The Great Journey

思春期の女の子

2012-01-14T03:13:00.005+01:00

思春期の女の子をどのようにして手玉に乗せるか。
これは、僕が直面している課題であって、
このテーマを自分なりに消化するには相当な時間を要するように思う。
もしかしたら、一生かかっても十分には実践できないかもしれない。

でも、だからこそ、教育は面白い。
自分の理想があって、その理想どおりに教育が実施できたら、苦労しなくて済むが、僕にとっては理想どおりに物事が進んだら、逆に教員という仕事にそれほど魅力を感じないのかもしれない。
子どもは刺激的で、失敗をして、周囲に迷惑をかけて成長していく。
そうあることが、意味で子どもの本来の姿であって、僕としては、子どもとの信頼関係においてどう立ち向かっていくかが、教育の面白さのように感じる。僕自身も失敗から学び、成長していける。

さて、女の子。
女と男は、本能的にいろんな物事に対する考え方も違うようで、女子の兄弟や恋愛経験の多くない僕にとっては、女の子、特に「思春期の女の子が何を考えているか」がよくわからない。
何を考えているかよくわからない、つまり「どのように対応すればよいのか」かがよくわかならないのは困る。

僕が塾で教えている女の子は、授業中に「ピーチク、パーチク」話をしている。「静かにしなさい」と話をしてもなかなか聞いてくれないため、何度も注意をするのである。怒鳴って静かにさせることは、できるかもしれないけど、それは信頼関係が崩れてしまうし、経験上、怒鳴って相手が聞くようになった経験は、一定の信頼関係の上で成り立つ。たまに、「いい加減にしなさい」くらいなことをいうと静かになるが、そういう対応の仕方は非常に疲れるし、いたちごっこである。理想は、僕の話を素直に聞いてくれることである。下手にでたり、笑ってみたり、いろいろ試したが、どれもイマイチパッとしない。放っておくのが一番良いのかもしれないが、勉強はよくできるので、彼女から発言したいということも多くある。そういうときに、彼女には発言してもらう。

でも総合的にみると、彼女は僕のことを嫌いなのである。嫌いなのは寂しいが、人間なので仕方ないとも思う。また、すべての児童から好かれる教師になるのは難しいと思っている。かといって彼女が僕を無視をしているかというとそうでもない。きっと、僕は十分に気がつけてないのかも知れないが、彼女との信頼関係を築く初期の頃に、上手に関係を築けなかったことに問題があるのだろう。でも、そのことをいまさら悔やんでも遅いし、僕は結局自然体で教えることが一番良いように思う。僕のカラーをクラスでどれだけ発揮できるかということは非常に大切なことであるとも思っている。

今の状態をどのように改善するかということに、僕はこれから対応していなかいといけない。本来ならば保護者に連絡して、家庭でも話をするように言うのが良いのかも知れないが、塾長先生からはそこまですることが良いという返事はいただいていない。であるから、経験ではどうにもできない僕にとって、知識で攻めないと勝ち目はない。

こうして、結果的に僕は毎週末レポートを書きつつ、先人達のエピソードからヒントを探しに本屋さんへ出かけるのである。そんな週末であるが、僕は仕事をしているという意識と、学生であるという意識と両方を持ち合わせてがんばらないといけないのであることに最近になってようやくわかり始めた。だから、解決の糸口を見つけに本屋さんにいくことは、今の僕と将来の僕を助けるために役立つことなのである。

ケニア

My three Goal's in 2012

2012-01-02T14:03:00.005+01:00

A Happy New Year in 2012!!

Without thinking the 3.11, the big earthquake in Eastern Japan, last year was not really fine for me especially for my study and carrier. However, it was good fortune for me to work at those places which I wanted with a lot of children starting from 2years old upto 9th grade.

In order to make my life full of happiness better than now, I sware three things as my Goal this year.

Firstly, I'll study this year in order to get a licence to become a teacher at elementary school.
The program that I have taken from the university will finish in March 2013. But time is money.
To be graduated from my college, I still have to work hard for both report and exam. I will be a teacher at spring in 2013.

Secondly, I'll pass the National Examination to be a teacher. Since wonderful days in Europe I have been thinking about for the day to be a teacher and I have been working and studying. Then, I am got tired. But I won't give up to this dream because nothing to be left behind if I give up for that. How could I live without dream?

Working as a teacher at elementary school is one of my dream which I could finally found in Europe after four years college life in Tokyo. When I was 18, I was a student at politics. I had a dream and still dreaming to be the one who works at United Nations. I could have chosen going to the graduate school to study about political scinece and international development.
Though I am still dreaming that I work at developing countries, but the answer which I could finally found in Europe has still shining. So, whichever I will follow in order out of my heart and that is the only way to feel happy for my life.

Thirdly, I'll find a good partner to be stayed with.
I know that I am a quite hard, stubbern and sometimes being selfish. Of course, I could act as I have done in front of kids that being a soft, easy-going and unselfish. But I am not an actor. So, I will accept myself, being in love my personality more and more, then I wish I could find a good person who can accept me as well as follows.

I hope this year is full of Happiness!

Kenya

さようなら2011年－今年の10大ニュース－

2011-12-31T10:00:00.008+01:00

2011年が終わろうとしている。
今日は、今年最後の冬期講習を行いました。
生徒も児童もみんなおつかれモードでしたが、宿題を出して、帰しました。
ぶーぶー言われたので、「今日中に終わらせて、明日はゆっくりやすみなさい！」と言っておきました。
教えるほうも休みたいですよ。トホホ．．．。

さて、2011年を振り返ってみましょう。
10大ニュースにまとめてみました！
①卒業
５年かかった大学生活に終止符を打ちました。
②入学
教員免許取得のため、通信教育を始めました。
③引っ越し
引っ越しして、葛飾区に住み始めました。近所に友達が居なくて寂しいですね。
④塾
塾で働き始めたのは人生初です。教えることの難しさを痛感！
⑤幼稚園
幼稚園でお手伝いをしています。年下の兄弟がいない僕には、子どもを抱っこしたのは初めてでした！
⑥恋愛
根っからの優柔不断さと、相手を間違えたのと、どれもこれもうまくいきませんでした。
⑦保育士試験
落ちました．．．今年こそは！
⑧運転免許取得
ドライブができるようになりました！車を運転して釣りに行くようになりました。
⑨国内生活
焦燥感に駆られました。ふとした時に、「僕はこの国で何をしているんだろう？」と自問自答しました。
⑩災害ボランティア
宮城県に災害ボランティアとして、お手伝いに行ったのは良い経験でした。

謙虚に学ぶ姿勢と感謝の気持ちを忘れずに2012年も日々精進していきたいと思います。
来年も、みなさま、よろしくお願いします。
さようなら、2011年！

Yuji

クリスマス３連休

2011-12-23T00:56:00.005+01:00

考えてみれば、３連休はゴールデンウィーク以来なので、学生の頃はあった２ヶ月の夏休みも、年末年始のお正月休みも今年は仕事。

この前、塾で高校生に「学生の頃と今、どっちが忙しい？」と聞かれて、「もちろん、今だよ」と質問に笑ってしまった。中高生の感覚とはそんなもので、きっと大学生も20代も「勉強を教えてくれるお兄さん」という認識で、そこに大差は感じていないのだと思う。

さて、残念なのかは知らないけど、クリスマスというとあまりいい思いではない。子どもの頃から、プレゼントを貰った記憶はないし、クリスチャンでもなければ特別豪華なディナーを食べていたわけでもない。フライドチキンやケーキくらいはあったような気もするがそれも過去の話で、食にこだわりのない僕にとっては、飛び抜けて魅力的なことではなかったのである。

さて、今年も月並みなクリスマスが来るが、今年はそれなりに楽しかった。
毎年開催される、大学のクリスマスパーティ、幼稚園のクリスマスパーティー、ボランティアで参加させていただいた障害者団体のクリスマスパーティーとそれぞれの場所でクリスマスを楽しむことができた。日本では、イブや25日というのはカップルのためにあるようなもので、聖夜には、街に出かけて愛を確かめ合うことが習慣化している。けれど、本場のヨーロッパではクリスマスは家族と過ごし、教会に出かけて神に祈りをささげる人が多い。日本は、「クリスマス＝キリストの生誕」という認識が低く、子どもにとっては、サンタが来てプレゼントがもらえて何かハッピーな日、となっている。

先日、幼稚園で子どもに「プレゼント何お願いした？」と聞いたところ、「ゲーム」に関する答えが多かった。
学童では、「何をしているときが楽しい？」と聞くと、やはり「ゲームをしているとき」と答える声が多かった。

ゲームが子どもの発達をどのように手助けするのかはわからないが、バーチャル世界に楽しみを覚え、遊び本来の楽しさを忘れている子が多いように感じてしまった。小学生くらいなら「自転車」とか「サッカーボール」のような、子どもの成長のために必要なものを与えるべきであって、どんなプレゼントをあげるか、親の重要な役割でもあると思っている。

さて、私のクリスマスだが、今年は特に予定もない。
今日は、レポートと冬期講習の予習。
明日は、釣り。（夜は教会へ）
明後日は、今日と同じ。

おととしは、パリで知り合った女の子と過ごして、昨年は、大学の女の子たちと遊んだ。結局、好きな人と過ごすのがクリスマスには一番良いのかなと感じてしまった。

僕の好きな人は、凄く遠いところにいるから、その人を超えるくらい好きな人に出会わないと僕のクリスマスは充実しないということになるのか。いや、それは日本的な考え方だな。

Kenya

僕の日常

2011-12-18T05:57:00.005+01:00

18歳で大学に入学、国際政治を専攻。
開発途上国の貧困削減について学ぶ。
１年休学して、ヨーロッパをぶらり旅。
23歳で大学を卒業。
卒論は、フランス、パリの移民についてまとめる。

卒業後は、教員免許取得（小学校）のため、大学の通信教育に通う。
傍ら、平日は幼稚園、学童（小学校）、塾（小中学生）の三本柱で生計を立てる。

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

仕事は楽しい。けど、心に余裕がないな。
平日は飛ぶように過ぎ、
休日になると、
掃除や洗濯など家事をする時間、
友達や家族と会う時間、
映画を見たり、買い物しにいったりする時間、
ボーとしたり、リラックスする時間
が欲しい。

でも、現実はお昼前後に起きて、
掃除や洗濯など家事をしていると、
あっという間に西日が差してきて、
塾の採点や学校のレポートに終われ一日が過ぎる。

だから、土日の予定は葛藤しながらいつも決まる。

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

＜岐路＞
「来年度はどうしますか？」
最近、幼稚園と学童から来年度の雇用契約についての話が来た。
家賃と学費と生活費を工面して、来年は教員採用試験だよ。

「ちょっと考えさせてください」

教採浪人もいいけど、収入が安定して落ち着いた生活をしたいなぁと最近はよく考える。
けれども、どこかの企業に就職する気にはなれないから、結局、教員を目指して
現実を生きるしか選択肢がないのかな。
悩んでいても始まらないけど、物事において選択肢が一つしかないというのはうまくいかないから、
僕は今の生き方があんまり好きじゃない。

Kenya

中３社会

2011-12-16T14:39:00.002+01:00

毎週金曜日は週に一度の中学３年生の社会科の授業を担当している。
学習塾には、高校入試に向けて勉強するために、生徒たちは来ている。
12月に入り期末テストも終わったため、高校入試の過去問を解きだした。
過去３回の授業は都立高校の過去問の解説を行った。（家で解いてくることが宿題）

が、生徒の反応が悪い。理由はいくつか考えられる。
①宿題をやって来ず、授業に出ても私が何を言っているかわからない
②都立高校の入試問題が難しい
③授業が解説だけなので単調で退屈である

①は、宿題をやってくる子が半分、やってこない子が半分である。
できる子はやるし、できない子はやらない。これは、不変的なのかもしれないが、
やらない子に対して何かしらの対策を考えないといけない。
②は、結論から言うと、仕方ない。
社会科の問題は本当に難しく、一つの問いを解くのに２つ、３つ問題を解かないと正解にたどり着かなかったり、文章とグラフをや図を使って解く問題が非常に多い。都立の問題は似たような形式で、同じような問題が毎年出題される。そのため、問題形式に慣れる必要があるため、この時期から問題を解かせている。
③は、講義形式の授業を展開しているが故のことなのであろう。生徒に回答を聞いたり、「なぜそう思うのか」というところを明確にしながら授業を展開していくことが大切なのだと思う。

小学生はピーチクパーチクよくしゃべるのに、中学生になると授業中は大人しい。
みんなの前で話すのがいやな子もいるし、考えは持っていても話さない子もいるので、個別に話す機会を設け、どのような授業が生徒にとって一番良いのかということを対話しながら進めていきたい。知っていることを伝えることが難しく、毎週金曜日は憂鬱なのである。
塾であれ、学校であれ、教える側が憂鬱なら、聞いている生徒はもっと憂鬱なのかもしれない。
僕は僕なりに、楽しみながら授業形式を考えないといけない。

Yuji

National Examination for Childcare Staff （保育士試験）

2011-09-17T09:51:00.008+02:00

In this summer, I took the national examination for childcare staff at the beginning of August. Today I've just got the result. Unfortunately, I couldn't pass the test this year. I barely could pass one subjict out of four.

The National Examination for Childcare Staff, though this is my translation, is the test for those who wants to become the Childcare Staff. Basically, people who works with kids need qualifications such as Childcare staffs, teachers at kindergarden, or teachers at school and so on. Normally people who take care of kids get their qualifications from school but I didn't get it from my past school since my majour was different from neither childcare nor education. So, I had to get it from the national examination.

Every year this test holds summer. In order to pass the test the taker have to pass ten subjects of writing test (60% each) as their first step. Only who could took the first step could go to the second test. At the second test, they will play piano, reading books or drawing pictures. The taker had to choose two subjects out of three.

Last year I could pass six subjects for writing and this year I could only one
subject. The reason of this result are mainly the lack of preparation. However, I have to accept the result and heading for the next examination as well as the qualification for teachers at elementary school.
I'm sure I will be work with kids at least for the next ten years.

Yuji

Fishing at Lake Mazeko （間瀬湖）

2011-08-26T15:14:00.006+02:00

Today I went on fishing at Lake Mazeko in Saitama Pref.
Since I have been busy for the past several months, I didn't have a time to go on fishing. So I had been looking forward to coming this time, especiall beause it was lake. For the people who lives in Tokyo, going to the lake is very rare and I was very happy to get there.

Lake Mazeko is located in Okuchichibu, Saitama pref. It was very small lake. It is only 3km of the circuit. At 5:30 we leave for the lake from the wharf and stated to fishing. In the moring, the lake was so quiet. I heard some song of kites and I felt that I was fishing in the lake surrounded by the nature.

Fish was not hungry.
Especially Herabuna, the fish I was fishing, is quite sensitive. So, their eating habit has a lot of influence on the weather condition. For the past week we had hot and cool days, so we thought that they won't come a lot for the bait before fishing and it was right. Even so, we could felt that there are a plenty of fish in it because of the movenment of float and actually we could get some fishes.

Every time when I went to the lake I could feel that coming to the lake itself is one of the purpose of my fishing because I could touch with nature whcih are different from my daily life. Living and working in the middle of the city, we are easily to forget the power and the importance of nature. In the meaning of looking back on my life and our society such as the problem of power plant it is importatnt to get in touch with nature once in a while. I want come back to the lake again either for the spring with cherry trees or colored leaves in a fall.

Lastly, I made a Tanka, a kind of Japanese taste making with the sound of 5/7/5/7/7.
It's like this,

「雷鳴や　時の終わりを告げるベル　いと尊しき　二兎の趣」

Hard to translate into English but if I'm trying to do it's like this,
"A sound of thunder calls us that the fishing is over"
(cause it's dengerous for the rod)
"Two things I couldn't get are precious the one is those fishes I couldn't get, the other is the one who I love"

Kenya

Fireworks

2011-08-13T16:32:00.002+02:00

Firewoeks is one of joyful event on summer.
We went to bank of Edogawa-river and fun a lot of fireworks.

I am not the one who really likes fireworks but it reminds me of me childhood.(Natsukashi-)
The color is great! Red, yellow, blue, and green. Especially, what I like is very tiny and pretty fireworks called senko-hanabi(hanabi means fireworks).
At first, it has a tiny fire and then it's getting bigger and bigger. Later, it is getting dim. It's like one's life.

We had a lot of fun for that and I want to do it again in this summer with her.

By the way, this summer is something different from past summer. Mainly, it is because of the earthquake. How can I say this feeling? It's been hard to feel summer, it's been like just hot season. Without those summer event such as fireworks, festival, pool and those tools which makes us feel summer(hubutsushi) now the summer is coming but I wanna feel summer and trying to makes me feel summer as much as I could with those summer event!!

Have a nice Summer with All to you!

yuji

Between an Ideal and the Reality

2011-07-29T17:42:00.004+02:00

I have been working with an English class at third year student who are going to take entrance examination for their high school.

With students of ten who are at my class could let's say - there are two levels, one who can understand with basic grammer for English and the other they can't understand starting from the basic stories of all of what they should learn at junior high school.

I have been trying to teach for those who can't understand with the basic things for the past week. But a few student out of five who could understand basic things say " why we've been studying for the basic things so long?"

Looking back on my past lecture, surely I have been teaching for those basic grammers adapting lower student's levels. Because if one couldn't understand with the basic how could they can make an answer for the exam? I thought.
But, in a way, that was wrong though I still don't want to agree with.

According to what my boss said, I should teach them for grammers which are necessary for taking the exam step by step without thingking how much they could understand in the class.

As we can see, the entrance exam at public high school in Tokyo has been consists of passage which are hard to solve if they don't know much about grammer as well as words & phrases.

However, what I should think about when I teach them in English is that they are the one who are going to take the exam and the question has already been consists of long passage with some questions. It won't change.

Still I can't find the best way to teach for the next few weeks in this summer how they study at prep school, but I have to make an answer before next week starts.
We only left six months beofre entrance exam takes.

Yuji

Skatebording

2011-07-23T17:18:00.004+02:00

At the bank of Sumida-gawa river, young people were playing skatebording tonight.
I was excited to see how it was going on.

After drinking with my colleague at the school, I was loitering around Asakusa.(where I was born.) Recently, I sometimes go there to feel good old atmosphere. (though I drunk with him there)
Especially since big typhoon has already gone, tokyo has been quite comfortable climate which was different from last week. I didn't want to go back home soonly. So, I walked towartds the river.

It was my first time to watch that sight which young guys were gathering at the bank playing skatebording. About thirty people was there watching and playing the bords. What they did was a kind of game how high they could jump over the pole putting on a two standing rod just like pole-vaulter.

They are competing each other who would be the winner. It seemed that they has a rule that each one could miss for two times, and when he fall the pole twice he will lose the game.

I was impressed to watch that game not just because the last person jumped over the pole really high. Firstly, I could rarely watch statebording in Tokyo especially Shitamachi-area(lower town). In addition, almost all of them have a kind of Amrican Style who put on a long-shirts, and tatoos. (with beer and tabacco,of course) And if a man success with his trun, others were clapping their hands to admire his success. There were no foreigner but I felt American culture brought into Asakusa.

Having a lot of energy, playing skatebording without thinking any trouble with neiborhoods were a kind of different style but those pleasures may be important for our closed culture, especially after big disaster. Now, people would be hard to find something interesting in one's life.

Lastly, that style reminds me of the European one I love.

Kenya

An Wrath

2011-07-22T16:11:00.002+02:00

Sometimes in one's life, there is a problem hard to solve.
It won't be exceptional for a situation between a pupil and the teacher.

At that time, children at school were preparing for their lunch bringing their mom made.
I was with them as usual. To be honest, "as usual" won't be a suitable description because kids are bringing their lunch since summar holiday has started. It started from yesterday.

Today, when they bringing theri lunch, some kids has started to eat before we say "Itadakimas" (the words meaning is praying for the meal originally, but now it's just the call before we eat ) I scold some kids who have already opened their lid of their lunch saying
"put it back to your lunch on your lid " but some of them weren't follow my attention.

Ayu was one of them. Actually, I have an trouble with her since this school year has started. I have always trying not to involved with her since that case has happened. But this time I was anger with her cause my stress to her has been accumulated since she alway says about me that I am wrong and some bad words throwing to me.

This time she told me "Baka" (foolish) and I could get it, this time I have to say something to her. So, I called but she didn't move. I can't stand it with her action. So I brought her from her seat and was standing in front of her, then started to talk what was wrong with.
During that time, she started to cry. She is one of the strongest girl in our school and she reraly cries on any reason. As far as I remember, that was her second time of crying after my first trouble with her. I couldn't get it why she was crying but what I said about for the meal an her action was not wrong.

After that I had to go to "Juku"(an pre-school for entrance exam.) to teach junior high school students.She was crying but I had to leave.

Then, the new story has made.
What she said is like that I was hit on her during I scolded to her.
A time before, she told my boss and her mother that I touched to her body deliverately and her mother came to my school and I had to talk with that.
After my "juku", I called to my boss and asked about Ayu's looking for the time after I leaved. He said "She was ok." and I could get a little releaf.

I want to escape from an trouble with a kid but I want following my heart for what is right and what is wrong believeing what I am doing is right.

Yuji

My Grandfather

2011-07-18T13:49:00.006+02:00

In this weekend, I went to Takasaki, Gumma Pref. where my grand parents live. My grandfather will be 88 years old in this Dec. and I hope that he will live till then. In addition to a bad disaster in northern part this year, we have very hot and humid summer here in Japan (temp. is around 35C in a daytime.).

Normally, once in a season I go to my grandparents place to talk with them.
But this time, the impression that I got from him was slitly different from the past visit.

As it is true, my grandpa has been in cancer for two years.
Regardless of the impossiblility of the operation, he could live for the past two years.
(We should say luck with that!) And past two years he barely to live with special medicine for his cancer.

However, this time of hot weather makes him tired and that could easily to understand even me.
While I was staying at grandpa. house, he wakes up in the morning and eats breakfast after that he take a nap.
In the afternoon, around two o'clock he eats lunch with us. Then he take a nap again before dinner.
In contrast, my grandmother works hard during the time, preraing the meal and do almost all house work. (This time I could help some.)
Even I could see that my grandmother could live because she can help him. Generally, it seems that my grandmother works very hard and my grandfa. is helped by her. But that was not thier relations (and thier realtions a bit more organized). They are helping each other as if she knows how long my grandfa. is going to live.
That was a sad moment for me to know their relations in this time but what I can do is just accept it quietly.

Tears came out of my eyes after I said good-bye to them. Especially at the last minute when I say good-bye to my grandpa, I said "Genkidene"(good for your health !), with shaking his hands tightly. I normally don't say Genkidene when we say good-bye, but this time I felt a little different feeling during the stay and that experience makes me say "Genkidene" quite naturally.

I know he is old with suffering from cancer and not to far from his death.
Though it is true, I want him to live as long as he can and I hope someday that I will report him that I am a teacher at elementary school.(what he's been thinking about me)

I feel that I have been already starting to accept with his death.

Yuji

Suu

2011-07-15T16:19:00.003+02:00

Suu, who is a 1year baby and my favorite girl at pre-school.
Since 1st of March in 2011, I have started to work at pre-shool on Monday through Thursday.
The working hour starts from 7:30 in the morning to 11:30.

Suu has started to come to my pre-school on 1st of July.
She has a two years older sister who is also coming to my school.

At the first day, Suu was crying as other first day's baby too, and I held her just because she was crying. Actually, that was also my first day to help 1 years baby class.
Before then, I worked at three years kids class.
However, because of the growth for the number of kids at one years, I moved to that calss and that was my first time to hold those crying babies.(even I didn't know how could I hold on them!!)
The reason for crying baby is clear.
99% of those crying babies are because they can't stay anymore with their mom.
How charming they are!

The difference between Suu and other baby was that she won't cry anymore if I hold on her after her request raising her two small arms in front of me. The gesture means that she want me to hold , and I cannot help ignoreing her request. She started to cry in front of me if I turn her sign down, but she follows me with her face full of tears.
There are several other staff as well as class teacher at one year, but Suu always come towards me once she saw me in the class.

Interestingly, she always seek my hug if she saw me at a glance in her class.
Since I am not the class teacher, I can't stay with them all the time.
Even though, I have been looking like a important person for her and I could figure out the reason to work there as long as I'll be needed by Suu.

Yuji

中学入試

2011-02-04T15:33:00.002+01:00

２月１日、私立中学の入試があった。
僕の勤める港区の公立小学校でも、受験生が結構いる。

僕が小学生の頃、（もう１０年くらいは昔）は、クラスに２、３人しかいなかった中学受験生だが、港区という土地柄もあり、クラスの半分近くが中学入試を受けるという実情。

入試結果はすぐに分かるようで、６年生の女の子が慶應大学の付属中学校に合格したという朗報が入った。慶應といえば、大学入試での最難関私立校として名高い。
でも、中学校からエスカレーターで大学まで行って、本人は幸せなのかなーと疑問に感じてしまう。
小学生ってのは、机に向かってカリカリ勉強するんじゃなくて、外で元気に思いっきり遊んでいたほうがいいんじゃないかなーと個人的には思っている。

中学受験は、子どもの意志よりも親の意向が強い。
なんでかな。東大、京大、慶應、早稲田、そういう大学に親は子供を入れたい。
ペーパーテストや面接では確かに学力が高い人間を図ることはできるけど、
本当に必要なのは、どんな勉強がしたいか、将来どういう人間になりたいかを自分の意志で決めることだと思っている。

親が子どもに勉強させて、私立の上位校に入れる。もちろん、そこで勉強したことは本人の財産になると思う。けれども、子どもは成長とともにやりたいことも変わる。そんな時、「中学、高校と６年間慶應でがんばってきた、大学は自分の専攻で選びなさい」と言える世間のお母さんは何人いるだろうか。そんなお母さんなら、はじめから中学受験などさせていないと思うが。

ケニア

Freshman at my seminar

2010-11-23T16:46:00.003+01:00

As time goes by...
November is the season of recruits for the new student at my seminar.
Since I have been a student for the past four years at GOTO seminar, it is very delighted to meet new students.
The age of those students who come to my seminar at this year are about 18-19 years old which is four to five years different from my age. Especially in this year, a few students actually come from Korea, and China. This is the first time for our seminar to have students from foreign countries. Personally, I am very interested to talk with those foreign students because they have different values from their background.
I think that having those foreign students at our seminar is very good thing they are intelligent at least, for learing languages. Normally, student from China and Korea they speak very good Japanese as well as thier native language and English. I am inspired by thier talent and the way which they are living in a different countries where they were born.
I hope that I could make a good relationship with those foreign students as well as Japanese students.

Kenya

The Party at Thai Restaurant

2010-09-15T15:37:00.004+02:00

Last Friday, my Thai friend who I met during the past journey in Lithuania held a party for his diparture to Lithuania. He've got married with a japanese lady but for his visa he needs a time to leave here for several months. It's not easy to live foreign countries.

Interestingly, there were twelve people at the party. For me, Sam, the friend, he is the only one who I knew. Normally, parties in Japan hold with the people who knows each other. So this time, I felt that the party was the European style.

It was the very funny party. Firstly, we spoke both Japanese and English because Sam, the friend can't understand Japanese. At the beginning of the party we introduced ourselves in English individually. (though I can't speak it well) In contrast, there were two foreign people as a boyfriend of Japanese women. And they introduced themselves in Japanese. In the conversation, we spoke both English and Japanese.

I was quite enjoyed talking with the new friends. We taked about society, dream, jobs and everything what we wanted. A Sam's friend from Lithuania told us about Geisha in Japan. He knows how Geisha are behaving to the customers. We were very surprised to hear that sort of Geisha's way because noone including japanese men knows about Geisha. We learned from him.
Hopefully, that we are going to have another party!

Since I came home from the journey, I haven't had that kind of party meeting with the new people and taking with them.
I felt that Something New would be important for one's life.
They would give me a new wind and in returen I might tell a new story to you.
We live on this earth by sharing our ideas and experiences.

Yuji

An Rainny Incident

2010-09-13T15:35:00.004+02:00

Since heavy rain came tonight, my room is full of rain.

Today, I went out 10 in the morning with opening my two windows. One is connecting to the bakcony, so it's about 2m high up from the floor. The window opened 80 to 1m in width.

Then, maybe 2-3 hours ago in the evening, the rain has started and it was very strong one with thunder. I think it is the second rain in Sept. We in Tokyo sometimes have downpours but this was the strongest one for this summer.

Badly, I didn't check out for the wether forcast. Even if I checked I don't know what they say.

