My parents are the best!!

I took the interview with my visa sponsor organization on 28 of April.

I passed it and received some paper to sign on as attached files.

After I signed, these were sent to my agency and my agency sent them to the organization on 15 of May.

My agency said I would receive the form by mail within several days and when the organization send it off, they would email me.

A week later, nothing came.

I pushed my agency a bit to ask the organization they sent it off or not.

I got a reply from my agency yesterday. It said......

"We sent the signed contract to the organization on the same day we received it from you, but the organization said they couldn't open the attached files.

We sent the files by email to the organization again today and asked for immediate service for you.

Please wait for their service. "

..........（-""-；)

If I hadn't asked, they didn't do anything with the delay?

They just sat around for a week?

I was so disappointed and even depressed by this.

It was so regrettable that I chose this agency.....

I was using my father's computer at the living room when I read this email.

I coudn't hold my tears.... Why did I choose this agency? Why can't they understand I'm in a hurry?

My mom was there in the living room.

She saw me crying and asked what is going on.

I told her the story and said the longer I stay in Japan, the more it costs on me. Money is the major issue, actually since I have been paying for the rent already.

I said I can't stand this boring life any more but can't do anything because I don't want to spend more money wastefully.

Then she said,

"If you are worried about money so much and so frustrated, I'll offer you some money, so do something like taking classes or something. "

I said I can't borrow any more money. I want to be independent( I have already borrowed big amount money to go to the States).

But she said,

"Since we(my parents) know you are doing your best and trying to be independent, we want to offer some money.

Don't worry! If we couldn't afford it, we wouldn't offer you money. It is our pleasure to be able to do something for our daughter. "

Oh......... mom...........

I am the luckiest daughter in this world!!

I decided not to take their money anyway, but decided to make a change of my life for better.

I should be more relaxed and optimistic.

Because my happiness makes them happy!

Beach Ultimate Tourney in Enoshima

It was such a windy day yesterday......

The ultimate team I play with participated in Beach Ultimate Tournament in Enoshima , so me and my friends from this team went to cheer them up.

I wanted to play with them, but wasnt sure I would still be around or not when they invited me to play with. Obviously I'm still here, though....

Anyway, when we got to the beach, it was kinda late(around 2pm).

Our team was already done with their games.... Oops.

But 2 of our teammates were going to participate in Diving Catch Contest, so we waited for a while.

Wendy and Jolyon were practicing...

It was fun to feel the atmosphere there, but the thing is it was tooooooooooo windy.....

When I saw my teammates there, their faces were covered by sand......

While I was looking at the beach, I couldn't keep my eyes open.

Also the most surprising thing was my eyelashes turned to white because of sand!!

I wasn't wearing sunglasses! Oh no.....!!!!

After the tourney, they went back to the hotel where they stay for the next day(this tourney starts in really early morning, so they stayed in the hotel nearby) to take a shower and would go to the party later, which was hosted by the organizer.

We went to a cafe to kill time.

We were sitting on the fence wheter we go to the party or not.

So we went to the restaurant where the party would be held to check it.

Hummmmmm..... It was like a Izakaya and looked kinda a place for uni students( you know what I mean?)

We would rather have good conversation in quiet atmosphere, so decided not to join the party.

Then we found really good restaurant upstairs in the same building, called MATTARI .

This restaurant was unexpectedly good.

The service, food, atmosphere, all so nice!!

We had a table outside.

The air was cool. It was perfect.

When the party downstairs was over, we were caught by our teammates.

The other three didn't go to the post-party party, but I joined them and went back home by the last train.

I felt like this is the begining of summer.

Asakusa

Me and my frined went to Asakusa for 三社祭 on 19.

But there wasn't many things going on because it was on Fri.

The main events are held on 20 and 21.

We could still see some of these traditional music plays, though.

We had Monjayaki for lunch at 六文銭 in Asakusa.

This restaurant was introduced on TV called VVV6 .

We ordered ねぎ・しょうがもんじゃ and カマンベールもんじゃ.

