News

1. I've finally got this thing online. Sorry it took so long although I guess most of you didn't realise you were waiting. As you will see there are still some spaces which are yet to be filled. I will try to do that as soon as I can. Still have quite a few pictures to scan. Thanks especially to 'Sniffles' who is giving me some internet space to put this on and helping me with the design/technical side of things. If you think this thing looks good then, with the exception of the superbly shot photographs, it is nothing to do with me - it is all thanks to her. I should have had this up a few months ago but I just haven't had the time to finish things off. As a result a lot of this 'news' is pretty old.

2. Well its old news now but the biggest news was probably that Efaniel has come back to Japan. For those who didn't hear, after my trip to the Philippines when we patched things up, we decided to give things another try. Efaniel originally came in April on a tourist visa and, while we had plenty of problems getting her here, once she arrived she was quickly able to find a job but then we had to wait six weeks for proceedings to change her visa. Then she went home in early June to change it since you have to leave the country and it was easiest to go back to the Philippines - it meant she could at the same time visit her family & friends and attend her cousin's wedding. She had training in the last week of June and so from July has been teaching English at Berlitz in Shinjuku - which should allow her to earn some money.

3. Time is flying as April's cherry blossoms disappeared, followed by May's heat and the rainy season hit Friday 9 June. That date was official according to the meteorological bureau who are incidentally also responsible for deciding when the cherry blossom season has officially started (by looking at a tree somewhere near the Imperial Palace, location undisclosed to prevent tampering - and some people think Japan is a strange country... can't imagine why...). At one stage we had six days of almost nonstop rain but apart from that people said rain this year was light. Unfortunately that meant an early and long summer. While the rain had been annoying, it was a welcome relief from the muggy heat and the lesser of two evils when compared with the oppressive heat of summer which has followed. Summer too is now coming to a close and despite all the excitement of fireworks displays and all, I won't be too disappointed to see it's passing.

4. Well summer has actually passed (although the humidity remains) and so too the typhoon season of Setember which was pretty anti-climactic. Anyway, I can't complain all that much. Along with the end of summer came the end of my studies at Chiba University. You will all be happy to know that I passed and actually did quite well. The problem with finishing at Chiba Uni is that while I still have research to do, I no longer had a place to stay or scholarship money, as of the end of September. And my visa ran out too. Thankfully however those wonderful people from the Japanese Government gave me a plane ticket home (worth about A$3500 one way because they pay full price and I get the frequent flyer points!) So while you guys were watching the Olympics, I was packing for my return. I was back in Oz October 1(!) in time for the closing ceremony of the Olympics. I originally expected to be back in Melbourne for three weeks but I got my Visa more easily than expected and so it became only two and a half. I had a really good time there and it was proof of just how much more relaxing life back there is. I was busy but not at all stressed which was a very pleasant way to be. Still, before I knew it I was back here to continue my research and fund it with English teaching until my Honours classes start at Monash in March next year. I wasn't able to see everyone in Australia or even everyone in Melbourne when I was there and I'm sorry if I didn't catch you. Still it is less than three months until I am back there so I look forward to seeing you all then.

5. So I am now in Japan this time using a working holiday visa. Before I went to Australia, Efaniel and I rented an apartment about 20 mins west of Shinjuku by train. I am living there for the meantime although I would like to be able to move back out to Chiba if possible because that is where all my work is. Problem is I can't afford an apartment by myself. I am teaching most days of the week and hoping to teach even more if I can. Thursdays are still reserved for my class at Tokyo Uni although I sometimes work in the evening. Apart from two children's classes at a small-scale language school and a corporate class, the rest of my classes are on a private basis. While this means I am not making a mint (and far from it), it should be enough to support me with hopefully a bit extra to bring home with me. The mint will have to wait for another time I guess. It suits me this way because I have so much more flexibility. I still have committments with my students but in some cases I can move classes around to take a short trip or whatever and they can change to suit themselves too. The problem with this, apart from the fact that I don't earn as much as with a regular job, is that like anyone working freelance if you don't do the work then you don't get paid for it. That means that the holiday part of this working holiday will be quite light on but that is alright by me. I just have to try to work out how to fit in the trip to Kyushu I plan to make. Now work takes up the majority of my time which means the 'work' page is way out of date so I will have to update it but I'll give you a chance to read how it used to be in the meantime.

6. As Christmas and the new year/century approach, there have been a lot of changes. First of all, Efaniel & I have broken up, this time for good. Her coming to Japan was always a test measure and unfortunately it seems that the test failed and circumstances conspired to work against us for too long. But these things happen and you have to go on regardless. And there are no regrets on either side. We have had a great time together since she has been back here but it has simply become obvious that there is too much in the way for our futures. In any case, as a result of this I have been looking for a new abode. The main reason to be where I was in Nerima was to be near Efaniel's work and it is better for the both of us for me to move out. I have found a place and really been looking forward to going there since it is much closer to Chiba but not so far from Tokyo either (see here for more details). Also, Efaniel needed a roommate to cover the rent especially with my loss and so a mutual friend of ours, Maki, has moved in as well. Unfortunately that has happened well before I have been able to move into my new place (December 18) and so it has been the three of us living a rather cramped lifestyle, to understate things a little. This too is something that made me look forward to the new place when I will have it to myself and be able organise everything myself. Particularly the two weeks up to the move have been very harrowing but life is like that sometimes.

7. I want to wish all of you a merry Christmas and all the best for the coming year. With luck it will see the completion of my University as I am going back in March to finish Honours. Hope you all manage to achieve what you desire and it doesn't pass by as quickly as this last one has seemed to. On this note, I would like to congratulate my friends Ninie & Richard and Stephanie & Leon who have recently been married. Unfortunately, my (Great) Aunt Sylvia passed away in August somewhat unexpectedly and she will be greatly missed. Still as one life has sadly left us, two more have arrived. In this spirit, I would like to congratulate Efaniel's sister Lidel and her husband, Jon, as well as my cousin, Nadine, and her husband, Simon, who have both had babies while I have been over here. I wish them all the best.

8. Nothing else right now. I really want feedback so send me an email. Now you have found out what's up here I want to hear what's happening with you. Stay tuned as I get more info online.