Anyway, it was too late when I was trying out from the school in Shibamata. (Today I went to cram school as a trainee) At the entrance of the school I realized that my laundries at the balcony were probably wet. Then, I came home and it made my feel that I was too optimistic.

Actually half of my room was wet. My bed (That's too bad!),blanket, books and some of my animals were wet. And the rain were soaked into tatami, the foor. But fortunately my roommate has been went out for his bicycle trip to Hokkaido. I will use his room for tonight.

It reminds me of the life at tent.

We have to close the doors when we go out.

Since the rain has gone, the atmosphere feel me that the autumn is just around the corner.

Yuji

Happy Wedding!!

2010-08-29T15:15:00.006+02:00

Today, I went to the wedding party for my past high school teacher.

He was my teacher for the last two years of my high school age. My high school was only male students (though some of teachers were female), so we, students some times think about what he was going to get married with. We had no idea and he didn't have girl friend he said at that time.

According to their leaflet at the party, they met at the winter in 2006 through a common friend and they started to making a good friendship with each other.

Finally, they, or he decided to get married with her and proposed it at the top of the Mt.Fuji (3776m), the highest point of Japan.

Generally speaking, teachers are something strange as it seem from the others. His hobby are hiking on the mountains, taking students pictures, and riding & watching trains. Yes, I also have some similar hobbies like fishing. (Is that men?) The good point with her was that she also likes to travel for mountains, and this is the most important point is that she is a teacher and she also likes to talk about peace and society. Probably, the friend introduced them each other because of those common values. Through this wedding party, I felt that the values which one has should be the same at some point to make a good relationship with each other and to keep their wed's life will last.

By the way, at the party we got on a train to izuko-gen which took about 2 hours from tokyo. At izuko-gen the wedding party held in front of the public. It was unique!

To tell the truth, this was my first time to take part in the wedding party. And I felt wedding party is something different from daily life and I want to join again if I have chances. With it hopehull,y I will be a groom as a teacher.

Kenya

Nobody Knows　(誰も知らない)

2010-08-17T17:26:00.006+02:00

Have you ever watched Nobody Knows?

Nobody Knows is one of the finest film from Japan particularly for the people who want to work for the children. I've just watched the film tonight.

People in Europe, especially young generations, they knew about the film. But, unfortunately I hadn't have a chance to watch it before the past journey. During the trip, people in Europe asked me if I knew about the film. Shamefully, I couldn't explain and talk about that film since I had't watched it at that time. So, today I decided to watch it on the way to a lental video store.

One of the reason why this film has been famous in Europe was that was from Cannes international film festival in France. The main actor, Yuya Yagira have got the award for the Best Actor in 2004.

The story is quite sad. Fatherless family has started to live with four children at a new apartment. Only mother works at a department store as a part time job. Several weeks later the mother started not always go back home since she found the place much better than to take care of her children. Finally the mother fade away starting to live with her boyfriend. Then, the four left children forced to live with little money. The Main actor is the first boy at the family and he take care about his younger sister and brother. He works hard.

The film looked monotonous. But it shows the heart of the Akira (the name of main actor) in deep. Since I've been working at elementary school, I could undersatand how he thinks and what he wanted. Of course, the first responsibility for the family was the monther (as well as father), but also the socity should have a heart to take care of them especially for the people such as neighbours, the people at the convinience store and so on. This is the film based on the society, so it will be good to know the reality as a welfare state in Japan.

As I said, this film was based of the incident happened in 1988 in Tokyo. According to the article that incident was much severe than the film itself.

We, including society, have to support for all children who was born on earth.

Yuji

PS. The 1st day of Aug. at Lake Toyohusa. I could only get two Herabuna from the Lake. It was only two but I enjoyed what was the fishing in a Lake with boat.

1st of August

2010-07-19T17:12:00.002+02:00

I have been thinking about plans for this summer, finally I have decided that I am not going to somewhere in the world as well as in Japan except for my grandparents place. Instead, I am going to enjoy for one day trip with my school mate as well as for fishing.

As a first plan, I am going to go to Lake-Toyohusa（豊英湖）, where is located at the southern part of Boso-penninsla(房総半島). Recently, I have been crazy for fishing but the Lake- Toyohusa is something different as the fishing which I normally do.

First of all, the place where I am going to go is a lake. Normally, I am go fishing in ponds and rivers which are just outside of houses. Of course, I can feel how nature are beautiful but the lake could be different in terms of scales for nature compared to those places.
Secondly, I will be on a fishing boat for the first time. Usually, I do fishing on the land having a rod from there. At the same time, I have to learn how to pull the oars for put my boat for the fishing spot, which will be challenging.

Today, I went to pond as usual and I could get some fishes but it was not perfect.

Of course, it is not easy for me to catch the fishing from Lake-Toyohusa because I have no experience with that kind of environment but I have a kind of my instructor and I hope that I can catch some fishes from the lake.

PS. I will update some photos if I can get fishes.

What's this Summer?

2010-07-09T16:05:00.003+02:00

Last July, I was probably at the entrance of Scandinavian penninsla thinking about if I went up to Lapland. Later, I chose keep riding on my bike up to Northcape. It was great choice.

Summer in Europe was only few months starting from middle of June till the end of September. Especially for the people in Scandinavian countries they have really short time for their summer. People who lives at the northern part of Scandinavian they prefer going to southern part of Europe serching for their rial summer.

I enjoyed last summer. (Should I say last year?)

Anyway, this year I have no plan for this summer as a vacation.

For one thing, I am supposed to take two exam to become the teacher for elementary school as well as the one who works at kindergarden. One is held at the beggining of August and another exam will be at a month later of the first exam.

In addition, I will keep working at the elementary school which I won't have long time for holiday. I think I could get a week of from my job at most. It will be great for one week trip to somewhere in the world but I probably stay in Japan serching for the nice hot spring to be relax or going to island for the beach.

Of course, I have financial problem that I don't have enough money to go somewhere in the world. I spent a lot of money for the past journey and even now I couldn't make up for that.

As a student, I have no school for the summer at my univ. which means that I will get more free time in my daily life. I probably get all credit to graduate from my school within this semester.

Either, in orde to graduate from my school, I have to write the graduation paper which has been told over and over again from my prof. throughout this semester. But now, it's been very slow to reserch for that about the immigration policy in Paris and in Tokyo.

By the end of next semester I hope that I will write my thisis in time and ready for living in the world by myself.

Kenya

ワールドカップを終えて

2010-07-01T17:41:00.002+02:00

人生で幸せなとき。

へらぶなを釣っているとき。

子供達の笑顔を見ているとき。

ほろ酔いのとき。

そして、平和な暮らしができているとき。

そう、今の日本のように。

ワールドカップは負けてしまったけど、戦い方はきわめて日本的だった。

攻撃力があってシュートをガツガツ撃つようなサッカーではなく、そんな選手もいなくて、
パスをまわして組織的に守備を固めて、日本の国民性がサッカーに出ていたと私は思った。

生きるか死ぬか。

世界には貧しい国があり、開催国の南アフリカなどはまだまだ貧しい。
でも、アフリカはハングリー精神が十分あるのに勝てなかった。なぜか。

それは、サッカーには体力だけでなくて知性が必要とされるからだと思う。
身体能力や体力だけではサッカーに勝つのには限界があるということである。

ブラジルやオランダ、アルゼンチンなどの強豪は試合中選手の走る距離が少ない。
ボールをまわして、戦略的にプレーができているからだといわれる。
そういう意味では、ヨーロッパの国がサッカーが上手なのには納得がいく。

日本は、選手の休暇や宿泊施設など、選手のコンディションを整えることに全力を尽くしたそうだ。
いかにも日本らしい戦い方であった。
しかし、サッカーで勝つには点を決めなければならず、今の日本チームにはまだまだ技術が必要であり、今後の成長に期待したいと思った。

４年後にブラジルでまた会おう！

ケニア

Wind Catch One's Hat

2010-06-14T02:42:00.005+02:00

It was strong wind blowing yesterday.
After I went to barbarshop at Kanamachi St. headed for my apartment, I saw the woman who was dropping on her hat because of the strong wind. It was rolling on to the senter of a road. Actually, she was road on bicycle and I thought it might be hard for her to catch it. Whether to think first or not, I ran to the road to catch it and then gave it to her.

"Thank you for picking it up." She said with smiling.

I feel fine for what I did. Then, I went home and preparing for fishing.
Having all equipment for the fishing, I was out of my apartment with bicycle.

The strong wind was still blowing.

When I came the first corner to the pond, the woman who was coming from with her children also dropped her hat just we passed. Then, I stopped and caught it from the ground and gave it to her as I did few minutes ago.

She also said "Thank you!" with smiling.

I felt happy to help her but not all people can do that as I did it today.
People sometimes busy to live one's purpose, but we should have a room for giving a hand to the others. It is because both the one who give a help and who is given feel happy.

Kenya

In a Train

2010-06-03T16:25:00.002+02:00

Since I move to here at shibamata, I normally use train wherever I go.
Before then, I had a choice to go to school and hang out in the city by bicycle. However, since I come home, I prefer living without bicycle. One reason is that from the problem for my back born. Anyway, I normally don't use bicycle except for going fishing.

In the train, there are priority seat for both handicapped passengers and elder people. When people like me the younger generation sitting at those seats we have to give up and to give it to those passengers as common sence.

Today, I was sitting at the seat which was not the priority but when I saw the older woman standing in front of me, I told her that "Here you are! It's yours. I will get off the train at th next station. "
Actually, I was supposed to get off the next one and what I did was quite normal.

When I got off the next station the old madam told me "Thank you so much for giving me the seat." I felf that I did the good things for her but at the same time, I felt what I did was not something special.

This was not the first time since I came home. I did the same things for several times since I came home. Every time when I do that, I feel that I just done it just because they, the elder generation need the seat in stead of standing all the time while they are in a train.

Sometimes I saw an older person standing on a train with unconfortable situation because they seems to be in a hard to stand on a train with unstable balance. And young people should stand on their seats for them whether they are sitting on th priority or not, but normally they didn't. People who are young sitting on the seat they either sleeping or using their mobile phone. Also, sometimes they are reading a book. I can't say for them to give their seats for older people but I feel it should be done in terms of shifting Japanese society as the welfare states. Since I saw this kind of situation in the train, which young generation don't give their seats for the olders. I think Japan still need a time to welfare state not as the politics but as the civil standards.

Kenya

Good Week

2010-05-24T16:33:00.007+02:00

The fourth week of May was the most substantial week since this school year has started.

I finally got the part-time job working from Monday-Friday. The contents of my job is to play with children for their afterschool at public elementary school between 1pm to 6pm.

At the same time, I went to my university on Mondays, Wedensdays and Friday from 7-10pm. I took only three lessons for this semenster but all of them are worth listeninig and interesting.

Then, of course, I went fishing last Monday, Tuesday, Wedensday, Friday and Saturday as well as Yesterday from 6-11 before going to work. I was really enjoyed catching fishes and it makes me feel happy. However, my body couldn't catch up with my mind and I will do it for three days in a week.

The schedule of the last week as follows;

Monday:Fishing(5-11), Job(13-18), School(20-22)

Tuesday:Fishing(5-11),Job(13-18)

Wedensday:Fishing(7-11),Job(13-18),School(19-23)

Thursday:Job(13-18)

Friday:Fishing(5-11),Job(13-18),School(20-22)

Saturday:job(11-13),Fishing(15-20)

Sunday: Fishing(6-17)

I hope it will last forever!

Kenya

未来に関して　For my Future

2010-05-12T18:20:00.004+02:00

水曜日は、大学院に行っています。（学部生ですが、大学院の授業も履修できるのです）

I go to graduate school on Wedensdays.(I am the undergraduate student but I can take lessons of graduate school.)

小学生の頃、大学生はすごく大人に見えたけど、私はもう大学生になっていて、私と同年代の人の半分ぐらいは社会で働いていて、私もいつまでもこんなところにいちゃーだめだと思う反面、まだ勉強がしたいという思いもあるわけです。

When I was a student at elemetary school, I thought university students were mature. But now, I am the one of them. And actually more than half of my generation has already started to work in the society. I should become starting to work but at the same time I feel that I want to study more.

大学４年生というのは、義務教育の６年間と高等教育３年間、そして大学４年間、合わせて13年間の（私の場合は14年ですが）最後みたいなものでなんだかこれで学生生活も終わりかと思うと、実感が沸かないのと、もっと勉強しておけばよかったという後悔と、まだ時間はあるという希望が入り混じる、そして将来の不安といろいろな面で精神が安定しない時期なのかもしれません。

I think senior student is the last part of one's student life.
In Japan, we go to primary school for six year as compulsory education, three years of high school and four years of university. It takes thirteen years in tortal.
For me, this years is the last year for my student life. Since I haven't decided what I am going to do for the next year, I feel strong anxiety but I have to do something to live in this world putting my legs on the graund.

KGは今日、私に言いました。

Today, KG(my prof.) said.

「このまま大学卒業して教員免許を取るためにあと２年間もプラプラするのか？」

"What are you going to do for the next two years? Are you planning to do the same things as you've done last year? Do you still want to be a dreamer?"

今年の夏には保育士試験、小学校教員二種免許を取得する試験があります。
この試験に受かって将来を少し明るくしたいですね。まぁ、受からなくてもマイペースでがんばります。
私が一番、恐れるのは神経質になりすぎて、自分の目標を見失うこと。精神的に不安定になってネガティブになってしまうこと。身内に不安要素もありますが、旅行から帰ってきて、ようやく精神的に安定してきた今日この頃です。

I am supposed to take two test for this summer. One is the test for nurse(for kids). And another is the test to get a licence teaching for elementary school student.　Hope that I can pass those tests! If I fail, I'll try them again and again because I want to work for children. What I am afraid is that I lose my perspective to think much about for my future and my life itself feeling negatively. Even though there are sevral anxious for my relatives and my family, my mentality has brought back since I came home.

Kenya

At Clinic- I am fine!

2010-04-24T04:29:00.003+02:00

Yesterday, I went to a clinic to make sure what if my back has been fine.
For this few months including while I was traveling, my back has started to hurt. I could bear for several months since the pain has not strongly came. However, it won't weak neither two months after traveling and I finally decided to go to clinic, introduced by my university.

After X-ray photos, the doctor toke me that my back born was straight. Normally, people has the born which makes curve. But what I have is straight because I've been the same posture while I was traveling doctor said.

I told him that "yes, I am in the same position, normally I am sitting. I do not play any sports since I came home"

Then, he recommended me to stretching my body from time to time and go swimming if I could. Stretching in the pool will be the best to cure of my pain.
I took some pill to relax my muscles on my back and it can be good to support for my back born to the right position.

I got a sigh of relief.

Later, I went to another clinic at University.
Last Monday, I went the clinic and they took my blood to make sure that my blood itsel as well as nutrition has been worked. And yesterday was the day to recieve the result of the blood test.

What was clear that I am fine!
Only my cholesterol was a bit few but others are normal which I don't have to worry about it. The doctor suggested me to go to a psychiatrist if I feel something wrong of mentality. But as far as he knows about my internal medicine I was OK.

What I feel since I came home about myself is that I am easily to fatigue, a lack of consentration, less paying attention and so on. But I hope these problems for my mentality will be better by living in this society.

Yuji

A Day in Holiday through Fishing

2010-04-18T15:03:00.002+02:00

While I was traveling, I realized that people in Europe they are good at spending their holidays for their hobby and something interesting for them.

Generally, it is said that people in Japan they spend their holidays for taking a rest from their jobs, especially on Sundays, most of them are apt to sleep until noon.(Some of them even working)

So, most of the Japanese people use their holidays as a time being out from their works. However, what I felt from the Europeans is that they are using their holidays as a part of pleasure in their dayly life.

I think it is mainly from the different working hours between Japan and Europe. I've heard from my close friend from school that one of our friend she is working from morning till the night with only taking a rest once in ten days. If it's true, how come she can use her holidays as pleasure.

Japan is such a country which has high number of people who commit suicide. This could be one of the reason for high percent of number.

To fun for my holiday, I went fising today.
I am still student. I should be happy about it.

I felt I wanted to go fishing while I was traveling, especially when I in a hard situation. I don't know how many times I hoped that I could go fishing everyday in stead of riding on the bike. Whether it is from that hardship or not, I still couldn't possible to rind on my bike since I came home. Futhermore, both my waist as well as my back has still sometimes made me nerve.

Fishing was fine today. But I only could catch a fish called, Mabuna(crucian) which is not the fish I wanted. The fish I love fishing called Herabuna, a kind of crucian.

Even though I couldn't catch the fish, I enjoyed fishing itself. Some peopel say that fishing is interesting because they can catch fishes. But I don't all think so.

What I like in the fishing is that I can smell of pond, sound of wind, a voice of frog as those environment which I can touch with natures. Of course, I feel better if I can catch Herabuna.

Normally, people who like Herabuna fishing they go to a place where they can catch fishes, paying money to catch fishes (20-30 Euro a day). Even so, people won't assure that they can catch a fish because they payed. It, of course depends on the skills you have and the condition on the day. I went those places several times for fishing but I am not really like those organized places.

Herabuna fishing is not for eating, it's just for fishing to have fun! When we catch it, Herabuna are supposed to back to the nature to live.

However, fishing might be a part of human egoism. It could be environmental destruction. We have to consider when we try to catch a fish, this is what I felt today.

Yuji

PS. Sakura (Cherry blossom) has already gone. Snow might make fishes frozen under water lily.

What's Next?

2010-03-26T14:48:00.002+01:00

An English test showed me that my English skills hasn't been improved compared to before great journey.It's hard to believe that my English level almost the same as before.

Firstly, I am sure that my listening, speaking as well as writing skills have been improved since now I can speak English fluently with someone who speaks English. At the same time, I am quite good at listening to English when someone want to talk to me especially on the phone. Yes, at the beginning of great journey I couldn't understand when I was talking on the phone. In addition, I have kept writing with this blog as well as my dialy. Both must be good impact on my writing skills. My prof. told me that now you can write something in English but you have to show native English speaker with your writing since it's still have rooms for improvements.

I know he is right. But, is my writing skills really bad to understand?

After I got a result from the test, I lost a confidence for my English. I don't know how to develop my English skills farther.
As you know, in Tokyo it's hard to find an oppertunity to speak English but people still can possible to hear English from BBC or something from the radio. At the same time, they can read an English newspaper whenever they want. It can be bought from the kiosk or station. In Tokyo, we have a lots of chance to touch with English both from reading, listening as well as writing, even though all should be prepared for oneself.

However, when it comes to speaking we have to go somewhere in a special place where we can talk with foreigner or English school. We might meet students from overseas at school.

Though my English has been poor, I still want to improve my English to work developing countries.

Kenya

風呂

2010-03-17T15:34:00.002+01:00

日本に帰って来て一月以上経ちました。　一ヶ月も経ったんだから、前の生活に戻れるんじゃないかーと思っているのですが、まだまだ恋しいものがあります。人も恋しいですが、風呂と魚が恋しいです。

今日みたいに予定がない日はのんび～り風呂に使っています。要するに長風呂です。

今日もそうでしたが、起床が昼近かったので、頭がボーとしていました。

そこから、引越し準備で部屋を整理していたら、スラムダンクが出てきたので対山王戦を読みました。

スラムダンクは漫画ですが、名作です。読んだことのない人にはおススメします。確か、途中までならYoutubeで見れたと思います。

それから、何冊か本を持って風呂に入りました。お腹が減って、１時間くらいして出ましたが、休憩を挟んでまた風呂に浸かっていました。たまに、睡魔に襲われて寝てしまいますが、お湯が少ないので今のところ平気です。

社会と教職の本を読んでいました。風呂がぬるいくらいだと、集中して読めますね。昔はよくトイレで本を読んでいましたが、なぜかヨーロッパ帰りの体には風呂のほうが恋しいわけです。

そうして、午後を風呂で過ごし、ビールを空けて、風呂から出ました。

夕食の時間になったので、食事をして部屋に戻ってきました。

普段はこの時間に眠れず、というか10時くらいに一応睡魔が来るのですが、そこで寝ると２時くらいに必ず起きてしまうので、４時くらいまで起きて寝るようにしています。不規則な生活で直したいのですが、24時に布団に入ってもなかなか眠れません。何かいい方法があったら教えてください。

そんなこんなですが、もうひとっぷろ浴びて寝ようと思います。

今日も平和な一日でした。

ケニア

An Evening with Friends

2010-03-13T17:57:00.002+01:00

Since my friend asked me if I could join his friend's graduation celemony for laghing club, or Owarai in Japanese, I went there to have fun with him at Nakano for this evening.

Nakano is a special place for me because I sometimes stopped by there for lunch and hung out when I was high school student with some friends. There are a big shopping mall called Broadway with a lot of shops as well as restaurants and everything whatever we needed. During the three years for high school student before university, that was really great that I didn't have to concentrate for studying which were different from the other high school students in Japan though I still a little bit regret that I couldn't be prepare for the entrance examination.

Anyway, today we went to the laughing performance which played by the student from our university for the graduation. In Japan, both school and company, I mean the society starts from April until March. So, the senior students are supposed to graduate from schools. That performance was the final one for those graduate.

The performance was not bad since they played hard and trying to feel audience better out of their playing.

It would be much better if there was some theme for the performance since they did play whatever they like and I couldn't get the reason why each performance did.
Maybe they had nothing to tell us apart from playing something on the stage. Antway it doesn't matter. The performance was for free and good to have fun!

After laughing a lot with their performance, we went to have a dinner for restaurant and started to talk for our future. We were three. And my both friends have already decided to work at public office starting from next April. In contrast, I am supposed to be a senior student, I mean, one year left for graduation.

One of my friend told me that I should do something better not just to be a teacher from the experience in Europe and he said "Why don't you work overseas? You are really not like a person who is working in Japan." The another one told me that "You may pass the natinal examination in order to be a bureaucrat for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs." To be honest, I though two things during the past few years but I thought both are not the thing what I really want to become to study more and more header.
One thing what I learned from Europe was that I cannot do the things what I couldn't do in Japan at any country in the world. So either starting to work in somewhere in the world or not, I for the couple of years am going to work in Japan as a teacher for elementary school or something what I can do for making an oppertunity to work in somewhere in developing countries.

It was unusual Saturday.

Kenya

フットサルからラーメン屋

2010-03-13T04:40:00.007+01:00

昨日はフットサルをしてきました。

場所は大崎でした。品川の一つ先です。

集まったのは10人。半分が国際政治学科（私の専攻）で半分が経営学科の人でした。もちろん、男だけでしたが（笑）

２時からいて６時くらいまでやってましたが、私は足が動かなくなり息があがり全然プレーできませんでした。もう歳なんでしょうか？それに加えて、シュートもはずしまくりました。

それでも、久しぶりに会った学科の友達と楽しくゲームできたのは、卒業間近の彼らと私の関係にとっていい思い出になりました。

ゲームの後、腹が減ったのでラーメン屋に行きました。

誰かが、品川駅まで歩こうと言い出したので、一駅分話しながら歩きました。山手線の一駅は電車だと２、３分なのに歩くと結構遠いいんですよ。道にも迷って30分以上歩きました。

運のいいことに品川駅の近くにラーメン屋街がありました。５、６軒のラーメン屋が並んでいました。

マデ（友達）がつけ麺や良いというので、そこに行くことにしました。ヨーロッパでラーメン屋を探すのは至難の業でした。パリのラーメン屋はまずまずおいしかったです。

食券を買おうと並んでいると、前のグループがアジア系の観光客でした。驚いたことに店員さん（推定35歳・男）が英語でラーメンの説明をしていました。麺がソフトだとか言っていました。

私たちも食券を買って中に入りました。隣の席には欧米人が一人でラーメンを食べてました。

そこにも店員さんがきてなにやら英語で話していました。英語を話せる人は結構いるんだなーと私はびっくりしました。

つけ麺屋をでて、カフェを探しに駅へ向かいました。品川駅周辺はビジネスマン、観光客問わず、たくさん外国人がいて本当に驚きました。日本にこんなにたくさん、外国人はいたか？

信号待ちをしているとき、何を思ったかタマキが英語でカフェを探す場合なんて言うんだ？と聞いてきました。マデも調子に乗って「言ってみろよー」とはやし立てるので、私は英語で言いました。

"Is there any cafe that you recommend us to go near here?"

と出ました。なんて周りくどい英語だろうと私は思いました。

"Do you know a cafe?"で十分伝わるのになと思いました。

言葉はわかりやすく、シンプルにとつくづく感じさせられました。

体力の向上と英会話の維持を考えさせられる金曜日でした。

ケニア

One month

2010-03-06T22:21:00.002+01:00

Exactly one month has passed since I came back home.
During that period, I took some rests, met my frieds with drink and went to my school as well as been thinking for my future.

The first week, I could almost nothing with fatugue. I went to hospital to ckeck if I was still fine. The doctor told me that I had no problem except for my digestion. About 1-2 weeks took in order to my digestion being fine and now I am fine with medicine. Later on, I went to another hospital for my nose and ears in order to cure for my hard condition under pollen from trees and then went to a crinic for my waist.

The second week, I met with some friends from school. They all were fine and I enjoyed talking to them especially hearing about their near future for the coming spring that they are going to start to work.

The third and forth week, it was almost the same as the second week but I took a english examination called TOEFL in order to ckeck how my English has been improved and stated to work at after school for elementary school students as a first step to be a teacher.

In short, I was good to coming back to the Japanese society to make myself feel fine compared to the past traveling. However, I still couldn't feel being fine since I was struggling how I feel fine to live in Tokyo. The distances between the people with others have been far compared to that of in Europe.

Even so, I am sure that I like talk with people and really want to be a teacher for elementary school even it needs a few years to become the one.

Another thing, simply I prefer taking with family than I who was a year ago.

Kenya

Needle Therapy

2010-02-20T04:17:00.005+01:00

Since my waist has been having a backache, I went to a clinic with a woman who can cure waists with needles. The woman at the clinic, she looked same age as my mother. She knew my father and mother, they also have been there to cure their waist respectively.

As soon as I opened the door to the clinic, the doctor told me "You look like your father!" I was amazed to hear that because people sometimes told me that I am similar to my mother more than that of my father.

Clinic is a part of apartment located near Takadanobaba, which one of the finest place in Tokyo with a lots of students.

There are two beds for the treatment. After I wrote something about my symptom how that pain is coming from and when and where is the place exactly that pain coming from, she told me that I should lie on my back on right bed. Firstly, the woman tried to confirm that where is the pain exactly coming from with her hand. After she knew how the pain is going on, she tried to use needle to put in my stomach. It tickled and I couldn't stand it to keep my body calm and then she ended up to use it for my stomach.

And then she told me that I am going to move to another bed to turn around. It make me feel that my back could be afford to take the treatment. It lasted for 20 minutes keeping those needles into my back.

Few minutes later since I started to feel fine with needles, another customer came to the clinic to take the treatmenet from her. As soon as she came into the room, she told to the doctor that "Takahashi got a bronze medal with his competition for figure skating! Did you watch it?" I thought she is a person who often coming here.
And the doctor also said "Yes! I saw it! It was really fine to get the bronze medal but the thing what he was fine is that he overcame with his injury! How toughness he is!!" "Yes it is. But it was pitty that Oda-kun had an accident for his string with his shoe that he forced to interrupt for his playing." "Yes, it is! But I don't know if he got a medal without trubble." "Sure, but he might get a little bit better result without it, I suppose." The conversation lasted.

It was intersting for me to hear those conversation that they were really excited to talk about how and what the competition was going on. Before leaving at my place, I also watched that Olympic game with my father talking about who will win or lose not for me just support to the Japanese representatives. I am sometimes not really support for Japanese represintatives, but I won't feel fine if Japanese lose any maches unless I hate the player, football match isn't the exception.
Even, Kokubo, who is a Japanese representative for halfpipe on snowbording with a trouble of his attitude that he wasn't fine with his clothes and words, those kind of thing which they say a lack of sense as a representative. But I was one of a supporter that I wanted to win for him with that match.
Whether I've told you before or not, I am used to playing cross country skiing, which is one of the most interesting sports for winter. Even Japanese reperesentatives are not really fine recently, I knew some Japanese skier of cross country but I knew more skier from Northern Europe just because they are strong and really fine, unfortunately.

The thing what I want to say is nothing special but most people want to win the represetative who are coming from their own country.

I am Japanese and I feel that I want to win for the Japanese player on Olympic games.
That's normal isn't it?
I saw an Algerian football mach at a distict in Paris where a lot of Algerians live that they were supporting to Algerian team. I thought that they won't change to be supporters for France if there is a match between France and Algeria.

Kenya

A Life in a Different Society

2010-02-17T18:20:00.002+01:00

I have been frustrating since I came home. It's hard to find an answer of why.

