24-4-2011

I took an English test in Yokohama yesterday.  I haven't taken an English test for years.  It was hard to consentlate on for four hours.  With little preparation, good score won't be expected but it raised my motivation to improve my English.

After that I had dinner at Trattoria Arino with my frend.  It was stormy outside but we had a quiet evening with good food.

On train, I read Tina Seelig's "What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20" again after couple of months.  This is such an inspirational book.  I the paragraph at the beggining of chapter six;

"How many people have told you that the key to success is to follow your passion?  I'd bet it's a lot.  Giving thet advice to someone who's struggling to figure out what to do with his or her life is easy.  However, that advice is actually simplistic and misleading.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of passions and think it's increadibly important to know what drives you.  But it certainly isn't enough."

Jun

8-4-2011

The beginning of a spring season is brought by sakura blossoms.  Sakura is the Japanese national flower and we have been appreciated its beauty.  It also reminds us the meaning of life.  Sakura flowers lasts only for few days.  It's so short, so as our life.  Sometimes we think things remains same tomorrow and next year.  But it's not always true.  The 11 March earthquake in the north eastern Japan changed life of many people.  We have to do the things we suppose to do while we can.

Jun



2-4-2011

I went for a field research in Queensland, Australia, when I was working at a university project.  The capital of Queensland is Brisbane, known as "Bris Vegas" for it's resenbleness to Las Vegas.  To north, for 400 km from Brisbane, there is a town called Bundaberg.

Bundaberg is located in sub tropical zone. and the main product of the town is sugar cane.  Bunderburg suger is exported to all over Australia.  In addition to suger, Bunderburg has another product they can be proud of - that is rum.

Rum is a spirit made from sugar cane.  And we call the Bundaberg Rum as "Bundy's" affectionately.  It is sweet and tasty with Coke.  I enjoy tasting Bandy's Rum & Coke when I have a chance to visit Australia.

This year, in early January, Brisbane was hit by a severe flood.  Many people had to evacuate form the central city.  On 22 February, the famous Cathedral in Christcurch, New Zealand, which I had escorted Japanese tourist as a guide, was destroyed by a massive earthquake.  Then on 11 March, another earthquake knocked out Japan.

I chatted with a friend who lives in Brisbane.  If there is a God, he must be angry with us.  But I want to take this experience for a positive way as I have given a chance to reflect myself and make improvement.  Probably God wants me to be a better person, to be more proactive.  That is the thing I can do for the people lost their lives by the natural disasters.

Jun