モントリオール生活 

モントリオールと出会って早20年以上。2001年ワーホリ時に始めたブログが、今や育児&着物ブログと化し最近は放置気味。ワーホリ、語学学校、専門(美容)学校、仕事、個人移民、美容(髪)、ファッション、食の事、等々、気ままに誤字脱字だらけで書いてます(察して読んで)。ただいま、小・中学生3兄弟、子育て中。

January 2006

Bills AJe regardais la télé, and they`re talking about something interesting.  Sometimes, it surprises me and fun.  The one of the story is about the MONEY(bill).  What`s the story?  At the store, super market, every stores with the register, they often put all bills in the same direction, when you put the money(bills) in the register.  You know what I mean?  you should put the bills like the picture A, shouldn`t put like pic B!  When you pass the change(bills) to customers, you also put them in the same direction.   Is it normal in the world?  It`s annoying for me, who cares???!!, but still acceptable.   But by the TV shows a lot of customers(people), 60% of japanese! also put the bills in the same direction in their wallet!!  ha?aaaaaaaaa??? Bills B They feel uncomfortable when it`s not in the same way.  Dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaa-------?!  Can you feel the Japaneseness from the story? They cares a lot!  Do you think it`s weird or normal.  I can`t do like that, but most of the japanese cares thoes kinda things.   That`s why I can`t live here, I think.  

The other story is about School.  At some of the primary schools in Kyoto, they have very huge nice buildings(that`s o.k.),  their school uniform is by the popular fashion designer`s brand(still o.k.), thier luch(we often have school lunch, not personal "lunch box"by themselves) is from famous hotel`s restaurant, their school bag (we have school bag for primary school children, the picture is a traditional style: black is for boys, red is for girls) is special, too. school bagThe bag is not a typical style but by the popular bag brand.  AND!! There`re school ID card which with IC card system inside.  At the ticket gate of station, we have very "hi-tech" ticket machine.  Then the children pass the gate with the card, the e-mails to their parents`s  cell phone are gonna be sent automatically for SECURITY!! WOW!!!  It`s amazing, but.... I don`t think I like it... but it`s gonna be normal soon?   
 

 

 

 

 

Ichigo DaifukuI`ve just started to work at a salon(A), but it`s trial period.  So if I don`t like it, I can refuse the job offer, or if they don`t like me><!, they can refuse me.   The assistants & even hair dressers are pretty young as usual^^.    Surprisingly one of the stylist`s my classmate of high-school!!! Actually I didn`t remember well (I have such a bad memory), she remembers me!!! wow wow  wow! I was very surprised but sometimes it happens in KYOTO.  last time when I worked at Kyoto, I also found a schoolmate at the same office.  Such a small world...

I`m thinking about another salon(B), too.   But the salon B is a bit far from my house, and I have to start to work there from the early morning to late at night, so I`m afraid of sucha a hard working and not sure I can keep working for a long time.  But I can learn more at salon B than salonA.  Which should I take?!  I`m going to see the salon B next week how they work, and maybe I`ll make a final decision. 

GeishaJe suis alle voir un film, "GEISHA" finalement.  Everybody says around me, "It`s not very interested, too long, cannnot understand well..."  My opinion is ...almost the  same with them, but I could concentrate for 3 hours and didn`t feel that`s too long.  You`d better to read the book original story.  If not, it`s hard to follow the story.  In fact, my friend couldn`t understand well.  I liked the part the beginning when Chiyo(Sayuri) was a poor kid more than when she became a Geisha with nice Kimono, but they cut the part a lot.


We watched the movie at the theater in Kyoto near Gion Hanamachi where is the main place in the movie.  There`re real Geisha(GEIKO) and Maiko(which is apprentice of Geiko) here.  I know about Geisha(Geiko) as a person who lives in kyoto, but it`s hard to explain to foreigners.  They are not  "prostitute" anymore.  Nowadays, they are professional musicians, dancers, and performers.  The time in the movie, Young poor girls(kids) were sold for thoes places.