I met a lot of friends who I had good relationship before great journey and actually I enjoyed talking with those friends but something is different and something is going wrong with them. This is not the same impression what I got from the people in Europe, mostly I met them as a first time. I might have been counting on the people, who is talking to, they makes me fun when I started to talk with but even so it is hard for me to have a certain distances with Japanese people even people who I know a lots to them. I need a time to get back a distances with Japanese people.

I felt that I dropped into the trap of cities. The impression what I got from the city is not that big differences between Paris and Tokyo. I knew when I was in Paris but either I need a time to adapt the society.

Since I came home, I was back to my parents place.
But somehow I feel that there is no place for me to stay. This doesn't mean that neither there is no place to stay nor my parents doesn't welcome for me to stay with. Moreover, I've got a feeling that my father is more friendly to me before this journey.

But here I would say that everything has been ready.

I can do almost everything what I want.
During the past journey, I have to do something with a little things. The things what I had everything were with on my bike. Bicycle was my house in a way. But here at my room, there are books, table, computer, piano and bed which are the things what I have been starving. In addition, I can eat something whenever I want from dining room served from my mother, I don't have to clean my cloths (though I didn't wash a lots during the journey) by myself with washing machine.

Do I need to live here? What is the meaning that I live in here?

Everything is ready and it's pretty normal, (but it shouldn't be normal) to feel that I don't have to do nothing to return back to my parents. Even though I sometimes feel that I have to do something but what should I have to do for them.

My parents are working. My father is a journalist and my mother has got a part-time job from Monday through Friday but at the moment it's hard for me to think that I am going to start to work.

I have a time to do everything whatever I want.

As long as I am going to live with this situation, it would be hard for me to live with full of energy. I feel the life at the moment is a thought of killing a time.

A lot of people in the third world, not only in the third(What is the third world, this is a question what I was forced to think every capital in Western Europe) they have been hard to live with their situation, they need a help. Even in Paris as well as in Tokyo, people are making a hard life.

I feel that I am the person who lost one's goal in a life.

The past ten months, I had been traveling by bicycle in order to be better with my English, communication skills and to find my dream in a short term and I think I did it quite well but why I am facing that I cannot going to have a next step in Japan.
What is this pressure that I got from society.
Where this pressure are coming from?

Tomorrow I am going to leave from my house in order to have a fresh air and trying to do something with society. I still couldn't get rid of the feeling that I have been isolated from the society.

Yuji

Life with Language

2010-02-13T13:44:00.005+01:00

One week have passed since I came home.

I have been facing with the problem how should I keep my English skills better. Generally, languages have four skills which are reading, listening, writing and speaking as far as I heard from school. In my opinion, two skills out of four for both reading and listening are the skills that people can do it better by them-self at some level. Of course, writing is more or less the same as those two I mentioned but it needs a person who can correct it to better. However, speaking is not the skill that is easy to practice by oneself, which means that we need a person.

While I was traveling, I always try to start to think with English in order to touch with instead of Japanese. The first three months when I was in Eastern Europe I was the person who was thinking in Japanese as well as writing my diary with Japanese. However, I changed my diary to English and started to think English instead of Japanese while I was there. Since then I told my brain that "you have to start to think in English" turning off my Japanese all the time.

That's what I have been doing for the rest of journey and at the moment I have facing with the problem that I started to think English though I can speak perfectly Japanese. In addition, now I started to study French but it needs a lots of time to start to think in French instead of English.

What is hard for me is how I can keep my English speaking skills as well as in French. Or I might say that I somehow lost the reason why I have to keep speaking in English in this society, which almost everyone doesn't speak neither English nor French. At the same time, I even haven't felt that I have to speak either French or English since I came home. If I weren't speak Japanese, I will be in hard life in Japan. In other words, no other language than Japanese is important to live in this island.

An island is the place where makes us away from the rest of the world.

Languages live with the people who lives there.

Yuji

A Message from Home 自宅にて

2010-02-10T01:35:00.007+01:00

日本に帰って来ました。

いろんな人の助けがあって、励ましがあって、こうして旅を無事に終えることができました。
いままで応援してくださった方々、どうもありがとうございました。
約10ヶ月かかりました。長かったです。

旅はここでおしまいですが、日本での生活はここからがスタートです。

人生はまだまだ続きます。

また、ブログで会いましょう！

悠史

PS. 携帯電話のアドレスが変わりました。 yujitakahashi@softbank.ne.jpです。しばらく暇なので飲みましょう。

Few days have passed since I came back to Japan.

I am happy that I finally could come back to here.
My parents and my friends are there. They are there!!

To be honest, I didn't feel that I could come back to Japan before arrived at Copenhagen where I changed my aeroplane. As soon as I took the plain from CPH, I finally felt that now I am on the way to home, since a lots of Japanese people rode on that plain with.

The plain took me about 15 hours in total from Paris to Narita. The first impression what I got from Narita was that "how plain is fast to fly from Paris!!" The distance between Europe and Japan wasn't that far. I spend nearly 10 months to travel in Europe by bicycle but plain took only 15 hours to bring me to Japan.

Since I've felt that I am not really fine with jet lag, I went to a hospital if I am still healthy or something else. The doctor told me that I don't have any problem for my bone and blood which I won't get any trouble with my health. He just gave me a medicine to make my digestion better and said "take some rest".

For the past few days, I couldn't sleep well at night and my stomach has been hurt as well as my back born. But as doctor told me I need a time to rest for a week or something before starting what I want to.

Actually, I have several things such as French, to get driving licence and to review of great journey that I want to do before starting for the new school year (it's on April).

In order to keep my English better, I am probably going to keep writing with this blog on. But it won't be really interested in as you saw on my journey but you're welcome if you want to read it, of course!

Lastly, thank you very much for the people who all the time make a kind attention and keep your eyes on towards me with a lots of comments. I encouraged by your words which gave me energy to keep traveling on.

See you next time somewhere on the earth.

Yuji @ Tokyo

The Day before Leaving

2010-02-04T15:31:00.002+01:00

Before taking a flight back to Japan, two things that have been obsessed.

One thing is that about the amount of my luggage. The luggage which I can carry onto the plain limitted up to 20kg. As you know, I will fly with my bicycle which is about 15kg and which means only 5kg left that I can carry with aeroplain.

The flight company which I am going to take with is Scandinavian Airline System (SAS).
Acoording to the ticket agency in Paris where I bought a ticket told me that almost all company except for BA (with a few) cannot allowed to carry on your luggage more than 20kg. Even so, I can carry my bag up to 8kg into the cabin which I hope that is not strictly limited.

However, since I took a French lesson as well as reading some books in Paris, my luggage must be heavy more than that I thought.
Few days ago, I went to post office to buy a cardboard which I can send it to Japan (40 Euro up to 7kg). And I sent it with 7.5 kg. The madan at the post office was fine.

Even so, still I have a tent and sleeping bags and clothes which are supposed to bulk if I try to pack into my bag.

Yesterday I was walking on the street in the sentral part of Paris.
There were several homeless who are begging for money from the people on the street. I asked a man who was sitting on the street if he need my clothes and sleeping bag with in English. Whether he could understand or not, he told me "Yes" and I gave it to him the one I had. Before giving it to him, I felt that I was little bit scared to communicate with those people.(Even it's normal that I am asked at least once in a day from the begger that I can give them money on the street.) Mostly, because of the language I know.

I was almost started to cry when I gave those things to him (actually those cloth to him were given from the Japanese man who I met in Paris), I feel so sad that a lots of people begging for money or something on the street in Paris. That is reality.

Things happens sometimes without any reason.

I lost my teddy bear which I have been traveling from Bulgaria. The name of the bear called Bul. I don't know where I forgot to take that one and even I didn't noticed before few hours ago when I started to packing for tomorrow. I called to the hostel I stayed if they've got the bear but they didn't. For the rest of the day, I will ask those places where I've been in Paris in the past one week in order to find Bul. Probably he was in my bag a week ago but I am not sure since when he left from my place.

Yuji @ Paris France, 47

First of February

2010-02-01T16:39:00.004+01:00

The last day of January, I went to St.Denis to meet Beate again.

She has gone to back to Germanty with evening flight and I met her yesterday again just before she took the flight.

Sometimes people are meeting with new people but at the same time we have to say good bye at some point.

I learned a lots from her. She is very open minded and honest. We talked a lots whatever we want.

Yesterday after we said good-bye I felt that I really sad and want to do something different to.

Firstly, I went to a bar to take a beer(It's very rare for me to go to a ber especially when I am alone). I watched a football match and hand-ball match between Croatia and France. Since I didn't feel that I wanted to stay there I left to my hostel close to Bastille, which is the hostel I really love.

After that at Nord station, I bought a tabacco, actually that was my time in my life to buy that one and then I took it with walking though I normally really hate the people who walks to take a cigarette.

Then I bought a wine to drink for a night. It was a moment that I did whatever I want.

At hostel fortunately I met a Japanese people and we started to talk with Japanese drinking wine and talking what we each other have done in Europe. I know that I am supposed to go back to Japan in a week but even so, I really miss to speak Japanese.

With him and with a girl also from Japan today we went to musse de Rouvre.

Talking with Japanese people with same language as well as same culture makes my sometimes happy!!

January was the month to study French but February seems to be a month to enjoy with Japanese people.

Yuji @ Paris, France 44

The Last Class

2010-01-29T12:56:00.003+01:00

I've just done the last class for the French lesson which I had been taken in Paris.
It has been great and I learned a lots from the school.

The teacher told us at the last part of lecture that French is the language which is not easy to learn (Though not only for me), but one week is enough to forget if you won't study further.
Whether you've known or not, I have already decided that I am going to keep studying French for the next few years in order to speak and communicate who are speaking French. The biggest problem for me is that to find the oppertunity to learn French in Japan. English is the first foreign language for us and we sometimes can tough English of our life. Although not a lots of Japanese people can speak English, but I am sure that almost all Japanese people, they know some words such as; OK, thank you, hello which are, yes we use OK(Okkei), arigatou, Konnichiwa. However, when it comes to French we don't know even those easy words; d'accords(?), merci, bonjour.

In order to study French in Japan, I am looking for some DVD which has either French-Japanese as a language as well as should be subtitles or English-Fench movies. Actually I bought some DVD, which are some movies of E-F from US and UK as well as anime which is F-J. I think those my favorite movie will help for me French study.
The funny thing which I found while I was looking for DVDs was that I am not really fascinated by French culture. I think I don't know any film from France, actually I am try to buy at least one film which is from France. But I don't know which one is good film which means the film that I want to watch again. Neither I don't know any singer from France that is worse point to study French. Anyway, I think and I hope that those film will be fine for me.

It is really good for me to study French even only one month but I can speak a little bit of French.

Today, before I came to the library after I put my luggedge at the hostel, I asked with French like "Vous aves a palais pour mom velo?"(Do you have a place for my bike?) In Paris, today it has been rain and I wanted to park my bike and the person at the hostel told me "Ce coir(for the eveing)" I only could hear that she told me something for the eveing and I coudn't get it. Then I try to put my bike into the hostel but she told me in English that only for eveing! I decided that I park my bike with rain outside of the hostel.

After I got to the library, I tried again to speak French like this "Vous aves a plais ou je peux regardre mon DVD?" She got it what I was talking! But I coundn't understand what she told me. Something that there is no place to watch DVD I think.

I can speak a little bit of French but the problem is my ears they speak very quickly and I couldn't catch them.

When I back home, I definetely keep studying French to make an eaqual as my English.

One week left for staying in Paris.

Yuji @ Paris, Fr 42

The Last Week of French Lesson

2010-01-26T10:06:00.004+01:00

It has been bad for the last week of French lesson.

Today is Tuesday and which means the second day of the week. Today at the lesson, I argued with the teacher, Claudine then I left at the lesson.

Things happened sometimes with very stupid reason but not for all.

Today I was on time to start the lesson and I took a seat and the lesson started with two other students as I told you.

I had a thing that I couldn't understand from yesterday's homework. I have been thinking why I couldn't understand and try to ask to Francoirse but neither I couldn't get it. Then today I asked to her why in this blanc that I have to put "lui" and try to understand what she was teaching me about.

When I ask that question she told me that "I already explained but I will do it again quickly." And then she started to write something about it with and to explain that why that blank is needed to put "lui" The question is as follows: I have to rewrite to guess from the former sentence.

From "Pierre amie ce film? " to "Oui, ce film ( ) plait." (I have to put a word into () as "lui")

But why "lui" come to the blank??

Firstly, I tried to ask her the meaning of the sentences the first question means that "Does Pierre like this film?" This is no problem to understand it. And then the next sentence is something like "Yes, this film please to him." uh??????
At this moment, I couldn't get it what the meaning of the sentences.

Then I tried to ask how I can understand it. And she told me that "I cannot explain it anymore. Or I would say that there is no suitable translation in English. I did my best so that you can understand of this sentences."

Then I said to her "I took to think about this sentences why I have to put "lui" for an hour in the last eveing! Why you cannot explain it? I really want to know!! " with loudly.

Then she again told me "I did my best. I don't know how I can explain it anymore. Both Yamili and Beate understand it but you couldn't understand. Why you all the time trying to say with like this! I am fed up to teach you about it and they also feel like bad. And each time when you couldn't understand the sentences you make me feel bad! I will do my best but if you don't want to learn in here, you just move away!"

Then I decided to move out from her school for today not to gave up to learn but I feel like that I wanted to be alone.

Lesson hold 5 days in a week. Everyday people have a different feeling especially in the morning. I know sometimes that she is hard to teach and I also have a time both good and bad day to learn. Past two days from Monday has been bad day and I know because I feel bad to learn and my brain couldn't understand easily.
The reason that she've got a bad feeling from my question is that well, I always trying to understand all sentences because I am doing my best for all the time to learn French especially I only have one month and I am supposed to go back to my home later on. It's normal to try to learn seriously what she is teaching, isn't it?
I know that I am really not a good attention for teachers all the time.(I don't like a teach in Japan who especially trying to make a distance between teacher and student. Cladine is not that kind of teacher who I hate but even so there is a something I cannot stand the attention from her.)I had some argument with a teacher when I was in a high school student. But the differences between the high school and now is that make something bad on purpose or by nature. I think I am the person who make a bad attention towards Cladine but how should I do it. This is me and I just try to understand though the way to asking makes her bad. I cannot chage it. Otherwise, I am just sitting on the class without saying anything but if I do so, I definetely lost a lots that I could learn from her and couldn't keep up with the lesson. I am serious that I want to learn French.

Yesterday, in the morning, my bike chain broke down on the way to class about one third on the way and I feel like that I won't take a but or metro. Instead I decided to push my bike to the class. Of course, I was late for school for 20 minutes. In addition, the night before I was at the hostel and a girl at the same room woak up at 4 am. and my freind from Algentina also wake up at seven.(I was supposed to wake up half passed seven.), which means that I couldn't sleep well that night. That's why I couldn't consentrate on my class.

The problem is that I have to consentrate on the class in order to understand of her explanation in all the time. Even always she explain French grammer with English, but I cannot understand it because of the different style of teaching that I've got in Japan. Then I have to ask "why you are explainig of this sentence at the moment?" which it was really hard for me to catch up with her lesson. But it is really important for me to understand those explanation. Otherwise, I won't understand anything from her lesson just listening some explanation with the word which I couldn't understand from her!! Again, if not, I can take on the seat at the class listening the explanation which I couldn't understand all the time. But yesterday I had no power trying to understand French because of the things from the night before.

But this is the problem of my personal things and shouldn't bring it to the class and it won't be a reason why I couldn't attend her lesson. I knew.

Tomorrow, I will go to the class as the third day before the last lesson.

Yuji @ Paris, Fr. 38

PS. It's pity that I missed a coffee with Beate.

The Third Flight

2010-01-23T17:26:00.002+01:00

On 5th of February, I will be in Narita airport.

That is the day when this European journey is over.

I cannot imagine how I feel when I back home.

Former time when I was back from Tanzania, I've got the feeling that Tokyo, or I will say Japan is the very quiet without any strong impact from both society and people. I felt like empty.

Tokyo is one of the most peaceful capital in the world compared to the capitals in Europe. Without a lots of immigrants, without a lots of homeless people, though we have been a trouble for crazy trains both in the morning and evening.

Who told me that Paris is the one of the beautiful city in the world?

Paris is the multicultural city. People who have different back grounds living in the one big society. In addition, Parisian is the person what we call, city person.
As long as people won't make any trouble I respect the people who are living in here. Sometimes I feel really bad just because I can't understand what the people are thinking.

I will be happy that I can leave from here in a way but I have been doubting if Tokyo is one of the most comfortable capital in the world.
Either, I will continue to study French to be the same as my English! Do I need another 10 years???

Yuji @ Paris, France 36

Time to Back Home

2010-01-20T18:36:00.004+01:00

I have been thinking about the day of return to Tokyo since I feel like that I won't go further to travel to London neither southen part of France or Spain where there are much more warmer than here, though I have a mind that I want to visit those places.

To be honest, I have been thinking the possibility to travel those places as I wrote above but the past one month in Paris telling me about that "Now is the time to go home." I have several reason to write about it here.

Firstly, simply I have been sartisfied of this traveling though I haven't got to England, or I would say Edinburgh in Scotland where is the place that I had been thought as the final destination of this journey. Of course, I can possible to get there by some public transportation but I cannot go there by bike since I lost my motivation that I can travel by bike in this time of the year.

Secondly, at the moment I have been traveling the money which having been rent from my father and that is not really what I wanted to do. Of course, I really appreciate about him. If he weren't there, I won't traveling by bicycle like this.

Thirdly, this is a little bit similar reason with the first one but I cannot find the place where I want to go now except for Japan at the moment having with those two reasons which I've already wrote before.
I cannot explain where this mentality has started that the traveling by bicycle having been hard for me. (I think somewhere after Oslo) I have been obsessed with this mentality that hard to do something either traveling or just staying at one place. And I've got that I cannot overcome for this mentamity as long as I am staying in somewhere in the world with this motivation.

At the end of this month, my French lesson will finish. The lesson is really great with both teacher as well as class mate. Though French is hard but no other language that can easily to learn for Japanese people I think.
Since I could understand something about French through English, my study French is much easier than that of learing from Japanese. Even though, there is a lots of differences between Englsih and French as I told you before.

To tell the truth, the aim that I wrote before I came here in Paris was that both for studying French as well as visiting banlieue in Paris. I went to Clicy-Sous-Bois where there are a lots of immigrants live. In order to communicate with the people who are living there, I have to be ready to speak French as well as should be know of that part of the region. I cannot do it at once.

My teacher, cladine to told me that " You cannot try to study French with only one month, it's impossible. I have been teaching French with the people who want to learn for the past 20 years but I never saw that anyone who learned French only one month. People need at least three months in order to communicate with the people."

I feel like fine that I might possible to start to speak a little bit of French with three months. I cannot do that at the moment but I really want to come back not exactly in Paris but in French speaking countries in order to study or use with my French near future.

I am going to fly back home from Paris.

Yuji @ Paris, France 32

St. Denis - Bobigny - Romainvill - Montreuil

2010-01-16T17:20:00.002+01:00

According to the book which I am reading titled "Urban Outcasts" written by Loic Wacquant, told me that banlieues in Paris arn't that dengirous to visit compared to Chicago ghetto.

Yestersday after coffee with Beate, I went to St. Denis where is outside of Paris with my bike and from there I cycled to east in order to get to see other part of banlieue in Paris.

Based on my Tanzanian as well as Indonesian Travel, the places where I were yesterday weren't that dengerous. But at the same time, the people living in there reminds me my those travel to developing countries.

I saw a children tried to sell newspapers and to cleaning on the window of a car for drivers who were waiting for the traffic light, what I saw a lots in Tz but never in Japan.

I saw a car on the street which a window has broken and people trying to make with tape instead of buying a new window. Then I also saw some cars which have already got some hole and trace of accident more than that I saw in the circle of Paris.

There was a market which is 90% of the people are black which means both costomers and shopkeepers.

What I feel from there that firstly people are making a different society and community those who are from same part of the world in order to live in Paris. At the same time, I cannot understand why there are a lots of immigrants live in Paris.(I have to learn French history.)

As you suggested I've got a shock. Of course, the people living outside of Paris they are not that big differences between the people who are living inside of the Paris where northern part of 18,19,20 district. On the way back to Paris, I was thinking where is the point that I've got the different feeling to the Paris as a touristic places.

Tourist cannot understand who are the people in Paris only if you go to Effel Tower and Arc of Triump, though those buildings told me about what is Paris as I had before I came.

Yuji @ Paris, France 29

At French Lesson

2010-01-14T19:02:00.002+01:00

In this week, tears came out from my eyes while I was taking the French lesson at school. I knew that I am not good at learning any languages. I fail two times of my English lesson at University. Futhermore, I could barely succeeded to pass Chinese lesson that I got two times of "C"(worst pass!).

Claudine, the teacher of my school told me like that "You are Japanese!! Don't worry!! It's normal that you cannot learn easily French compared to other students."
Yamily from Cuba who she speaks Spanish. Generally, for the people who speak Spanish they can easily to learn French since Spanish is one of the closest language to French. In addition, Beata, a girl from Germany (I thought she is from US, but that was my mistake. She is from Alammand, Germany) , she had worked with French people and had learned Italian when sha was in school, which for her learning French isn't that heard as far as I heard from her.

I don't know why but I cannot pronounce the vocablary in French it well, neither I cannot remember conjections in each verbs. In some part, it is true that French is similar to English but at the same time French is the language which is completely different from English.

Today is the forth day of second week which means just before half of the course.

What is worse is that I got a little illness again. I don't exactly know why I got so easily caught a cold. This is the third time that I got this kind of bad feeling since I came to here in Paris.

Different from countrysides, in the city I need a person who can talk and tell something what I am thinking in order to enjoy for daily life. Fortunately, the person who is hosting me at the moment, Francoirse, she is very very nice person and I can tell her a lots what I am thinking and doing for my past life. What's more, with Beata, a class mate , we go to coffee almost everyday for an hour after school. Then of course, we started to speak English (should be in French but...), we talk a lots what we each other have done the day before talking about the lesson, Paris, politics, cinema (since she is working at opera but I am not familier with it) whatever we want I can talk with her.

The reson why I feel sad to study French is that I cannot easily understand that I could done with English. Or even English I have taken a lots of time to learn. As teacher as well as Beata told me that "It is impossible try to learn French only one month." Of course, I know but I want to do my best as much as I can. Yesterday, I really didn't want to study French at home because of the lesson as well as sickness. I slept without doing anything to prepare for today. Today at lesson, I decided to consentrate on the lesson not to try to understand all from the lesson, which was better than the day before yesterday. The teacher told me "Take it easy!!", which is the word I've heard a lots from great journey.

Yesterday at evening, Francoise told me that " When will you go to clicy sous Boi?" I thought that she was trying to make a joke but I didn't feel like that from her and at the same time I recognised that I had another reason to come to here in Paris, that's why both yesterday and today I started to read the book I bought about "banlieue in Paris" (I finally got English version) seriously.

I cannot leave Paris before finishing my French course as well as watching the people who are living in banlieue.

Yuji @ Paris, France 27

Do you miss Japan?

2010-01-10T18:57:00.003+01:00

A lots of people who I met on the way they told me that "Do you miss Japan?"

And then, I answered "Yes" for both foods and bath.

Since I have started to stay at Spiek's apartment, I bought some Japanese foods from Chinese store located 13 destrict. Though I ate some Japanese food for a month ago with my friend in Dusseldorf, but still I am starving for Japanese food. Two days ago, I was at the Chinese supermarket and I bought Japanese radisshu(Takuan), furmented beans(Nattou), nori(sea plants for sushi), and of course Japanese rice which is different from Thai-rice niether Indian one. Actually, I had a chance to eat it at Dusseldorf but I was full when I wanted. My stomach has been getting smaller and smaller I thought.

After I bought those food, I made a rice from boiling. Normally in Japan, we have rice cooker to make it but in here they don't have because of the cultural differences. I saw when I was in that Chinese supermarket but I though I wasn't for it.Then I know how to make rice from the boiling since I used to make a rice with boiling while I belonged to mountain club.

Interestingly, Spiek, she has chopsticks and bowl for rice as well as Donburi, which specialized for Japanese noodle such as Soba and Udon. It was interesting for me to hear that when I was using her bowl, that was "This is my bowl!!" I think she loves her bowl. I met some Europeans who are strongly interested in Asian culture. She is not the person but she likes Japanese and Chinese, Asian culture as she like in European culture.

I got a feeling from her that people in France they want to make it clear that the thing is blongs to whom compared to other part of Europe which is close to Japanese culture. Like this "this bowl is mine, you can use but it's mine!!"
Is that because she is by far older than me? Actually, she is a little younger than my mother but I feel she is young for her mentality.
Finally, she told me that "I might not typical Franch woman I know. And I told her "Yes I know since we met!"

Her two cats always disturb my sleeping but they are lovely and cute. At place we don't have any pets but I really like animals though they sometimes make some stupid things.

Tomorrow, is the first day of second week of January. Since I started to take French course, I got the track of what day is it today.

Yuji @ France, Paris, 25

PS. I have been missing for bath!!

With Parisienne

2010-01-07T17:02:00.002+01:00

Fortunately, I got a place to stay for the next 10 days with freindship!!

I met her at Tromso when I participated in her excebition in Oct. She was the person who showed us about her report about Chechenia in Russia. She is journalist.

To tell the truth, we hadn't known each other before we met again in here, Paris. At the extibion in Tromso, she gave me e-mail adress telling me that "When you come to Paris, I might help you, just send me a message!"

That's why she offered me to stay at her place!

To be honest, I can't imagine if someone offer me to stay at their place in Tokyo. (Actually I got once while I was traveling in Kagoshima, the southern part of Japan and that was countryside.)This is I feel typical and liberal European culture that I really love.

I don't know how it work well for the next ten days but I've got a little bit of her place. She lives with two cats, the name of both cats are from the murder in the States at 1960-70. It sounds wired but I can imagine because of her cats. They are very lovely and friendly. As you know I am not the dog but the cat person.
In addition, I could sleep alone that is really worth different from the past few weeks. Normally at hostel I slept with others who mostly traveling in Paris. Of course it is interesting to exchange our information about traveling but at the same time I couldn't sleep well since someone might wake up early in the morning or late to sleep in the evening. But now, I could sleep fleely that is what I have been wanted.

Today is the day forth for my French course. After the class we the students at the class went to a caffee to talk something about ourselves with a little French. A woman from Cuba, she can't speak English but she speak Spanish. And a girl from Germany, she speaks English and a little Italian from her school. I only can speak English. I myself couldn't understand about 80-90% of what cuban woman talking about but the girl from Germany, she could manage to understand since Spanish and Italian are close laguage as well as French.
Of course, I feel that English is very helpful to study in French but that's not the best language to help to learn French, I think. It was funny that I try to use dictionaly when I try to talk with Cuban woman but she speaks Spanish with a little French. And the girl from Germany she sometimes need a dictionary but not that much. I mostly could hear what they are talking and she gave me an translation in English that I could barely catch up with their conversation.

I know I am the worst student at the lesson but I want to talk with in French by the end of this month.

Yuji @ Paris, France 22

January in 2010

2010-01-04T16:40:00.002+01:00

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Today is the first day of French School in Paris. I will study French in whole January.

The day for new year, I met a woman the day before who is from Japan and we together go to Effel tower to celebrate for the new year! The illumination of the tower was so beautiful and I enjoyed watching and staying there. Since I have been back to the former hostel, I met new Japanese people as well, which I started to speak Japanese more than that in English.

As I told you in above, I finally decided to study French seriously not only studying by myself. The school located close to Italian square. It is very small but student at the school of this month were only three for beginners course which I taken. One woman from Cuba who speak only Spanish and another woman is from the States. It was hard for me to catch up with the lesson even though that was the first day of school. The school starts from 8:45 to 10:15 for weekdays, which I have to wake up before 8 am for the next four days. What's more the pronounciation of French is hard for me and almost everytime when I try to say something the teacher try to correct it to right. I feel that I was afraid of making a mistake with pronounciation that would be worse with my Frnech. I could do that with in English but I have to do manage it in French as well.

I will concentrate on my French for this month and trying to make it up as much as I can!!!

Yuji @ Paris, Franch, 18

Second Language for Native English Speakers

2009-12-30T17:32:00.002+01:00

As I wrote it before, there are some English people working at the hostel where I am staying at this moment. They mostly coming to Paris in order to practice their French skills as far as I heard.

Throught this joruney, I met a lots of people from all over the country. People from England, France, the United States, Australia, Benesuera, Alzentina, Israel, China, India even Japan and almost all parts of Europe and few of them from Africa. Potencially, I saw a lots of African or I would say black people but I coundn't talk with all of them.

