2008

  


Jaded January.
Watched the new year's fireworks show from a hill in Ampang, then mamak with the usual gang. I was still in Institut Bahasa Teikyo (IBT) doing my 15mth PreU program... so tiring. One highlight was the trip to Ajinomoto 's factory with PreU mates.




Fearful February.
Off to Japan for university's entrance exams. I was with Keat for a few days in between and got to know him a lot more. It was fun though, but, somewhat stressful. Feb 16; The fact that I've failed to enter Nagasaki University to study Environmental Sciences made me cry like a pussy in front of the computer where I have checked the results. I was hoping to death to enter that uni.
Only one more uni, Miyazaki. If I failed this one, I would say bye bye to Japan. Well, in fact I've never decided to enter Miyadai cos I thought Agriculture (my second option) would be too difficult for me.

In the end, I passed... Maeda Sensei rushed to the classroom in the middle of Ikeya Sensei's lesson to inform me about it. Everyone in the staffroom applauded when I entered during lunch break. I became the youngest student to get a place in a National Univ in IBT's history (according to Kondoh Sensei). Knowing this, my family told me not to tell the teachers that I don't wanna study in Miyadai, but to go on... and I did.







Moving March.
I graduated from IBT. It was a hectic month, with procedures (visa, univ, housing, financial etc) which causes headaches for everyone. Had a going-away bbq at my house cos Sam suggested it. I left on the 20th with my mom and Farah went to Tokyo on the same day. I lived with Mee Lai (Malaysian who worked in the City Hall) for 3 weeks before I moved into my own apartment.





Ambitious April.
University's entrance ceremony. Mom left and I began life on my own. I began cooking for every meal. I joined the tennis team, and Canoe Club.






Maa-maa dei May.
The weather got warmer. I went for the first field study in the forest research center.

 





Just-historical June.
I went back to KL for a week. Brother got married. A new member joins the Wan family. I went back to Japan and experienced the rainy season... a real one. Then followed by a typhoon... direct hit.







Jeopardized July.
I quit the tennis team due to abuse of alcohol. It felt like the longest month - Exams... It is a time I discovered how some Japanese people copy in exams... with skills... Malaysians are outdated, even in this field...lol.





Ahh-its-so-fun August.
Holiday! Joined the Summer Program where I got to know my first friend from Thailand. Another typhoon... direct hit again. Started this blog. Got myself a girlfriend. Watched the first fireworks show in Japan, then watched the sun rise. I had my head up for almost an hour. Went for a homestay in Takaoka and met some Brazilians. Summer holidays. Went to Hiroshima with Calvin and met up with PreU friend, Mee Lin who is studying in Okayama. And also... rode a taxi in Japan for the first time (pray that its the last).





Sucky September.
I learnt that I don't like summers in Japan. Its no difference from a sauna room. I don't mind the temperature but the insects are, for me, they're not disgusting, but rather really annoying. Went for my second and third field practice in marine station and livestock center. And also... the wisdom tooth case.





Okay-la October.
Start of Semester 2. Celebrated Hari Raya abroad. Refresh memory at http://www.wankokhong.com/blog/2007/10/miya_raya.html



Non-stop November.
Weather got cooler. University festival made me dead busy for days. Cal and siblings came to Japan for a holiday.







Delightful December.
A bunch of secondary school students came to Miyazaki from Msia for a cultural exchange program. Then, I came home to KL for winter break.