Look at that cheese!!

I had never had もんじゃ焼き before. Mmmmmmm..... This is delicious!! I like it!

Then we wandered around 仲見世商店街 area.

I suddenly remembered that my BF asked me to buy some はちまき for his brother.

He is still a uni student, so he needs this はちまき when he studies.

I called him and asked what phrase he prefers.

He chose 根性　for his brother. I bought 一番 for my BF.

When you come to Asakusa, you need to have some Japanese sweets!

We went to 舟和 .

This shop is very famous about 芋ようかん.

My friend had くりーむあんみつ and I had 抹茶しるこ.

Oh, my god!!! These were soooooooooooo good!!!!!!

I really can't describe what makes this so good and what is different from other shop's Japanese sweets.

But the sweetness is perfect. The texture is amazing.

You just can't stop eating!!

I will definitely come here again!!

Being understanding

My honey thanks me often for being understanding.

There is a reason why I always try to be understanding.

After I broke up with him last year, he sent me this email.

It said,

I knew what your letter said when you handed it to me at the airport.

Those letters are always given when someone is leaving.

It was long too.

That means that there will be an explanation for something.

Long letters are not usually just "Thank you"notes.

When I got home I did not read it right away.

I took a nap first.

I got up again at 3pm and read it.

My only worry now is that since we are just friends, there will no longer be any incentive for either of us to move near the other.

I would like to visit you sometime, maybe Christmas when I get a week off.

I will talk to you about it later in the year.

I'll call you sometime and see how things are.

If you wanna talk, gimme a call.

Your Friend,

J

I couldn't believe how nice he was to me despite what I had done to him.

I got so busy with work later and so stressed.

I called him almost everyday and he just listened to me and encouraged things would be better soon.

Then it made me realize how important he was in my life.

I was so scared to lose him.

I read this email sometimes to remind myself how I should act..

People tend to forget good things that someone did for you and remember only bad things.

But this email is my anchor.

I wanna thank you for being understanding, honey

No other options

Honey emailed me today when I was shopping after I watched "Pink Panther".

(It was so hilarious! Especially when the inspecter couldn't pronouce "Hamburger"!!)

I called him and talked a bit.

He asked me whether I wouldn't mind him going to Alabama.

I said,

"If I say I do mind it and don't want you to go, then you won't go?"

Well, well, well.....

There is no other opitions.

But I do believe that he should be in study and concentrate on it.

To be honest, I want him to stay with me, of course,

But I also want him to start his study now.

So the best thing for both of us is to go to Alabama and get transfered to school in LA a year later.

He thanked me for being so understanding.

I said,

"There is only one year patience available, not three years. Study hard and get transfered to LA!!"

Half kidding, half serious.

I'll be waiting for you coming back to LA, honey.

Wedding

It was Mother's day today(well, yesterday already, though).

I usually don't give flowers to my mom because she is a kind of person who prefers cakes to flowers

I bought some cakes and washed dishes after dinner.

Happy Mother's Day!!

********

I talked to my BF on a video chat.

Then he told me that his close friend from junior high is going to marry.

He is going to his frined's wedding.

With whom?

Of course he wanna go with me.

When?

On 26, May

Ah........I don't know I can make it or not.....

I really would like to go with him.

It's like I will make a debut as his fiance, right?

I really hope I can go to the wedding with him!

(If I can't make it, who is he going with?)

Long distance will continue...

I was going to the States to end this long distance relationship.

We have borne it about 3 years.

But.....

He has gotten accepted by the law school in Alabama

and decided to go there.

Alabama.....

Do you know where in the States it is?

It's in east side.

I got a job in LA.

I'll live in west side.

We will be 3000 miles away in the States.

2000 miles closer than now.

Only 2hours time difference.

It will be better than now.....

right?

Please say yes.....

and convince me.......

Chambre de "0"

This is the used and import cloth shop we went to in Motomachi.

The shop name is "Chambre de "0" ".

I don't know how to pronounce it...

