home", simply to another part of the world which is very dear to me.

But at the same time, it's going to be a change in pace for sure and there will be a lot of new experiences waiting for me. Waking up every day and putting on a suit before jumping on a crowded train in central Tokyo to go to work is very different from rolling out of bed occasionally at 10am to go to my first class at university, often wearing two different socks and forgetting my pencil case at home and having to borrow pens from classmates.

It's going to be challenging, but I'm so excited to be moving in about two weeks time and make all these new experiences. I feel lucky and blessed to be able to look back at my university life fondly and be grateful for the friendships I have made, the things I have learnt and the confidence I gained. Without doubt, all of these things are going to come in handy in the coming weeks. September, please treat me kindly this year, too. ♡

Tokyo To-Do-List Part 1 (Beauty)

Lately I've spent a majority of my free time reading up on travel guides and various blogs on places to check out in and around Tokyo. I've been to Tokyo a couple of times already and have quite a few favourite spots myself (Odaiba!! On a beautiful day you can't beat the view) but I've never been there long enough to really check out the small cafes and restaurants which are usually not found on the main streets, or little shops which might be a little harder to find too.

My interests over the years have also changed (My 17-year-old self was much more interested in anime & manga than I am now, though that is not to say I'm not enjoying Sailor Moon Crystal to the fullest at the moment) so I've been noting down quite a few places related to beauty especially. So without further ado, two beauty related spots I can't wait to visit:

1. Etude House & Missha Stores in Shinjuku

I have never tried any Asian cosmetic brands because I wasn't really into beauty products much until perhaps 1 or 2 years ago. These days I like using Clinique and if I feel like splurging out, Origins or even YSL (the latter is definitely more a Christmas present to myself kind of splurge). I am also a huge fan of BB creams and it just so happens that my current one is about to run out. I'm trying to use it quite sparingly these days so I don't have to buy a new bb cream until I get to Japan, because after having done some research, I really want to try a Korean brand. There's a lot of good things about Etude House and Missha online, and turns out both opened stores in Shinjuku Station in recent years and I'm really excited to check them out ♪ Looking at this article here, the store layout of Etude House looks super cute too.

2. Shiseido The Ginza

The reason I really want to check this out is because it's not just a store selling Shiseido products, but rather a 3 storey beauty mecca. There's even a way to try out their products without actually.. trying them out; it's all through computer simulations. It sounds really fun and even though I doubt I'll be buying much until I've got my first couple of paychecks secured, I'd love to visit this place and perhaps even treat myself to their "beauty boost bar" or facial treatment courses.

I've also been keeping my eyes open for other bits and pieces of Asian cosmetics which seem to get recommended a lot. I'll probably be posting my own reviews once I've had a chance to give them a try. I'm also thinking of doing a review post of the haircare series by Lush I've been using lately- again something I probably wouldn't purchase myself because they're not exactly cheap, but my mum originally got the products for herself and I'm just kind of... taking advantage of that at the moment, ha. ^^

An Update On Things

I really suck at this blogging thing, I can't believe 2 months have already passed since my last entry. I feel like nothing much has changed since the old Livejournal days in that aspect.

However, exciting things have been going on and I'm very happy to be able to (officially) say I'll be moving back to Japan in September. My 就職活動 aka job hunting has been rather tough- I always thought graduate schemes and/or jobs which require 5+ interviews were a myth! - but no, they exist, and I'm more than lucky and excited I managed to pass all rounds for my top choice of companies to work for.

I've been wanting to go back to Japan for a while now- actually, probably ever since I left Fukuoka around this time last year. I loved living in Fukuoka. I had great friends there, a nice place to live in and the city is absolutely beautiful. I thought about getting my Master's in Fukuoka for a while, but it's just too expensive especially when you are in between majors. It's just too much money to spend on something you're not 100% sure about, or have no real work experience in. Studying a field and working in one are very different by the looks of things. 

Thus, I decided to look into possible career options instead. In all honesty, continuing my studies just didn't seem right and I really felt like I wanted to start making my own money at this point. Looking into career options wasn't a quick task, but knowing what I didn't want helped narrow down my choices a lot (teaching English, a stereotypical Japanese company) and left me with few options, but one of these options proved to be for a company which I believe fits my personality and ambitions perfectly. A match made.

This week then, I had to pack up my things and leave what I called home for the past ~4 years. I'd come to feel very attached to Liverpool over the past couple of years and especially saying goodbye to my best friend was so much harder for me than I thought it would be. (Insert cheesy line here about how it wasn't a goodbye, but rather a 'See you later'... but even knowing this didn't help much when I had to get onto my train.) 

The plan though is to hopefully make enough $$$ in the future to easily fly back and forth between Europe and Japan. ^^;;;

Right now, I'm just enjoying being home and the security of having a job lined up while I wait for my Visa to be processed. I've also started looking into possible flats in Tokyo which aren't too far from where I'll be working. It's so exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time to move to a new city as big as Tokyo; Fukuoka so far has been the biggest city I've ever lived in, and I've never had to deal with rush hour or anything like that before. In Fukuoka, I just jumped on my bike when I wanted to go out. I feel like trying to cycle in Tokyo could potentially be life-endangering. I'll report back once I have found somewhere to live anyways! ^^

Currently reading: キッチン (吉本バナナ)

I have started reading my next book which happens to be Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto. I had previously read it in German many, many years ago so occasionally bits and pieces of the story feel like a bit of a deja-vu to me. It's strange because I can't remember the main events of the story but here and then a line will feel familiar.

The words in it and grammar used are definitely a step-up from my first novel that I finished the other day, but that is why finishing a few pages every day with this book feels all the more rewarding. I really enjoy Banana Yoshimoto's writing style too. It's quite descriptive but not in an over-the-top or boring way. I find it hard to get through books which focus a lot on describing the scenery but Kitchen always manages to break it up with some short dialogue in between. To be honest, there isn't even that much scenery description in it; just a lot of metaphors which give the novel a bit of a melancholic, dark flair... if you can say that.

Words and kanji that I keep encountering in this novel are 瞳 (eye), 闇 (darkness), 夜景 (night scenery), 沈黙 (silence) and 平静 (serenity, calm). It's great when you encounter words again and again and you had to look them up the first time, but maybe with the second or third time you start to recognise them. I'm currently on page 81 out of about 240, so hopefully I can finish it by the end of the week! I would definitely recommend this book to readers around the ~N2 Level - if you are preparing for N2, it might be a bit difficult but I manage to get through the pages quite quickly and I've only passed N2 in December.