DInwiddy House

I had no event today, so I could rest well. I woke up 7 a.m. but I took a nap in 3 hours in this afternoon...
In the morning, I went to Vernon Square Campus, which is very close to Dinwiddy. It took 3 or 4 min. by foot. This building presents good appearence, but when I went inside I felt it cold, quiet, and sleepy. Actually, many students and staffs, teachers are in Russell Square Campus, the main place of SOAS because a lot of events are held there. However, in the Vernon building there are comfortable cafe and student's common room with nice sofas, therefore I'd like to come here and read a book, take a lunch later.
En passant, I will tell you about my accommodation, Dinwiddy house. This is one of the Halls of Residence at SOAS, and mainly undergraduate students are living here. So, it is noisy until midnight because many young students are talking in central courtyard. I am not sure well but many welcome events are prepared for freshers. I hope peaceful days will come soon!
Each student are provided individual room and shared kitchen (I often miss the spell!). In indicidual room, there are  a desk, drawers, book shelf, closet, single bed, matress, shower, and toilet. The size of the room is not so small, and I feel comfortable here except a big noise.
I was not able to bring a lot of stuffs from Japan, so I needed to purchase a lot. I already said that I bought a kettle, bedding, some foods. Today, I bought a wall clock and desk lamp (all by argos--the best shop to get a cheap goods). It was surprising for me the room so dark! In Japan, we usually use mainly white lights at home. In my room here I had a yellow light and it isn't bright fully. So in order to study in the room, I definitely needed a desk lamp. To be honest, I knew this fact because my senior friend who had studied in London told me it. Only the wearer knows where the shoe pinches.
I talked with another senior friend today and we realised that we learn a lesson the hard way. I have a lot of difficulties in London such as communication, register, school atmosphere, the hard work to prepare for classes, and noise at Dinwiddy house, but it is much better than living peaceful and without any stresses or difficulties in Japan. I am able to avoid danger, difficulty and stress easily there. Therefore for me it is difficult to find any problems or issues to discuss on. Without thinking, people can get a comfortable, peaceful lives in Japan.

Glass clock (7.99 pounds) I like the colour, it's a lovely green.

A small desk lamp (3.49) it is very small and not so good, but it is enough to use for a year.

it is red grape, totally different from Japanese grape. I bought this in TESCO, I feel that the taste of fruits depends on a shop. Sainsbury's one is better. The reason I took the picture is it is good to eat when we are a bit hungry. I tried "crisps" with several seasonings and the one with salt was good, but the other was too strong for me. This red grape is good for a snack.

NOTE for me
I need to decide which English In-sessional course should I take. I need to improve listening skill and expand vocabulary in the first stage. And then, I will learn presentation, and discussion skills. 

Welcome Week at SOAS

I'm tired, I have a lot of things to do... This week is Welcome Week at SOAS in 2011. During the week, we, new students need to finish our enrollments, and attend several events such as welcome talk, department meeting, Student services talk, learning a lunguage talk, register to library...
So I am confused now what to do next, who should I talk with, which course should I take. Students are available to be taken several supports from SOAS and they are easy-access. So it is really a relief. One of the staffs is Japanese woman who looks warm-hearted, so I plan to go to talk with her later.
 I attended Music Department Meeting and I met some teachers yesterday. I could meet a friend from Korea who know each other last winter. She is a Ph.D. student and came to London a half year ago. She is kind and friendly so I think I can call for help about music department.  Unfortunately, Dr. Wood who I wanted to study with is in Israel for her research... So alternatively another teacher will teach me. She is american so her English speaking is so fast. I need to improve listening skill more.
Anyway, I need to look for a teacher who can teach me klezmer performance, and also a language class which I can learn Hebrew. (it's not so important, but for me difficult to pronounce the word Hebrew. Not HEBURAI, but HEBROAW)
Although it is hard to acclimatize to SOAS student life in several points, I am excited everyday! Everything I see, hear and meet is absolutely new, defferent and unknown. I will deal with difficult things without being impatient.

