I’m so sad because AC Milan lost the game.  More than this, they lost it due to my favorite player, Shevchenko made a misstake in PK. The result was 3 to 4. I can’t deny that the players in Liverpool had very tough spirits and they did great job in this game. Liverpool faced the last half game with the status of 3 points behind in the first half game. They retrieved 3 points in 15 minutes after the last half one kicked off!! And they kept this achievement until overtime. Nevertheless, I’m so regret that Milan lost the game, because it has all my favorite players like Shevchenko, Kaka and Dida in it!

I used to be very into watching soccer games. It’s not because that I have played it or anyone around me does it. I don’t even know the rules very well! I just like the feeling of watching it. Watching so many people getting heated for it, looking at the players running around with the ball, being fascinated by the kicking techniques , thinking the strategies and tactical being used, all make me feel that 90 minutes  is so short. It has so much impact in it.

I recall the  first time I went to see the soccer game in a stadium was in Fuzhou. That was a game between Chinese Olimpic candidates team and The Republic of Uzbekistan national team. At that time, I wasn’t very interested in soccer yet. My sister gave my brother and me the tickets, so we went to see it. Although now I would say it was a very boring game if anyone asked me, we were excited about it in the stadium. Seeing people around you standing up, shouting, waving, hitting drums, you can’t really stay calm and being outside of the atmosphere. By the way, the result was 4 to 4.

When I was in Japan, I rented a nice flat with a bedroom and a decent bright living room after I got my first job. Champions league burned a heat on the late night TV life those days. I couldn’t get my eyes off the screen even though it was 2am and I had to get up at 7am for work the next day! It was kind of a luxury new life for me which I could watch TV in my cozy bed on my own and shouting, laughing and pointing at the screen without being accused. Seeing those European young soccer players was another glamorous point to me. 😀

2005年5月29日深夜2時

悲しい－－AC Milanが負けたーーー私が大好きなShevchenkoのミスで、ＰＫで負けたの。３：４で、でもLiverpoorの選手達も本当にすばらしいタフな精神力を見せてくれた。前半終了時に０：３で負けてる状態で、後半に入って、１５分内で、３点を挽回して、それを延長戦まで保った。
でも、私が大好きなShevchenko Kaka DidaがいるＭｉｌａｎが負けた何で、とても悲しいのだ－－

I just came back from Hokkaido!

Although the weather was a little disappointing, coming across a cute lady made me so happy. On the flight to Hokkaido, I saw her sitting next to me holding a tour pamphlet. “Hi, it seems we are in the same tour!’ I said. She smiled kindly and started talking with me. After visiting the filming location of “From north country” (a famous TV show), right by the exit, she said to us (Wang zhufang came with me) “let me take a photo of you. I’ll send it to you once I get the photo printed” We joyfully let her take photos and left our address with her.

In Asahigawa, we wandered on the streets near the hotel looking for a place to eat some Kegani (hairy crab which is famous in Hokkaido, fresh and not as expensive as in Tokyo). In front of the traffic light, I asked a middle age man who was waiting nearby, “Could you tell me if there is any restaurant which sells delicious hairy crab at an affordable price around here?” He even showed us the way to the restaurant!!! Eventually, I ate one and a half of crabs! It wasn’t small at all! OMG, I spent 6000Yen on hairy crab!! However, it’s a rare chance that you can have hairy crab for this price. 😉

Very often, my friends in China asked me “Is there any discrimination problem in Japan?” “Are Japanese very polite like they look in the TV dramas?” I always tell them that I don’t feel like I am being discriminated against, although I heard some of my friends in Japan saying they were treated unfairly at work because they are Chinese. Probably some Japanese people have that kind of view, but most of the reasons are what Chinese people have done in Japan during last 20 years.

Japan is a small country on an isolated island. Their culture, religion and the landscape make them rely on each other and trust each other. Since the mid-1980s, Japan government started allowing many foreign students or workers to come to Japan. Most of those people did well. They studied hard and either stayed in Japan and found a proper job or went back home with the developed knowledge they had learned. But some people failed doing what they promised to do when they applied for the visa to Japan. They joined gangs and stole things. The media clearly blamed the foreigners for the environment becoming less safe even though only 1 out of 10  crimes are committed by foreigners. Chinese people are a high percentage (30% in 2011) in the foreign population in Japan. So that 20 years passed, some Japanese people have colored their view when they look at Chinese people. A nation needs to be strong to be respected. Or you have to do as Roman does when you are in Rome. Being punctual, keeping your word and minding your manners are all important to show your respect to other people when you want to be respected.

