Wed 28 Sep

I arrived in Asahikawa at 7 pm.
I went to SENTO. I got so tired...

Good night.

The last day in Chicago - Mon 26 Sep

I went to my counselor's apartment this morning to give the phones back and say thank you.
We talked about AS ideas and my view/opinion of AS for an hour, he is thinking about basic AS ideas because of me.
And finally, he said that I made a right decision for my future job, and I was happy.
He taught me how to make a Chinese tea.

Then I came home once and picked the parcel of clothes up and went to the post office.
After that, I went to a bookstore and bought some souvenirs.

I came home at 3 pm and started cleaning everything I used in my room.

I will leave here tomorrow early morning, at 4am. I hope all flights will be safe.

---

I will arrive in Asahikawa on 28 at about 7 pm.
I will start the introduction course of YZK from Oct 3rd for several months (I am not sure). I have to be at KENSHUUJO in Shizuoka on Sunday, Oct 2nd at 4 pm.

Sat 24 Sep

I am going to go to Sung's apartment tonight to say good-bye and drink.
It will be the last time to drink in Chicago, I think.

Fri 23 Sep

My flight schedule is...

Tue 27 Sep Chicago (6:00am) - Atlanta (9:02am) DL1080
Tue 27 Sep Atlanta (10:05am) - Narita (1:25pm+1day) DL55

I only have an hour to transfer at the Atlanta airport, and Atlanta airport is the largest airport in the world, so I am worrying about that. And hurricane Rita is also my worry.

I went to the O'Hare airport to have the ticket reissued, and I made a reservation of cab for 27 early morning.
Technically, I am ready to go back to Japan.

I am going to go to Sung's apartment tomorrow night to say good-bye.

Thu 22 Sep

I went to Links Hall to give the keys back and say thank you - good bye in the afternoon, on my way home I bought some Chicago Cubs goods for souvenir.

There was a difference between the instructions for going back to Japan of Japan Desk's and my counselor's, so I was confused. They were always inconsistent...

And I sent email to YZK personnel to ask that how should I go back and enter YZK properly, but I have not got an answer yet.

I realized that today is a holiday (Autumnal Equinox Day) in Japan, so maybe they do not work now and the weekend will come after today, so I did not wait for getting the answer from them.

I called Delta airline and changed the flight date to Sep 27th. Probably I will fly on 27th and will arrive in Japan on 28th.

And then, I guess I will join an introduction course of YZK from October 1st, so I will be busy when I arrive in Japan.

Wed 21 Sep

As I wrote in the last post, I gave up this program and will go back to Japan to start working for YZK.
But I am sure I will have to continue to study English, so I will continue to write diary in English to maintain English writing skill.

This morning, I got a reply from my counselor and he gave me some instructions to go back to Japan and entry into YZK properly.

I wrote a notice of quitting school and sent it to Japan Desk. J Desk will then discuss the logistics of my return to Japan and entry into Yazaki for work. I am waiting for their answer.

I do not know when I will leave the US yet, so while I am here I will continue studying English by myself and will start preparing my mind to be an employee of the company.

My decision - Tue 20 Sep

今日決定しました．


昨日の夜．
英語，問題解決能力，創造力開発，ギブ＆テイクなどのＡＳコンセプトと，自分自身のＡＳ，仕事，人生に対する考え方を比較しながらの，マイオピニオンをながーいメールを書きました．
最後にＡＳカウンセラーとしてではなく人生の先輩としての意見を聞きたい，と書いてメールを送信しました．

今朝．
カウンセラーからの長い長いメールを頂き，私のＡＳに対する考え方，人生に対する考え方などに対するコメントをもらい，それらを理解してもらいました．

午後，カウンセラーからの長い長いメールを何度も注意深く読み返し，公園に行ったり，歩いたりしながら色々と考えた結果・・・


プログラムを退学し，日本に帰って働こうと思います．


午後9時，その決断に関するメールをカウンセラーに送信し，その後ホストマザーにその決断に至った経緯を伝えました．

今のところいつ帰るのか，いつから働きはじめるのかは全くの未定です．

自分自身，この決断が正しいのか，間違っているのか正直はっきりとわかりません．
10年後くらいにわかるのかなーと思います．

What is the most important thing for me? Mon 19 Sep

最近色々と難しげなことを考えていて，それを書くには英語でうまく表現しきれない部分があるので，日本語で書こうと思う．

金曜に行ったパーティは信じられないほど素晴らしく，久しぶりに音楽で泣きそうになった．日本で聞いたＤＪ Noriのプレイ以来の感動だった．
そこで聞いた音楽たちはどんどんの自分の視野，というか，思考の方向性（？）を広げてくれて，パーティ後，家まで歩きの帰り道，ＡＳについて，仕事について，音楽について，自分の可能性などなど色々考えた．

