New Life Begins! ~Part Two~

Hello!

Nana yo!

Let's continue from my ~Part 1~ post ey! ;)

I was telling my story about how messy it was my arrival in Japan. Starting with delayed flight to getting lost around the train platforms to missing the station and eventually giving up and taking the taxi to the hotel and collapse from energy depletion.

The next morning I thought of going to get my bank account or my phone or something. I told my friend this and she told me that, the bank account, the school will do it for the students, as for the phone, she said, sometimes people from the phone company will come and promote some student discounts.

At the end of the day, I did not do anything related to my stay here in Japan since it will be settled by the school.

My parents and I wanted to meet up with my friend who helped me out with my application to Akamonkai. So, I decided to check the school out. There was two campuses, I couldn't contact my friend because she was busy so I just decided to check out one of the campus nearest to us at that moment.

We took a walk around Nippori, and ended up at Nippori Campus and... it was the wrong campus. Nippori campus are mainly from student who don't speak a word of English, so does the staffs. I had to explain to her I'm a new student and wanted to check the school out. One of the staff called the Main Campus and got my friend to explain to her.

It was all cool and fun but the Nippori Campus is.. much more smaller than the Main Campus. Thank god I got into the Main Campus instead. (Let's get to that later)

Nippori Campus

Around Nippori Campus

Since we woke up quite late, we decided to just head back to the hotel after visiting Nippori Campus.

On the way, we found a Hanko Shop also known as the Name Stamp shop. Went in and asked bunch of questions, the nice aunty who can't speak a word of English told me that for a foreigners, our names are sometimes too long. Maximum letter on a stamp is only 4 letter, in my case, I am lucky that my name have 3 letters so It came out nice and not cramped. The entire thing with the box cost me about 1200￥.The hanko itself is 1000￥. 

[Hanko Shop -- coming soon--]

We left the shop without making my Hanko because I wasn't sure if my short name is allowed. Told the nice aunty I will be back the next day after asking my friend.

On our way home, my mom saw a Shishiedo shop. She needed a face moisturiser because the water in Japan is very heavily treated that it's not quite suitable with our skin. Makes our skin feels dry-ish and doesn't feel nice. So who ever planning to come here, please prepare moisturisers for the days you are staying here.

After buying her moisturiser, we pass by a sushi shop called Taraku. My mom wanted to eat the Makis and it was such a feat to get the aunty and this girl who works there to understand that we don't eat pork or any kind of meat. It was hilarious we're like the entertainment in the shop for other customers. At the end of the day they finally understood us and my mom got to eat her first ever made in Japan sushi. Even my dad who don't normally eat Japanese food ate some of them. We even had our lunch there the next day. We ordered the same thing but we also ordered the tempura. No picture sorry :(

Feel free to check my Instagram. Most of these pictures are from there anyway. :D

Taraku Menu

Taraku

Temaki, Inari, Healthy Rolls, Cucumber Rolls

Mom's Favourite Kyuuri (Cucumber) Rolls

The next day, we went to Tokyo CAMII! Probably the only Mosque in Tokyo. I'm not so sure O-O

The mosque is beautiful and I'm pretty sure it was the highlight of my parents trip to Japan especially my dad. He bought quite a number of souvenirs and he get to eat some proper halal food too. There was a halal restaurant within walking distance near the Tokyo CAMII. The restaurant called POTOHAR. A Muslim Indian shop. It's a very very small shop, could only serve about 15 people max even that would probably be super cramp.

Tokyo CAMII

Also, while we're still in Tokyo CAMII, I met my friend from back home who I hardly ever met in Malaysia! Imagine that! I met her and her husband in Japan. Of all placesssss!!!!!!!! World is indeed small (>v<)

It's a small world after all!

We went back to the hotel stomach filled with delicious food! On the same day, we had the same dinner at a similar restaurant with my friend Hiromi who finally get to leave early for that day. This restaurant is just in front of Nippori Station in the building in front of the East Exit called Siddique. They too sells the same food as Potohar. The naan was HUGE and I am planning to have my last buka puasa at the same place again. 8D

[Siddique Restaurant --coming soon--]

To be continued!

