23rd Week - Friday - Sunday (130608 - 150608) Good Bye Hiroshima...

Like every drama serial, it is now the last episode of my Hiroshima story. Everything still seems like a dream to me. Part of me will always belong to Hiroshima and it will be my second hometown after Singapore...

Looking back, a lot of things have happened. From my first meeting to my interactions and encouragements I have received, it is now time for me to contribute back when I return.

Will travel up to Tokyo with Kenta in 2 hours time at 8pm and then fly to Hokkaido on Wednesday. Now my travelling adventure will start again. Yeah!!!

Hope I can update as much as possible and ja ne!

Last Farewell Lunch with colleagues...

Okonomiyaki Dinner with Kenta...

Genbaku-Dome at the back...

Last Ride on the Electric Tram...

One last touch of the deers...

They really eat anything... Haha!

Trying out the ojisan's senbei (rice crackers)...

One last pose with the torii gate...

Last look of everything...

What did you see, Kenta? Haha...

Having a farewell Takoyaki dinner with Dan Shibu members...

Yeah!!!

Kenta displaying his cooking skills...

Receiving a gift from our leader...

Getting ready to try their takoyaki...

Thank you everybody!!!

23rd Week - Thursday (120608) Long time no see!!!

First for some temperature updates. Morning is now 24 degrees and mid afternoon is 30 degrees. Almost the same as Singapore but the sun's not as strong as Singapore's though...

Had a farewell lunch with the FordWalker team in a Vietnamese restaurant. Up next, got the next batch of interns info from Claire. She will teach them Japanese or a crash course before they come to Japan, something which they really needs!!! Haha... They will end up like me when I recalled back my first few weeks when I completely couldn't understand what everyone was saying. Now comes to think of it was all funny and beautiful memories....

While working mid-way in the office, I finally received Kenta's reply that he has arrived in Hiroshima! Hooray!!! Haven't seen him for 5 months since that day I left Changi Airport. After work, I went to Hiroshima Station to pick him up, had dinner with his friends and then went kaikan to attend my last meeting in Hiroshima.

And the following are just some facts that I thought of at this moment of typing and decided to include it down:

Interesting Facts about Japan that I encountered so far:

1) Weather Forecast: Very accurate and everyone uses it to plan their activities ahead. I myslef is convinced on many occassions. :)

2) Most of the cars here have GPS system in-built (except import cars) and it is very useful when travelling to unfamiliar places. (But sometimes, it might lead you to a wrong exit or route... hehe...)

3) The convenience stores here is 4 or 5 times bigger than Singapore's and they have DIY photocopying services. You can even pay phone, internet bills as well as bus and air tickets at the convenience store (or the people here call it combini...)

4) It's very hard to find rubbish bins as the culture here is to bring back your own rubbish home to throw.

5) Vending machines: They are abundant everywhere. There's also cigarettes vending machines and one big pack cost 300 yen (ard $4 as compared to $10 in Singapore). No rubbish bins but a lot of recycling bins for your plastic (PET) bottles.

6) 80% of the dogs I've seen here wear clothes. Very fashionable...

Kenta has finally arrived in Hiroshima or in Japan after his crazy backpacking... haha...

Dinner at Sukiya...

Posing with the Student Division members...

What are you pointing at?

Tomorrow will be my last day in office. My sup will bring me to the other office to bid farewell to everyone there. Still don't bear to leave so soon. Will update again before I leave Hiroshima this Sunday night...

23rd Week - Monday to Wednesday (090608 - 110608) Photos, photos and more photos...

Was basically running around taking farewell pics with everyone and giving thank you notes to them. I gave them SSA's orchid postcards and asking them to visit Singapore, seems to be like a Singapore ambassador. Haha...

At the same time, work is also busy for the last week as a lot of my colleagues are away on business trips and I have to cover them for some of the assignements. But it will be the last time and I will definitely miss working with everybody!!! Time, please don't pass so fast!!!

And on Wednesday, after work, one of my colleagues brought me to his house for farewell dinner and after that view fireflies outside his house. It was a one hour drive from the company and probably the furtherest I have come out of Hiroshima City. Haha...

Over in his house, there were 3 cats and 1 dog. I was surprised as it was the first time I witness myself seeing cats and dogs living in harmony together...

After dinner, we went to see the fireflies, my first time. (My colleague says fireflies (Hotaru) season is only for 2 weeks and it survives only on places with clean water. Cool ne!!!) But as it was still raining, it was not as many as we would have expected. But nevertheless, I still got to see it and with one close up... =)

Last Dan Shibu meeting. Giving out SSA times and Creative Life to everyone...

Posing with this huge logo. Haha!

Having a farewell lunch...

Posing together after dinner (Together with their cat and dog)...

The best pic that I can take for the firefly. Everywhere was totally pitch black...

22nd Week - Friday to Sunday (060608 - 080608) Farewell Dinner

Basically had 2 farewell dinners with company and colleagues over the weekend, one in a spanish and the other Hawaiian style buffet. Yummy! Towards the end, they presented us with gifts from the company and we gave a thank you speech. It was truly an enjoyable and memorable night...

On Sat morning, I attended my last jap lesson and because this weekend was the yukata festival, a lot of people are wearing yukatas walking around the shopping district...

Oh no, less than 1 week left!!!

Having farewell dinner with company on Friday night...

Farewell cards written by my colleagues...

Having one last jap lesson on Saturday... (coincidentally it was the yukata festival over the weekend in Hiroshima. Hence my teachers wore it for lesson. =))

Posing inside the restaurant...

Claire joining in the yukata culture...

Having dinner with our other colleagues on Saturday...