で，なんで今シカゴにいんだろう．なんで将来の仕事の為に英語勉強してんだろう．という根本的な質問に考えをもっていくことになった．

家族は日本にいるし，友達も日本にいるし，彼女も日本にいる．約束された仕事も日本にある．
何のために今シカゴにいるのか．

"海外生活を経験したかったから"　"日本以外の生活を知りたかったから"
多分これが情けなくも曖昧な回答だった．
で，この目的というか動機はこの半年でもう達成してんな，と思った．

で，残りのＡＳから何が得られるだろう．と考えた．
一つは英語．間違いなくもっと伸ばせる．
もう一つはもっと精神的に強くなれる．

しかし，それ以上のメリットが見つからなかった．そして，今日本に帰ったらやりたい事，自ら学びたいことがもっと多くあることにも気付いた．

それで，ちょっと...
日本帰った方がいいのか，もっと海外生活続けた方がいいのか...

最近は新しく面白げな場所でボランティアも始めて，すげーＡＳ的に調子はいいし，カウンセラーも認めてくれていい感じなんだけど，そんな時期に限ってでかい疑問が沸き起こってきた．

金曜に偶然Sungのアパートで一緒に飲んだスウェーデン人の同い年，Emilが
「なんで日本人はみんな将来のことばかり考えて，今を考えないんだ？老後のための貯金なんてバカげてる」
って真顔で聞いてきて，まともな自分の考えを持ってなかったというのも上記のことを真剣に考えるきっかけになった．


今のとこ辞めて帰るか，続けるかはっきり決めれていない．
自分にとって最善の道を選びたい．

Variety is the Spice of Life - Sun 18 Sep

At last night, I went to Links Hall to see "KTMA variety show". This show included music, short movie, magic, and comedy. I enjoyed it.
The concept of the performance was "Variety is the Spice of Life".

Today was just rest day, I read Newsweek and wrote email.

I was thinking about something difficult this afternoon. The party on Friday night made me so happy and I realized some important things of life.

Anyway, it was a good experience, definitely.

Sat 17 Sep

Maurice Joshua "This is Acid" is a famous "Acid House" song

---

Yesterday was so exciting...

I went to Links Hall and talked with administrative coordinator.
I will work as a volunteer on every Monday from 1 to 5pm. My tasks is cleaning, maintenance, and office work.
I can see any art events for free as a volunteer!

Then I went to one music studio without appointment to ask about "DJ class".
I met DJ Cruzz who lives there with his family and he taught many things about Chicago house music and DJ class.
And his working partner is... surprising... Maurice Joshua!!!
He is a really famous remixer/producer and he won 2004 Gramy Award for best remixed record for Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" feat. JAY-Z.


I thought "YABAI CHOU YUUMEIJIN..."


And the DJ class's instructor is DJ Cruzz and Joshua!!!

But the fee is really expensive, $250 for 3 hours...
Originally the fee was $350 but I am Japanese and Joshua is Japanese-Afro-American, and then he said "Okay $250 because of Japanese connection".

I really want to learn real DJ techniques from them, but the money is problem... $250 for 3 hours...
I have not decided whether I will enter or not.

Anyway DJ Cruzz invited me to the party last night. It is a kind of secret party, not for public.

I came home once and went to Sung's apartment with beer.
He lives with roommate there now, and the roommate is Emil, Swedish guy. He is nice and cool guy.

We went to the party together and the party was just great.
I saw many famous DJs there... I can not believe.

I spent 5 hours there. I got drunk. I arrived home at 6am.


Yesterday was really long day.


I woke up at 3pm today.
I am going to go to the art show at Links Hall tonight.