Feel free to follow me on Instagram! 

"If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of." - Bruce Lee

New Life Begins! ~Part One~

Konnichiwa~~

Sorry for this super duper late post

I arrived in Japan on the 22nd June and was busy busy busy! When I thought I had time, I got busy again! O_O

So I'm going to write down in parts depending on my availability. Bare with me (^ /\ ^)

So, I got my application and visa and everything else done for me to start my new journey back to school in Japan. I was very excited and I feel very intimidated by my own long awaited dream. I chickened out a little bit but thanks to everyone who knew about me going back to school helped me a lot. Especially my mom and dad.

I got so confused to what I should bring and not to bring, since I'm going to be in Japan in Summer, I kept on thinking it would be super duper hot, which... well, for me it is extreme (even in Malaysia it's extreme for me but, heh!) the heat is almost similar but the sun burn is like I'm at the beach. I think I'm a little bit brown now, or.. slightly more darkish yellow.

The morning before my flight my mom unearthed my luggage and repacked for me because I packed wayyy to many unnecessary things. (e.x: books /art books I bought from Japan...(see picture) ;w; I could only bring one! Of course there's some doujins too!)

Full Metal Alchemist, you are back in Japan!

We took the taxi to KLIA2 the new Airport. It was a surprise that my uncles and aunties came and send me off, also, my friends from University. It was a nice and fun send-off. One of my auntie said she came to see me cry, but I told her mom and dad coming with me too. So I will cry in Japan instead which I did, a lot. Almost everyday (#only child card excuse used#)

Thank you for sending me off and  blessing me with lucks! (^ w ^)

The flight was okay. My seat was a little far from my mom and dad, but it's all good!

My mom made friends with a Japanese lady and her.. foster son maybe? Ayako-san and Markus-san (Markus is from Germany but he is taking his PHD in political science in Japan) They helped us a lot and gave us plenty of suggestions on where to go and where to eat, but I think, they are those Japanese who are a little bit more well off... so, they kind of suggested slightly expensive cuisine which I probably can not afford to have everyday.

The problem we had was that, our flight was slightly delayed and we arrived around 11pm. Thank god during the immigration checks everything went just fine. I got my Residence Card or we call it Zairyouu Card (see pic) and the luggage wasn't lost or anything.

Zairyouu Card / Residence Card

I thought of getting on to the Tokyo Monorail to Hamamatsucho then change it to Yamanote Line and to Nippori but.... Ayako-san told us to take the Keisei Line to Shinagawa then switch to Yamanote Line to Nippori because... because... I'm not really sure actually... she couldn't speak English much and even with Markus-san's help I still don't understand why we're taking another Line... But I was worried we missed the last train to Nippori.  Probably she thought the other Train Line should be okay.

Along the way... it was horrible. Things got out of hand because we took the route I'm not sure off. Since Ayako-san was nice enough to help us out, we kind of followed along. I would say it was a bad idea. We got onto the Keisei Line and then to Shinagawa station to switch to Yamanote Line but Ayako-san wasn't too familiar with the station since her daughter usually pick her up. So we went around the station to find Yamanote tracks, luckily there were nice people helping us out!

It was amazing. Those people who helped us... are ACTORS! Actorssss!!! The guys that helped us was cute.. not good looking handsome but a better GRADE than normal Japanese men... teehee!