22nd Week - Monday to Wednesday (020608 - 040608) 1.5 weeks left in Hiroshima

Haiz, time really flies. I'm left with only 1.5 weeks left in Hiroshima. When comes to think of it, I am really grateful to all my colleagues for the past few months with all the help and support they have given me. I will miss working with them and hence I will treasure and maximise the remaining time that I have in Ford.

Now back to work. This week is slightly busy with a major meeting with HQ management. Had to prepare the documents first and hold several meetings to make sure everything is going smoothly...

Other than that, I had a group photo taking with all my colleagues on Tuesday. Will have another photo taking with another batch of colleagues from another project group this Friday.

Also, my colleagues and friends have scheduled in total 3 farewell dinners and 1 farewell lunch with me before I leave Hiroshima. 本当に　帰りたくないな。。。

21st Week - Friday - Sunday (300508 - 010608) Meaningful Weekend

300508 (Friday) - Singaporean Friends!!!

I went to the train station at lunch time to meet my friends. They were in Japan for about 2 weeks of holidays. They were really running all over Japan, something I salute them. Haha...

They were supposed to reach Hiroshima at 9 plus in the morning from Osaka but because their Shinkansen has a hiccup, all their actvities for that day was pushed back. I waited till 2pm before I finally met them after 5 months...

I brought them to my apartment to put my belongings before heading to the Peace Park. They took a lot of photos and we then visited the Peace Museum.

By the time we came out, it was 6pm plus and we went to eat Hiroshima's local speciality, Okonomiyaki, Hiroshima style. =)

We then chatted till 8 plus before we went back to the train station and they took the Shinkansen back to Osaka. I have never talked so much chinese this year after I came to Japan and they kept syaing I talked non-stop. Haha...

Finally, my Singaporean friends have come!!!

Posing outside my apartment...

Us with the Atomic Bomb Dome...

Us outside the Peace Museum...

Eating Hiroshimayaki together...

Posing for one last photo before they go back to Oaska...

After they headed back to Osaka, I waited at Hiroshima Station for one hour before my Japanese friends came to visit Hiroshima. One came down from Okayama Prefecture and the other came all the way from Tokyo, maybe around 4 hours by Shinkansen...

After meeting up, we headed to the other friend's house and drank till 2.30am before all of us were too tired to talk. Haha... I stayed over for one night in their house...

Posing with my Japanese friends one hour later...

Having a drinking and chit chat session...

The rest of next day, Saturday was to accompany them to the Peace Park and walked around Hiroshima's main shopping district, Hondori, before they went back...




010608 (Sunday) - Fishing Trip!!!

Woke up very early today cause I'm going fishing with my colleague and his family. Took the JR for 30 minutes to his station where he picked me up and brought me to the fishing spot.

This was the third time in my life to fish and I still had a faint memory of how to cast the rod, when my friend taught me more than one year ago. But my colleague taught me all the essential steps to fish and after 20 minutes, I'm on my own!

We did bass fishing in the morning till 11.30am. During this time, my colleague caught 6 20cm fishes and I caught none. Haha... I'm still pratising on my casting method. :)

After this, we went for lunch before heading to another place to try out salt water fishing. The environment is very similar to our East Coast's Bedok Jetty just that the beach is smaller but newer.

We spent 1 hour there but could not catch any fish at all. Hence we decided to pack up and head back to have dinner together...

Posing with Sato-san at our bass-fishing place...

Beach in Kure City (Salt water fishing)...

My colleague and me with his children...

My little brother and sister...

We had dinner together and chatted till 9pm plus before I took the JR back home.

I was really touched by their sincerity and warm hospitality and I hope I can meet them again in the future.

Overall, this weekend was one of the most enjoyable and unforgettable one that I have for my whole internship. Till now, I'm still very touched and words could not describe the kind of true and sincere hospitality that I have received from everyone. It will now be my turn to return back and I really hope that they will visit Singapore next time...

20th Week - Friday (230508) Updates

Hi, I'm back after going into hibernation for the past 2 weeks...

Just finished my attachment report a couple of days ago. It took me 2 weeks to recall and type all the things I have learnt. I was half-working and half-doing my report. So it's really stretched to the max. But anyway, I have finished and it's now time to fulfill the remaining 3 weeks of my attachment and absorb and expose myself to as many different situations as I can. =)

And for the past 2 weeks, quite a few things happened. But I shall sum it up in this paragraph.
I have settled my post-IA trip. I will go to Tokyo first and stay for 3 days before flying to Hokkaido and wander around there till the end of June. Partly it's because June in Hokkaido will be the season for the blooming of different flowers and also escape the rainy season of Tokyo (which is in June)... Haha... Then I will come back to Tokyo and stay for one week before flying back to Singapore. (will be taking A380. Yeah!!!)

Hence the past few weeks is spent on buying my air tickets to Sapporo and confirming my flight back to Singapore as well as buying bus tickets to Tokyo...

And for your information, I was surprised when I read the Seikyo Shinbum last week that Hokkaido's Sakuras were in full bloom on 3rd May, one month later than Tokyo and Hiroshima! Interesting!

And today, me and my colleagues went to attend Claire's presentation on her market analysis. It was a very detailed and well-prepared presentation... But I won't have any chance for presentation because our jobscopes are different. :) Claire's involved in marketing and researching of a market while I'm involved in the day-to-day operations. So if I were to present the engineering terms and concepts, think I will be bombarded with questions as the audience are the real pros... Haha...

And also, I received Kian Joo's postcard in the morning today. Thank you!!! Good to hear that you have scaled the Great Wall of China. Will definitely bring my soul back and let's catch up fast after 10 months of separation! Haha!

In the meantime, I will continue to post pictures taken during Golden Week. See you soon!