Walking around London

I walked a lot in London yesterday, so I will show you the way I walked.
At 9:00, I came out of my room at Dinwiddy, and went to the counter to get a card for laundry.
I thought I didn't need to pay for washing my clothes, but I found I need to pay for it by online payment.
(washing 1.5 pound? drying 1 pound?)
Anyway, I started my walking at 9:10. At first, I went to my university, SOAS. My course plan was to use Swinton St., Gray's Inn Road, Tavistock Place, go straight and turn left. However, I missed to turn to Taistock place, so I got lost... Anyway, I took 30 minutes to go to the university. At university, there were a few people. The entrance door of Brunei Gallary opened and I went in, but I was stopped by staffs. Then, I moved to the British Museum, which is located near SOAS. At 9:50, there were some tourists, and they were waiting for the open. I didn't enter this museum and walked for the west.
My parents will come this week to bring my stuffs from Japan. They will stay near Oxford Circus Station. On Oxford Street, I found there were a lot of people even in Sunday. Several department store are there but all of them were closed when I went there. After I checked the way to the hotel where my parents will stay, I returned to Tottengam Court Road and went to the South.
2 weeks ago, a senior friend recommended to go to National Portrait Gallary, so I went there. I lent Japanese audio guide (3 pounds), and went around this museum. It was interesting to look a lot of famous people's faces. However, I was not satisfied by the contents of Japanese audio guide, it was poor...
Following that, I went to Japan Center near Piccadilly Circus. It was busy. Not only Japanese tourists but also Korean, Chinese, Westerners were there to eat Japanese healthy foods or buying Japanese food ingredients. The shop was good, but expensive comparing to buying in Japan. Double or triple? Anyway, I bought some foods and a plum wine.

As you might expect, I was so tired because I walked for 6 hours including walking in the museum. So I got on Tube from Picadilly Circus to King's cross. Yesterday walk was good excise for me, but I am now  suffering from muscle ache!

Dinwiddy house - Room

I was so exhausted today, but thanks to my host parents and new Japanese friends, I managed to finish safe my moving to the accommodation in London! I could enjoy seeing London streets, roads and buildings from a car window. I think it is precious experience for me because I was supposed not to get on a car in London. When I arrived in London, I suddenly had a strange feeling. It's difficult to explain. However, on streets and at Dinwiddy House I saw people in different ethnic backgrounds, different language and clothes. In that time, I could find the meaning "London is cosmopolitan city".
To my big surprise, I am so relaxed and optimistic about living in London.
(Totally thanks to my host parents)
I am confident, so I am sure I can act positively here.

I took some photos today.

Dinwiddy House
There are some flats from A to F. And each flat has some floors. Each floor is separated to two blocks. Each block has a kichen, 5-7 student rooms. If you have nice flatmates and perfect room, you are so lucky. I've had no chance to meet flatmates yet until now... but in this domitory, so many Japanese students...

Busy street near Dinwiddy House. We can see Kings Cross station in the back in this picture. From this station, I can go to Brussel and Paris, and of course anywhere in London.

Kind Japanese friend took me to the Tottenham Court, where is what you call Akihabara in London. There are many electronic shops. We went to Argos, where I bought beddings, a hair dryer, a kettle. The order system is very unique. At first, I search for the products I need online or by a catalog, and write the numbers connected with the products. Then I bring the paper to the counter. After 10 minutes, I can get the products. However, I hate this shopping way. I feel it is time wasting and tireness, and also I cannot enjoy shopping by seeing many products!

I bought a hair dryer (19.99 pound) and kettle (10.99 pound) at Argos.

I was so tired at Argos because products on sale were all sold out! I spent a lot of time there to find available products.

I bought a single duvet (17.99 pound), and pillow (almost 4 pound?).

Also, I needed to buy covers and mattress protector. Phew~. 

In my drawer, there are a lot of teas and sweets from my host mother.

I will be happy just looking them. 

Trip with ants

Thank you for reading my blog. It is a difficult and time-consuming work for me to keep a diary in English. I tried to avoid making terrible mistakes by using spell checker and online dictionary. It is so hard that I lack the emotional capacity to say interesting or humorous things. (I hope I would understand English jokes at some future day.)  Today, my host father indicated one of my awful errors…

Can you imagine a trip with ants? Last week, I needed to write “I went to Bath with aunts,” but I wrote “I went to Bath with ants”… (Ant means ARINKO in Japanese) Yes, to be sure, we were moving slowly around Bath.

Anyway, I had a precious experience today. I went to see a local primary school.  I have a lot of things about what I experienced there. However, I am so exhausted, and I will tell you about it tomorrow!