One of them, I will call Megane-san (he wears glasses) went to help my mom. My mom luggage is huge so we think, since my mom was carrying the bag, Megane-san might have thought the luggage was slightly lighter. The moment he picked it up, his face turned red! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

The luggage my mom was carrying was one of the big heavy luggage, poor Megane-san carrying the heavy bag down the stairs. Yep. We were carrying the luggage up and down stairs because we couldn't find the elevator or escalator... It was horrid, but there were a lot of helpful people around to help us. I also made my first Japanese friend. Her name is Ayumi and she can't speak English at all. Only little words. She take the same train we are taking so she helped us point out where and when the stops are. During the train ride, Ayumi and I chatted with each other in Japanese... I had to crack my brain there and then to think of words and also to put the words into sentences Ayumi could understand. It was hilarious but fun! Mom was so amazed that I can actually converse with someone else in Japanese. It made me motivated more. Hahaha!!! (^0^)

This is also where I screwed up BIG TIME. The hotel we're staying is at Nippori Station, but I have no idea why I kept thinking it was at Nishi-Nippori. So, I insisted that our station is at Nishi-Nippori when Ayumi told me the hotel is at Nippori. So when we reached Nishi-Nippori station, got down and the train station keeper told me it's at Nippori, I re-check the map and yep! I screwed up. Thank god the last train to Nippori was still available and we did manage to get down at Nippori station and got out to the South Exit and voilà! Another set of stairs this time, it's a looooonnnnnggggg waaaayyyyyy ddoooooowwwwnnnnn. *sighhhhhhh*

---South Station Picture[Coming Soon]---

So, I gave up on checking out the map and decided to take the taxi, since we're so tired anyway and again... THANK GOD there was a taxi passed by and a nice old uncle decided to take pity on us and took us to the Hotel. It was already nearly 2AM. Again THANK GOD I asked my friend's help to tell the hotel we may check-in late and the hotel receptionist let us in.

Mystays Nippori in my opinion is one of the best hotel!

Seriously, even though I screwed up A LOT things worked out at the end and me and my parents pretty much collapse and slept till the Lunch Hour. The next day, we found out that the train station was reeeaaaallllyyyyy close. We spend 7000 yen plus for the taxi. Hahhahaha!!!!

To be continued!

"A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing." -  George Bernard Shaw

Cries an Ocean

Whose Idea was it to leave the nest?? Who was it?? Whoooo!!! *shots self*

Speach to self at 1.42am
"No Nana. No. You ain't turning back! You cannot turn back!"

Too excited and that will happen

Common Ground...?

I'm still in Malaysia, Sunday is just around the corner, and I'm sharing some fun stuff.

Check HANNA out. A British girl who speaks good Japanese and she is really funny! This video;

What Made You Learn Japanese? 【日本語を勉強しようと思ったきっかけは？】

People asked her why Japanese Language. My answer to that question will be almost similar to her's! Except, I did not fall for any of the Arashi Members..... I.. I fell for Kenshin from Samurai X (/ ^ \  )

Kenshin (asdfjkdl)

"Find out who you are and be that person. That's what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come." - Ellen DeGeneres

Akamonkai, My 3rd Charm.

I got accepted to Akamonkai Japanese Language School in June and I am currently preparing emotionally and mentally and physically(?) to embark on this new journey to Japan!

It has been my dream that I thought I would never get, but with god's will, apparently I am allowed to live my dream!

I informed a lot of people about my departure and one of them is my former Japanese language teacher Rajan Sensei. He helped me here and there with my documents and giving me some informations on scholarships and universities.

Just the other day, Rajan Sensei  invited me to share my experience in front of his Japanese Language students in UiTM. It was my first time sharing about my experience, I have no idea what I should talk about, so sensei told me to share my interest in that particular language and the 'Why' and also the 'How-To's.

It was a short 30 minutes session but I did it and it was such a good feeling talking to people who have the same interest as me and to share the informations to them. I was stumbling and jumbling up the order of the things I planned to talk about but the response was good, I was bombarded with questions. So I decided to share it online too.

Let's start then!

I found out about Akamonkai at Facon Education Fair in December. it was the 1st booth my parents and I went to and decided that it would be a good place for me to enter. Also, my amazing mom somehow made friends with the presenter who is also one of the staff in Akamonkai by taking her around town. Thanks to that, she is now my friend and she helped me with my application into Akamonkai!