Nevertheless, I believe most Japanese are nice and kindly like the cute lady and that man I met in Hokkaido. By the way, I did receive the photos from that lady when we got back to Tokyo. 🙂

2005年5月22日

北海道から帰ってきたよーー
天気はあんまりよくなかったので、ちょっとがっかりした。でも、かわいい御婆ちゃんに出会って、嬉しかった。飛行機内では隣席だったんで、御婆ちゃんが手にしたツアーのパンフレットを見て、私が声をかけた、”同じツアーですね”と。すごくやさしいお婆ちゃんだから、笑顔で会話してくれた。”北の国から”の撮影で使った部屋を見終わって、出た所に、”写真をとってあげよう、いい写真ができたら、送るわ”って、お婆ちゃんが言った。喜んで、写真をとっていただいて、住所を残した。

旭川で、毛がにを食べるために、ホテル周辺の町を探りまわったところ、”この辺に安くて美味しいカニを食べれるところを、教えていただけますか”と、信号待ちのある４５ぐらいの男性に聞いたら、店まで案内してくれた！！！
へへへ、結局わたくしは毛がにをいっぱい半食べてしまった！oh,my!!!\\\\\\６０００円！！！（ま、珍しいチャンスだから）

皆さんに、お土産を買ってきたよーーー
明後日（火曜日）、学校で会おうね！

Today I had THAT salad for lunch as usual. It’s a dish served in the cafeteria at Nigo-kan on the 5th floor. You put as much as you can into a bowl choosing from 5 or 6 kinds of vegetables for 600yen! I was very good at filling it up.  The portion I got today was superb! (I always compliment myself like this. :D)

Yesterday I had Yehongshangu (a kind of red wild mushroom that grows in the mountains) soup in my friend’s place. She put many kinds of ingredients in it! But maybe because the other dish, stir fried Qinggencai (green Chinese cabbage)  was a bit salty, we both felt very thirsty at night. Eventually we went out at 2am and bought Goolish (a Japanese food brand) Matcha (green tea) ice cream from the convenience store. It was so cool! We finished it all while we were watching late night TV shows. I was totally satiated by that.

2005年5月11日

今日の昼ごはんまた例のサラダ！うまく盛ったね！と私はいつも自分をこう褒めている(笑)
昨日友達の家で赤いしいたけのスープを飲んだ、具がたくさん！青梗菜炒めがちょっとしょっぱかったせいかなぁ、夜中2時ごろにGoolishの抹茶アイスをコンビ二から買ってきて、深夜劇場を見ながら、クーラーした。癒されたーーー

Today I had classes all day long! They started from early morning and by the 5th and 6th period, Professor Kikui’s class, I finally got defeated by the sandman and fell asleep. 😛 I am so tired, getting up early and concentrating for the whole day is not my cup of tea. 😀

But I was so happy that Ayu-chan could hang out with me at lunchtime!! We went to Nigo-kan, the new building which was just finished  this year, to have lunch. There are many options of lunch sets, and the most attractive point is they are all affordable. We got our lunch and found a table by the window. The cafeteria is on the 10th floor, so we can see the green on our sports ground and the nearby  Houses of Parliament. Under the sunlight the grass looked even greener, and the boys and girls were kicking footballs, playing tennis, practicing archery, etc. What lovely weather!

It is a long day! And it hasn’t even finished yet, but I feel so fulfilled! Later, I’m going to a friend, Wang zhufang’ place to have home-made Chinese soup!! I love the soup she makes which is always full of nutrition (I think :D) and has so much flavor. I will stay over too! What could be nicer than having a good meal and lying there chatting with your best friend?

2005年5月10日

今日は一日授業だ！朝一で、午後５，６の菊井先生の授業でやっぱり睡魔に勝てなく、寝てしまった（－_＾）
お昼に、あゆちゃんが付き合ってくれて、よかった！
はーーー長い一日まだ終わってないけど、充実な感じ！これから、友達の家に中華スープを飲みに行くの、そして、そこで泊まるよ！！！
(初めて、ここで日記を書くので、何を書いたほうがいいかまったくわからなくて、流水帳みたいな、つまらないことばっかりで、みなさん、すまんな)