4th Week - Thursday (310108) Last Day of January!!!

There was no meetings today but paperwork occupied my whole day. Claire was sick today as she complained wanting to vomit after drinking ooulong cha for breakfast. Hence she left at lunchtime and I can finally had lunch! Yeah! Today's lunch was delicious. Claire steamed xiu mai, cooked vege and some meat. Usually other people's bento are filled with rice and vege and meat. But my bento was just rice and I requested the dishes to be in separate containers cause I am not full after eating just the bento. I need more rice to fill my stomach up so as to last me for longer hours. Sounds like "fan tong" right? Haha...

My lunch for today!

After lunch, my supervisor came to my table and shared with me some banana cake that his wife baked yesterday. It tasted just like those that you buy from the cake shop. Yummy!

Banana Cake - Oops! There's only a few left. Hehe...

A while later, I received an e-mail about a course in mid-Feb that employees are encouraged to attend. I asked my sup and he allowed me to join. From the title, it sounds related to my course of study and hopefully I can benefit from it. But there are pros and cons though. Pro is the lesson is held at Mazda Plant and I can get to travel there! The con is the lesson is conducted in Japanese but there are translators around. Nevertheless, it is a rare opportunity and I must grab it when it comes. =)

I left office at 6.45pm and decided to try another route home. Along the way, I kept diverting and diverting until I was lost and don't know where I was. But I just carried on cycling and enjoy looking at the different night views that Hiroshima has to offer. When I finally lookked at the road sign, I realised that Hiroshima Port was just 1km away! Wow! So fast? Since I was so near to it, I decided to make it my destination and follow the electric tram's track all the way to the end. Along the way, I stopped by different supermarkets where there were a lot of bicycles parked outside. This should indicate cheap or affordable goods being sold there. The first 2 were ordinary as the prices are comparable to the one near my apartment. But at the third shop, I discovered bread selling at 88 yen, the lowest I've seen so far!!! But too bad I have stocked up my bread. If not, I will buy 5 loaves at one go! Hehe...

Along the way, I also saw Hiroshima University. I did not stop to explore as the school is quite small. But I might explore it someday if I have nothing to do. haha... And it took me around 1 hour 15 minutes to reach Hiroshima Port. The place was very quiet and I think no ferry service was operating at that time. This ferry terminal serves as a gateway to other smaller islands such as Etajima, Nomishima, Ninoshima as well as across the border to Busan of Korea! Cool! But I won't be going overseas (as in Korea) cause I am already overseas!!! Haha! After staying for 15 minutes cycling, wandering around and taking a few photos (my camera froze again. Sian...), I cycled my way back. This time, my legs were so cold hard and numb that it feels as if I'm standing on large blocks of ice. But I have no complains. There is only one month left that I can get to experience winter and I shall enjoy every moment of it. :)

Entrance to Ferry Terminal

Tram Terminal Station - Old vs New Look

I reached my area at 9.15pm and went to Hashimoto-san's house first to collect back Claire's container cause last Sunday, Claire boiled herbal chicken soup and passed them one big bowl. (And Claire really knows how to cook! The soup also tasted like those you expect your parents to make and with the limited ingredients that Claire has, I can only say she is really fabulous!) Both Mr and Mrs Hashimoto-san wanted to thank her for the delicious soup. And I jio Mr and Mrs Hashimoto-san for dinner this Sat (from the request of Claire) and we will be taking at つくし! Yeah! It's been 2 weeks since we have been there and I'm missing the smell of おこのみ焼き(okonomiyaki) already...

At the same time, last Monday, I asked Mr Hashimoto-san whether I can help deliver Seikyo Shinbun newspaper with him. This is because they are giving me free newspaper to read and both of them have to alternately wake up each day at 5am to deliver the papers. I feel I should play a part too and volunteer my services on weekends. But over the past weekend, they checked with the newspaper office and said that I cannot help cause I don have insurance. I told them I am willing to pay for the insurance but they just couldn't let me help them. I felt a bit sad that I cannot contribute in this area and I think they are worried that I might get into accidents. But it's ok, I shall think of other ways to help the local Tokaichi members. =)

And before I leave, Mr Hashimoto-san jio me this Sunday morning to play some sort of cricket game with him (a game whereby you hit the ball with a hammer-shaped stick on the ground and it has to go through a horseshoe-shaped metal arc to gain points). I agreed straightaway and I will meet him this Sunday morning at 8.30am. :)

After this, I walked with my bicycle and numb feet back home for dinner...