空闲时的迷惘

突然间，“觉得”自己很空闲。 并不是空闲的空闲，而是在经过了繁忙的几个星期，事情（写manuscript）告一段落了的那种空闲。 其实，还有好多好多事情要做，但就是提不起心情。

上星期从宿舍里看到的烟火～ ^^

接下来这个manuscript还要等修改，提交等的手续。希望一切顺顺利利吧～！=)

BY: "free" tomato~ 

PS: 一直在想着“空闲”日语怎么说... ermm ermm~ 

PS2: 好幸运，在宿舍里第三次看到烟火了耶～～ Lucky me~ ^^

Way to Matsumoto

It was the third day in Japan. We were all invited to the Shinshu University main campus located at Matsumoto for visiting purpose. 

WeiRen and I thought that only the lecturers were invited and we have to start working in the laboratory already. But who knows, when the time strikes 8.30am, lecturers were ready and waited for us at the hostel. So two of us, who just woke up and feel unprepared, were carried into the car and moving towards Matsumoto already. ( 囧 )"

So these are the photos which I took during the way to Matsumoto:

Nice weather! Did you notice the snow on the floor? ^^

You can climb up and view the scene (really??? just guessing... =P)

We stopped by the rest station to grab some drinks and foods. Dr. Wong and WeiRen had some snow fights when we reach there. LOL.

 I love the restaurant in Japan because they provides free tea (green tea, brown tea, hot water or cold water), and you can take it whenever you want! Hot hot tea at this freezing weather and it's F.O.C.! I love your generosity~~~! YAY! But too bad I forgot to take photo on that~ =P 

In the rest station, there are a lot of food stalls (in food junction) and varieties of restaurants. And they also have two long rows of vending machine selling food, drinks and cigarette! WOW~

A lot of vending machine for drinks!

Vending machine for little cute chicky~~~ ^^

They even have vending machine for food! WOW!

Continue our journeys to Matsumoto....

WOW...is that mount Fuji????? (I don't think so... =P)

Photo at Matsumoto? I will show you on the next post if I have time~ ^^

BY: Loving Tea de tomato~~~ ^^

The White ShinShu University

Promised to post some of the snowy pictures of my hostel and university on the previous post (I also updated the March snow post which I posted previously with photosssss...^^). So here they are, the third snow (on the second weeK) since I arrived Japan):

The front view of my hostel...When snow started to flow down from the sky~

The balcony view of my hostel...Let's go to faculty looo~

On the way to faculty (~5min after previous photo was taken)

On the way to faculty...No ones in the uni (semester break)...

Library on the left hand side...

The view from the laboratory 1

The view from the laboratory 2 (with curtain...LOL)

The view from the laboratory 3 (after another 5 minutes...)

The series of photo is the changes within 10 minutes from the time I step out from my hostel room. From small tiny unnoticeable snow to big snow flakes...>"< that's why I fall sick on the other day...(another reason is I didn't bring umbrella and I play under the snow...LOL)

BY: snowy tomato~ ^^

Senkoji Temple (善光寺) @ Nagano, Japan

Talk about the famous place of interest in Nagano (where I am located now), we will think about Senkoji Temple. It located at approximately 20-30 minutes walking distance from Nagano train station. Here are some photos of Senkoji temple:

The HUGE entrance of Senkoji Temple

My Supervisor, SueHan and WeiRen

After few minutes walking distance from the entrance,
finally we reach -- The Senkoji Temple!

Senkoji Temple Outside View

Ramen Sifu near Senkoji Temple

We went there on weekdays (either Tuesday and Wednesday), but still there are a lot of visitors in the Senkoji temple. You can get a lot of souvenir (御守, cookies, mochi, etc.) in the souvenir shop located outside the Senkoji Temple. 

The visit is quite rush. Thus, I will definitely pay another visit there before I come back from Japan. I bet there will be another fresh look during the spring time, especially when sakura bloom! ^^

BY: "craving" for sakura de tomato~ =P

Drinking Water in Japan

Picture Source here

The only thing that I still not very used to in Japan, is drinking the water from the pipe directly without boiling! I am the type of people who is very particular in water. I dislike mineral water and bottled drinking water from the market. I carried my home-boiled drinking water in a big bottle all the time when I was in Malaysia.

The first week I came to Japan. I went to a hypermarket namely Matsuya for some mineral water. Boiled water is my first choice but since dormitory does not provide kettle, so, i have to go for second choice -- mineral water. 

I went in with my friends, SuHan (Malaysian) and Martin (Slovakian) to get the water. 

Martin asked, "simying, what would you want to get from here?" 

I said, "ah, no. I am just looking for big bottle of mineral water." with my eyes checked around.

Martin replied, "why do you want to buy mineral water? I have been drinking from the pipe water for years, I can ensure you the water is safe." he look at me curiously.

SuHan continued, "My lecturer in the Matsumoto had tested water in Matsumoto and Nagano, and believe me, they are safe to drink and free from radiation." with her eyes staring at me trying to convince me. (blink blink eyes...LOL)

Frankly speaking, I had never thought about radiation before. But i had an "expensive" stomach which I have to really take care of it all the time. And, remember I was sick for n-times before I came to Japan? I am really freaking out of that!

But they both continue to convince me not to buy the water... At the end of the day, we just walked out from Matsuya with empty hand. LOL~

Well, i have been drinking the pipe water from Japan for three weeks. My stomach is still okay. I guess because the pipe water in Japan is as expensive as my stomach. =P

Hopefully I can get used to it soon. (Although I still feel weird now. =P)

BY: tomato-san

Tanaka and Hernan Laboratory Group Photo 2012

New master students in the
semester 

Today is the entrance ceremony (入学式) for all the new students (undergraduate and postgraduate) in Shinshu University (Faculty of Engineering). I am not going because I am the exchange student (over-age? LOL).