 

Many Japanese complained, "why they didn`t use Japanese actresses?"  I thought the same way at the begining that the main actresses are actually Chinese.  The movie was beautiful, but their costume, make-up, hair, stylings are  weird. Dance, too It`s not a japanese traditional dance.  it`s like a modern ballet.  I could enjyoied because I know the real Geisha(Geiko/Maiko), but don't forget it's a Hollywood version of Geisha.

PumpkinToday I met my friend whom I used to work with at same place.  It`s been already about 3 years we quit the job... Umm I really feel that time passes very fast.  Everybody changed a bit, but we`re not changed very much.  They changed the job and meeet other new friends.  We don`t have time to meet every friends regularly.  The city changes little by little. I found another new shopping buil today in Osaka, too.  That`s fun to meet new, but I also wanna keep good old.

well well well,  I also met another friend today at night.  She was a student at McGill & graduated just last summer. It`s just 8 months since she left montreal, but I feel like about more long time ago. I also came back to japan about just 2 weeks ago but feel more.  Does anybody remember/know her? Her major`s chemistry, and now she`s a graduate student in Japan. When I talk about her, I`m very proud of her as a friend and respect her, too.  She studies & works very hard all the time!  intelligent, and  something interesting...ummm different from others... I like thoes kinda people.  She`s different from me, and I don`t wanna be like her, but I like her thinking and I`m very looking forward to see her future.  The smart girl, her english`s perfect for me.  It seems like a native english speaker or more^^, but she bought a french text book today!(I don`t think she`s going back to montreal again, but she may like study! Dhaaaaaaa-><!)  O.K., we decided to study for next french exam^^.   Makenaizo!

by the way, the pic is Japanese style Pumpkin. It`S Delicious!

Snow in TokyoIn TOKYO, we got a lot of SNOW! 

I got some interviews yesterday, and I met nice owners and salons, too. They also gave me some advice and courage.  I thougt they might gonna discourage me and say just negative things, but all who I met this time were so nice, and they helped me.  I already some appointments for interviews next week, too,  But I decided my future vision now. It`s getting clearly. 

I`ll do & try everything. It may take time, but I don`t care.  I have tons of time to die, I hope.  I have to do & start what I want NOW. So I`m gonna be busy^^. I`ll start to work from next month, I may have to cut time for FUN, but woking & learning is gonna be fun for me for a while.

Even I become a kind of workholic, friends are different.  Keep in touch!  send me e-mail, call me and tell what you are doing. and the friends in montreal, I`m sure I`ll be back there! but if you have a time, come and see me to japan^^!!

IC playerby the way, the picture with snow in Tokyo,,, Poor people around there(my town with no snow at all)... you know what today in japan we had "the National Center for University Entrance Examinations!!".  So a lot of high school students had to go to take the Exam,,, poor students...  and I found the other news related with the exam, the title is "This year, an English LISTENING test is being added to exams." what?! The national exam  started almost 30 years ago.  BUT this year is the first time to have english listening test.  Can you guess why we japanese cannot SPEAK & Listening english well?  We usually study english for 6 Years and can understand academic level complicated english on the paper! BUT we don`t have time to practice and no chance to speak and listen english!  more funny news about the exam that they got some trouble with head-sets(it`s called IC player) for the listening english test. They prepared IC player for one by one!!  seems waste of money... no? this snow & exam news are one of the top news today!  Funny country... if you wanna more details, check this site http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200601200187.html

devant ma maisonJe suis allé prendre une I.D. photo pour mon C.V..(resume) ce matin. C'est juste 2 mins  from my house, but I saw a little snow on the way.  It`s just like a white dust, not like montreal`s big flakes,  mais c'était beau, et it reminded me about montreal.

Aujourd'hui, I had some interviews for hair salons. They`re not very big salons, but  I got good impression for them, in fact.  Also they`re interested in me.  