Akamonkai is the 3rd Japanese language school that I tried. The previous two was a special 1 to 2 year course in Waseda University (leaflet) and Keio University. Both of which I failed... miserably. The universities won't tell me why I failed but thanks to a friend of mine, the one I met at the Education Fair told me one important tip on writing study plan/reason for studying in Japan

"Only write that you want to STUDY but never about WORKING after studying"

So basically, write a short essay on why you want to study Japanese language in Japan, what is it about studying Japanese language in Japan that attracts you and butter up a little bit about Japan and about the Language but NEVER WRITE YOU WANT TO WORK AFTER STUDYING.

I think, that was the reason why I failed the two universities. My study plan.

My friend also mentioned that, study plan essays are meant to be sent to the Immigration of Bureau in Japan for them to screen applications coming from all over the country. Also, make sure your documents are complete. Instructions here

The documents I sent are;

The downloadable forms
For Applicant;
Application Form (Akamonkai have a lot of courses you can choose from, I picked the 1 year 9 months July Course.)
Resume
University Transcript (results of your exams from 1st year till graduation)
University Degree/Diploma Certificate
High School Transcript
High School Certificate (in my case, I sent them my High School Completion Certificate in Malay it's called Sijil Berhenti Sekolah)
Primary School Transcript
Primary School Certificate
Passport copy

Payer of Financial Support;
Letter of Guarantee
Statement of Financial Report
My Mother's bank balance (this is important, They want to make sure you can actually afford to stay and study in Japan. Make sure you have the amount of money written in the Instruction)
Her certificate of employment
Her passport copy

If you don't understand something just email their staff and they will help you within 1 to 2 days.
All the above documents are mentioned in the Instruction here under the Documents to Submit

Once they screen the applications, those whose applications been accepted, the bureau will issue your Certificate of Eligibility for your visa application back home

Akamonkai sent me my Certificate of Eligibilty, acceptance letter to Akamonkai and some other instructions when the students arrive in Japan after I paid 6 months tuition fee, Admission fee, Facility fee, 3 months dorm fee, Handling fee, and dorm deposit.

I paid using Telegraphic Transfer to Akamonkai Bank Account.The bank they use is The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. Akamonkai will email you the details of the bank.

Applying Visa is simple!

All you need to do is, download the Visa Form from their website Embassy of Japan in Malaysia under Certificate of Eligibility Holder and fill them up. Submit them in person at the Embassy. Make sure you buy your flight tickets first though.

Under the "Intended Length of stay in Japan" fill them up according to the duration in your Certificate of Eligibility (COE). If your stay is longer than the one mentioned on the COE, do not fret, you can always extend them in Japan at the Embassy in Japan.

Do not fret when you read the instruction, they said they will call you for an interview. As long as your forms (visa application form) and documents (COE and picture) are complete, they won't call you. In fact, I think the "Interview" is only during the time you submit the forms to the person in charge at the counter. I was asked, why I wanted to go to Japan and for how long. That was all, and the next day, I went back to the Embassy and picked up my passport!

Well, that's it. I submitted my application form to Akamonkai via email, paid via telegraphic transfer for them to post my documents to me and submit my Visa at the Embassy of Japan.

It took 2 months for the Immigration Bureau to issue my Certificate of Eligibility but afterwards it's fast pace. 3 days for my documents to arrive to me, a day to get my Visa done.

Now I am going to Japan to Study Japanese Language in Japan! The place I always wanted to go and stay for few years!

I am super excited and very nervous. Scared and feeling lost as to what to pack and what to bring.

So, that is all from me. Any questions leave me a comment!

"When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know; But when you listen, you may learn something new." - Dalai Lama

Hybrid is Me!

Nana です！

Hi hi! thank you for dropping by.

I am Nana, your friendly neighbourhood spid- Girl. Who are on a journey collecting knowledge points!

I have decided to create a blog, solely to share my adventures in the land of the rising sun.

Be prepared to fall in love with my writings and pictures!

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night." - Steve Martin

photo by keju-doodlez