The new students (Degree FYP student) are coming to the lab soon. So they are taking photo in the laboratory to show them the faces and names of senpai (lol~ I am only the research student =P). Senpai means the senior in the lab while kohai is the junior in the lab. 

WeiRen (M1), Martin (D1),
me (D2) and MinZhi (D1)

There is another super senior (D3) in the lab which is not in the photo. Although he is the super senpai in the lab, but he is so friendly and helpful (plus cute..=P) to everyone in the lab. 

So these are the members who I will be hang along with for the six months (or perhaps we will meet again in academic conference in the future). I believe that it's fate that bring all of us together in the lab. So.... add oil bah~ ^^

First Japanese Lesson in Japan - Self Introduction

It's the third week since I came to Japan. My first and only course in Shinshu University, Japan is the Japanese Language（にほんご） class. 

I heard that the sensei is coming from Matsumoto (the Shinshu University main campus) to Nagano (the Engineering Faculty, where I located now) for the course. The course are divided into four levels, Introductory class, Beginner Elementary class, Intermediate Elementary class and Advanced Elementary class.

Honestly, I only practice the hiragana these few weeks since I came to Japan, so definitely I will fall into the Introductory class. My friend who came together with me, he have a good fundamental in Japanese, thus he have to take exam and interview to see which class he belongs to.

Ogikubo sensei is the sensei for the class. She is a very very cute sensei with a bright smile on her face. I love the way she says "Punch" when I slipped out some english words from my mouth. I remembered the time after she taught me how to speak shitsureishimasu（しつれいします） in action, I said, "OK!" Then she said, "Punch!" Haha~ She is so cute! Then she taught me "wakarimasta" （わかりました） to show that I understand and "wakarimase"（わかりませ） to show that I don't understand. Everything is taught in action, so it's fun!

In the class, I also learned how to introduce myself in a proper way:

はじめまして。
Hajimemashite.
わたしはシンインです。
Watashi ha(wa) simying desu.
Malaysia からきました。
Malaysia kara kimashita.
わらしはりゅう学生（がくせい）です。
Watashi ha(wa) ryuigakusei desu.
せんもんはじょうほうこうがくです。
Senmon ha(wa) joho-kogaku desu.
趣味（しゅみ）は読書（どくしょ）と音楽（おんがく）です。
Shumi ha(wa) dokusho to ongaku desu.
どうぞ　よろしく　お願（ねが）いします。
douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

The translation is:
How do you do?
I am simying.
I am from Malaysia.
I am an overseas student.
My major is in Computer Science.
My hobby is reading and music.
Nice to meet you.

I will have the Japanese lesson for about 5 months, twice every week. Can't wait for the next class because everything is taught interactively in the class. Sensei said I will be going to the class with a French student. Hopefully I can get along well with him then. ^^

March SNOW in Nagano, Japan

First Snow in Japan (since I arrived)

SNOW~! This is the third time i see snow in Nagano, Japan. Previously, the snow was just falling down slowly and gently (as shown in the photo). Today, the snow is so huge! Everyone is holding an umbrella to avoid the snow. But poor me, I thought that umbrella is useless during winter (don't laugh at me, Malaysia is a summer-all-the-time country!). I rushed to the 100 yen shop to buy an umbrella (which is located just outside my dormitory), but the shop is only open from 10am. >"< 

So, what to do? I just enjoy walking in the snow lo~ It was a fun experience, makes me feel like I wanna have a snow fight. =P

Whole university is covered by the snow. It becomes the "white university" already. Is Christmas coming soon? "Jingle bell jingle bell~ (Christmas was 3 months ago already. =P) 

Fun fun fun~! Will post the photo when I save it into my laptop then. =)

Say NO to Popup Ads on Blog

Recently I noticed that when I open my blog, the popup ads appear. It annoys me to the extreme because it  appears whenever I apply something new to my blog (new post, new layout design, etc.) and I want to preview it. (>"<)

Look up couple blogs showing the solution of it. Some ask to throw away the template that I customized. But I couldn't do it because I like my template. (^^)

So I try to delete the gadget that I put into my blog. The first one I choose to delete is the chatbox. Right after deletion, the popup ads disappear! Lucky me because I get rid of it on my first attempt! (Hurray~~~)

Definitely someone put some HTML script on my chatbox and it will run every time I open my blog. After removing it, now my problem solved~! ^^

Hopefully no more popup ads on other gadget~ =)

ISIC (International Student Identity Card) Application at Amcorp Mall

Went to apply for my ISICard today at Amcorp Mall, PJ. Remember to bring the below items in order for successful application:

New ISIC - downloaded from here

a) Passport-size photo

b) Application form (downloadable in MSL Travel site)

c) Bring an official letter stated you're the student of the current academic year OR your offer letter if you're the new-man in the university / school / college.

d) RM20.00 cash.

They have to reject my application because I brought my offer letter dated on 2010 and it's 2012 now! So I have to go back to faculty request for a student verification letter. (TT)

BTW, they will ask for original offer letter if you're the new student. I don't think you should pass the original offer letter to them because you will need it for all sorts of application later (scholarship, grant application, student exchange program, etc.). My advise is bring the original offer letter and give them a copy of it. Like what my friend did last time when he applied for the ISICard.

I guess I cannot make it before I go to Japan because the faculty needs THREE working days to prepare my verification letter (differs according to university, consult your university for the process period). So I will pass it until I come back then. (Sigh.....)