Thu 15 Sep

I had a meeting with my counselor and talked five topics in an hour.


1. London trip - no problem, I enjoyed so much

2. Assignment - no problem, I finished it and gave him

3. Mobile phone problem - I changed my mobile phone because old one had some problems and did not work properly

4. Money reimbursement - I got about $1000 in cash as reimbursement of London flight cost, YHA for 6 nights, internet, CTA 30 days pass, and mobile recharge card

5. My opinion and thoughts about AS and project - He understood what I think and he is not upset. He admitted that I am going my way even I do not take any his suggestions.


In general, the meeting was success.

I am going to meet an administrative coordinator of Links Hall to talk about volunteer opportunity tomorrow.

---

I bought Newsweek and will try to know about damage of Katrina.

Wed 14 Sep

I am going to have a meeting with my counselor tomorrow.
He said that he has nothing to say about this program to me. It is like that he does not want to have a meeting with me.

I want to say "Are you a really counselor?"
But I can not say so... If I say so, he will just get angry.

So I will go his place just to get reimbursement and to give him assinment. This is just for my business.

He said that he has a power to remove me from this program.
ODOSIPPOKU... I am really MUKATUKUing.


--- To Nori-san ---
Have a nice trip!

Tue 13 Sep

I will start something to continue the program, maybe some volunteer opportunities again, but I am still not sure what I am capable to do.

I am considering about my project.

Perhaps, I have to change my strategy about project. I wanted to find a position in music studio to assist sound engineer, but it is really difficult to find as a Japanese who does not have any skills and connection, so I need to consider another possivility which could be a project.

Anyway, I will not give up the program as I do not think that I've already improved English skills enough so far. My first objective in this program is just improving my English.

Today I researched volunteer opportunities which I am interested in and sent some emails. I am waiting good answers from them.

Mon 12 Sep

Yesterday, I got important email from my counselor.
I was surprised by this email.

-- Part of his comment --

In essence, you are wasting your company’s investment in you by not working with the program or taking any interest in improving yourself.

You may not be making a salary right now, but it costs about $100 a day to keep you in this program (home-stay, transport to locations, support staff, equipment investment, etc).

So I am giving you a choice today start getting active or consider going back to Japan and starting your job. It is as simple as that.


“If you cannot stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”
熱さに耐えられないならキッチンからでろ＝コンセプトに従えないならやめろ


He also wrote...

Tomorrow, please submit to me and start ―

1. week’s activities

2. schedule

3. goals in detail

4. be out of the house 8 hours of the day minimum (9 o’clock leave, come back at 5) you can go home for lunch if you want or take it with you

5. I expect a variety of activities, not just the same thing every day

6. Daily report should be about what you did, where you went and what you learned or what is your opinion. I do not care if you like where you went or did not like it, but would like you to be giving commentary and critique.



I have two choices.
1. Start something even I am not interested in, just to meet people.
2. Going back to Japan and starting job.

The reason he wrote this email now is probably that it is the time of that half-year participants finish this program and start their work for YZK.

I do not understand choice 1 which he is suggesting to me.
Starting something which even I do not want to do is totally senseless, I think.

I feel strong frustration with his way to counsel...

Sat 10 Sep

Hello. Recently I am super lazy, so I did not write diary.

At last night, my future colleagues came this house and we drank beer together from 10pm till 5am, so I have a hangover now.



This afternoon my host mother and father came home from their vacation, so probably house will be more noisy again.

I have to start something for my project (AS program) soon, but for now, I have no idea what I am capable to do.
I have to be more active from next week.

Wed 7 Sep

Nothing Nothing Boring

Tue 6 Sep

Sleepy Lazy Sleepy

After I came back from London, I do not have any motivation to do something active...

Mon 5 Sep

I left London this afternoon and arrived in Oak Park at about 6pm (Chicago time) in safely.

Everything is fine but I got tired by flight and jet lag.

There is nobody at home now because my host family are enjoying their vacation, so I will be alone until this Saturday.

I cooked pasta and it was not good... I need to learn how to cook good meals.




↓↓+++++10 PICTURES OF LONDON TRIP+++++↓↓

Oxford St.


