Woke up around 6:45am, but didn't get out of bed until 7am.. The weather was cold and it was nice curling up inside my futon... didn't want to go anywhere.. but I had to go to school, cos it's the first day of school.. :)? :(? :x
As usual, reached school around 8:40am although I was walking real slow from the train station.. Was kinda apprehensive as to how my new class mates will be.. I know Chua will be there, also Joe, my Senpai from Obi Lab.. I was worried that I won't be able to understand what the Sensei is saying, as I am now in Level 3 where I can't say that I don't understand Japanese anymore..
Was having my breakfast when I saw Liu-san.. He and the rest of the Kang Shifu 'gang' are attending Class 3A with Chris-san.. He came into the classroom and we started chatting.. then Chua-san came... And suprise suprise! Kim-chan came too!! Had kinda gave up on Kim-chan as we didn't hear from her since she went back to Korea.. maybe she decided not to come back, as her sister in Japan went back to Korea too, to give birth I think.. Frankly, I was very happy to see her.. Didn't really make that many friends in Japan (yet), especially lady friends.. There were only 2 other ladies in my previous Jap class, and Kim-chan and I were sort-of of the same wave-length/status - thirty-something professional single Asian ladies.... :p We can better relate to what the other is going through: thoughts, family and whatever.. And sometimes it can get a bit tiring hanging out with the guys, especially Alex and Chua, who are just forever hyper...
After chatting for a while, we realised that we will be taking the same four classes on Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri.. She is taking 7 Japanese classes this semester.. I have 3 same classes with Chua, and 2 same classes with Alex.. Only 1 class I would have to attend on my own, which is the Pronunciation class on Tuesdays 1pm.. None of them wanted to take it.. but personally I think it is important to get the pronunciation correct when sometimes the same pronunciation could mean so many different things...
Then the Sensei for Listening 3E came in.. she looked pretty fierce, which is okay with me.. I've studied under many fierce-looking teachers whom in the end turned out to be very friendly and very good teachers.. I don't mind fierce-looking people, cos I myself don't quite looked friendly too.. :p :p :p Many friends told me that I looked very fierce and unapproachable when they first met me.. and how wrong they were when they get to know me better.. ;) Not many get to see or can understand my wicked sense of humour.. :)
The Sensei explained what we'll be doing in this semester, which includes conversational vocabulary, listening and understanding daily conversations, news and some basic grammar. There will be dictations and we are not allowed to use kanji at all!! Arghhh... think the dictation portion is going to kill me.. my hiragana still sucks while my kanji is pretty good.. but what the heck, think I will just have to work harder.. :x
Anyway, since this week is an orientation week, all the Japanese classes lasted only 40 minutes instead of 90min, as the subsequent 40 min is to be used by students to check out classes of a different level so as to find a suitable learning match. There is around 15 of us in the class but it might change in the following weeks. But it was great to have Kim-chan in class, cos she really is the 'pacer' for me.. :p And I finally have someone to study for JLPT with..
We left class and bumped into Chris. He still has another class and won't be free until 10:30. So we decided to go to the library to read some newspapers.. Chua had to go to his lab so it was just Kim-chan and me.. On our way there, we met Alex. So instead of going to the library, the 3 of us went to the University cafeteria and had some coffee.. Alex then 'interrogated' Kim-chan with regards to her reasons for MIA (Missing-In-Action). :p Seemed like she came back to Japan only on the 26 Sep and had left her AU mobile phone back in Korea, that was why she was uncontactable.. Anyway, everyone is just happy to see her back in school.. so all is forgiven.. :) :)
After sending off Alex (who had class at 10:30am), we met up with Chris. We went to the school canteen to have an early lunch at around 11am.. Again, we talked about what each other was doing the past summer holidays: places that we went, interesting things that happened, etc.. Chris will be going back to US next Mar, while Kim-chan will be going back next Feb.. think after next Mar, only Alex, Chua and me will still be in Waseda..
Around 12pm, we left the canteen. Chris had to go to work, while I have two of my Masters classes at 1pm and 3pm. So Kim-chan and I went to the library to read some newspaper..
The class at 1pm was Basic Theory of Content Industry System by Prof. Sakai. There were about 10 of us in the class. We waited for almost 30 min and still no sign of the Professor.. The Teaching Assistant called the Prof and in the end, there was no class!! Class canceled!! Everyone just wrote down their name and left the room.. Went to the 8th floor of the same building with Juni, the Malaysian lady that I met at the Entrance Ceremony. Checked my emails and surfed the net a bit before going back to the same classroom for the next class..
The next class was interesting.. It was on Industry R&D activities in ICT by speakers from Fujitsu Lab.. The topics were very interesting to me.. So I think I made the right choice choosing this subject, cos this subject was not in my area of study.. It was from the Computer Network area and not Socio-Economy & Policy area..
Got back to my room around 5:30pm.. the sky was pretty dark and the weather is still as depressing as ever, not to mention cold as hell..
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