And then, when I try to communicate with people I have to speak English except for Japanese.

I didn't talk a lot about this topic to the people who can speak English as a native language, but how they feel about when a lots of people from all over the world trying to speak their mother tongue? I can't imagine if people in the world they try to speak studying Japanese as the first foreign language.
At the same time , it would be hard to imagine in Europe that if there is any country try to teach any language other than English as a first foreign language.

Only once when I was in Romania I encountered the situation I didn't expecte. A friend of a girl who I met, she study French for her first foreign langiage which she chouldn't speak English. For us, in Japan, people start studying English when they are thirteen years old, which is the first year of junior high school.
We study English without any reason just like studying science or math. That's all Japanese students starts after enrolled junior high.

But, how is the people from native English country? Like them who I met at the hostel, do they study French as the first foreign language?

I can imagine that people in England might want to study French because it's giografically close. But I cannot imagine that people in US they prefer studying French more than Spanish and other language. Probably people in US such as the state of CA, they got a spanish culture from Mexico and Hispanic. How about Australian and people in Nz? Depends on the person what they want to learn?

If I were English, I could speak French at the moment.

If I were the US, I could speak Spanish.

I have been feeling quite hard to study French in here. Yes, just trying to have a dream if I were. I envy those people who can speak French as a foreign language.

Yet, I could make a good friendship with the people from Britain in Paris, which I respect how English is important to communicate with the people.

Yuji @ Paris, France 13

Enough for a day to end up with French book

2009-12-28T15:01:00.002+01:00

Since two days ago, I have started to read a book about immigrants as well as sociology book about Paris written in French.

I thought it could be possible to read French book only with dictionary but that isn't true. It won't need a lots of time to give up to read French book.

Since I have been using English for the past eight months and I already read some English books before coming to here in Japan, which I could mostly understand this kind of book relate to my study without dictionary nowadays.

In my opinion, the differences between French and English for writing does't that much more than speaking. Some French words are similar to English which aren't that hard to guess the meaning of the word. The problems when I try to read a book in French is that I cannot understand French preposition and the connection between the sentences. Finally, I could order the same book in English version which was three times higher price than the French version but I feel that I really want to read before I leave here.

Two days ago after Cristmas I and the couple which I told you before taking in a room. I with a man from India started to talk about the district where I wanna go where there are a lots of immigrants are living in.(about 15km outside in Paris) Even 18&19 district in Paris (northern part of Paris) regarded as a dengerous zone. As far as I heard from the local those places might be dangerous in the middle of night. But I can go there in the daytime as he told me.

Since yesterday I feel like better than before that's why I was going out to explor close to Monmartol where there is a hill and a lots of tourist walking arond there located in 18.
As I heard from the people, in 18 district there were a lots of immigrants(I don't know if they exactly immigrants but they are or their ancester originally not from France) walking around and watching for the peole. The feeling which I got from there was not special. Of course it wasn't feel safe as I felt in Tokyo but that's not exceptional. I also got similar feeling when I was in Brassels as well as outside of Stockholm. Everytime when I saw those people I feel like not so confortable. I could imagine several reasons but it's unclear.

Anyway, when I started to talk about that I wanna go to so called those places where there are a lots of immigrants living in with the couple. The girl from Cameroon started to tell me with strongly "Why do you wanna go to those dengerous place?(It was French, I couldn't get it but from him with translation) If you are normal tourist you should go to Effel tower and those beautiful paris in 16 district and the central part! You don't exactly know how dangerous in Paris"
I don't know if it is true but as I heard from him that two weeks ago people at the hostel where I am staying fought with each other and five of them died. I really don't know but the trouble was between the customer. Sounds like Africa as my friend told me about Tanzanian experience different from when I was.

I could try to explain why I wanna go there with the man from India but finally she couldn't understand what I was trying to do. I thought that people like her who has typical African mentality they don't understand why I am trying to go those dengerous places by choseing or even they might not understand development aid which I majour in my school. Of course, we couldn't talk a lot without translator that would be another reason why she couldn't understand me. I gave up to explain it though since she was excited to talk about.

After that our relationship getting weaker and weaker. Of course, when we met at the hostel I say "Bonjoure" and they reply. Making a friend with different country arn't not easy especially if there is a economic differences. People from Japan they might thought to be rich in any country in the world I think. Even it is true it is sad that is hard to make a friends because of the economic differences which has been made with nation. People cannot choose the place where they were born.

Yuji @ Paris, France 12

PS. Since I saw the French flag in the city, I finally feel like that I am in France.

Recent Life in Paris

2009-12-26T16:14:00.004+01:00

Merry X'mas!!

Christ mas passed without saying anything.
Both Eve and the day I didn't even feel that I am on Christ mas in Paris. One of the reason is that I didn't exactly know where I should go.

As I have been making a life in here, the Eve I was back to my hostel in the early evening and making a meal as usual. However different from fomer hostel the customer at this hostel they speak French more than English. That is why I am making a hard life in here at the moment.

I met a couple (a man from India and a woman is from Cameroon) who have lived the next door to me. The man barely can speak English but the woman from Cameroon she couldn't speak English. That's the thing what I should overcome as long as I am staying in here. I could manage to communicate with her of my poor French but I cannot explain a lot as I can do in English.

Today, I am thinking about why I am staying in Paris. I could make a plan to stay in here before I came but for the past one week I couldn't do almost nothing.
When the day start I was out from the hostel after I had breakfast and get into the metro without decideing the place to go. I was just riding on the metro in order get closer to the centrum but I have no idea to go. I really don't feel like that I want to go to so called touristic places. Moreover I haven't been making this kind of travel for the past eight months.
On the way to hostel by bicycle where I am staying at the moment, I go through "the Arch of Triumph" which is regarded as a symbol of Paris for Japanese people. I only saw the Effel Tower from a metro but it was smaller than Tokyo tower. I think Tokyo tower is the copy of Effel but Tokyo tower is 333m hight from the ground which I strongly higher than Effel, right?

Anyway after getting off the metro somewhere in the sentral area, I probably go to the Rouve in order to watch some paintings. I am interested in those paintings from few hundreds years ago but watching statues for me it was boring. I skipped that part. Even so, the museum is very huge. Venus de Molo is fine, by the way! At the museum I hear a lots of Japanese but I didn't communicate with them. This is Japanse culture at least for me. Sometimes when I talk about it to the Europeans they couldn't understand and they probably say "why didn't you talk to them?" I might say because it's them.

To tell the truth, I didn't feel good since I came to here in Paris. I still feel sick and couldn't recovered it well. In addition staying at a hostel cost more or less 20 euro per day and at the momement I couldn't find a value to stay there.

The thing what I should do in here is to take a rest and do the thing what I want to. I want to learn about immigrants in Paris and I asked my teacher what I chould do in Paris. (as well as French but that's not top priority at the moment) If I were just staying at the hostel hunging around in the city, it won't be a big differences between what I am doing in Tokyo.

That's why I bought two books today.

One book is written in French and the other one is in English.
As you know I cannot understand French but I will try to read somehow to get a help from the people in Paris or trying to understand from the dictionary.

The first book I bought is the titled "IMMIGRANTS YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS THEM", which is about immigrants in the global city such as London, Washington DC... I only read few pages at the book store and I felt it is interesting to read and good to know about immigrants breifly. I think this is the first book in English that I really interested to read about. Especially I am staying in France, English is worth reading.

The another one written in French is the book which my teacher in Japan recommend me to read before I get into Paris.(too late I am coming!)
The authur of that book is the teacher of my teacher as fas as he told me. He is French. According to my teacher's information there is the same book which is written in Englisg but I couldn't find it in here. Here isn't in London, is it? The title of the book is "Parias urbains" written by Loic Wacquant.
I even don't know what is written in the book exactly but it is something about the Ghetto in Paris the places where a lots of poor people living in where is located outside of Paris from wikipedia. That's what I want to know and go.

I feel probably go back to Japan from Paris since my energy hasn't come. If I could I also want to go to London but I feel it wouold be hard for me to take my bike to get there.

In the reception and a bar at the hostel where I staying there is an English girl from Berminghan and she is pretty. I though French girl is one of the most beautiful girl in Europe but British would be win!
As everyone know if you once had an experience to live in Paris, one third of the people in Paris might immigrant and a lots of poor people at the undergrounds.

Yuji @ Paris 9

LOUVRE

2009-12-21T16:50:00.002+01:00

Four days passed since I came to Paris as well as youth hostel close to Bastille. In the evening people at the public space in the hostel starts to talk. I am normally sitting on the table and making something to eat with finding a person who want to talk.

As you know most of the Japanese people they are apt not to talk a lot with the people, which they are back to their room soonly. But for me, I really feel confortable in some part to meet a new people at there.

Yesterday I talked with a student from US and then started to talk Mexican couple and then a girl from Brazil and Tlinida-do tobaco joined us, which was really international to talking with them. My room mate was the guy from US and another man from Benezuera. From the view point of politics they were really bad as far as I heard but we enjoyed talking.

Even people say that in France people speak French and they don't want to talk in English. In my four days experience that is not true. Still English is the most important language to talk with the people who are from all over the world. However, when I want to talk with the man at the hostel I have to speak French. Since my French has been still poor, it is hard to communicate with them unfortunately.

At breakfast, I talked with a girl from Indonesia and I told her that for the past four days I was in Paris and only walking from hostel to library and haven't been any touristic places. In addition, I have been trying to cure my throat.
Then in this morning she told me with a little anger that I should visit somewhere in those touristic places! And I finally decided to visit Louvre with the American room mate.

It was funny for me that a lot of Japanese people who are staying at the hostel they really want to visit museum. I personally not the person who really like hanging around museums when I was in Japan because those pictures and statues looks same for me.(Am I boring person?) If I really try to understand what is the statue or scaluptures I have to know about the history which is hidding behind the back. Even I am in Paris I don't have to visit those museums but I feel that I coulnb't sometimes catch up with those conversation which we make with the people at hostel.
That is not isolation. I would say that the differences between people who come to Paris as a tourist and a person who want to take some rest.

Anyway, we were in Louvre. I didn't feel anything special when I was in front of La Joconde. The reason was it was pretty far from her and there are a lots of people took pictire to her. I didn't feel why she has good reputation? She is not so cute neither beautiful. She was there, that's it. Or no?
Just before visiting Louvre, I bought a post card of Renoir "La lecon de piano" and Van gogh "Le cafe le soir", those peinting looks much better than the rial Monariza.

The value to visit Louvre for me was the entrance fee in this time. Normally when you go to Louvre you have to pay 9 euro except for late evening both Monday and Wedensday. (6 euro) I was thingking the possibility to buy something cheap because it didn't feel good price to go to the museum for 9 euro one time. And then I saw an ad. about one year pass for Louvre which was 15 euro under 26 and then I finally decided to buy that one. When I was at the ticket counter the woman told me that I can buy that ticket only with 13 euro since I show my student card to her.

Yes! so I can visit everday in Louvre with special cards and I can come with my freind in the late eveing for both Wedensday and Friday. I haven't decided by when I am going to stay in Paris but it would be nice to touch French as well as european culture from arts.

One place where I really want to visit is the gate of Triumph which must be one of the symbol of Paris. But before recovering my sickness I will be in library and maybe in Louvre escaping from bad sickness.

Yuji @ Paris, France

PS. Even Today is a week day but Louvre was a full of people because of the one year pass? Maybe??

Paris!

2009-12-18T14:14:00.003+01:00

I thought it could be possible to take a bicycle into train from Brussel to Paris but was not true.

When I tried to buy a ticket to Paris, the person at a counter told me that I cannot ride a train with bicycle. Since I tried to learn French (Brussel is the city where people speak French), I dercided that I won't speak any English at that time. When the person asked me if I can speak English like "Do you speak English" and I said "Non. Japansk." Reminding of the situation what I was facing with I should speak English. The person said to me that "You cannot ride on your bike with train!" in Japanese from a paper which was translated from Franch into Japanese.
I wanted trying to ask what kind of option do I have to get to Paris with bicycle but I couldn't ask them with my poor French. After few minutes later I really feel solely and started to cry in public. I didn't know the reason exactly why I started to cry but I cannot help crying at that moment.

After that I decided to break my bike in order to attach my bag to ride on the train. About two hours later, I finally packed it up and could buy a ticket to Paris with the same person. I only said "Pari".

The luggedge was incredible heavy! It was over 30kg and I couldn't walk straightly but that was the thing what I could do at that time. The another choice which I could think except for packing that I could ride on it to Paris with snow. That must be hard and I didn't have enough motivation to get here. Or I could let my bike at Brussels which I really didn't want it to do that as you know.

After I got to the station in Paris, I finally started to use English. People in Paris they speak English more than in Tokyo I feel and finally could get to the hostel which I booked. I don't exactly know but there are a lots of Japanese people staying at the hostel. The beginning of this journey I really didn't want to talk in Japanese but now I could communicate with Japanese people. Probably I have already sartisfied with my English and want to learn French.

It is quite strange that I feel that I don't really feel like wanna go to Effel tower or those kind of places what we call, tourist places. Moreover I simply want to take some rest for me to reminds my appatite. I will be stay at the same hostel until 22nd of Dec then to move another one.

Yuji @ Paris, France

PS. I don't feel that I am in France. Crossing q border by train makes me feel no border in Europe.

At Youth Hostel

2009-12-15T10:08:00.003+01:00

Even I have started to stay at youth hostel, it won't easy to sleep deeply as I expected. Dusseldorf, Koln, Luven(Belgium), and Brussels.

At a room, there are 6-8 beds inside and people can sleep freely but it depends on a person when they are going to sleep and wake up, which cannot help disturbing someones dream. Even I pay some money for sleeping, but I feel that camping is much better that to sleep in the doorms unless rain comes.

However, tempretures in outside in these couple of days are very low and hard to go around outside. That was -2C. (It was even hard to believe!)
Luckly, yesterday when I tried to make a food in a kitchin at the hostel, I met a guy from Japan and surprisingly he came from the same school as I have belonged. He is a senior student and have been to US for his exchange program which I wanted to go. (Unfortunately, I couldn't pass the exam)

I enjoyed talking with him about some topics for schools, future, those topics which students like. After that we got a offer to play cards and we goined them. Those two girls who offered us to play they are from Sweden and Spain respectively. And both are student which I strongly feel that talking with the people from same generation is one of my prersure for my journey.

_____________________________________________________________________________

[from "Believe"]

When you feel like being hurted and couldn't coming out from darkness.
I will be in besides of you to suppor of your back.

The earth go rounding with hopeing for the world.
And now the time we try to open the door for the future wishing those sadness and suffering will turned to be happiness soonly.

I believe in future.
______________________________________________________________________________

Yuji@ Brussels, Belgium

X'mas and New Year in Paris

2009-12-11T12:12:00.005+01:00

Even though I couldn't ride on my bike for these two weeks after Holland, I cannot make a lots of time to take some rest except for those dreaming days.

I ran with my bike from Dusseldorf to Koln but others were not riding on my bike. Instead I traveled by train with bicycle. Holland, Germany, Belgium and France, those country can possible to carry on my bike to most of the trains as far as I heard. Actually, I took four times in tortal to travel in these region.

It was so nice to stay at youth hostel in Dusseldorf and I feel that I have to be there in order to take some rest for further journey as well as touching for French as I told you before. That's why I am going to Paris for the rest of Dec. to stay at youth hostle and do everthing what I want to. I haven't decided to if I tay in Paris in Jan. either to find a place to stay in Paris or going up to London.

For the next few days, I will be in Belgium and after that I will take a train to Paris. I have to use my brain instead of my mustle.

Before going to get there, I am trying to make it clear the reason why I am going to Paris.

Firstly, I want to study French. I know it's impossible to speak well only for a month or two but I somehow trying to speak as much as I can. People in Europe, they say, people in Paris or Franch they can't speak English which would be nice to study French. (some people say Paris is the only place where you can possible to comminucate in English)I know a lot's of problems about communicateion without language but I think it would be fine as I experiences in Eastern Europe. Moreover, I am really happy that the French mentality would be nice for me.
Yesterday, I was at a table with five of all. A couple from Germany and a girl from France and Belgium. I think that was my first time to hear about French between the conversation with two people. Of course, I couldn't hear what they were talking about. But the thing what I surprised was the girl could speak English as well. Sometimes people in and out side of their country they are pretty different. Most of Germany who are outside of their country they can speak English very well. Only I could hear "Oui", by the way.

The another reason to go to Paris is that I want to know about the immigrants in Paris since I have heard about a lots of problems with. As far as I heard, Paris is the best city where the number of immigrants in Europe. It would be nice to see those people in Paris for my study.

Lastly, I simply need a place to take a rest before going up to UK. If I go now I won't have a power to do anything and I don't know if I have a chance or motivation to go to Paris. Do first, what I want.
X'mas and New year in Paris sounds cool and I think I can find something interesting to stay in those day.

If you know about good tips for Paris, I'd be glad to hear!!

Yuji @ Maastricht, Holland

Dreaming Days

2009-12-08T23:51:00.002+01:00

Both in Leiden and Dusseldorf, I met two freinds each who I knew before this journey.

The guy from Leiden who has been to Japan to study Japanese as well as for his MA study at my neibouring university. In addition, he was participated in our seminar's study tour to Indonesia in 2008. We had a nice time in both.

A woman from Dusseldorf who she is blonging to the same university as I. At the same time she has studied with the same teacher of my seminar called KG. Even before she started to live here with her husbund, I took part in with her PHD class which I was very interested in.

Those days when I stayed with them in a past one week, I was very relaxed to stay talking Japanese as well as tuching Japanese mentality which we have.

The last time to meet a guy from Leiden was last Feb. brfore he was back to Holland at the Sibuya St. in Tokyo after we done a last drunk in there. Few days ago, we met in Leiden after long break and he showed me around. The city was really beautiful looks like pretty AMS and I enjoyed drinking with him as well as his friend. Since he was back to here, he is hard to make a time to speak Japanese and looks like hunger to speak it as I was. We were talking with Japanese as much as we can at the first day we met again. The next day when Santa Claus Day in Holland, he showed me at his pretty city with some Dutch foods. One of the finest thing which I ate was a fish called "nishin" in Japanese. That was very tasty and reminds me Japan. Just few days before I came to at his place, he with his girlfriend went to Japan and some of the Asian country for traveling. Even after he back to Holland, he looked that he want to get in touch with Japan. It was easiliy to understand how he is crazy to Japan once you saw a lot of manga such as "Hazimeno-ippo" out of his shelf. According to his information, he is the only MA student who haven't done for his final thesis to his study. I hope that he will work out before too late! He bought me a lots of foods. I really appreciate about it.

The wonam who I really respect from Dusseldorf in Germany I met her last time in Tokyo close to my uni. on Feb 2008 when was about two years ago. She is a person who strongly have a Japanese mentality more than that I have. Two days when I hanging out with her were really great and important time to my mentality. It won't hard to find the similar person who have a Japanese mentality even in Japan which I strongly feel in these two days. She always tried to think what I want to do and gave me a lots as much as her could. Again, I haven't met such a woman who have strongly has a Japanese mentality even in Japan.
What I felt from her with our conversation was that she was hard to make a life in Germany even she can speak both English and Germany (English won't work in here, by the way) . Why? Because there is a big differences between the people in Germany or I would say in Europe and Japan. People in Europe they think "I am the first." When they need something they require strongly or try to make them happy by theirself. But in contrast as I told you before typical Japanese people they might wait before something happen even though we want to something. I heard from her that there are several things which people feel rude when she tried to do something with Japanese way. It is not easy to live at a place where is a big cultural differences. In addition, she is writing a paper to her PHD school in Japan but for her it is not easy to write in her life having a cultural differences as well as language differences.
If you think that languages are not a part of culture, culture is important than language. I need English to travel but it is not enough to make my travel confortable in here. I cannot completely understand what mentality they have! How people's mentality is different from Asia and Europe. Both should be respect but both should be adaptable.

I know a little bit how hard to make a life in a middle of European country as a stranger. That's what I want to write for a graduation paper by the way!!

I hope she will be fine to live in Germany!!

I am going back to Japan in a next few months but she won't be back in next few year I think. However, I simply hope we can meet again in next ten year somewhere in the world.

She gave me everything while I was in Dusseldorf. Doumo arigatou gozaimashita.

People who have same identity helping with each other in the world.

Nations makes a small family outside of that country.

Yuji @ Dusseldorf, Germany

PS. Who said Dusseldorf is a boring city? Seeing is believing!!
Dusseldorf is the best city with the number of Japanese people in Europe. I came across a "Japan town" in Europe. Nihonshu, umakattna-

Liberal Country

2009-12-01T10:33:00.002+01:00

In the past few days from the airport I still didn't have a power to take my bike in order to get from one city to another especially if it is raining. Actually the day when I left at the airport, I took a train from there to get into the central Amsterdam. Then I stayed two nights in the city center and moved to Utrecht by train as well. The day was raining and I felt that "Maybe I can go by bike in the rain but I don't have to do that. When I feel like tired, I have to take a rest."
From Amsterdam to Utrecht, it takes only 30 minutes by train and was easy to find the train to get there. The main reason to visit Utrecht was neither visiting beautiful old town nor university. I got a family who I want to meet.

Actually, I met them in Finland this summer! When I was in Turku archioerago they were also traveling by bicycle from Helsinki. We met at a ferry and talking all the time while we were there and then we finally decided that we were going toghthere by bicycle for couple of days. I really enjoyed talking with them from some stupid topic to social problems. And then they offered me to stay in Utrecht when I come to the city. Four months later we met again in Utrecht.

I really feel from them that people, the way of thinking are very liberal. They are talktative and very honest and easy going. This is the feeling what I feel not only from them but also another people from Holland. And I strongly feel like these liberal thinking coming from their society. For example, gay people they can openly to say "I am gay!" and the society accepted as far as I heard. And in Amsterdam there is a district called "Red Light district" where there are a lot of girls trying to ask for a man who want to have sex or something just in front of the window with their under pants. It is looks like the same when we saw some dogs or cats selling over the window. I will say that this kind of show must forbidden in Japan and definetely we need a gurde in front of the show window. But the thing people who want to see those girls they can do from the street. And if you don't want to do that you won't go there. In Netherlands, people have a lot of option different from our society which I feel like the country is liberal. I figure out through this journey strongly what is liberal which I didn't feel in Japan.

If I were them, I am not sure that can offer a place to stay in Japan. The thing that we in Japanese people they are not used to having a guest at their place. But I feel from here that it is very nice thing to do that even though we have to be care about the people who I am trying to offer the place.

Yuji @ Utrecht, Netherlands

PS. I will move to Rotterdam today. Maybe go by bike!!

I Amsterdam

2009-11-28T13:44:00.002+01:00

It took about one and half an hour from Copenhagen to Amsterdam. Flight from Copenhagen to Amsterdam sounds very light but I feel that this flight is only once in a life time! Short flight but it was cool!

To tell the truth, I don't like that much taking a flight with bicycle because I have to pack it everything at the airport and almost everybody watching me while I am packing on. After I got to the airport in CPH, I was taking a rest in front of a KLM counter before started to packing eating some foods which I carry with to reduce. Then a man (I think he is from French just because his English sounds like French-English) came to the counter complaining something about his flight which has already gone. I missed the direct reason why he got some trouble with his flight but he told to the woman like this
"Why should I have to pay for 380 Euro to take another flight to Paris? This is not my fault!! You should pay for me!! That´s not my fault!! You have responsible for that, right? "
He insisted that KLM should pay for his another flight to take in order to go back to Paris because the reason to miss the flight was not his fault. And as far as I heard he worked immigration and that's why he know what it is working about those system to flight and everything. He was flighting with two women at the counter with his very strong anger. I was watching what is going on just besides the counter drinking the rest of rose. About 15 minutes to fight he or her finally decided to talk with a cheaf or the person who have responsibility more than that of the woman at the counter. Later, the cheaf came and started to talk the situation and what he was facing with. About 10 minutes later they finally make a conclusion that KLM might pay for his another flight just because I though that he is no more anger to. Instead I drunk.

The thing which I thought during the conversation between them people in Europe they have a strong power to talk and insist that if they think that is true. I reraly see the similar situation in Japan any other than my father.

After packing them up to the flight I headed for the check-in counter to pass the gate. I know the some people in airport they are pretty cold for the costmer especially like me who looks like stranger. I am not the person who don't want to make an argument to the people with strong passion but I sometimes do. In order to avoid the situation and thinking those complicated situation easily I drunk a little bit of wine. Before going to the counter I had to check-in on display in front of the check-in and I didn't know that. The person told me "You should do first to check-in with that machine." And I said "OK! I understand. But what do you think that my bike is OK to take a flight to? I didn't know about how to pack my bike in order to suit of your rule. Well, that's OK!"
When I came to the machine I didn't know how to use but I tried and confused! Then I asked the person who looks like a costmer service and he told me like that "Your check in over you should go to the counter" but when I was in line someone told me "Who is Yuji Takahashi? Japanese right?" The person who was at the machine called my name and I forgot the tage for my luggede and I rose my hand! He came to me"Are you Yuji Takahashi? That's yours!" And I said "That's what I was asking you!" And he said "Sorry! But this is for you!!"

I was a littele bit frustrating of that situation but I kept on the process to be checked in! When my turn came, the man at the counter told me "Is it OK for you to pack your bicycle like that? Because we cannot assure that you're bike all the way safe to Amsterdam because of the less attention for packing." I was a little bit angry because they didn't say the same thing even though they are sitting on the same counter and I said "what? the guy who is sitting next to you didn't say the same as you told me!" He told me again "You should make a sign here in order to keep this process which the sign means that we have no responsible for your bike if it's broke down!" And I said "What kind of option do I have then?" He told me that you can buy a cardbord to pack it up to be safe. I made a sign not to repack again. I didn't feel like that they are professional of that process.
After check-in I headed for the cheking the luggedge into the plain. Different from the former flight this is the international one which is a little bit strict rule to bring the luggede to the airplain. I though that it is posibble to take a can of beer in but it didn't. That's what I drunk a beer before the check and one left at the garbege. To tell the truth, I left some Denish Kr which I had no idea to use and it makes a problem for me to carry because it is heavy that's why I changed it to the beer on the plain but didn't to carry on. Since the limited capacy on my luggedge I had to put on my shirts, sweter and pants as much as I can at that time. With a lot of luggede. When my turn came, the person who is cheking told me that "You should come with me!" I brought to a small room to check. He told me "You should put off your cloths and pants and show us what you have." They checked everything what I had with a small bag at that time. After that they found some bicycle tool out of my luggedge and told me "You are not allowed to carry this one!" And I asked them "Well what kind of option do I have?" "Either left here or back to the check-in counter to send it with your luggedge." I decided to carry on because I need them to pack my bike at Amsterdam. I went to the same check-in counter where I was checked in and that time it was easy-going because he know me and easily understand the situation. That was nice! Then the second time I manage to go through the luggedge counter without any problem. I took a flight to Amsterdam then.

After I got to the airport, I thought it might be possible to stay at the airport at that night. Actually, I asked people who are working at the airport and they told me that I can stay at. I stared to sleep with matress and sleeping bags after I bulit my bicycle. Then a police at the airport came to me and asked what I was doing there asking like "Hello! what are you doing here?" "And I answerd I am trying to sleep in here since my flight was late and tomorrow I will leave to the city center!" Then he said "OK! You can stay here but around 6-7 in the mornig you should wake up because a lot of people came." Then I started to sleep after silence came. Around 4 pm. somone woke me up saying "Hello". I was still sleeping but I was wake up quickly because I though stranger came to me. The guy was another police and he said "You cannot sleep in here you should go out around 5am. Before you can stay!" That's why I had to wake up at 5am with frustration for sleeping. I was sleepy.

5pm at the airport with built bicycle, I had no idea what to do because it was raining and dark and then I finally decided to take a train to the city center! It only for 15km or so but I had no power to get on the way with rain I feel like I am tired still.

Amsterdam is amazing! So beautiful city with lovely cannal. A lot of water came into the city. I was wondering yesterday the place where I going to sleep because I didn't want to make up my tent in the city and tried to sleep in the youth hostel or something. I visited some places to stay and asking for a room to stay. I found some room but all rooms shifting more or less 35 Euro which was a little bit over my budget and then I finally decided to ask the camping site where is located 5km from the city center! Yesterday it was a lot of rain but I finally feel confortable to st
ay there.(feel like safe!)
During this journey, I had a lot of question by myself either to stay at the camping site or wild camp but not between camping site and hostle. Still, I have a power to stay at camping site which cost less than 10 Euro. that's suitable for me. When I was in Finland camping site normally cost 15 Euro (Of course it was high season!) Here it feels a little bit cheaper than that.
Now it looks like the sun came! I am going out to explor this lovely city!!