Bath again

Following last week, I went to Bath again! I had another purpose to visit there this time, which was ‘Thermae Bath Spa’. My host mother recommended me to go to see a massage in this Spa. I tried 3-hour Spa and 1 massage treatment. Although it was expensive (65 pounds including a towel, slippers and robe), but the massage was excellent.  At first, I went to the Roof Spa, which is a big bath with Jacuzzi on the roof. I could see a beautiful panoramic view of Bath with taking a bath. Unfortunately, it was cloudy today. So I felt cold and moved to the indoor soon. On the second floor, there were four saunas, which were lit up in several colours—purple, green, blue…--, providing a charming atmosphere. I felt strange smells when I first stepped out of an elevator on this floor. Each sauna room was filled with a different aroma steam, and they were so nice smells. I felt relaxed, comfortable by my skin and nose.

The time to go to massage was determined in advance. When I went to the desk for massage, I found a Japanese staff there. From the way she was taking about, I thought Japanese people often visit this Spa for taking massages. Anyway, I took a massage course including back, head, and foot massages. Especially, the back massage was so great. I don’t usually go to massage or ‘seitai’ clinic. This was the first experience I took a massage by a professional therapist. So I’ve never thought that a massage was so strong.  The effect was unsurpassed! I’ve felt pain in my lower back like a old woman today, but I felt nothing there when I left this Spa.

 Before I get on the return train, I visited a bew shopping center in Bath. There are old shopping street, but recently (1 year ago?) the new shopping center was built in front of the train station. I found that Bath is beautiful and enjoyable city where the old and new mixed!

Traditional English Lunch

Today, I enjoyed traditional British lunch with my host parents and their families and friend. I was so stupid because my host mother made a traditional English lunch, but I forgot to take a picture of it.  Now I will describe it roughly. The main was roast pork with apple souse. The accompaniments were roast vegetables, boiled potatoes, and mashed suede. Suede is a root vegetable, which looks like white carrot. The taste was new to me. The cooking way of roast vegetables was simple, healthy and convenient. You need just cut several vegetables such as a courgette (Zucchini), pepper (in Japan it is called Paprika, but why?), onion, carrot, after that, put olive oil and salt& pepper on, and place it in oven. That’s it.
My kind host mother allowed me to watch how she made a traditional pudding called chocolate Roulade. The ingredients are bellow.

1.    dark Chocolate 100g

2.    5 eggs

3.    white sugar 75g

4.    brown sugar 75g

5.    a table spoon of pure cocoa

6.    a table spoon of brandy

7.    double cream 300ml

8.    a small amount of icing sugar

A)    Melt chocolate by putting the bowl in hot water.

B)    Separate eggs to white and yellow parts.

C)    Put both white and brown sugar into the bowl with yellow part of eggs, and mix.

D)    Put together A and C, and mix them. After that, pour a tablespoon of brandy into it.

E)    Add pure cocoa in D, and mix

F)      Beat egg whites to stiff-peak stage, and mix it with E, first by a spoon and later by a machine.

G)    Turn F into an oven plate, spread F evenly into the corners. And bake for 15-20 min. in the oven (180C?)

H)    Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes

I)    Make a cream by whisk double cream by a mix machine

J)    Roll up the cake with the cream.

It was really delicious, so I will try to make it later. It is different from what Japanese people imagine as a pudding. This chocolate pudding does not use flour but the texture is similar with a chocolate roll cake in Japan.
Anyway, it was a productive day. I could learn cooking, and practice English conversation with wonderful people.

A trip to lovely Corswold

It was lovely day today. My host mother took her mother, ant, and me to the lovely villages and town in Cotswold, which named Bibury, Arlington, and Budford. These were not so far from Swindon by a car. At first, we visited an old and lovely hotel which looked a school and another hotel called Swan Hotel. These two hotels were full because wedding ceremonies were held there. Luckily, we could have a tea and scorns in Swan Hotel.

After that we walked around the village and bought some goods in a souvenir shop. There are lovely tea clothes, post cards, and lavender goods. Following it, we moved to Budford(?) town and enjoyed shopping. There were many tourists including many Japanese, so it was hard to find a parking space. Many lovely shops such as a cooking tool shop, wool cloth shop, sweets shop were there, all lovely. We had a good meal at a old hotel. I ordered a bowl of soup called butter squash and baguette. The soup was so delicious.