British Museum


Houses of Parliament (Big Ben)


Westminster Abbey


Cavalryman


Piccadilly Circus


The view from Tate Modern


Tower Bridge


Greenwich (longitude=0 The center of the time)


Earl's Court YH


OMAKE (Lennon-T)

Sun 4 Sep

I went to Apple Market at Covent Garden. There were some street performers there and they were so funny. London performers sometimes use SHIMONETA!

Then I went to Camden Lock Market and bought Pink Floyd T-shirts for 2000 yen. There were many, many small shops there and those were quite OSHARE.

I am going to eat cheap dinner and will back to YH early to prepare for tomorrow departure.

Tomorrow is a last day in London... Actually I do not want to go back to Chicago as I do not like Chicago life...

A week in London was very short and fast.

Sat 3 Sep

I had a really good experience at last night.

I went to Club, Fabric which has really high quality sound system in the world. The music was really good and DJs were so cool. I also enjoyed live performance there, and black woman singer was cool.
London club HA YABAI.

I came the YH at 4am yesterday, and I got up after 1 pm today.
I went to Greenwich, which is known as a GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).
I was in the centher of the time of the world!

Then I went to SOHO area again to get a dinner. I found one Japanese restaulant, Kyoto and ate a Tempura Udon and a pint of Super Dry Karakuti. MAJI NIHONSHOKU GA ITIBAN UMAI... The total cost was 10 pounds. It is not too expensive.

It is 8:30 now, I am already sleepy.

Fri 2 Sep

Today I went to Backingham Palace and saw the KOUSHIN.
It was just like a OMOCHA NO KOUSHIN. It was really funny.

Then I went to Tate Modern and saw many pictures and felt ART!!
I saw the Andy Warhol's works for the first time.

Before the Tate Modern, I ate a sandwich and drank a beer at a pub.
This was the first my pub experience. Beer was good, but sandwich was not good.

Then I went to Tower Bridge and took some pictures of that.

There are many, many couples (man and woman) in London and I really felt lonliness... MAJI ICHA ICHA SIYAGATTE!!! TIKUSHO--!!

Cheers,

Thu 1 Sep

I went to Big Ben this morning, and then I went to National Museum.
I saw GOHHO NO HIMAWARI there. It was good.

Then I just MATIWO BURABURA SITA.
Some London people are really OSHARE, but PUNK is dead.
I just saw one PUNK guy today.

I got really tired again.

I met one Japanese guy at the hostel, and perhaps I will drink with him tonight or tomorrow night.

Wed 31 Aug

At last night, I had a kind of bad big problem. I felt terrible.
I can not write this problem because probably it could be a little dangerous to write here.

This morning, I was fine and went to British Museum.
It was just great.
And then I went to SOHO area to get new shoes.
I got a VANS shoes which maybe I can get in Japan...
But in Chicago, I think there are not so many kinds of VANS shoes.

I walked around the SOHO area for over 4 hours and got really tired.
I wanna sleep...

Tue 30 Aug

I arrived London, YH just now.
London is really good place and beautiful.

Thank you for your comment Nori san and Akira san.
I can not reply your comments, I do not know why...
I will write something after I get back to Chicago.

I bought some foods for 6 breakfasts at a supermarkt.
I am going to go to the Hyde Park.

In London, BUKKA MECHA TAKAI!!
HIRUMESI GA $12 TOKASIMASU...

Internet cost is ￡1 (200yen) per 14 minutes...
Daily mail should be very short. Yabai...

DEHA.

Mon 29 Aug

FLY - FLY - FLY

Sun 28 Aug

Tomorrow night, 8:15pm, I will fly to London with British Airways.

My London trip schedule is below...


30 Tue: Arrive London at 10am - Youth Hostel - Supermarket - Hyde Park

31 Wed: British Museum - SOHO Area (Shopping)

1 Thu: Big Ben - Westminster Abbey - National Gallery - Trafalgar Square - Piccadilly Circus

2 Fri: Backingham Palace - Tate Modern - Tower of London - Tower Bridge

3 Sat: NO PLAN (FREE)

4 Sun: Camden Lock Market (Shopping)

5 Mon: Depart London at 12:55pm - Arrive Chicago at 3:20pm



I played MINI soccer with some friends, but it was too hot to play sonner today. I got tired.