Yuji @ Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Last Day in Denmark

2009-11-26T11:21:00.003+01:00

It was second time for me to cross a border by ferry after Estland-Finnish one. The ferry took about 20minutes from Helsinborg to Helsingor where is the first city in Denmark. Helsingor looks like worth visiting as far as I heard from the local people especially for a castle of Hamlet which looks like very beautiful. For me is was enough to see from the ferry.

Taking about four hours from Helsingor, I got to the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen where is a kind of city similar to Sweden. Bofore getting to the center, I asked the way to get for several people. Surprisingly, two of them they have been to Japan and I thought that this is the country where is one of a richest in Europe. I can classify those people who have been to Japan only two types, one is for a job, as a containership or something, I met a lot of people who have been to Japan in Norway. The other one is just for holiday or study abroad. About 70-80% of the young people who have been to Japan were as a holiday. However, I met quite a few people who have been to in Eastern Europe different from Scandinavian which means traveling to Japan is very expensive for them as I do come to here. By contrast, traveling to Tailand or somewhere in ASEAN countries are much more cheaper than Japan which I met a lot of people been to then.

The same day I ran to Roskild where is about 30km west from the capital to visit my friend who I met in Slovakia. He has started to study in Denmark as his first year of his university. I stayed at his place for two days before coming back to CPH. He told me about how hard to make a life in Denmark because it is so expensive to buy something for him even though Slovakia is first country which has started to use Euro. There are still a lot of economic differences between them I strongly felt.
According to his information, CPH is one of the most expensive capital in the world. For me I mean people from Japan we might think that it is expensive but it could bare to keep almost the same living standard as I do in Japan. Just because I think Japan is the most expensive country in Asia, right? I will say that I am lucky to be born in Japan.

This is a kind of stupid story but I want to say something about it.
If I saw a new car in from of the show window which is sold about 1,000 Euro. And we started to think that "Oh! This is the car which is very cheap I want to buy!" but in contrast if we saw an apple which is sold the same price as the car at the next to the car and we probably started to think "What a expensive apple in the world! Who wanna buy it!" This is what people started to think depends on the things and the price. However, when it comes to bicycle and plain ticket if we saw as the same situation with former two that what we are started to think? I mean if I saw both bicycle and plain ticket to Japan from here which is 1000 Euro. I might started to think if I want to buy because it is not too expensive to buy. I think this is not universal opinion for everyone in the world. Some people started to think that "even 1000 Euro for both bike and plain ticket, still it is expensive" or "Not too cheap but it is good price to buy" or "Too cheap I want to buy the one!".
It is not easy to make a friend if there is a big economic differences which I have been feeling during this journey. World economy based on each countries are unfair!

After Roskild, I was back to CPH and today I am going to take a flight to Amsterdam for a week or so to take some rest and visiting some of my friends.
In tortal, I am staying in Denmark more or less one week when it is not enough to know much about the country. I feel like at least one month I need to know about it.

One thing that CPH is the city where is very bicycle friendly and almost everybody likes to ride on it as I saw in Tokyo. There are a bicycle pass just beside the road and people are very faster than me to ride on which I have to care about it when I cycling in the city. At the same time the pass used for motor bicycle as well which are not the same as in Japan. I hope in Japan will be much more bicycle friendly city in near future.

Yuji @ Copenhagen, Denmark

The Day before Denmark

2009-11-20T16:51:00.003+01:00

Welcome Symon!!!

I have been thinking what I am going to do next. To tell the truth, I was tortally tired when I was in Jonkoping and I was thinking the possibility to get to Copenhagen to use another transportation network. However, I could somehow get to Copenhagen by bicycke but I will take a plain from there.

People they say that you should take few days off from your journey. But I think it is enough few days off or even in a week for my mustle but when it comes to my mind I need a long time rest in order to travel go further. I know about that I need a rest. Even I sometimes feel like that I am tired more than I thought especially when I feel like very hot with my buck when I feel like stressful which I have to say that I will end up with this jourey.

The story is funny my first plan is only three months from Istanbul to UK but even six months later I couldn't get to there. However, what I noticed in these days is that it doesn't matter if I can get to Edinburgh in Scotland where I have been talking to people as a final destination for this journey. A lot of people who I met traveling in Sweden they told me that you should change your destination to Spain or Italy where are much warmer than here. I thought it is true that I can get warm if I go there but the importatnt thing which I should do is to spot traveling by regardless of either taking my bike or not. I need rest.

However, I am sartisfied with traveling by bicycle that is the most important point, aren't you?

I just booked a flight from Copenhagen to Amsterdam, the capital in Netherlands. I will definetely take this flight. I have to do somehow close to UK from Copenhagen that was my power to get here.

The main rweason why I booked a flight to Amsterdam is that I have several friend in Netherland and one of them is a guy who he came to Japan in last year as a exchange student at neibour university. At the same time, I have a friend in Germany where is the close to border to Netherland. I am still doubting if I visit there but meeting up with those people who had already known about me before this journey must be fine which I have started to think during this period. In addition, I have a friend near Copenhagen who I met during this journey and I think I will be happy when I meet him again. Meeting with new people are also interesting but it's only when I feel like finding something new when is not now unfortunately! I am a little bit conservative since I feel like tired traveling by. But of course, I respect those people who will host me!

The another reason is that I really want to take a ferry from France (Calais) to Dover cross over English channel which is a little dream for my last part of journey.I don't know if I have a same chance in my life.

I feel like that I have been changing through this journey. The first part of journey in Eastern Europe that I was thinking "I can go wherever I want to put up my tent without taking any help from the people" That was my mind three to six months ago. However since after Northcape I feel like that "I can travel by bicycle but I need a help from the prople.", which is not always good thing to think like that.

Two days ago in the evening I was wondering if I find a place asking to someone from the farmland. The day was pretty much rain and wind, which reminds a typhoon in Japan. Actually, I cannot find anyone who gave me a place to stay or give a good information to find a place. Just after came out from the farmland, I saw a light on the window where there are a lot of people having a dinner and then they saw me from the window I thought they were curious to talk with me and I rose my hand. Suddenly, the light turned off. I was really shocked but I pretemd that I didn't feel anything keep shaving my hand. I saw a silet of the people over the window. Twice...Three times.... And finally one of them gave me a answer and I approached to the door to ask the place where I can stay near his place. At that moment, I didn't want to stay with them but I was curious what will they say to me. They told me that I should be back to the city where is just 5 km from there place but the way I am from. You can find a place to stay in the city they said. And I thought "I am not too fool missing some places to stay in the city " But, I didn't say like that. "I am finding a place to put up my tent or place where there is a roof near here. Even as you told me the wind will push mw back to the city, I won't be back there! " And then , the man told me "You cannot stay near here but you can put up your tent in everywhere not too close to here. You sould take care of yourself!"

When I hear the last part of conversation "You should take care of your self", I felt like that I cannot travel without any help from the people which means I should finish my journey. I know I took a quite a lot of help from the people over the internet but at the same time I took a help from the rial society which makes me happy but not from the everyone that's the riality and I don't want to stay then.

I will decide if I go to Paris but I don't think that I am going there with this motivation but I should say that I have a motivation traveling from Amsterdam to UK either go by bike or some other transportation.

Lastly, this time is another turning point of my travel. Traveling to meet those people who I have already known bofore this journey. I don't know when I will meet them in the future for which must be another precious time I believe.

Yuji @ Helsingborg, Sweden

To be Light

2009-11-18T14:13:00.003+01:00

Five days passed from Jonkoping where there was a last stop, I have been keep riding on my bike with rain. I feel like very tired traveling by then, but I noticed that the day bofore left from the city when I was riding on the bike without any luggege that "Oh! This would be very nice!" after that I have started to think the possibility to reduce my stuff then.

Those heavy stuff are sleeping bag, tent instead of hotel which I really need to sleep outside. If I have a power only sleep at the buss stop I don't have to carry with then.

Foods instead of restaurant are also important but I can choose those light foods instead. It goes without saying that I have been boring those European foods then.

Cloth, I have still having some cloth for when I want to change and washing but I should throw them away or to give someone who need it except those cloth which I am putting on at the moment.

Book, I have still using a heavy European Map which I don't know if I really need it. I use only one page or two for a week.

Camera, I have two. One is degital which has been almost broken and the other one is a heavy manual camera which I use only once in a week with some films since this kind of weather has started. But I want to keep of two.

Yesterday, in the evening I was watching the map to think about the way which I am going to take and suddenly the fire from a candle started to make a fire with sleeping bag. I could manage to push them off but I got a big hole at my sleeping bag. I should have to kept eyes on my fire. Candle, still I need?

I am trying to reduce my stuff at least one thing a day which makes me happy. Today is a day of rain and I have no idea what to do or I don't feel like that I have to do anything to take some rest. Outside will be dark at 4pm which I have two hours left. I will leave here tomorrow for Helsingborg then to Denmark.

Yuji @ Orkelljunga, Sweden

PS. This feels me a daily task even though I cannot make my light voice. I am sorry about that.

Precious Time

2009-11-16T11:11:00.004+01:00

I have been thinking the way to release my stress since I've realise that why my jaw had started to have pain.

To tell the truth, it is not easy to say when is the most confortable time traveling by bicycle at the moment. I am not sure when but I am pretty sure that I was enjoying riding on my bike on the way to Northcape. Even after I got a knee problem at Tampare in Finland I was enjoying traveling by bicycle to know something new and to talk with people who I haven't met with their different culture. In short, I found out something to fun from the riding on. In contrast, especially after Oslo I cannot find out what is the interesting time when I am riding on the bicycle. Surely, I don't enjoy riding on for this one-two weeks. I don't know how to solve this problem. Before this depression I have also enjoyed talking with the people on the way but people in this region as well as drivers they are very cold for me compared to northern Norway. Even when I say "hello" to the people from the bike, they might say hello but not all people say "hello" to me. This mentality is quite similar to Japanese people which I don't like. It is very sad why they don't want to even say "hello". Cause am I too late for cycling or too strange for them?

I know the easiest way to get to Edinburgh in Scotland is to take a flight from Copenhagen to. But I don't want to take even though in Edinbugh may be solder than now for the next few months. I am keep going on my bike there.

On sunday morning at 11:00, I was at a church in order to attent the misa which was very confortable. I am not the person who believe christ but it was very calmful even though I was just sitting on the bench inside. Actually, I visited those place in several times at randomly but I decided that I am going to visit there in every Sundays from now on.

Talking with the people also important time to release my stress but not for someone but for the person who really understand of my journey. I met a lot of people on the way that they just want to know what I am doing and people who just want to watch my bike not to talking with me. I met a lot of people who just want to say something to my journey who are not helpful. Even people who cannot speak English I can easily feel like that I am OK from their atmosphere. I think people in Japan we are culture of feeling more than that of talking in Europe. I noticed that I am not European but a guy who have Japanese identity.
My host in jonkoping was a person who has traveled from Spain to India by bicycle last year. He understood what I had been doing. It is not easy to meet those people that was really precious time for me.
Sometimes when I got to the big city I send a postcard to my freind in Japan and when they send a message in returen for the card by e-mail I normally get a power out of them. That kind of power which I can get from them are hardly get from the people who I meet here.

By the way, just few hours ago I was at a supermarket to buy some foods and then I noticed that the light in the super. is stronger than outside. The light even it is from electlicyty but for me it was nice to have that.

Yesterday, I slept at buss station with some problem. In these few days the temp. outside is warmer compared to the avarage in this season which I don't have any problem for the temp. But I was feared someone come to my place to do something. I didn't feel like that in the summer time though.

I have to find out more and more something comfortable time in order to keep going safety.

Yuji @ Ljungby, Sweden

PS. I might not to post for a week. Don't worry, I am fine.

Doctors Advice

2009-11-12T12:13:00.002+01:00

Since my jaw has started to have a pain in these days I finally decided that I was going to ask for a doctor in Jonkoping.

I had a twice asking a doctor to see if they can make my pain better.

Firstly, I was at a doctor who can see for my jaw, nose and ears. I don't exactly know about the English name of this kind of problem. But anyway, the doctor told me that you have no problem as far as I can see. And then nurse came to me to show the place where I can see a dentist at the hospital.
Following the guide from the nurse I went to the dental crinic in the hospital where I can be seem from the dentist. Since they have a lot of patients at their hospital, they seemed they didn't enough time and space to provide for a stranger but so that I had to be seen at the strange room different from the normal patients. Anyway, the dentist was nice person and I open my mouth and he checked if my jaw and teeth are still OK. As his short cheking, my teeth don't have any problem to cure but even he couldn't understad what the problem is from my jaw. There are several possibilities to have that kind of pain. The pain is from your stress first of all he said, and since you have been riding on your bike for a long time with your tight roup from your helmet and it might be make a problem for your teeth and third possibility is that you might make your teeth close strongly at night time with unconsciousness. I have no idea about that if I do so at the night time. He told me that you can make a mouth piece in order not to close strongly with my mouth at night time with more or less 500Kr. The advice what I can do for you at this moment is that you should eat some soft foods not to use of your jaw strongly and take a time to rest to release my stress. Lastly he told me "Take it easy."

The second time when my bike broken at Karlstad in Sweden and the shopkeeper also told me that "Take it easy."

I don't know the reason but I think that both of the people who told me like that might felt from me that I have been tired.

The thing what I noticed after I got some advice from a doctor is that I have to do something better situation to stay at one place before I got sick for my mentality.

I have been thinking about my mustle for this journey if it is still possible to work like my knees but at the same time I should have been care much about mental as well. I know I am not the person who have strong mentality.

800Kr. in Oslo for front wheel

850Kr. in Karlstad for chain and rear tire

650Kr. in Sodatalija for rear wheel

1900Kr. at Hospital in Jonkoping for my jaw

Furthermore, I cannot make cost performance at the moment if I keep continue to ride on my bike with bad weather to Edinburgh in Scotland. I don't know what kind of problem will happen in the near future. But I can take another way to get there in order to make my condition better. I believe that I can still use my brain.
Even I don't have to travel by bike all the way as I took a flight from Bodo to Oslo.

Bicycle should be a kind of measure for traveling not the purpose for.

I have to decied what to do next...

Yuji @ Jonkoping, Sweden

The Autumn in Scandinavian

2009-11-10T10:15:00.004+01:00

In Scandinavian, people might think that fall comes after hot summer and winter comes when they have got snow. The season for fall decided depends on the year. When I was in Northern Norway, people told me this year snow comes much faster than usual which means their fall were very short.
Since I took a fright from Northern Norway to Oslo, I feel like the season back to fall from winter. However, in my opinion the differences between fall and winter is the thing which from the sky is rain or snow instead of sun.

Three days after Karlstad, the nickname of this city is suncity based on the statue of a woman who is the person all the time shining to the citizen, I had very nice weather with nice trees even though the tempreture were very low. After that when I was in the capital I also got some sun for two-three hours a day at least. But after that I have been waiting for the sun under the clouds.
To tell the truth, I got some snow on the way just after Stockholm. Snows turn to be rain below 4 degrees. It is not feels too cold when I ride on the bike. But, once I tried to take some rest I feel like cold especially in the morning and evening when I try to sleep in the tent.

That's why for these several days, I couldn't sleep well when I sleep in outside. The problem is tempreture but at the same time I have another reason. In Northern Scandinavian, the density of the people are quite less compared to here. So in here I have to sleep close to the high way as well as houses. Especially in Sweden (I think it is not only for Sweden but not in north!) there are side roads of high way which used to be used as a main road to connect one city to another but now it has made it to the European road as they show us E00(number). I prefer using those side roads because it is shortest way to get to the another city.

By the way just few hours ago, I was in a supermarket at the city. I was in the cash desk and paid money in return for foods which I bought. And the shopkeeper push my foods in the desk to put in to the plastic bag by myself. (It is quite different from Japanese style.) And then I was walked to the desk to pack it up. And I saw a wallet has been left there and there was a old woman who is going out from the supermarket. And then, I though she was forgot to keep it in her bag. Reflexively, I said "Hey, Mom! You forgot your wallet!!" but she couldn't hear and pick that wallet to her and said again. "Is this yours?" I understand that the wallet is hers with her face and she took it. Maybe she said "thank you!" or something I couldn't hear but it's OK for me.

I feel like that I am still OK not to take it with silence. I am still normal even though the weather in Scandinavian is crazy! I hope that I will get to Jonkoping tomorrow!

Yuji @ Odeshog, Sweden

PS. Even today the weather is dark with mist and very windy. Luckly the wind push me down to south! Keep it all the way!!

Swedish Weekend

2009-11-09T14:15:00.002+01:00

"Which wine do you prefer red or white?"

"Unfortunately, niether do I. I love Rose!"

The last Friday and Saturday, I enjoyed dinking and talking with Swedish people.

On Friday night I was at the central station of Norkopping waiting for a host at the same time with drying the stuff which have already wet for 2-3 hours. When I was in there, the person at the end of bench asked me "Where are you coming from?" with very natural English but I was a little bit afraid because at that time there are several drinking people with begging for money. The person who asked me he is black and I feel like why he is asking me. I didn't answer to him even though I know what he is asking. "Where are you coming from?" the second question came but I just looking to him but no answer. The third question come "Where are you coming from? " I finally decided that I am going to reply for it. "I am from Japan." I feel like the same situation which I have experienced in Tanzania, the former travel and I was afraid of it. When I was in there, people asked me as he did in here and normally after that they are coming to me to show something in order to get some money. They said to me in the last part of meeting, "Give me a nice tip!"

But I soonly understood that he is not the same person as I met in Tanzania from his cloth and eys and things which he had. Actually, he told me that he is Swedish but his grabdparents from Africa. The thing which I surprised that his way of thinking is Africa even though his family has been lived in Sweden more than 50 years at least. I strongly feel like that people need a time to adopt in different society.
I had a rose wine at that time and he had some beer we enjoyed taliking with each other with some poor people in the same room. It was strange situation one guy from Japan, one guy is from Sweden with African mentality and two poor drinking people from Sweden and one man correcting a bottle from the people. He gave the bottle to him after he drunk a beer, I am not the same person but I did the same thing as the poor Swedish people do in here.

After that, my host come to the station to pick me up to his place. He is a guy from Sweden. We went to a student bar after we dropped my luggedge at his place. The price in a bar is much cheaper than Norway especially in student one. To tell the truth, I didn't go any bar in Norway mainly because of the price. Moreover I am not the person who want to go a bar alone. I bought a beer or wine from a shop when I want to drink. That was the life in Norway. That's why this is the bar after Turku in Finland as my memory. With his friend we talked about my traveling experience and was pretty good night!

I woak up at 10am in the morning on Saturday. After eating breakfast, I left to Linkoping which is located about 50 km south from Norkoping.

The next host is a girl from Sweden. Because of her friend's offer we went to her frined's place to have a dinner with red wine. She is a person who is studing medicine and I met her friend's who also studying medicine at Linkoping. Some of her frind's had an experience to come to Japan and I really enjoyed talking with them especially. One thing what I want to write is that I tried Swedish snooth which is similar to tabacco but it's much stronger than tabacco, because the nicotine will directly come to my blood making a crazy feeling. Actually, I had a chance to try in Norway as well but I refuse to do it because it might be bad for my health. After 5-10 minutes started to have it on between my lip and teeth, I feel like that I am drinking. My brain feels like shaking and I felt it on to the paper. Very strong! Enough for once in a life time, maybe...!

However, I tried to do it three times at that night. I was crazy!

I had a chance to go to club at that night but I had enough experience with her and her friend, that's why I didn't go there. To tell the truth, I was in a club only once when I was in Estonia (I had a dog experience, anyway!). I enjoyed dancing and drinking in there but I still somehow couldn't find out the cost performance out of there. I think one of the reason I am originally from Japan and we have very few club in our city. Instead we have a lot of caraoke which are suitable for our culture I think.

In short, I enjoyed night life in Sweden!

Yuji @ Motala, Sweden

You are the Representative!!!!

2009-11-06T15:24:00.002+01:00

Since I got some snow in Sweden, I obliged to find a place to sleep.
Everything has already wet but I finally find a place to stay at a buss station 25km before Norkopping.

I put up my tent inside of the buss station. Normally when I sleep in the buss station, I don't put up my tent inside because it is too small to put up. But in this time I put up my tent in the buss station because it was big enough to put up. When I was in there after 5-6 pm (because it was dark), I wanted to make a pee outside of the tent. I got out from there and then back to my tent. I didn't notice something happend in the tent and I got inside the tent to stay.
After few seconds when I back to my tent, a small firework started just besides the tent and some teens started to laugh. They made something bad. I was wonderling if I try to scale to them because I feel like bad but at the same time I don't want to make any trouble with them. Finally, I didn't do nothing inside just started to sleep.

It was sad to have this kind of trouble. Of course, I didn't get any permission from anyone to stay in a buss station. But in general I think people can understand what I am doing in the buss station once they see my bicycle and giers which I have. But at the same time people might think that I am clazy because this is not the best season to travel. I am the person who know about that.

For them, teens I think they make som noise for the purpose for their fun but for me they made me what is the people in Sweden. My feeling from Sweden is wrose just because I had that kind of experience. Instead, I am making what is Japanese when I meet the people through this journey. Just before this journey one of my teacher told me that "You are the Japanese Representative in Europe!!" When I heard about his description, I laughed because it is so funny. "Am I representative?" like this. But now, it feels like very normal. I don't know how many people who I haev met in this journey will meet Japanese people again. Even me I met some Japanese in this journey but not too much in Europe.

Most probably people don't care about what I am thinking while I am making a conversation on the road when I want to ask the way to go. I am checking not what but how they are trying to tell me the way, which is not based on their language skill moreover it is a kind of hospitality which they have. I was talking about the number of suiside in Sweden and Japan with former host which he told me Sweden is one of the country having a lot of people died of suiside. Compared to Norwagian people, Swedish they normally thinking too much when they are something to do not that much as I thought in Finland but they have also similar to Japanese identity.

Traveling with wet is not nice but I'll manage to get to Copenhagen in a week.

Yuji @ Norkopping, Sweden

Go To South !

2009-11-04T10:30:00.003+01:00

Both my right teeth and jaw has been making a pain. I bought pills in case it will start strongly!

My host offered me to back to Stockholm by train and went with him yesterday. It was nice to go back to there but I feel like the same as I felt first time though I stayed there only 2-3 hours. Stockholm is the city which is smaller than both Helsinki and Oslo. In contrast, when it comes to the middle of the city it is very busy and complicated which similar to London and Tokyo. The city reminds me of my hometown.

Stockholm is located 500 east from Oslo which means that I was headed for east for one week but from now on I am heading for Copenhagen in order to get warm. I am not sure if it is warmer than here. Funny thing yesterday I was checking the weather report and Tokyo was 17C! How warm is there!
Here in Sweden is less than ten degrees but when it is close to 10, I feel like warm interestingly!

Compared to Northern Norway the landscape in Sweden is much more gentle. I saw a lot of gentle hills on the way to Stockholm which reminds me the warm days in Bulgaria. In addition to the geographical feature, now is the fall comes and leaves are falling down from trees which is very beautiful view and feel like I am being back to autumn. No snow in here.

Yesterday I was with my host at supermarket where he is working in there and I help his work a little bit. What I have done in there was just put some things into the shelve to sell customers. I felt that I might get this kind job in UK when I get there but I can also find the similar job in Japan. (Of course, I cannot do it in English!) To live, people have to work but I want to do something special job in UK or somewhere in Europe, which I cannot do in Japan. In order to get this kind of special job I have to develop my English skill, though.

One thing that I have been thinking was that I might get a job at snow park because the season of skiing will come soon. However, I think there is quite less snow park in UK so I have start to think the possibility to work in France or Swiss where there is a lot of snow park in there. To tell the truth, I can play skiing well compared to most of Japanese people even though I am from the city where there is no snow. When I was junior high school student I was participated in National Ski Competition as a representative of my pref. for Cross Country Skiing which is famous for Scandinavian. Should I have to stay here?
I am not too good playing alpine skiing more than that my XC. But it is very nice story if I can get a job in somewhere in France not only for my French study but also for a job which I can make better from my experience.

Anyway, I will go down to south from now on. I hope that I can get to Copenhagen in two weeks!!

Yuji @ Sodertalje, Sweden

Pain of My Jaw

2009-11-02T12:18:00.004+01:00

Since I couldn't find anyone who can host me in Stockholm, I was thinking that I can find a place to stay either hostel or somewhere I can stay with a roof. But, finally I decided that I am going out from the city with a short time even thought I really want to stay in there just because it was really beautiful as I saw in Eastern Europe.

The first impression in Sweden was the country similar to Hungary. The common story of these countries is that they have a big power in the middle ages. I am not the expert for world history but as I remember from my brain, both country has lost their power after WWI. Once in Hungary, they have a power of Austria Hungary empire but after the WWI they lost their land and hegemony. In contrast, Sweden has a big power in the middle ages which colonized Finland as well as part of Norway. However, during the War time Sweden was not the country to fight with in any country (like the position of Swiss at the moment) even though they cooperate to Germany to send them to Northern Finland. Different from Norway as well as Finland this country try to preserve those old buildings in all most every city where I have been. In the central part of the city they have a stone pass. I don't know if they want to show "Here is the central part!" but I heard when I was in Poland. This stone passes were made by German soldiers.

About one week passed since I came to this country. Nationality of Sweden is similar to Finnish, which is also similar to Japanese more than that in Norway even though they are still using Krone instead of Euro. What I find out from them as well as when I was in Finland was that both nationality and personality of each person has decided depends of their living standard. People in Sweden, they are very sensitive for foreigners. One of the reason is that they have a lot of both immigrants and refugees from Asia as well as Africa in order to have a good living standard, probably. I haven't ever felt like when I was in Japan that my life will be feared because of those people from other countries but if people live with the money supported by the government of my own country some people might feel like "why we have to support them to live in my country?"

When I was in the middle of the Stockholm, I asked a person if he can possible to take a picture of me from my camera. And he took me a picture. And then suddenly a girl came to me and she tried to take a picture of me as he took and I was smiling to be taken. Then few seconds later, a woman (I doubt if she is the girl's mother) came to me and tried to gave a money to me. I took it naturally with said "Thank you!" but soon a question came to me "why did I take?" She gave a money to me to think that I am a poor person or just try to show appreciate to my cooperation? If so, she didn't have to gave money to me! Was I hunger to money?

After that there was another place where I wanted to be taken a picture from someone of my camera and I asked a person again and I was taken a picture from the man. And suddenly another woman came to me and she said "Now you are rich man!!" Probably she thought that I am trying to take some money from the people on the street to be taken some pictures and I feel like also "What?"

It is not easy to travel in the central capital especially the place be full of tourist.

To tell the truth, I have been traveling with little money as much as I can but recently I start to think that I am going to use money more than that before I will be in a sick to think much about money.

I don't know if it is stress or not, my right jaw has started to pain strongly. To tell the truth, it has been since one more month ago but it has not been painful as I am facing with at the moment. Or even it is just my bad teeth because of eating too much of sweet like chocolate as well as strawberry jam, which I really like to eat through this journey!

Today is a resting day after Oslo but I feel like still tired. But, I will manage to get to Copenhagen to find something New!!!

Yuji @ Sodertalja, Sweden

PS. local newspaper from Karlstad made an interview of me! Now I am a little bit famous in Sweden!

On the way to Stockholm

2009-10-29T11:52:00.002+01:00

Two days from oslo, I had been wet on the way but I had no choice but to keep going, which must be one of hardest part of my traveling. After taking a rest at Karlstad with my host with a couple, the man is from Netherlands and a woman is from Sweden. I don't know exact reason but everytime when I meet those people from Netherlands, I feel really like that they have rich heart more than that we have in Japan. We should learn a lot from them.

Two days from Karlstad have been very fine weather. I am very happy about it. However, it has been very cold at night because of the radiational cooling even in the morning as well, which feels me very negative. But I have to over this condition to be able to get to Stockholm.

Since I heard about that the way to Stockholm is very flat, I have been trying to get up early in the morning till the sunset. Different from Norwagian time, Sweden has a time two hours before GMT. I didn't notice before arrived at Karlstad to tell the truth.

The next day from Karlstad, I wake up at 5 in the morning at bus stop, and then started at 6am just before sun rise. I manage to see on the road but has been frost in the mornig which reminds me just after Tromso in northern Norway. When I was in there, I got some snow two- three days after I got frost in the morning. But I am supposed to get to Stockholm two days from now on, hopefully there is no snow! I have been cycling after sunset when around 5pm in Swedish time.
Yesterday, I sleep in the forest starts from 7-8pm to 5am even though, I have still feeling like that I want to sleep more and more. Is ot OK, if I sleep like a bear in the forest?