BUT including me, we don`t have certain clear information how should I do to work in hair dressing field in Japan...They gave me some information, and I also checked a bit.  To be a hair dresser in Japan, I probably have to take a course again to take a certificate(without it, I cannot work as a hair dresser in japan forever),,, so I wanna take it someday, off course, BUT it takes 2-3years. Dhaaaaaaaaaa-----------!!!  I`m gonna check the cost and when it starts, but I`m sure it`s not gonna be cheap and  not simple procedure...

crêpe à caféTo tell the trueth, I`m not sure what is the best way.  off course, I wanna work at the hair salon, I mean at hair related field, and study more, train more, learn more.  But I have tons of things to do.  Course for hair dressing, working at the hair salon, plus prepare for QC immigration, French, and MONEY always... and other problems...   They come together at the same time, and make me crazy.  I know what I have to do, but I cannot organize everything.  I don`t have time to do everything at the same time, so I have to think the best way...  I wanna do everything!!!

well, between thoes interviews, I met my friends in Osaka. We went to the cafe first.  I told tons of time, but also this time le café était très CUTE!  the iInterior design, Staff, dishes, everything`s CUTE!  Then we went to the Japanese restaurant... the dishes`re SO Delicious with  SAKE.   Je suis très heureux que je sois au Japon!!  FOOD makes me happy!! and gaves me power!! 

By the way, I wore the shoes with heel. It`s not very high, but I haven`t wore thoes kinda shoes for a long time, and I walked A LOT from Shinsaibashi to Umeda(somebody understand?!) more than 30 mins on foot.... Now....My foot are hurts><! and today it`s cold!! I usually wore a lot and regret, so I didn`t wear very much today, then It`s getting very cold!!! This coldness is japanese one. not minus something, but  my body and lips  were shaking.   

Yasaka ShrineI guess...  I`m not gonna have a chance to see the movie "Geisha (Sayuri)" at the theater...  Today I was supposed to see the movie but we didn`t, en fait . 



 



 

To the way to KiyomizuInstead we did little KYOTO tour.  We walked from Keihan Shijo station to Yasaka Shrine, Maruyama Park, to Kiyomizu temple, and come back to the Sanjo on foot.  On a marché beaucoup!!  I like visiting shrines & temples, mais je préfère visiter au printemps ou en automne.  C`est beau!!  avec Cherry Blossoms in spring, avec colorful leaves in fall!!

 

 

kiyomizu templewell, I started to look for a job from yesterday...
I have no idea what`s gonna happen next.  It seems easy & fun, but also it seems hard and weird thing that I who doesn`t have any experience in japan for hair dressing get a job at a hair salon.  Everytime, when I call them, they`re very interested in me, but also they have no idea to hire someone who learned abroad.  I`ll have some interviews from tomorrow.  anyway, I try & do my best.   ohhhh, I have to WRITE my resume(C.V.) in japanese, of course... it`s annoying... you know what?! in japan, for C.V., you have to do  "HAND WRITTING" one by one!!! Dhaaaaaaaaaa, and with PICTURE!!! and worst thing is I have put my AGE!!! wird world, isn`t it?

McDonaldI said last time my friend introduced a "Quebecois" to me by e-mail. 

Mais Il est français, pas Quebecois, en fait. Il a dit que ses parents sont français, mais Il vivait dans Canada (not au Québec) quand il était un enfant, donc il peut parler anglais, aussi.  Je l'ai rencontré avec mes amis aujourd'hui.  On avait un rendez-vous au café "Starbucks" à SANJO(KYOTO). 

Alors,  C`est fini, C'est assez en français . Je suis fatigué^^.

I was supposed to meet my friends at 13:30! but most of my friends were LATE!  I cannot believe them.  Are they really japanese?  Normally japanese should be on time!! of course, I`m also late 30 mins, though...  The worst one is my friend who were late 2 hours!! She felt sorry to us and bought some coffee and sweets. She spent about 20$ at Starbucks, hahaha.  We talked for a while mixed with japanese, english, and french.  It`s so weird, but I found there`re so many Foreigners at the cafe.  In fact, there`re a foreigner and a japanese next to us, and they`re studying japanese.  I also saw french speakers in the elevator.  Wow, how international the starbucks is!!^^!!

everywhere in japan makes me surprise!! The cafe isn`t just a starbucks you think.  it looks so nice and comfortable with nice sofa and table.  You`ll be surprised when you come in  just the Convenience store!! Come & check japan^^!