I found the sign of this shop on the street and we just dropped by to kill time.

At first, we thought this was not a really fancy nor fashionable boutique.

But the more we looked at the products, the more we were interested in them.

When you see the tags, you notice these products are brand-name goods and sooooooooo cheap!

The shop staff told us that they import samples from abroad.

So some of them are only-one products, not even for sale in stores.

****

I bought these dresses by 4℃.

Same ones, but different color.

Less than 5000 yen for each!!

My friend bought a very girly dress.

She was thinking so hard wether she should buy it or not.

But I strongly recommended her to buy it because it looked perfect on her.

That dress is made for her, really!!!

Her dress is only 16800 yen, but it is made by BCBG!!!

We were such shoppers, but sooooo happy that our shopping was unexpectedly well done!!

Motomachi "和風"Gourmet Tour!

Motomachi Gourmet Tour Volume 2!!

This time, the theme of this gourmet tour is "和風".

(We didn't have a theme.... We just happened to pay visits to "和風" restaurant and cafe....hahaha-)

So me and my friend went to "汐汲坂ガーデン　菜彩" for lunch.

The entrance

We were planning to have lunch at　"汐汲坂ガーデン " on the ground floor, but we found there was a Japanese style restaurant upstairs owned by the same company.

Then our plan was changed.

This is my lunch. Today's special!

Chicken!! Yes!!

It is really reasonable.

Only 1050 yen for rice, miso soup, 3 kinds of appetizer, main dish and even dessert!

This "杏仁豆腐" is soooooo good!!

Its texture is so smooth and sweetness is perfect!

After lunch, we were planning to go to a cafe upon my request, but our stomachs were full, so we just wandered around Motomachi.

Then here we come! GO-GO-Shopping Girls!!

There was an used and import cloth shop on the narrow street next to the main street.

We didn't intend to do any hardcore shopping. We just wanted to look around and kill time.

BUT!

This shop has a lot of rare stuff for very very very reasonable price!

Oh my god....It turned us to go-go-shopping girls....

.I'll write about it more later on "Shops" theme.

After this happy-but-we-are-now-so-poor shopping, we went to a cafe called "茶倉".

I had wanted to visit this cafe for so long.

This cafe specializes in Japanese tea.

Not really spacious, but big enough to make us feel comfortable.

There were so many middle-aged women having chat and gossip-talking?!

But still the atmosphere is so peaceful.

Do you know what kind of pot this is?

This is called "南部鉄器" from Iwate prefecture.

This is made of iron and it is said that this pot makes really delicious and good water for tea.

She is pouring our green tea.

We ordered a tea set for each with one kind of green tea of your choice and dessert.

My friend had a NY cheesecake with green tea called "足久保" from Shizuoka.

I had a Macha jelly with icecream and green tea called "川根" from Shizuoka.

Shizuoka prefecture is a major source of green tea.

This cafe is now our favorite.

We want to try other kinds of Japanese tea here.

Today's gourmet tour makes us realize we are Japanese!

It is always so nice to hang out with friend.

Let the fun continue!!

Video Chat

Probably it is impossible to believe that this is our first video chat since we started this long distance relationship almost 3 years ago.

Video chat is an essential tool for those who have long distance relationship, isn't it?

But we even didn't talk on the internet before because it is inconvinient for both of us.

So we just called each other when we wanted to talk.

BUT!!

I bought a webcam so that I can talk to my parents after I move to the States.

Then we tried video chat yesterday.

He didn't have a camera yet, so he could see me, but I couldn't see him.

But this video chat made him realize how nice it was.

He went to get one right away and we video-chatted today!

OH MY GOD!!

It was so nice to talk to him with seeing his face.

Now that I stay at home all the time(unfortunately there is nothing else to do...), we can do this!

But.....

We know why we didn't do so for such a long time, not only because it is inconvinient, but also because seeing each other's face makes us want more.

Now I wanna touch him, kiss him, hug him, smell him.......

Well, despite this feeling, it is so wonderful to see him!