Today, the weather is still OK which no rain but some cloud. I hope that this weather will continue to Edinburgh but I am going not to go when rain comes especially in Southern part of Scandinavian, there are less small pass for bicycle but I finally decided to attach my Norwagian flag to be seen from the drivers on the road even though it might be annoying for them.
I have ready for an answer when someone ask me about;

"What is that flag? It is annoying for driving!!!"

"My life is important than yours!"

Yuji @ Arboga, Sweden

Oslo +8C

2009-10-23T22:52:00.002+02:00

Hello, everyone! I am Yuji from Oslo!
Fortunately, since two families can be offered me to stay at their place, I have been in Oslo for four nights. This is the last night in Oslo as well as Norway, probably.

The first day at city center I had a big problem for my bike. When I came back from a GS after I asked a man the way to take, I noticed that my bicycle had some problems at the front tire. It seemed that couldn't be running well. I thought that I had put too much air inside the tire(since I make it up at the airport) and tried to get rid of a little bit of air. Suddenly, a big noise came and my wheel split into two at some part. At that time, I had no idea what to do and had a little bit of panic because I haven't expected that my tire would split. Then, I thought I cannot go anywhere before changing for a new wheel. I asked a man again the way to get to the bicycle shop and finally I could find a shop where they sell some wheels and bicycle giar.

I would say I am a really lucky man because I can find a bicycle shop at that time. The day when I asked another host and I was supposed to take another 15km from the city center but it has already dark and it was a little bit late than the arrival time which I told them before. However, cost for repairing for the bike as not cheap and tried to cut the price to the clerk. But he just told me that "this wheel cost 600Kr. and you have to buy another brake and will cost 200Kr. So, you have to pay 800Kr. altoghther."
And I said "Don't you have a student price?" and he said "No." without smiling. He was a little bit business-oriented (maybe cause it's in the capital )but I didn't say anymore. The question was simple "either I pay for 800Kr. or give up cycling on the bike" I paid and repaired.
But it feels like very fine because I thought it should be paid to repair even though it is not cheap. And another thing why I thought I am a lucky man was my bike didn't break in the mountain or hill. If I couldn't ride on my bike in that kind of place, I would be hard to find a place to fix it. At the same time, I recognized that I have to check it and pay attention to my bike more often than that. Otherwise, I have to push my bike for a couple of km which must be tough.

Today, I arrived at the city center from the place where I stayed, which is located 15km from the city and almost on top of the hill. When I go to the city center, it was easy to ride onto but on the back way I have to keep up on the hill, which reminds me of the north cape!!

At the city center, I was at Norbel Peace Prize center where is located near the port. In front of the building, there was a big flag, which was written "from King to Obama" both in Norwagian and English. When I saw the sign, I thought that "Does King means Norwagian King? Do they have still power to give a prize to the winner?"
As you know, since Obama got the prize there was a exbition about what he have done during this period. But on the other side of exbition, there was another guy who I saw before but I couldn't find out who he is. But finally when I read about the story of him I got the meaning of "King", he is Martin Ruther King Jr. who fought civil rights movement during the 1960 and he got the Prize in 1964. So, the exbition tell us about how we got an impact from the King to Obama which inspired us how peaceful activity is important instead of weapon or war as we saw in Iraq and Afganistan.

To tell the truth, I learned much about King at high school and I even don't have to get some information from there. Even so, some video and speech were wroth watching and feel like how important to make an activity without weapons. But, when it comes to Obama I haven't been listening to much time of his speech except for victory one. The speech which I watched on the video was about Islamic society which he have done in this June when I was in eastern Europe!

The speech was really good even that was a little bit long. He talked about how we, people not only in the State but also in everywhere in the world should fight with problems which we are facing with in 21st century. His speech aren't based on national interest. I think that is the one of the reason why he is loved by the people all over the world as well as he got the prize. In some part of the speech, he tried to tell to younger generation in all over the world, which I even feel like that he is trying to talk to me, that feels very good!! I spend nearly four hours in the hall, anyway.

The first impression in Oslo was wide. City is wide which they don't make a lot of tall buildings or maybe they don't have to because of the population. In some part of the city there are a lot of beautiful architectures and churches as well as green space, which I haven't seen a lot of these past several weeks. But at the same time, there were several people trying to get some money out of the people on the street. Actually, I didn't put any money to them when I saw them, but I feel like the reason why I didn't gave any money to them was that it might be get any trouble, I mean when I put some money to a guy and another guy saw me when I do so. Then, he might also try to ask me some money. I think almost everybody who are walking on the street they have little money to give them but they don't do that. Why? Because they want to keep some money to buy foods. No!! Mostly, I think people don't want to make any trouble with them. Or even just because they think nothing would be change if I gave some money. People have different reason but mostly they are less attention to the poor people. Or even in Norway people might think government should support to those poor people from my experience.

Tomorrow, I will head for Sweden.
The first day in Norway as on 2nd of Sept. Even I took a flight, I spend more than one month in Norway! How big country it is!!!

Yuji @ Oslo, Norway

One of my host at this place is Chinese and there is a electric kettle to make steamed rice as well as gas ring which remind me to Japan!! Sometimes when I touch or even just meet the people from Asia, I feel really like I am from Asia, feel be fine!!

The way to Edinburgh

2009-10-21T16:11:00.006+02:00

OSLO-STOCKHOLM 552Km

STOCKHOLM-KØBENHAVN 645Km

KOBENHAVN-BERLIN 356Km(with ferry)

BERLIN-AMSTERDAM 648km

AMSTERDAM-BRUSSEL 209km

BRUSSEL-PARIS 294km

PARIS-LONDON 414km(with ferry)

LONDON-EDINBURGH 656km

TOTAL DISTANCE: 3774km

100km per day takes 37 days

70km per day takes 54 days

50km per day takes 74 days

8 countries with 8 capitals

Distance from Istanbul to Oslo is 10814km

BODO to OSLO is 840km by plain

11 countries with 10 capital (except for Turkey)

Oh! I forgot the place where I am from. The capital of Japan, Tokyo!

11 countries with 11 capital.

Through this journey I am always trying to go to the capital of each country. To tell the truth, I am the person who don't like that much to visit capitals. People in countryside are much more gentle than capitals. Society in capitals are moving very fast. Cars and trucks are always back and force which are bad condition for cycling. But at the same time, I can see something new which I cannot see in any city other than capitals.

There are three capitals which is not directly on the way to UK.

Stockholm, the next country.

Berlin, the place where I really want to visit.

Paris, I will go there!

I might have another chance to visit those capitals but I don't know when!

I have to decide in a day or two!

Yuji @ Oslo, Norway

From Oslo

2009-10-20T16:00:00.003+02:00

The plain brought me to Oslo only one and half hours from Bodø. As I told you, I canseled the flight from Oslo to London in order to keep going by bicycle.

One week at Bodø with a brother of Torstain & Bjarte were very very fine!
I tried inside-hockey, sharkas training and watching some movies as well as football match. In addition to those wonderful time, I climbed up to the place where I can see whole city from the top, which was also fine!

At this moment, I am at the airport called Gardemoen which is located about 50km north from the central Oslo waiting for a person who is supposed to host me. The host I haven't met him, of course! But he is a friend of Bjour who is a man traveling by bicycle from Norway to S.Africa. I met him in Estland.

Normally, when I go overseas I have booked a hotel or guesthouse before I left in Japan. But in this time as you know I haven't even once booked any place to stay. Just sarching a place or put up my tent in the forest. In Norway especially in summer time, people they have in common that traveler may put up their tent in a forest which makes me surprised. In Japan, some people do it but it is not acceptable for some people(Of course,it is safe)or only at camping site. Even in winter time it works in here, but in northern Norway the place as I left was very cold to sleep in the tent. I am pretty sure about it! What I mean out of this experience people allowed me to stay at thier place without money but if I would say something about it, it is friendship. And friendship makes a world. Here, as we do in Japan, when my friend come to home, I never ask for money even I don't think about it because it is friend.

Anyway, they have a season to travel which in Norway from May to August, which I haven't also expected, that is one of the reason why I have to finally take a flight.
It feels like a season sports but in Japan, in Tokyo we don't have any best season to travel depends on the climate. Only one month mid-Jun to July we have rain season but you can escape it if you go to Hokkaido(northern island)

Still cold in outside, anyway.(a little bit better?)

To tell the truth, I have been thinking about the possibility to go to Africa just because my journey has been very fine but the most importatnt thing of this journey to decide what I really want to do in my future which means Africa is the best place to know. Of course traveling by bicycle all the way to Edinburgh will be fine as a project but that is not my top priority which I have noticed in these days.

If I devide of this world into two, most probably I decide depends on the economic level which sometimes told us as North and South(I prefer use this description more than that of developed and developing countries). It is not easy to decide all country in the world which is North or South but I will say almost all country where I traveled through this journey was North. Japan is North. Norway is also North.

When I was in Tanzania in two years ago, I couldn't speak English well as I do at this moment. What I know from the experience, people are poor and hard to live.

But here in Norway as well as Japan people are rich. And Norway is one of the closest country in Japan, which means living standard and security reason.
Be safe is the most important point of any place in the world but I want to visit those poor countries and somehow figured out what is the thing that I want to do in Southern countries especially in Africa. Moreover, it may be true that I just want to make it clear why I have been longing for the African continent even people are poor and not safe to do anything compared to here.

As to my travel, I most probably keep going by bicycle to Denmark (I am not sure if I visit to Stockholm), Germany(doubt in Berlin), Netherland, Belgium and of course in France and to UK. I don't have to stick to visit all capital in all countries.

Most of west African countries they speak in French instead of English because of the history. I feel like this is the last chance to get an shock or impact that I have to learn Frence. I believe it will work out.

Airport in Oslo is bigger than that of Bodø.

It may start another busy days!¨:-(
Well, but I could enough rest of beautiful landscape in northern Norway as well as Lapland.

Yuji @ Gardemoen Airport, Oslo, Norway

PS. Feel like still a little bit tired though I haven't been riding on my bike since last Thursday. I used for three seats to sleep in the plain. It was far from the morning subway in Tokyo!

Bodø VS Tromsø

2009-10-19T13:42:00.003+02:00

The football match between Bodø and Tromsø held at the yesterday evening in Bodo. I was paticipated in that game as a supported in Bodo with my host and their friend.
To tell the truth, I am not the person who know much about football league and environment in Norway but as I heard from them both Bodo and Tromso has been a rival because only those two cities belongs to a top football league in Norway. What is another interesting thing is that there is one Japanese football player called"Daigo Kobayashi", who is playing one of a foot ball team in Norway and I haven't heard about his name before when I came to here. Almost everyone who like football they know about "Kobayashi", which feels like that people are not get used to Japanese football player in Norway.

Actually, it doesn't matter if either Tromsø or Bodø win the match because I am traveler. But I should say that I am the person who support to Bodø as long as I was sitting on a seat at Bodø side.(I will say standing) 90min. in a whole game, we have been standing to be able to suppot for the Bodø and which feels that I am a person who is supporting to Bodø. To tell the truth, I haven't expected that I have to support whole time of the game with standing off the seat, which remind me of the baseball match at my university. There is a league so-called "baseball match of six university" which has been held in every spring and autum, some students who like baseball game they goes to the studium to support their university. The reason to support is very simple I am the student at Hosei University that's why I am supporting to my university instead of Waseda or Rikkyo university, which are one of the six.
The thing that I have done is here was the same feeling that I have done in that baseball game. I am or my host supporting to Bodø because they are living in the city. Even though the studium itself was very small but most of the supporters are from Bodo and some supporters from Tromsø. Just before the game, we saw a big flags of the Tromsø supporters from the seat and supporters in Bodø started to make sounds to show that we don't like you!, which feels really similar to us. Population in both city has 40,000 in Bodo and 65,000 in Tromso which means both of the city is so small but they make a small society. People who makes a game was only eleven players in both side of the team but I feels like that supporters make and enjoyed to support their team which belongs to the city, which was very at home! We, in Japan also have that kind of professional league and we have a team in Tokyo, but mostly players in the team from the other part of Japan or overseas, which is hard to have a motivation that I want to support for the team just because I am from Tokyo. Normally either baseball or football, people who want to support of the team is because he or she have a player that they want to support not be based on the city.

1-1 was the score of the game. After the game atmosphere at the studium was a little bit depressed because we didn't win the game. I feels like not bad because we could catch to the Tromso after we gave a goal to the Tromsø about 88 min. and we managed to make an goal at the loss time, which was very fine!

Studium is located at a part of the city and the game feels like one of a entertaiment for the weekend.

One studium, one station, one hospital, one library, one university, one or two place where we can see whole city. If I can compare to Tokyo, we have 23 district in the center of Tokyo. My place is located one of the district which similar to Bodo or Tromsø as my experience. Here, I can strongly feel like that I am in a city that is different feeling which I had at my place. Actually, I prefer to this kind of small place where we can feel it to the city and confortable to live!!!

Yuji @ 6th days in Bodø, Nordland, Norway

PS. I will leave for Oslo tomorrow morning hoping for warm tempreture!

Letters from Iwo Jima

2009-10-17T19:15:00.002+02:00

Friendship makes a world.

Winter boot from Mr. Hans at Svolvær!

Yesterday, I had an opportunity to see a movie called "Letters from Iwo Jima", which was produced by Clint Eastwood and had a little impact in Japan few years ago. To tell the truth, it was my first time to watch that movie and was easy to understand because of the language. Though the directer is an American movie star but most of actors are Japanese and they speak Japanese. The movie itself was pretty good. As a student of politics even just to know about the history at the end of WWII, the movie was nice and I can easily understand what have done in there. Actually, I didn't tried to understand what was the movie when people and media trying to say something about movie which was 2-3 years ago. So, I cannot explain it well as they did but I will say something what I felt from the movie.

Firstly, the movie tried to explain how Japanese loyalty to emperor Hirohito was wrong. In the movie, I saw quite a lot of times that Japanese soldiers gave three cheers to emperor and even sometimes they died by their-selves as a name of loyalty to Japan moreover to emperor that I feel. Secondly, as the saw the another movie based on wars that this movie is also tells us how the war makes sad story and we never do the same mistake as we have done, which was the most important point of that kind of movies. On the contrary, if I would say some critical comment on the movie was that it was a little bit grotesque in some part and it was feels like bad. Was it just because the directer is from the States? Of course it is important to telll the rial story what have done in there but not necessary to make it such as strong impact as I saw. Lastly, the title was the "Letters" but I couldn't feels like letters have a lot of influence on whole movie. Was that because I missed in some important part of the movie?

The movie took about 2 hours, feels like a little bit more, but that was the longest time to hear Japanese since I started of my journey, which feels like that I was in Japan. Through this journey, I met some Japanese people but when I tried to talk them I couldn't even speak Japanese well because I haven't been used for a long time to talk with. That's why I speak to Japanese people with in English, which much more better to communicate then.

I saw the movie with my host , he is Norwegian and of course he couldn't understand in Japanese and he had to kept his eyes on subtitles, which he must be tough because the subtitle was English not in Norwegian. The funny thing that the point to laugh was different between us. Well it maybe just we grown up in different continent, wasn't it?

Since I got a place to stay till 20th of Oct. I can make me comfortable to stay at his place.

Today, I got an interview from the student at Bodø to study about journalism. They wanted to make an interview to know about the story which I made and what I am doing at this moment. Still I have some language problems that why I cannot explain it well than that it should be. Hopefully it was good for their study!

Tomorrow, I will go to stadium to watch a football game between Bodø and Tromsø, which is the first game to see in Europe! I am really looking forward to watching it.

Yuji @ 4th nights at Bodø, Nordland, Norway

PS. I sometimes feels like that I don't want to move especially if I stay at one place for over 3 days. That is one of the problems of this kind of journey, which I made a lot of time. How will I name? Looks like "winter sleep", isn't it? Too Lazy!!!

Where to?

2009-10-15T10:31:00.005+02:00

"Do you have a student price?"

"No, we don't have that."

"Well, you mean 150Kr. to Bodo, right? "

"No, exactly it will cost 153Kr."

"OK. Here, you can see a box which has 150Kr. out of half, 1 and 5 Kr, which I was given from the people on the street. Is it OK, if I pay for you of this small momey?"

"OK."

"You can count on it one by one, if you want. But I am sure that there are 153 Kr. exactly! "

"No, it's OK."

When I paid it on the ferry, the crew didn't even count on that small money if it is 153 exactly or not. I have been thinking about the flight which I booked on my birthday to London, if I really want to take. The next day when I booked flight I have started to think about the possibility to get to all the way by bicycle. Almost everybody when I meet on the road from Tromsø to Bodø they said that you should either take a buss or ferry to south so that you can possible by bicycle.

Since I might waste of those money which I paid for the flight, I thought that I have to correct those money which I have paid to manage it somehow. The thing which I figured out was that to make a charity out of the people in society. To tell the truth, I did three times trying to be given some money from the people on the street, actually I was standing in front of the super market. As a result of my charity activity, I took about 900Kr. tortally. It was amazed for me because I didn't thought that I can get quite a lot of momey from the people.

What I felt from the experience what I have done in this week was that making a money from the people as a charity was not bad thing, especially if people really want to support me to be able to help going all the way up to Edinburgh. But in my opinion, most of the people who gave some money to me was they thought I don't have enough money to live. It doesn't matter if I am thought from the people either I am begger or traveler. But, I felt as a begger when I make that activity. That was not good thing and I couldn't find out the way that I am doing charity activity to show to the people that I am the person who want to go bicycle all the way to Edinburgh. In a short term, I am not going to make an activity which I have done before I can do it as a traveler.

Before I took on the ferry I have been thinking about the possibility of the ferry to south. But, after 10 minutes later since I took a ferry I thought that I don't want to take a ferry again. Yesterday, the weather was being bad and ferry is all the time up and down and actually I did several times to thrown up to be empty of my stomach. Teh ferry took for four hours and I didn't do anything except for just lying on the sheet.

In the ferry, what I find out that I booked a flight from Bodø to London but that was not only one flight. The flight starts 10am from Bodø to Oslo and then from Oslo to London in the afternoon. As soon as I get to Bodø I went to check my flight it I can take a flight only from Bodø to Oslo. And a woman at the counter she told me that I can take a part of flight to Oslo without extra fee to take.

I have several reason to do, firstly I don't want to waste of money which I have already paid. Secondly, I might cannot find out the cost performance if I buy a two new tires for winter, which cost about 600Kr. The third reason is about the weather. I got a few sunney days in Lofoten but was not good to travel especially going by bike. In addition to the weather condition the tempreture is very low and it is almost frozen when I try to sleep in a tent, which is not nice! Of course, it is pity that I moght not go all the way by bike but i believe this is one of the best choice what I can do at this moment.

Both ferry and train which I didn't pay but it is not hard to get a ticket from the station. But I have already paid for the flight which I have a reason to take.

When only we see in economic terms it as follows.

Flight which I booked: 1230Kr.(paid)

Winter tire(for two): 1200Kr.

Ferry to Trondheim: 700Kr.

Charity activity supported by people in Norway: 900Kr.

Thinking about of economic is important but it should be a part of the reason of traveling as long as I am traveler.

Yuji @ Bodø, Nordland, Norway

PS. I have to find a place to stay till 20 of Oct, which must be hard!!

Value of This Journey

2009-10-10T11:31:00.003+02:00

My new Norwegian Phone Number: (+47)90658542 (send me a message if you need! Normally, I haven't turn it on to save electricity)

I have been thinking about the value of this journey since I booked a flight from Bodo to London on 20th of October. People have different opinion and value.

To tell the truth, I am still wondering if I go by bike all the way to Edinburgh even though I booked a flight.

The option which I have at the moment either take a flight from Bodo or all the way by bicycle.

My first plan of this journey was only three month from Istanbul to UK through Eastern, Middle and Western Europe which is the different route that I have been taken. After I got to UK I was supposed to find a job to live and for the next travel to Africa as well as going back to Japan.

However, though I have been traveling about six month, I am still in Northern Norway. If I go by bike all the way to UK I have to spend another 2 month at least, which means the day when I get to UK will be just before Christmas!

Though my journey has been quite long but I don't want to cut it short the rest of Norway as well as Western Europe. I don't mind if I cannot go Africa of this year even though that is the continent where I want to work in near future. But I feel like regret when I thought back to this journey 10-20 years later.

When I think about of this journey as a project, the value of this journey is that "all the way by bike" isn't it? People has different opinion but I know one person that definetely say when I back to Japan "You are gave up of your journey in Norther Norway! You cannot continue one thing more than 6 month aren't you? " some people say the value of traveling means "Enjoy!" Of course, I have quite a lot of nice experiences what I haven't done in my life. But sometimes it was hard, which I noticed this is either travel or journey but it is much more close to Life.

I have enough reason all the way by bike to UK.

A lot of friend living in southern Norway are waiting for me.

I have a friend in Denmark, Germany as well as Holland.

In addition to those motivation, I have to learn French before going home.

One thing which I care at this moment is that the ticket of the flight, which cannot refund. The price of the ticket cost 123 GBP (123oNOK), which can live for about 3 weeks for my journey.

What I felt from this experience that I have still not found out how money is important.

Of course, I have still some money to keep traveling on the way but I have to get it back that money if I didn't take a flight, which I have been thinking and actually a little bit acting. But, I am going to write about it in detail in next time.

However, it has been snowy since few days ago and I cannot ride on my bike at the monent. If the weather won't be fine I will take a ferry from here to Bodø, which I have nothing to see in Lofoten but I probably have another chance to come to here even if it is not near future.

Making a Life as a Traveler.

Yuji @ Svolvær, Lofoten, Norway

Lofoten

2009-10-09T11:13:00.005+02:00

Fine, Fine, Fine, Rain, Snow, Snow, this is the weather for the past six days.

Yesterday, I arrived at Lofoten islands which is very beautiful place in northern Norway as I heard. However, the weather in this region for past three days has been bad that I got some snows on the road.

Cycling on the snow is not easy and not safe especially when cars and trucks come from the behind. I heard from somebody about the tire which is used for winter cycling like cars but I am still can possible to go with normal tires. And actually the price of that tire is 3-5 times more expensive than the normal one.

The thing which I really noticed during these 6 days were that almost all peformance of the travel has decided by the weather. I said the same thimg before! Especially the weather in here means either very good or very bad.

At night, when I try to sleep in a tent which feels like very cold. Fortunately, I got a place to stay inside of the house in yesterday which I asked at a house near the road. Otherwise I have to sleep on the snow.

Funny thing which I experienced few days ago was that night I slept at a resting place for passengers to wait for a ferry(on the way to Harstad). The foor of the place was heeting all the night long, which was too warm to sleep! I couldn't sleep well at that night.

The next night, I had to sleep on the snow because I cannot find any place to stay at that night. When I was riding on my bike in the evening, the road has started to fleeze and slipy and I thought it was dangerous to keep riding on and I stopped and started to find a place to put up my tent. But there was no place uncovered by snow. That's why I had to sleep on the snow. I couldn't sleep well neither.

Yesterday I was really lucky to find a place to sleep at Hans's place who I asked if I stay or not. His family was very kind and I got a bed to sleep which was the third time to succeeded to stay at someones place on the spot. They gave some cloth and new shoes for winter and I really happy to stay with them.

But before that in the afternoon I also got a place to take some rest from a kind woman who I met on the busstop when I was resting. She offered me to stay for a while and even I got a shower and flesh foods!

People say that you are late for a month or two to travel in this part of the region but I don't think so. Even I couldn't see any beautiful place at Lofoten, I really feels like happy to meet those nice people.

From here to Bodø, I have several options to get there which take a ferry from Svalver, Stamsund, and Moskenes. I will decide depends on the weather and condition. Whichever, it took about 130 km from here to Moskenes which is not too far at the end of the Lofoten.

The flight ticket which I booked from Bodø to London is 20th of Oct. that means that I haev still have enough time to wait for a sun in Lofoten. But if the weather going to bad I will take a ferry from here.

I have to find a confortable place to sleep!

Yuji @ Svolver, Lofoten, Norway

The Day - 3rd of October-

2009-10-06T11:40:00.004+02:00

Three days have passed since I truned to be 22. I made a short history for three days. Time is always flowting. Just like an ice on a fjord.

Snow has come and the sun is also comes for past three days even though today is a lottle bit rainny.

The day of my birthday, I left from Tromsø which the last three day I stayed with a Polish girl and have a small Polish community at her doom building. One of a person who I met there, he is traveling around all over the world that I haven't met that kind of person in Japan. Not only just him, I met a quite a lot of people who is traveling from one country to another without any plan to do next. The students from Poland and those people who I met there, they normally doesn't have any plan to do next for which are different type of students who I have known in Japn. I didn't ask them why? But I felt that haveing a dream or the thing that I want to do next is the best way to live from my experience not only just in Europe but also in Japan. My dream at the moment to get to Edinburgh!!

The weather on 3rd of Oct. was very vert fine. I left their place about 2 o'clock and kept riding on my bike as far as I could. About 30km from the city, I took a small ferry. After I got to the other side of the land, there was a shop and I thought I should buy a beer to celebrate for my birthday! Beer in Norway is very expensive compared to other countries, actually that was the second time to buy a beer from a shop. When I buy a beer at the shop, I said to the shopkeeper that "Today is my birthday! That is why I buy a beer! " and the woman surprised and sung to me "Happy birthday to you! (The song, you know!)" And she asked me if I want to drink a cup of coffee inside her place and I took a rest in there with some biscket and sausage!, which I feels like really fine! When I left there with appreciation, she gave me some foods and post card in Tromsø which I wanted to buy!

After there when I tried to find a place to sleep, I saw a smog from a grass to make a fire and then I decided that I would ask them if I join in there. They are two couples from Norway and one is from Tromsø to visit his brother who is living there with his wife. They are very kind and I said today is my birthday I am very happy to meet you. Then, a man who can speak English fluently gave a glass of wine and they celebrated to my birth. Since the sky was getting dark, I asked them if I stay there with my tent and they said "OK! you can use with my tent!" To prepare for a dinner, they made a grill of meat of reindeer and sheep to bake it in the land with hot stones, which is traditional way! I haven't seen the way that they did. I don't know how many hours they put that meat in the ground but it was very hot and tasty! Even before I saw the meat on the table, I couldn't believe it if it edible one or not. The meat of reindeer was a second time of this journey and even I got a beer from them instead of my food bank(the name of my food box).

At night, there was a full moon. So beautiful and peaceful.

One thing that I want to mention about me is that I don't know why but somebody in Norway who I don't know told to the radio station about me and some people know about me. One of the person was that the sister of a woman who I met there. When she talked on the phone to her sister, she knows about me! It was really amazed! According to her, sister's information, "one guy who is from Japan traveling by bike without a lot of cloth, when you saw a guy take his warm" or something like that. That's why I got a wool sweather as a birthday present from them. They also asked me if I need a very warm suits which seems like an astronaut to use for cold winter but I refused to take it. It was worm one but it was heavy.

The day was really nice and unforgattable birthday in my life.

One the way to Harstad, there was a lot of snows on both side of the road especially when I cross over a hill and sometimes it is frosen and I have to keep my eyes on the road. Otherwise it may fall in down to the ground.

One thing what I noticed at Tromsø was that people in Japan is rich and actually I met a girl who is from Japan studying at University in Tromsø. I also noticed staying with Polish people.
Rich, what? I am sure that Japan is one of a rich country in the world. And I am pretty sure that Norway is also one of a rich country in the world.
When I meet somebody and they normally asled me "Where are you from? " And I said "I am from Japan!" And most probably they thought that this guy is from rich counry.

Nobody can choose a place where they were born.

I know Japan is a rich country and my journey is also rich for me (not for Japanese people) but I am not coming to here to be able to tell the people how Japan is rich neither I am rich. (I am not rich, actually, but depends on the person who feel like. I will say I am not rich as a Japanese.) I am coming to here to buy a new experience which I haven't done in Japan, an island the other side of the Earth.

Yuji @ Harstad, Norway

The First Decision on 22 years old

2009-10-02T23:02:00.003+02:00

I have just booked a flight from Bodø to London.

Time is limited.
I have to go back to Japan on next April.

Money is limited.
I have to work to continue on my travel.

Heart is limited.
When I meet a nice people, as Ula in here, my heart would close to full of gratitude which I cannot explain neither tell them.

Power is limited.
I am not assure that if my right leg starts to pain again.

Planning has been bad, but I have enjoyed traveling on this new continent!!

I have satisfied with my journey for 6 months.

One thing that I want to mention about those people who has expected me to visit your place.