The picture is at the McDonald.  Now here we have a "Ebi(shirimp) Filet-O Hamburger"! It`s not just a fast food. The texture of shrimp is very GOOD.  and don`t u thin the BOX looks so cute?^^?

well, I met my old friends this week and had a time for relax.  Next week, I`ll start to find a job, study  french and prepare to back to normal life^^!!   

Japanese sticky rice cake with special beansil pleut aujourd'hui.  J'aime de la pluie ici. It makes me calm and emotional. 

Aujourd`hui,  J'avais un rendez-vous avec une amie. Je la connais depuis longtemps.  You know what!! including her, a lot of my friends got married these days.  Some of them already passed 2-3years since they got married or even they have babies,,,   Off course most of them are the age for marriage 25-30.  I`m also the age for marriage or even late for marriage?><!..

I`m not dreaming about marriage, but I`ve been ready for that since when I was 19^^! when I was teen-ager, I used to imagine "I may marry with him someday!".  how cute I was!  But everytime "got a boyfriend"," broke", "got it", "broke", repeat repeat, repeat,,,  How can I know "he`s the true one!"?  what`s the difference "just a boyfriend" and "special one"? someone says "you feel it.", but someone says "it`s not a special one, it`s kinda natural one.  you don`t notice first moment when you meet him." 

I don`t care about marriage very much even society, friends, relatives pushes me.  Unfortunately^^, I don`t have a special guy now.  My relationship with guy is usually short term, `coz I`m always moving around the world. Nobody followed me when I went to abroad or came back to japan, I never gave up moving for the boyfriends, I hate "long distance love". It means I`ve never loved someone and been never loved by them seriously. also I still have tons of thing I wanna do except marriage. Dahhhhhhh---- what am i talking about... Rain makes me weird. anyway congratulation everybody for your marriage!  and wish me I can have a nice love relathioship!!

 

japanese mother`s dish(fish & radish)Have you ever heard "IZAKAYA"?  It`s a Japanese restaurant bar.  When we go to drink, we usually eat, too.  This is a japanese drinking style^^.  They have a lot of small dishes at thoes kind of restaurant, and I love it!!  Today, I went to the IZAKAYA.  I met my friends at Umeda(kita=North) of Osaka.  We`re very surprised when we get in the restaurant, `coz most of the customers were "Business men" with dark color suits!!^^!!  

My friends`re classmates at university, so they`re same age with me. I showed them some pictures and talked about the life in montreal.  some of my friends in the pictures are very young like teen-ager or even like 21, 22. my friends saw thoes pictures and said "wow, they are so young, I haven`t talked with that kinda young generation for a long time!!" .  Actually that`s normal.  When you`re working at the office everyday, you may not have a chance to meet with them.  But on the othere hand, when they talked about their work, it`s a different weird world for me, too(even I used to work at the office in japan before.).  by the way, about FOOD! that`s awesome! I orderd Plum japanese Sake! it`s so Delicious! I was very very happy just for it.  We ate kinda a lot, but it`s very cheap.  you know what?! we don`t have TIPS culture, so you don`t need to pay for tips.  and the tax is just 5%. 

today I went to buy a cell phone at the very BIG electrical machinery store "YODOBASHI CAMERA" before I met friends.  That`s so big store.  Many foreigners(a lot of asian tourists) also come here `coz thoes Electric appliances are cheaper than their countries.  Living in japan is very expensive, but the things for fun like at restaurant, clothes are cheper than montreal and have good quality.  hehehe, I got a new cell phone! the functions are a lot even I cannot use all functions^^.  ohhh i have to practice..

well, it`s very hot? warm? these days here. somebody said "it`s very cold this winter."...actually there are serious problem with snow at the north part of japan now. usually at the north part we have a lot snow, but this year it`s TOO MUCH. a lot of houses were destroyed,  water & electricity were stopped by the snow.  BUT here around me.... global warming???  

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