Any way, how many times I used “lovely”? Some women in England including my host mother often use this word. She explained me the reason, and it seems because they weren’t allowed to use a lot of “nice”. It is interesting because almost the same thing can be said in Japan. I think many Japanese people including me often use “Sugoi!” (or “Yabai!” by young people) when they are surprised, impressed, moved, happy, sometimes sad. Is it interesting, isn’t it?

A short trip to London

I went to London to meet my friend and enjoyed talking and shopping with her (She was so kind).
At first, I planned to go there and return in a day. My host father gave me an advice to stay one night there, because if I go & return in a day by a reasonable price, I could be only 4 hour in London.
Anyway, thanks to his advice, I could spend a good time there with her!
The train to London was not busy at noon, and the return train started at 13:00 also not busy. One of the most surprising things in England is the unstable train fare! It depends on the time, and a morning ticket to London will require double or triple fare of an unbusy time one.

This trip included my first experience to use a subwey alone in London. I heard that many Japanese people often encounter a pick-pocket in the underground.  I was so scared at first, but I didn't use Underground when it was busy, so it was relatively safe.
We walked from King's Cross station to Russel Square to look the way I will use to go to school later.
This way was good because there is a shopping centre, a supermarket, and no dangerous road to walk.
(many tourists were walking)
The next day, we got on the Circle Line and off at Ocford Circus Station. After that, we had a gorgeous lunch in a restraunt in Fortnm & Mason. Following that, we went shopping in Regent street, where are a lot of brand shops. Liberty, a department store, was so cute.

    
  

A trip to Bath

Bath is old and beautiful city! Iwent there with my host mother's ants. They were really healthy and friendly. It took only 25 or 30 min. from Swindon by train with no exchange.

(This article is unfinished...)

I am suffering from a cold...

In these days, I've played around all the time.
On Monday, I went to two supermarkets to buy Japanese ingredients and enjoyed cooking a dinner.
On Tuesday, I visited a museaum, STEAM and big outlet mall and purchased many goods.
On Wednesday, I went to Bath and enjoy sightseeing.
Today, I'm going to go to London to meet my senior friends at a university in Tokyo.

Although I spent time playing less than studying, I caught a cold...
After arriving in England, I've taken care not to catch a cold. I knowthat the climate and tempreture are very different between here and Tokyo.

Anyway, I got some cold medicine from my host mother. The medicine's name is PANADOL advance.
I heard that medicine in England is stronger than one in Japan so I asked it to her. Then she brought me this medicine and explained it was not so strong.
I brought some medicine from Japan, but I almost finished up them. So it was so helpful.

A big outlet shopping mall & STEAM

Hi. I went to a big outlet mall in Swindon, which is really famous in England, and I heard many Japanese tourists visit there. The interesting thing was the buildings. I showed previously that Swindon was famous for railway factory. Some buildings there used to be used as factories where many workers were making train cars.

Anyway, I could purchased a lot of stuff. In order to start living in London, I need some towels, stationery, clothes... There were many nice shops, so I'd like to show some of them and the goods I bought there. Firstly, L.K.Bennett to find a good thing for my black hair. In England, we can see a lot of shampoo or treatment at a supermarket, but it is difficult for me to find the goods which match for Asian black hair. So I asked it to the staff there, and she recommended one treatment which can be used after a shampoo. I try to use it, and if it is good I will show you...  Secondly, I visited John Lewin Home Outlet, where a lot of set of funiture displayed. These products are so nice and lovely but I gave up them because I cannot bring them by a train to London.  Thirdly, I try to find a swim wear at Nike Factory Store. The reason why I was looking for a swim wear is that I need it to wear in Roman Bath in Bath. I will go to Bath tomorrow. At Nike Store,  they didn't have good swimming clothes. There were some wear which showed too much, but I couldn't find favorite one. So I visited  finally Donnay, which was a kind of sports and outdoor shop. There were a few clothes for a swimming race, and I bought one of them.
And then, I visited STEAM, a museum of the Great Western Railway next to the outlet mall. I paid only 4.25 pounds for the admission fee because the staff made a student discount when I showed my student Visa. The museum was quite a big one, and there were real railway trains and some buildings which used to be used. I found it dangerous to work inside the railway factory because they needed to process metals to make a big train...and also it was tremendous hard to move a railway train since they needed to move heavy levers.