I am sorry!!! I will be back in next few years. Let me know when you come to Tokyo!

The last part of my journey is in Lofoten for which must be suitable as the end of the story.

Last two weeks in Norway would be good weather, hopefully!!

Yuji @ with Ula in Tromsø, Norway

The First City in Norway-Tromsø

2009-09-30T14:29:00.003+02:00

On the way to came to the city centre after I crossed the bridge on the main road, I noticed this is the city and I came to Tromsø!

In general, people say that northern most city is the world is Hammerfest. And I noticed when I was in there, Hammerfest is a kind of city, where about 9,000 inhabitants are living in. Even before get to the city, there was only rocks and hills. The first impression when I got to Hammerfest was that a city which is islated from the world. It is officially city but for me town is much more suitable word to describe about Hammerfest.

But in here in Tromsø, as I told you above the road to city centre after when I cross a bridge (here is rial isolation because it's island) smells in a city. There was a lot of buss, anyway a lot of people!, student, shops which feels like shining that are enough reason to think about here is the city regardless of the function of it. Even inhabitants are about 65,000, which has enough reason to call as a city even though it is small.

Compared to Tokyo (How big is in Tokyo!), here is much more confortable to live because it is not so complicated. For example, in Tromsø, there is a university called University of Tromsø, which of course is the only university in the whole city. On the way to get to here, I asked somebody that "Where is the university?" And everybody understand that he wants to know about the place of university of Tromsø. And they said the direction to get there without any question about the university which I wanted to know. If I have asked same question in Tokyo, most probably people ask me "Which university that you want to go?". I don't know exactly but we have quite a lot of university in central area. It might be 50-100, especially in some university they don't have one campus at one place of the city.

However, if I would say some complaint about Tromsø to call to a city is that there is no train connection from here, even though ferry is the similar function to train but it is not popular to use as we do in Japan. In order to meet somebody in Eastern Europe, I promised to the person that we will meet the station. I felt the same feeling as I wrote about the university because normally in a city there is only one rail station. If I call my friend to meet in Tokyo and I said only that "Will we meet the station?" And my friend probably replied a little bit angry "A what? which station?"

The first night with my host in Tromsø, we talked about the flight to London, which is directly from here to London cost only 500Kr. with bike fee. The day was on 3rd of October and which is good plan to get to London on my birthday!! But I didn't buy it. One reason, even though the tempreture in outside is only 5 degrees more or less but I want to go to Loforten islands, which everybody say "You should go there! It is really beautiful." Seeing is believing. I have no reason to skip it and I got a lot of people who are supposed to meet me in southern part of Norway, that's why I want to continue of my journey. Well if I drop out of this journey to continue to Edniburgh I will take a train or ferry, which seems much more interesting to get there, won't it?

The first day in Tromsø was fine which is only one time in a 2 week according to my host but it is true! Both yesterday and today were cloudy and rain & snow. I feel sometimes like winter comes. I have been to late to travel in this country. Everybody knows.

Warm people is everywhere I really enjoyed to stay with a family from Slovakia, they are living in Tromsø to study and work. My value about student has been little bit changed since I met a lot of people going to school after they got married. How family is warm!

Yuji @ University of Tromsø, Norway

PS. I saw some polar light the day before to came Tromsø which was not the same light that I thought so. Even so, I kept outside for half an hour to see the dance in the sky!!

Possibility

2009-09-25T14:29:00.004+02:00

Since my right leg has started to hurt I have to take some rest to stretch to keep up to the top! It sounds like tough, in some part it is but it is possible.
I threw a lot of things that I have kept on the way to have light bike at Alta, that is why I can still possible to keep ride on my bike.

At Alta, one of the biggest city in Northern Norway, I met an old couple who hosted me for two nights when I rest on a bus stop in the town. As the same thing that I have experienced before left their home they told me that "Do you want to take a ferry from here to Tromsø? I will pay." Interestingly, the former host at Hammerfest, he also told me that "Do you want to take a ferry from here to Alta instead of going by bike in the rainny day!" To tell the truth, I couldn't make an conclusion by myself because I wanted to go by bike wherever I can especially in northern Norway the view is so nice and a lot of place to worth visiting. At the last part of my host at Alta she tried to give some money to keep continue of my journey. I have no reason to refuse but I hesitate to take it because I can use money either which I have or from my parents if I really need it. But at the same time I am tired to make a reason to refuse of it with some problem of English. Finally I took the money which she gave me, it will work for nearly one week of my journey. People are kind in Norway I felt or I would say in country side as far as I know(I haven't visited so called big city yet.)

Even I refused there offer my leg has been still hurted and I am very slow. At this moment I am keep more or less 50km per day, that is the sustainable distance for my journey. Few days ago when I was on the very fine autum day in Norway. I visited a husky farm to see how it looks like. They are used for husky race in winter season and I told two tips from the farm. One is about northern light. The sun is going down to horizen at 7-8 o'clock in here. I heard from somebody that in northern Norway the sun going one hours faster in every week. I am not sure if it is true but I am sure that the sun going down very very earlier than before. According to an information from the girl at husky farm that she told me she watched some northern light in two days before the day! Most probably I was sleeping in the tent!! And the another good tip was about greciar called Øksfjordjøkelen which can see from the road about 8 km from the main road. So I thought when I was there I can see northern light above the greciar! That would be so nice! So I finally decided to visit greciar how it looks like. Surely, I could see that greciar which is only greciar connected to fjord in Europe as I heard before and was really nice! To be able to get to the closest point of greciar I had to walk for three hours from the parking place. The day was so fine and I left my rain proof for my tent with my bike. After 1 hour have passed since I started from the parking place I put my tent hopeing that I can see northern light at evening. Unfortunately, rain has started in the middle of the night and everything that I had at that time has started to wet. The rain kept continue to the early morning I couldn' sleep well at that night because I felt cold. Even though rain has continued to in the morning, the weather seemed be fine especially above the greciar and I finally decided to approach it. Two hours later from the place where I put up my tent, I could get to the greciar! It was the first greciar of my life and was really beautiful!! The pass was a little bit slippy but it managed to get! After taking some pictures I left there with very fine heart.

That's why I haven't seen any northern light in my life at the moment. Even last night there were several stars in the sky and I tried to watch in the sky from my tent, which means I was our from my tent of my half body and at the same time the rest of half inside to get warm. I woak up two-three times at night but I couldn't see at all. That why I need a time to sleep in this afternoon actually. Anyway, today is very fine day and hopefully that I can see some northern light in this night.

The thing that I want to say something about for my journey is that I am still keep continue on my way to Tromsø and Lofoten and then to take a ferry to Bodø. I am pretty not sure if this is the last part of my bike or not. But before watching northern light somewhere in northern norway I have enough reason to stay here even though it will take a long time, that is the thing what I am really looking forward to watching.

The weather decided the performance of my journey which I thought I had already known but especially in Norway, having a lot of rain I feel like really that true!!

My journey will continue to Edinburgh.

Yuji @Storslett

PS. Happy Birthday to my father on 26th of Sept. !!

Time is Money

2009-09-20T11:08:00.007+02:00

Since I got the first snow in northern Norway, I am wondering if I take either by bus, ferry or hitchhike to down to Oslo. Especially the weather is not good in this area. If rain or snow comes I might get sick or feel frozen.

It has been almost frozen tempreture at night in Finmark. Even in the daytime it is shifting around 5-10 degrees which means very cold! When I was from top of the hill before 30 km to Alta, I was afraid if I fell down in to the ground because of the frozen road. It is possible to pass but it is not safe at the same time!

In addition at this moment my right knee has started to pain again. Considering the road in Norway of up and down hill, it might be get worse if I go by heavy bike. In order to continue of my journey on my bike it is better if I ask for a doctor or (I would say and) reduce my luggege which has been put of my bike, which is 30km altogether.
The possibility from here to get to Oslo is firstly by ferry. There is a good connection by ferry along the coast. It is used to going back and force between Bergen and Kirkenes as a walk for the people who living between those cities but nowadays it is used mainly for the tourist to go to cities between the two. Alta is located northern part of norway about 400 km from Kirkenes. That is the first option which I have to southern norway.

The second possibility going down to south is by buss. There is a lot of buss connection between small cities. Especially in northern norway there is no train connection. To be able to ride on a train to south I have to manage nearly at Trondheim. And also I can go to Sweden from Narvik, which is about 400km from here to south.

The last option what I can come out at the moment by hitch hike. But the problem is that I have a bike. If I am alone with a little luggege it might be possible to find a person who carry me to south but if I have heavy bike it might not be possible to find the person. But nobody knows what willl happens before trying to do it.

When I met a person on the way, I normally say that "I am from Japan and traveling by bike from Istanbul to Edinburgh in Scotland." But when I back to my aim for this journey I don't have to go all the way by bike. Of course, I am happy if I go all the way by bike but sometimes especially after my journey is getting longer and longer and have some pain from my knee I feel like that I want to finish somewhere going by bike. Of course, it might be possible all the way go by bike from here to southern part of Norway but it will be one or two month I needed and it means that I don't have enough time to stay in UK. (I am not sure how long do I need but at least few month) To tell the truth, I am little bit tired to be in a situation that I am doing at this moment. Especially, I noticed that when I piched up a bottle from the ground at somewhere on the road in Norway "What I am doing in here? Is that the thing that I am really want to do to use in a year of from my school ?"

Time is money. I want to get to UK as soon as possible.

Yuji @ Alta, Finmark, Norway

Chain at Hammerfest

2009-09-16T20:09:00.003+02:00

Since that I have decide that I am not going to use couchsurfing quite often as I'v been, which is an internet site that gave you an accomerdation to stay for couple of days, I am trying to find a place to stay without any appointment before.

The first day at Hammerfest was rain. I thought that it is possible to ask somebody that allowed me to stay overnight. After sunset, I started to visit a house which was lighting. Before asking to each house, I have decided that I am going to ask only for three times a day. Otherwise I thought that I might be get confusing or feel like guilty.

At the first house, I pushed a bell in the house. Even me, I hurried a little bit because I haven't any appointment before and that was my first time to ask somebody that can host me or not.
When the door opened I said "Good evening! I am traveling by bicycle throught the Europe. Today it has been raining and I need a place to sleep. Would you gave me a place to stay for overnight? " The man who opened the door was very gentle and he said "Oh, I really want to host you for one night but my wife had cought a pig flu. So I don't want to recommend you to stay here. Otherwise you might get cold as well. " I paled and said "That's too bad and even I don't have to stay here. Thank you very much for your hospitality. " Then I tried to close the door. But he said again "Do you have money? I will give some money and food if needed. " Then I said that "No! I have money and have some foods I just wanted to talk with you. Good-bye " I was closed the door.
And I decided to continue to it. "Good eveing! .... " The second time was not good because the woman who opend the door was afraid of me even she couldn't door openly and soon she closed the door.
The third trial was to a man who is outside of his house. I asked him that as I did firstly but he said "Not necessary. I will show you a place for camping. "

What I felt from the experience was that it is not a good idea to ask for a person who can host me for one night at evening especially in a city. Hammerfest is not a big city. The total population in the city is less than 10,000 people. However, a lot of people from Africa as well as Asia either to work or refugees. Not every body to opend for those people including me and I thought that some people would feel like bad as I experienced second trial.
The night was very cold and rainy even I couldn't sleep well in the middle of the city.

The next day in yesterday in the mornig after I repaired my flat tire, I met a person who is from Germany in the city library. He is also traveling by bike from Germany through the scandinavian countries. After we talked for half an hour we decided that we are going to stay toghether. He was supposed to left from Hammerfest at the next day to Honningsvag to going up to north cape by ferry. He has a bicycle but he normally use either by bus or ferry from one city to another. His bicycle is only used for cities. After we made lunch we decided to go to swimming pool to get some hot water. Actually, because of the rain I was really feel cold and I needed to get hot water. Facilities in the swimming pool was inside pool, shower as well as sauna. We really enjoyed to stay there even we had staied for 4-5 hours. In swimming pool I met a old man who lives in Hammerfest. I talked with him in the pool every break for swimming and he said lastly when I go out from the pool. "Will we meet tomorrow at 12 o'clock at city library?" and I said "Of course!" The night I staied with German guy to make a fire and eat some pasta with the water from the Sea. It was very clean and good salt. This morning at 5 am I said good-bye to him and kept continue to sleep at 8 am it was also in the middle of the city without rain.

At 12 o'clock today Imet him at library and talked about something that I have done before as well as this trip. Because of his kind hospitality I decided that I am going to stay his house tonight! I am from here! We in this afternoon went to city by his car to see some beautiful landscape. Actually today it has been very fine day and I am enjoying to stay with. One thing that I want to mention about Hammerfest was that the is gas plant which is connected to tunnel to the main city but I cannot to enter to that place. Only those people who are working in there can allowed to pass the gate. For me, I feel like strange because I can see from the other side of the city how it looks like but I cannot enter. At night time, the gas plant is shining and beautiful but I have no idea to mention about it at this moment.

In these three days, I met a nice people and what I felt from here in addition to that I told you before was that I don't have to ask people if I can stay with thier house or not. And I decided that only when I have a chance to meet local people I will ask then regardless of weather or times, that would be best way not to disturb their private time.
If I were not in the swimming pool I couldn't meet gentleman and I couldn't stay here neither. But before that, if I couldn't meet German guy, I shouldn't go to swimming pool.
Just take their offer with strong reaction will be making something new !!!

Yuji @ Hammerfest,Finmark, Norway

PS. Since I got a fine pictures at Hammerfest, I have no reason to stay here anymore. Most probably I left to Alta tomorrow trying to find something new!!! I love Hammerfest!!

The Junction

2009-09-15T13:09:00.003+02:00

I cannot say good-bye without tears, once if I spend for more than three days. When I left from Arnt's place (he hosted me for 6 days), I cannot say thank you to him without tears, even I cannot say anything just because I moved very much for his hospitality, firstly. I have never cried during this journey to say good- bye to someone that was my first time start to cry. I don't know exactly why teras came out from my eyes but I think I feel like alone as well as my gratitude to him. The days to spend his place was special for me even though I haven't noticed before to say good bye to him.

That's why I was a little bit afreaid to say good-bye to Steffen, who he traveled with me about 10 days since we met at Arnt's place. After we left from Arnt's place, we as well as Cristfer, who is also German cyclist stated to go Olderfjord for two days. Because of our lazy sleeping, Cristfer left to there a little bit faster than us. That's why we, I and Steffen kept continue to travel until the Junction, which is the place we were supposed to say good-bye. Steffen as I told you, he is from Germany by bicycle from Trondheim to up to Northcape. After we met Arn't place we went together to the northernmost point in Europe as well as Nordkapp. Yesterday, we know each other that we were going to go to different way according to each shcedule. He is going back his home from Alta and I wanted to go to Hammerfest. In the morning, it was normal day as we are keep continuing on our jounery but when we get to the junction we got what we were doing. I thought that I must say something to him because he helped me quite. But I couldn't say anything that I thought because if I say something about to him I would most probably start to cry. Since I did to Arnt, I didn't want to cry again or smiling at last. Without anything special to him, I regret that I didn't say to him a lot because after we headed for each ways, I started to cry. So, this time I will write something that I wanted to say him.

Dear Steffen

I am happy to meet you!
I am happy to travel with you in northernmost point in Europe as well as the last part of your trip!
I am happy that every morning when we ate something that you said "You can take my bowl if you want! "
I am happy that I can continue of my journey with your neck warmer & sox.
I am happy to stay with you at one tent to share our culture!
I am happy to meet you!

I feel sad that we are not traveling anymore.
But I hope that we can meet again somewhere in the world.

I am happy to meet you.

good-bye & take care on your rest of journey.

Yuji @ Hammerfest, Finmark, Norway

PS. I cannot write everything without tears....not bad!!

North Cape

2009-09-12T11:40:00.002+02:00

Since I am very comfortable to stay in Arnt's place as well as bad weather for the day that I wanted to leave, I have been staying for 6 night already. Hopefully that I am leave for to day to either Alta or Hammerfest with Steffen, the guy that we went toghther to going up to the northernmost point in Europe. In addition to up to the northernmost point in Europe, we & a couple from Israel went up to the north cape yesterday by car from Honningsvag, which is located 30 km south from the north cape.

It was very very fast go by car because the road which we took from Honningsvag was the same one that we have already go by bike. And even, there is no other route to get there except for that route that we took already. We took only for half an hour to get the place that we wanted to park the car because normally when we get to north cape we should pay about 250Kr.(30 Euro) per person to get there. Not only we but also my host thought that it was unfair to pay only we want to get in the point because it was just the place. That's why we started to go by walk to get the point from the other side of north cape. And even in north cape there was no fence or gate to get inside of the place.

To tell the truth, I felt in the North Cape that there is a only place that people, I would say tourist want to go. Of course, the cape has beautiful criff and worth visiting for those people who want to see some beautiful northern Norway. In addition to that the reason why I couldn't feel like special was that I am used to going by bike instead by car. Probably, I am always take my bike to go to every place that I want to go. Even I felt like it was easy to go and comfortable but for me I thought or expected that I should go harder when I go up to the North Cape. Or more than that go to the cape, I am enjoying to ride on my bike to going up to the hard place especially if the route is steep pass. Actually, few days ago when we get to the northernmost point in Europe I was very happy on the way back from the place that we left our bike after we finished hiking from the northernmost point. Because the weather was very fine and even we could see sun set without cloud, that's why that cycling must be one of the memory in Northenmorst part in Norway.

On the way back from the North Cape, we visited the suvenior shop that we have already tried to get in by bicycle few days ago. When we were in there go by bike, the shopkeeper wave his hand from the other side of road in his house. We didn't know the reason why he wave his hand negatively but we thought that we didn't want to go out from his house to be able to see something that to two cyclist that he didn't know if we buy something or nor. Actually, we didn't know about that we want to buy something from the shop but at the same time we also felt that it was unfair not to try to sell to us just beacuse of cyclist. At that time, I felt that I didn't want to make any trouble with him if I enter to the shop because it was open. So we left there without any trouble with him.
Then, yesterday we came back to the same place without bicycle and he came from his house instead waving his hands. Actually, there were a lot of suvenior that worth watching especially it is made as a traditional thing that wa related to Sami. The shopkeeper was actually the same guy that wave his hand to us. It doesn't matter for me if he is the person or not. But for Steffen he was tried to ask him "why didn't you come to us to be able to see something in the shop?" after few second he said something like that we expected. After that he also said to him that "We might buy something from here if we find something that we wanted to buy. You should open to everybody those person that might want to buy something from here." He didn't say anything like "I am sorry or anything that apologize that he have done."
During that the one moment, I was really feel like bad because I thought that it might be feel like bad if we ask him the reason why he wave his hand to us. I thought that 99% of the reason why he did do was that just because he thought that we were not going to buy anything from the shop as I told you before. So, I said after that we were out from the shop to him. "Why did you ask him?" I thought that it was a lettle bit crazy to ask him the reason why he did do so. And he, steffen said to me, "Of course we know about 99% but I thought it might another reason not to try to sell us. And even I wanted to say that we might buy something from the shop. Not every cyclist that is the same that want not to buy anything from his shop."
Even I understand what he wanted to make clear but for me I really feel like bad because it was really clear that we were going to bad situation after asking him the reason why he have done.
What I felt from that evperience was that people in Japan or I am the person who want to know about the person without language. We normally think about what this guy not only just for him but also for everybody who I meet thinking about at this momnent without language, it is face or atmosphere or I am not sure why Japanese people or me trying to do it normally. Of course, sometimes that I really want to know or if I couldn't understand the situation, I will ask him/her. Even sometimes I didn't ask them otherwise it might be worse the situation.
I don't think that not every Japanese people have the same feeling that I felt but I thought that is one of the reason why Japanese peolpe couldn't learn in English very fast.
Speaking is important but if there is two persons, politics will start!!

Yuji @ the last day at Sarnas, Finmark, Norway

PS.
Lastly, I really want to say thank you for our host, "Thank you !! Mr. Arnt at Sarnas for quite a long time with big heart!!" . I expected that I was going to stay in here for only two nights but actually I stayed for extra four nights. I met people from Poland, Israel, Slovenia, Germany, Finland as well as our great host in Norway. To stay with that international environment must be one of another good experinece in Northernmost City in Europe.

Northernmost point in Europe

2009-09-09T10:02:00.005+02:00

I met Steffen who is from Germany we decided to go to northernmost point in Europe.

We took a bike from Hanningsburge where is 30 km south from Nordkapp. In the afternoon of that day, (actually it was three days ago) we started to go to the northernmost point instead of north cape. The point is very close to the north cape. When people try to get there, they need to start to walk from 7 km from northcape and then to walk for 3 hours. The day we were very tired because the day before we couldn't sleep well to talk with him as well as a couple from Poland.

We started to walk from that point at 4pm and then to walk to the camping place which we heard from Polish couple because it is the place that it is good to put a tent. We met a one couple from Germany they were worried about us because it was too late and especially when we said that we are going to sleep in a tent they said "What ? There is only stones and wet !" We felt that it was very strange and conservative. After few second, we also met two guys from Poland. One of them I don't know why but the guy have a round thing. Then we asked him "what is that one?" But he couldn't say anything. After him the another guy followed and said " We got a metal from northernmost point in Europe". And we thought again that what is the strange guy quite a lot on the way! But that was the last group who we mat during the whole trip to northernmost point.

On our first plan was to get to the northermost point but we couldn't and it was too late. So we decided to stay the place that we found near the coast that we heard from Polish couple, who had already passed of that way. We checked the weather for tomorrow that was supposed to fine. After putting on our tent we soonly started to sleep hoping for the weather.

The next day, yesterday, the weather was very fine as we expected! We wake up at 10 am , it was a little bit late and started make for a walk to northernmost point in Europe. We get there in 30 minutes from the camping place and we finally get there! The place was quiet and nothing especially but it was suitable for that place different from rial noth cape, I guess there should be a tourist place. I felt that I couldn't go farther anymore. Generally, I all the way came up to here from Islanbul to north more or less, but the way going up to north was end in yesterday. From now on I am going down to south even though latitude is quite high for these one month. One thing that I noticed on the way back from the point was that the sun is getting faster to set. I am not sure actual time when the sun going down to the horizen but I think it is before 8 pm.

Even though we couldn't have enough time to go to north cape but for me it was tortally OK because firstly I don't like so much of touristic place. Moreover north cape is not rial northernmost point. And I was really feel like good to hike the point even thouth I though people who want to take there, they must be strabge!

Sunny Day in Norway!

2009-09-04T13:19:00.003+02:00

Two days have passed since I came to here in Norway!
I will try to write something about the first impression in Norway from now on. Every countries where I have passed was that the first week, especially first day is really important and find a lot of differences between the country which I was in before the day, for example in this case in Finland.

What I noticed during the two days was that, firstly people are quite open to foreinger, that is easy to travel as well as communicate with local people, normally they can speak English as I felt in Finland even though they are older generations. Secondly, the view was really really beautiful, there are quite a lot of mountains different from Finland, actually I was a little bit bored since I spent for over one month in Finland with a lot of forest except for reindeer! Thirdly, if I forced to say something, the girls are more beautiful than Finland especially in a little girl! In addition those notification, the Norwagian language is quite similar to English, which seems easy to learn especially Finnish is regarded as one of the hardest language to learn. The sound from radio sometimes I thought even English!

People in Scandinavian both Finland and Norway, they can easily understand that I am from Japan. Before then I sometimes be thought that I am from China or Thailand, even still I sometimes asked from someone that "Are you from Thailand?" especially I am still a little bit burned my skin and basically my skin is a little bit dark as a Japanese. When I was in Finland I asked in a shop was that "Hello! (in Thailand)" I forgot the word. But the woman thought that I am from Thailand. Actually, a lot of people from ASEAN countries to Finland in order to work as a farmland and something like that, that's why she thought that I am from Thailand. However, basically people who I met during the journey they said "Are you from Japan?" even some people ask me "Are you from Japan by bicycle ?" with a little joke, I thought a lot of people traveling in scandinavian countries. Surely, people are used to meeting people from Japan.

I came up from the border to up to here in the sea, that was only 70km or so, but those beautiful mountains has started after I stopped Karasjok, that was the first stop in Norway. We, in Japan have also a lot of mountains but our mountains are mostly in the village and middle part of land. Wheres the mountains which I saw yesterday as well as today were very close to the sea, that was one of the feature of the land making fijord, or I would say rock without grass!

I am supposed to stay in Norway in the middle of October. In Finland, I couldn't have a time to catch a salmon from a river but I hopefull I can catch some fishes from the sea. It is free to try do fishing, anyway. In addition to that attraction, I wanna watch some northern light even though midnight sun has already gone!

Yuji @ Lakselv, Norway

PS. Right now, I am going up to farther north ! In these two days, the weather has been perfect! Not only just for sun shine but also wind is my supporter!

From Euro to Krone

2009-09-02T14:31:00.002+02:00

The last day of Finland, I ate finally the meat of reindeer with potatos that was very soft and tasty even though I have tried to vegetalian! But I think it is not bad to eat meat for cycling!

Today, I cross a border to Norway, that is the country which neither haven't used Euro nor non-EU member! To tell the truth, nothing have been changed from Lapland to Finmmark, that is the name of Northern part of Norway. Trees has started to trun to red, (actually yellow) that was really beautiful and worth visiting! We have still have high tepmreture in a daytime, but it is shifting between 10-15 I cannot go by bike with harf shirts anymore!

The last night as I told you above, I stayed at Karigasniemi, the very small village with a cottage of Matti & with his wife and two lovely dogs! That was really beautiful place and close to a river. Without any car traffic and any noise, that was really really peaceful place and I thought that I want to live that kind of place after I finish my job. Some people may say that slow life seems to be simple but I think that is the best way of life for human being which is surrounded by nature. We, human being are originally from forest and then to make a city in proper place.

Unfortunately, today is the rainy day but Karajoki in Norway is located 20km from the border that is really helphul for me to keep going.

On the way to get here, I met a party who are from Norway and they are making a long journey to South Africa, called cape2 (double cape from Nordkapp to Cape town in S. Africa). The man, Bojor, who I met in Estonia was also making a journey to S. Africa. It is quite common rute for Norwegian?

By the way, I am still wondering either if I take a ferry from Norway to England, I think that connection is from two cities of Norway, Bergen & southern city in Norway (I forgot the name of the city) to Newcastle or trying to down to Sweden, Denmark... from France to Dover. I am still have a time to go either which I take but I probably take a ferry from Norway because of my economy as well as power and at the same time, I want to make a planning for next journey after got to England. If I couldn't enough time to go to Africa by bicycle, I will take a bus or train but at the same time I want to see Russia as well as southern part of Asia for the last part of this journey. Anyway, I am going up to Nordkapp on 7th of Sep. But actually, I am going up to Nordkapp just because it is the northernmost point of Europe. Morover, I am interested in visiting to Hammerfest in white bear city! According to those people who I met during this journey, I will be in a hard life to over the coast to Oslo different from flat Finland but I would be fun in those beautiful senary!

Yuji @ Karajoki, Norway

Last Two Days in Lapland

2009-08-31T14:31:00.002+02:00

Because of bad weather following 2-3 days, I have stayed at a cottage which is located between Kittila and Inari. The way to get here has supposed to 2 nights but it actually took for 4 nights to came up to here. Here is a city, Inari, one of a biggest city or town of northern part of Lapland and a lot of people visit to here to touch the culture of Sami, who are native people living in Lapland such as Ainu, who are native people in Hokkaido, which is northern island of Japan. But, I think there is no reindeer, anyway...

Actually, I stayed at the cottage for 3 nights and had nothing to do because of the rain! The cottage is owned by someone in order to spend their summer or winter holiday, probably. But now, nobody is living so I can use there. Normally, those cottages which are owned by someone has a key to lock it but the cottage which I found was no key to enter. That's why I could use it for three nights. In the cottage, there was a electricty and a place for making a fire. The day when I got there was a little bit cold especially when had a rain, so I made a fire inside the cottage. I made a coffe and potate to eat, that was enough reason to stay there. From Kittila to Inari was about 200km tortally and there was quite less traficc especially if there is unpaved road. So, I will try to explain what I did in there.

The first night, I found the cottage but at the same time there was a lot of cottage which had locked. I was wondering if I get inside another one, so I was confirmede those cottages if I could enter. Finally, I found only two cottages which allowed to enter. And I decided the cottage because it was clean and seemed comfortable. As I told you above, I made those hot meal and stayed there for overnight. The weather was so good and I was planed to left for tomorrow.

But, when I work up the next day in the morning, the rain had started and I decided to stay for whole day even though the rain itself wasn't too strong. Following my schedule, I have a extra day for emergency or taking some rest. So, I made up for it before getting to Inari. It was quiet and nobody would come. In the afternoon, the rain has stopped, actually but still sky was covered by cloud and a little bit windy. So, I finally decided to stay there. But, one thing that I was conserning was that I didn't have enough water to stay even though I had a lot of bread and vegetables. To be able to stay long there, I finally decided to boil a water to drink from rain. I did it and drunk it, but my stomack has started to a thin pain. Almost all afternoon, I spend to read a book, Future Positive and listening to music both Beatles and Creiderman. As I did in the last night, I made a hot meal and then to sleep hopeing for a good weather for the next day.

The day third has come and I cleaned up for everything which I used in there and tried to left for Inari but the rain started again and I have no choice but to stay there. Actually, I pulled my sleeping bag from my bike and started to sleep again hopeing for clear up soon. If the weather is better in 2-3 hours, I was tried to go farther but didn't. Finally, I stayed in there for whole day as I did the day before. The day was really nothing to do, I read the book and sleep and eat but good for a rest. During the evening, I took a video by myself trying to check how my English skill has been better than before. Actually, it works well better than before. But, at the same time, I felt that I need more and more time needed to speak in English as a native speaker as well as logical thinking.

The next day, today at 5 am I woak up and started to go! The sun has come even though there were still a lot of cloud in the sky. For 4-5 hours, I kept riding on a bike with a little break and finally I could get to here, Inari but now I am quite sleepy because of the early day.

The one thing that I noticed from the day in which I spend there was that it is very hard to live without anyone in a house or even in a village for one week or so. Even I spend only four nights but I was a little bit missed for something or someone who can talk with me regardless of their language or nationality. I had nothing to do without making a meal, reading a book, listening to music and sleeping. I haven't been such a kind of experience bofore but it was hard to regurate that something that I wanted to do. From this case, I had been longing for keep going to Inari.

From now on, I am heading for north cape for about one week and maybe or hopefully I will cross a border to Norway on 2nd of September. My leg seems to be fine because of the rest and I got a water and food.

See you next time from Norway & thank you for the owner of that cottage!

Yuji @ Inari, Lapland

Reindeer

2009-08-26T16:44:00.004+02:00

The first met to them was on the way to Pello from Rovaniemi even though at Rovaniemi they have plenty of reindeer but they are using for tourism. Summer season in particular, they are living in a forest and they will get back to their home in winter time. That's why I couldn't even one reindeer during for two days at Rovaniemi.

The day when I met to a reindeer was the day when I left to Pello. The reindeer was in a fence but it was open to a forest. It is not easy to find Reindeers if I just riding on a bike but I finally could find it! As soon as I saw that one, I was dropped from my bike and started to take a picture. I was really exited!! Even I called it "Ton-chan", that was a stuffed reindeer at my house. However, the reindeer was so shy even he/she couldn't get run way but trying to leave from me with kept eye watching. Then, I follow it as the same pace that I was watching. But reindeers are used to walking in a forest and I finally lost it and stopped to follow. Otherwise, it might be get lost and hard to back.

The next day, to Pellow I saw a group of reindeers, that was 4-5 in the morning. They were walking in a forest and trying to pass the road of asphalt. When I saw them, they were also a little bit afraid of me and fast to move. But when I stopped to take some pictures they also stopped to see what I was doing on the road. So nice! After few seconds, a car came from the opposite direction. Then, they started to move into the forest.

Yesterday from Pello to came up to Kolari, I also saw some reindeer in a camp site inside a fence. Even that camp site itself didn't work but they are just living in. One of a reindeer which I saw in there was white and some were children. They were quite friendly to me. When I approach to them to a fence they came to me and say "hello". They didn't be afraid of me what I was doing (normally I just take a picture) . At the camp site, there were no one insight that was free park to see reindeer as it were. After taking some rest, I said "good-bye" to them, they were kept looking with lovely eyes.

Then, today I saw also a group of reindeers near the road to Kittila. I thought that they would be run away if I try to approach them as I did before. That's why I started to think what is the best way to approach them. Firstly, I tried to them feel safe to have some distance to. When I off from my bike, they noticed that I stopped. Then, I sitting on the road to be able to tell them I am not stranger! Even I tried to do so, one of reindeer stood up and to watch me what that stranger is, probably. Maybe, that reindeer, white one was the leader of the group. And then, after few minute, I started to approach them to walk with my leg and hand as baby do. That was the 30m to them. But they noticed that a stranger tried to approach us and other reindeer also stood up and to watch me. Finally, they started to walk to the different direction which I was coming. I didn't move at that moment. And then they stopped to move to look me again. I started to take some pictures and finally they came to the road and cross it to the other side.

Almost every day that I have a chance to see it but I still need a time to make a good friendship with them. Normally, they make a small group and walking in a forest to eat some glass and take some rest. As for their meat, only once when I was in Helsinki, I ate the meat of it. That was dry meat and taste was quite light but it taste like good with beer, anyway. Another way is that we can also buy from a shop the canned meat or meat, which is same as cow and chikin, probably (Both I never done). By the way , it was so cute and I still didn't have a chance to buy stuffed reindeer but I have already decided the name of it, that is Poro, means reindeer in Finnish. Some people say that reindeer is one of a foolish animal but I don't think that is from my experience. I will try to take a picture with them, that must be good memory in Finland!

Yuji @ Kittila

PS. A friend of my host in Kittila has been to Japan in this summer and I saw some pictures which she took in Japan. One of the picture showed deer in Nara park. That was very friendly to people and they have also nice horn than I thought! It is not a big differences between them.
However, the value of reindeer is that they are living in a forest at one of the coldest place in the world and it is not easy to see like those deers in the park. Or should I make some "reindeer-sembei" in Finland?

Love of Family

2009-08-25T00:03:00.003+02:00

Today I got to Pello, which has two cities both Finland and Sweden side. Interestingly, between Finland and Sweden they have one hour of time differences.

At Rovaniemi I met a Santa Claus, he must be one of the famous person in the world even though a lot of people in Japan they don't really know where he is living. He lives so called in Santa village, which is located 8km north from the central Rovamiemi. After I passed a reception to meet Santa Calus, I finally could meet him. He was sitting on a chair with his costume as I thought so. The first question of his was " Where are you from? " and then I answered "I am from Japan." I thought that he is trying to say hello in Japanese but he couldn't easily remember. Even after I notice that he couldn't say hello in Japanese, I couldn't say anything just because I wanted to know if he could possible to say it or not. After few seconds, he finally said "Konnichiwa!" That was really cool!
After several dialogue that I did over and over time during this journey, we started to take a picture. And then, we started talking again and for couple of minutes and say good-bye. I don't know how many times have he done during a day but he must be patient and enjoyable person to communicate with each costomer. During the time when I communicate with him, I noticed that he is very easy to talk and trying to speak slow, clear, as our imagination and good listener! I thought that he must be a person who is one of the best listener in all over the world. As I told you before, the best place to visit was those place that I want to visit go again. Similarly, good person is that I want to see him or her again after I first met even though the definision of good person is quite selfish. Through this trip, I met a lot of people and mostle they are helpful with hospitality but not everybody that I want to meet again even though I am appreciate with their offer.

At Rovaniemi, I visited a family of four with three dogs who they living in an apartment. Surprisingly, the husbund is a student and her wife is also studying. In Finland, almost all students don't have to pay for their study because of the support from the government especially if you are student they can also possible to take some support of their apartment. They have two children, 4 years old son and 2 years old daughter. I heard the age of first baby from him that was 21, the same year as me in now. While one guy is from Japan is traveling through the European continent at 21 years old, at the same age 4 years ago he got a baby in Finland. I couldn't believe if I have a baby in now, moreover I should find a girl friend.

Before coming to Europe and when I was studying in Japan, my teacher always said "Have a dream whatever you want" and whenever I heard that phrase so called "Dream" that means, to be a somebody, doctor, lawyer, astronaut, resercher.....and so on. However, whenever I met those people who are trying to make a family especially they have a little baby, I thought that making a warm family might be one of a dream of my life. It seems to be easy to make or sounds little dream but taking care of their children is hard work and there would be no choice once you got a baby. I will add my dream list that I will be a dad who can give a lot of love to my children as I saw at Rovaniemi!

Yuji @ Pello, Lapland , Finland

PS. Today I stayed with family of Jussi, who hosted me at Helsinki with his girlfriend. His hometown is here in Pello. Actually he is not here but his parents and little brother (he is 13 years old but his English skill is almost the same that I have or a little bit better than me ) hosted me. At the same time I am feel like given a lot of love from them. How family is nice!!

Rovaniemi - the heart of Lapland

2009-08-21T15:32:00.002+02:00

I just arrived at Rovaniemi so called Santa Claus city from Kemi about 120km to south for two days.

I was going up along the Kemi river and it was windy but I could finally get to Rovaniemi. According to information of tourist office, I cannot see any reindeers in Rovaniemi bofore booking. The city is quite touristic and they knows what they want to do in here. However, I can also see some of them in northern part of Lapland, the way to North cape. Even in north cape, there is a fee for tourist and it will cost about 400 (40 Euro) norwage krone to park a car. They don't know how will it work for bicycle. I hope that I cannot pay for it to enter, moreover if I should have to pay for 40 Euro to get inside I won't get there. I really hate those place who are ready to tourist even if it is worth visiting.
What I figured out at Rovaniemi is that city has three main attraction for visiter that is Santa Claus and or with reindeers, and north cartain (aurola) in winter season. That is the one of the reason why a lot of visiters from Germany as well as Britain.

On the way to come here, I met an old couple who were from Germany all the way by camping car. We talked about what I and they have experienced. They have traveled for three month already from Munhein and going to northern part of Norway close to Russia. They met a lot of people who want to visit North cape during their trip but they won't visit to there because of the price or so. When I met to them on the road I thought firstly they came from Finland because a lot of Fins traveling by camping car from one place to another but they actually from Germany. Even though they seemed like 60 years old, they (actually only woman ) can speak very good English. I don't need to speak neither Germany nor Finnish. I drunk a cup of coffee from there offer in the pass of the road. They were staying in that place for two nights, actually there is not any camping site just on the pass of the road, but it is possible to stay as I do because of the safest country. I should say Danke instead of Kiitos( thank you in Finnish)
Different from those people who I met in Finland, they were very open-minded and easy to talk. They have also same opinion with me that people in Finland normally they are a little bit shy and quite. But other part of scandinavians are much more open I heard. One of the reason why they aren't generally open-minded is connected to language I think. Finnish is quite heard to learn and it is originally from Asia. I need a time to make a good friendship with them but they are safe and nice people basically I think. Tomorrow, I am going to visit Santa Claus village if it's not rain!

Yuji @ Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland

Destination

2009-08-19T13:36:00.004+02:00

Since I have decided to going up to northernmost point of Europe, I am wondering when I get to Edinburgh. Who knows? Moreovere, I have started to think it is necessary to go there?

The main reason why I decided to go to Edinburgh is that just because I need to work to travel and to keep some money to going back to Japan. Whichever or wherever, I need to get a job but it is not necessary to go to Edinburgh. After this European journey, I am planning to go to so called Sub-Sahara Africa to be able to see how people are poor and what they need to live. And where is the place that I will work in that continent.

I am not sure by when will this journey continued but at least I need whole Sep. in order to get to Olso and from Oslo to Edinburgh, if I pass so called western part of Europe, I need one more month. The end of October I probably get to entrance of UK and then, I will go up to Edinburgh for 2-3 week, that means I will get there in the middle of November, then I will find a job and work for 2-3 month to be able to Africa? Well, that is not a good plan and I don't know if I can be save enough momey to go there. Moreover, it is not a good choice to go up to Edinburgh and then I down from there to Africa by bicycle or should I take a plain to go there? It will make sence but it is no more journey of bicycle. Going by bike is not a theme of this journey and I can possible to sell it or give it to someone who need it, if I don't need anymore. At least to find a place to stay in somewhere in Europe, I should keep it close at hand.

Not necessary to find a job in Edinburgh but what I need at the moment:

money (job)
rest (at least one month in one place following ferw month)

Think over! I still need a time to planning.....

In this morning, it was a quite heavy rain when I was sleeping. I didn't cover of my tent with fly seet and then my stuff turned to be wet. It was very cold even my breath was being white. (White night has gone)I should care about it! After bad waking up, I ate some hot meal with my gas that was really nice and came power! Then, I started to come to Kemi, that is the first city in Lapland but I haven't still seen any reindeers in here! However, I am really exciting to see it. The last page of the reflet of Rovaniemi, there was a description about the number of reindeers, that was 18,000 or something! Anyway, I will see in two days !

As I told you on the beginning of this page, I am conserning for my future but now this is one the most exciting moment on this trip because I finally came to Kemi, and from now on I won't need to ride on my bike at the side of cars and trucks, so called busy road. Futhermore, this is the Lapland and full of nature as well as place of reindeer! Enough reasons for me to be excited!!!
That is one of the reason why I came to here after two times of thinking at Gdansk and Turku!

Following 2 weeks, I am going to ride on a bike in peaceful place with full of joy, that is the most important point to live! I have found out the meaning to live, that is enjoy!

Yuji @ Kemi, Lapland

Present from Santa Claus

2009-08-17T13:20:00.005+02:00

Since I noticed that I cannot get to Edinburgh neither on July nor August, I need to prepare to warm suits for cycling. Compared to Japan, those equipments for cycling as well as camping stuff in Europe are quite cheap. Even if so, it is still expensive for me to buy those stuff in now.

That's why I tried to buy either Sleeping bag or underwear for daily life. The sleeping bag that I have now is just for summer and quite thin. It will be bare about 5 C, but I have a cover for the bag. So the extreme temp. for night around 0 C I think. But in Norway, it might be get cold under 0 in Sept.
While I was hanging around at supermarket I found a sleeping bag to be bare to -6 C that would be good for cycling but it is a bit big and I have no idea how to deal with my sleeping bag! Probably I cannot bring two. At the same shop, I found a separate underwear for cycling and it might be get warm for my journey. That is costs about 20 Euro with both.

I thought about for 3-5 days which is better for my bicycle and I finally decided to buy underwear for my journey. When I tried to buy that suits for cycling at the store , the God was came to me. When I checked the size of the ware to open the package and I noticed that there were two packages inside of it not only for legs but also for body! Actually, I am not sure if it has the each prices but when I checked it before that has different prices. Anyway, I suddenly packed it again that seemed nothing had happened and then I went to pay for it about 10 Euro to buy. Nothing happened and I finally got the suits for each parts of a body . Of course, it should not be done if I know about it well, but it was and I just opened it and packed it again! Or should I ask to the shopkeeper if it has different prices or not? Anyway, I finally decided that this is a present from God or Santa Claus because it is close to Rovaniemi.

Today is very cold the temp. in here about 12 C but when I get to Nordkapp it might be much colder than here. I should care about it. At the same time, I finally bought a gas and a equipment to cook. Now I can possible to drink a morning coffee for every morning! That would be nice!

To get to Rovaniemi I need another 5 days or less but finally Lapland has almost comes but I cannot say that I am coming to Lapland until I find a reindeer!

Yuji @ Oulu, SUOMI

8,000km

2009-08-13T10:49:00.008+02:00

It has been quite long long journey and yesterday caluculator of my bike recorded 8000km from Istanbul since 22 of April. I never thought that I would make that record and probably, I will need another caluculator before I get to UK!! But, UK has not km but they use mile as they use British Paund different from Finland and other main wester European country. But I just heard the country, Norway, probably the next country of my jurney hasn't still even EU member and they use their own currency, that is stronger than Euro. They will might be bring something new for my idea!

So, this time I am trying to thought about what I have experienced during this trip as my calculator!

0km Istanbul, Turkey

That was starting point of my journey and that was one of beautiful city in Europe or even Asia. I thought that Istanbul is the starting point or border between Europe and Asia, that is the reason why I choose Istanbul as the first place of this journy. At that time, I had other cities as a starting point actually. Those places were Sanfransisco in CA, Araska, Australia(couldn't find out the city) , and Helsinki and Moskow. Anyway, I am still believing the place where I have chose was best! Actually, people in Turkey were quite gentle for me even if they and I couldn't speak in English very well. Without words we could communicate with each other! I want to go there again someday!

2,000km Timishoara, Romania

Timishoara is one of the place that I remenbered it clearly because I staied with Cristina and she was student and nice host! In Romania, the Jesus is quite familiar with the citisen and we went to Church for the porpose to pray for it. Actually, I don't have any religion but I can pray for the God as I did in Japan and I did the same style in Istanbul. City was quite developed and there was some shopping moal for the people. But not everybody can buy something from there because of the place. To be able to adapt for the everybody living in there, time is needed.

4,000km Plonsk, Poland

Plonsk? I need a map to be able to find out where is Plonsk but my bike recorded 4000km in there, anyway. I think Plonsk is somewhere on my way to Warszawa. Just on the way, and that's it, unfortunately!

6,000km Talsi, Latvia

The name Talsi barely reminded me where was that and what I did in there. I just made my tent to be able to sleep near the main road. When I was in there, I tried to go through the Baltic sea to have fun in there and how different color they have compared to Gdansk in Poland. The night I slept in a glass and it was close to the rail. That is why I forced to wake up in the middle of the night because of the noise from Train, anyway.

Oh, I made a mistake that Talsi is not a city what I thought! I thought that it was Lithuania anyway I left it here.

Sorry! Talsi is a small countryside city, so called. I stayed a house which I know through the internet and actually he couldn't host me in there because he studies in Riga, the capital of Latvia. That's why his father hosted me for one night with special meal! He speaks Germany and Latvian, Polish as well as Russia. Unfortunately, his couldn't speak English that much and I could speak any language which he could. Barely, I can understand Germany and we could communicate with each other but anyway as I told you without language we could really communicate with, that was nice! He brought me to hill of the Talsi and there was a huge wooden tower to be able to watch the enermy when was the war time. We climb up to the top but it was moving all the time because of the wind and I was really afraid of it if it would fall down. Anyway that was a nice memory of my journey. And the next day in the morning, I tried to use skype to be able to contact to my friend and celebrate to the party of my seminar, I would say it. Actually, the seminar is neither my department nor faculity. Just I take the lesson because it was really interested in me of the study in sociology as well as the teacher! The teacher, Prof. Tanaka he is very young for me, I think he is 30s or so and always active and intelligent, that is why I learned a lot from him as well as his seminar students. Before, coming to here they and he cerebrated me to go in a nice bar(we call it Izakaya) in Ikebukuro. Just I imagined and had really fun!
Anyway, I enjoyed staying there!

8,000km Kokkola, Finland

Now I am in here!! Kokkoka is located 120 northeast from Vaasa and 200km southeast to Oulu, city itself is quite small but some part has so called old wooden house. The painting of those house is normally red, it is originally from the rever of the fish which they caught from the sea I heard. Yesterday I stayed with a house of woman & her dauther, which is located 3 km away from the central Kokkola and her house was wooden house, amazingly! I stayed with a room which was in upstairs and somethig like between the floor and roof. It riminded me ex-my apartment which I had stayed for two years before this trip to be able to go to my school. It is located Kagurazaka, one of the central city in Tokyo and I can go to school about 20 minutes by walk and 10 minutes by bicycle. Between my school and apartment there was a shop which I worked so called MacDonal'd at Iidabashi Station, anyway. If I were in there, I am still working in there. But I am going to find new part-time job when I get back to Japan, maybe English teacher is the best choise to keep my English is better and for my study as well!

Now, I am going to find a city which will record 10,000km from Istanbul, hopefully somewhere in Norway!

Yuji @ Kokkola, Karleby(Swe), FIN

2.7 EURO

2009-08-11T14:59:00.003+02:00

In Finland, people can cash it back from empty bottles after they drunk it. And a lot of empty bottle was thrown to the glass by the roads. That's why I have started to carry it to get some money to be able to support to my journey. Moreover, it is a kind of joy because on the main road there are a lot of trucks and cars making a lot of noise....

Yesterday from Vaasa, I started to pick those bottles from glass. Almost all the bottle which lying on a glass are empty beer bottle. The process to get money are quite simple.
Firstly, I picked up from the ground and then I take it to a supermarket. Almost all supermarket have a machine to treat it and caluculate the total price of those bottles. Each bottles have different prices as follows.

0.1 euro- grass bottle
0.15 euro-can of 335ml & 500ml
0.2 euro-pet bottle of 500ml
0.4 euro- pet bottle of 1.5l

The machine classifies those bottles following barcode which has attached of each package made of Finland. So, when I want to use that machine I need to pick up only bottle which has that barcode. Otherwise, I cannot any money back from the store even if the shape is quite same. For example, on the way from Tampere to Pori, I tried to pick it up but I didn't know how it works at a store. So, I picked it all the bottle which I found on the road. Then, I get to the store but almost half of the cans and bottles which I picked didn't work because those cans are from Estonia. If I were careful, I might find out the signe of EEK, that means Estonia Krone, probable.

After I started of this recycling journey with cycling, I have a lot of time to stop on the road. But my leg is still doesn't work well. That is not bad for slow cycling and good for the earth.

That's why I picked it up for 2.7 Euro in yesterday. Anyway, there was a lot of bottle on the ground. However, only thing that I am conserning is that what will I do the bottle which I don't need such as EEK. I normally left it away as it was. But. I feel like a little bit guilty. So, I finally decided to classify with my eyes if the bottle is that I need or not. That's feel better!

Yuji @ Pietasaari, SUOMI

at Vaasa

2009-08-10T13:51:00.004+02:00

This is the last day to stay at Vaasa. In these two days, I stayed with Reeta and her friends who are from Sweden. They had really good relationship with each other, it won't be happen any wars between them, anyway. Different from the relationship of Baltic language between Lithuanian and Latovian, they couldn't communicate with their mother tongue, that means, they use in English when they communicate with each other, they speak in English very well even if they just graduated from high school. My English level is still lower than those student as I felt in Eastern Europe. I don't have a lot of time to improve it, but I should be hunger to speak English more and more... to be able to speak it fluently.

In these two days, I have tried to take some rest to be able to cure my legs completely. As a result of rest for two days, my legs seems to be better than before and I have no pain at the moment. Still, it might be start to pain again and I an going to keep 50km per day. To be able to reduce and cure my leg, I planned to ask for a doctor in Vaasa but the day when I came here was on Saturday and there was no working private doctor until on Monday, today. But, I got some information about to cure my leg. Firstly, I took a Magunesium tablet for it just once a day and I am going to keep throw it until the pain disapper. And after that, I bought a supporter from a sports shop to try to reduce the impact from the riding. I hope it will work well. If the pain starts again I will ask for a doctor at Oulu, that is the last city before Lapland. Still, it is located about 300km away from here, Vaasa.

One thing that I want to write was that I bought a brake for my bike as well as supporter from the shop, but that break didn't work of my bike even if I confirmed it if it works for my bike or not to a shopkeeper. Then, the next day, today I asked if they can refund me of the money or change of my brake which is fit to my bike. Unfortunately, they didn't have any brake except for it, but they finally cash me back to buy another brake even if I had already opened that package and tried to check to my bike if it works or not. If it is in Japan, it might be refund if I have a recipt but I was wondering because I didn't pay for it as a cash but it should be done.

It was remineded me when I worked at MacDonal's.

In those days, I was a in a service counter at my MacDonald's, and I had a claim if they refund it just because the seat of the MacD was occupied because of the lunch time. Then I asked manager if it could be possible to cash them back and another option was that we can put those food in a bag to be able to eat at home or somewhere as a take away. The manager told me that, "it was not usual to do it, but now we are really busy to take care of it. So, you should do it. " Then, I cash it back to them and throw those humbergers even if it is edible, what's more, they bought two or three set, that's why it was one of unforgattable experience at there. In Japan, at MacD. the life of tried french fries is only 7 minutes and beef was 15 minute respectively. If we couldn't sell it to the customer, we should put it into garbage. We made a lot of waste to be able to serve for fresh food.

Through this journey, I felt how important to choose from the shop and to eat to live. Sometimes we, the people in developed countries, make an mistake and lose how important to eat food and sometimes eat too much just because we have a money to pay for it. Trying to think about what is the sustainable eating for global scale, that is really important to live long enough for human being and I have been felt it through this journey. To be able to notice what is happing in the world or what is correct or not would may be one of the reason why I like traveling not only developed countries but also developing countries.

Yuji @ Vassa

P.S Now I bought a new brake! And, I might be going to be an Vegitalian through this journey. Moreover, I have been not the person who prefer to eat meats since I was in a child except for chicken.

Graduate School

2009-08-08T21:27:00.002+02:00

My teacher, Kazumi Goto, he will open to his graduate school at Hosei University, that is the school which I had been to before this April. After the break of this year, I am going back to study the final year to get the bachelors degree. And then...

To be able to work at United Nations, at least I need to get a masters degree somewhere in a university in the world. I am still thinking about it anyway....

What he said in his introduction of his school was that he recongnize that a lot of Japanese people should work in the international, moreover, global environment, as his experience. People in Japan normally they have 3S, that is smile, to be able not to try argument but to make a good situation, silent, they don't want to talk with a people because they are shy or don't have enough skills to speak with the people in English and, sleep, they have no power to talk or less attention to the others. And what he said in his opinion, instead of that 3S, we Japanese people should put on other 3S, which means, Smart, to be intelligent and originallity, Speak, to speak with a people to be able to make a new idea and Speed, to make a right decision earlier.

What I figured out when I saw his opinion today was that it is not valueable for me to master English if I forget those three things, as it were, try to lost Japanese identity to be able to adapt in the global society. I have tried to do it through this journey as much as I can, but I felt that it is still not enough to do it. I might be satisfied with some of the level that I am not hard to live in Europe because I am just traveling by bike. I thought that to be able to speak in English fluently is the most important thing of this journey. Actually, that is not true, morover only if I want to master in English I don't need to come to here to spend lot of money and time.

Once, when I was in Japan before started of this journey, my friend told me that "What is the theme of your journey ?" Still, I couldn't find out the decent answer of this question. Moreover, it might be hard to describe of one word or phrase. But, if I try to say it now in just one phrase, the theme is " to live in the international enviroment". For some people, in particular, if you are living in Europe, the sound like nothing especially. But for me living in an Far East Asian island more than 20 years, it is really special to live in that environment, which means living outside of Japan. I am hard to understand it if I only live in Japan. On that point, this journey, I have already passed 10 countries since in Turkey and I will visit few more countriesr would good to learn what is global society.To learn how hard to live in that environment as a Japanese, that would be my theme of this journey even if we have other continents such as Africa, North & South America, even in Asia.

I am not sure if I go to the graduate school of my teacher's one but his opinion is still shining even if I traveled or lived in Europe more than 3 months. I really respect him.

Keep doing my best at this moment,

Yuji @ Vaasa, SUOMI(FIN)

West Coast

2009-08-07T13:02:00.002+02:00

West coast of Finland, there are spreading the gulf of Bothnia between Sweden. In some city on the west coast, there are Swedish people are living in and they speak Swedish. Even if both Finnish and Swedish are regarded as official language, it seems like still have a problem to live toghther for Finnish people as far as I heard it from them.

I am still keep slowly heading for Vaasa, the city which is located almost half of the coast line of Finland. The country is quite huge compared to those country which I have already passed. In addition of the country size, I spend for about one week of my holiday and my leg is still not working well. I am keep moving almost 50km per day. That's why, I feel like that Finland is really big country! But surprisingly, it is a bit smaller than Japan!
Yesterday, I slept in a forest with fire to eat some potates for dinner. For these several days, it has been nice weather and easy to barn those trees. I picked some brenches from the forest and then I easily to make an stable fire. But at the same time, it might be burn to the other glass or trees if I lost attention to the fire. It was really natural and wild area. Birds, squwarrals are jumping from one tree to another. I cannot hear nothing except for that dance.
Because of the expensive beer, I finally decided to buy wisky after I got to Finland. The price of beer, for example, a can of beer of 500ml costs 2 and half euro. (For example in Slovakia, it was less than 1 euro to buy the same one)Interestingly, when I try to buy a can of beer which is smaller than 500, it was 335ml or so , that cost only for 1 and half euro or less. Different from Japan, we need more and more money when we try to buy a lot of beer per litter in Finland, that means, it is quite strict rule for drinking alcohole as well as for teenagers only for over 18 from the government in Finland. We cannot buy any alcohole from the shop after 9 pm. Anyway, I finally decided to buy wisky, which costs 8-10 euro for one small bottle of wisky(335ml or less), but I can survive for 1 week or more to drink it. But I need to show my passport, oh I am 21 years old!

Still my right leg is well, hopefully it is getting better. I need a much more time to cure it compeletely!

Yuji @Narpes, FIN