A busy semester ahead

Last Monday, March 11, was a milestone in my thesis - writing journey. I submitted the first fully completed first draft of my thesis *whew!* This being my first draft, I'm sure there'll be plenty of editing to be done and more drafts to be submitted. In fact, I'm gonna see my supervisor later to get some feedback on that first draft.

This final semester is gonna be a really busy one: there's a thesis to complete and coursework as well. I know I have not been updating at all since last year but I don't intend to abndon this blog. Actually, I've plenty to say, it's just that I never got round to writing. But I will try, even though I will have little time to do so over the next few months. There're things I want to record and remember, unique moments in space and time to preserve.

Till then!

Japan Trip 2012

(2012 is coming to an end soon, but before it does, I want to conclude this very eventful and memorable year with a reflection on my last big adventure of the year. This is a long post because there is so much to be said, but then I'm mainly writing this for myself, in line with this blog's stated aim of preserving as best as I can those unique moments in space and time of my life. May 2013 be just as eventful, fulfilling and memorable as 2012!)

I visited Japan for the fourth time in my life this month. You’d think I’d be bored of Japan having visited several times before, but when my mother first proposed that she and I travel together to Japan for a 15 day holiday during my summer break, I readily and happily agreed. Japan is one of my favourite countries in the world so I’m always keen to visit every now and then.

I shall not give a detailed description of what I did and where I went for each and every day of my trip. That’ll be too long, and besides, that’s not the point of this blog entry. No, I want to talk about why I find Japan alluring enough to visit again and again, drawing mainly from my most recent adventures in Japan.

For my fourth trip, Mum and I covered 5 main places: we started in Kyoto, then went West to Hiroshima, back to the Kansai region to stay in Koyasan, followed by an Eastwards journey to Takayama and finally ending in Tokyo. Most of our time was in the Kansai region (where Koyasan and Kyoto are located).

Religion

Kinkakuji

Nightime illumination at Kodaiji

Rows and rows of toriis at Fushimi Inari Taisha, my favourite shrine among all that I have visited

Beautiful and intricate designs of the shrine in Fushimi Inari Taisha

Votive tablets at the Fushimi Inari Taisha

The famous torii outside the Itsukushima Shrine, in Miyajima

This trip to Japan was a pilgrimage of sorts. Mum and I visited many temples and shrines mainly while we were staying in the Kansai and Chugoku regions. My family isn't really religious; on census forms we usually declare ourselves free - thinkers. However, we do practice some Buddhism, such making a point to pray or burn incense at many of the shrines we visit. The main religion in Japan is Shinto, but we still visit and pray at many Shinto shrines in Japan since Shinto and Buddism in Japan overlap substantially. I enjoy these visits very much because I find the rituals to be followed fascinating: first the washing up done at the purification fountains, then stepping from the realm of the profane into the sacred space of the shrine grounds, clasping my hands in prayer before the deity (sometimes bowing, clapping and ringing a bell as well) and silently articulating my hopes and dreams. The visits sometimes conclude with buying some amulets or shrines at the shrine shops. Next semester being a very important one for me, I bought a few to guide me as I continue to chase my dreams in the year ahead.

The highlight of our "pilgrimage" was our three day two night stay in Koyasan, a sacred mountain in Wakayama prefecture, Kansai region. We lodged at a lovely Buddhist temple during our visit, which was a first time for both of us. We enjoyed very much the peacefulness of the rural and rather difficult to access Koyasan village our temple was located in, as well as the peacefulness of our temple itself (we came during off - peak season so there were very few other guests). A thoroughly unforgetable Zen experience!

Food

Yudofu at Sosoan, a restaurant specializing in soy and tofu located near the Philosopher's Path. Kyoto is known for its excellent tofu.

An array of stewed goodies at the famous Nishiki market in Kyoto. This colourful and vibrant market is a foodie's paradise, and one of my favourite places visited.

Green tea desserts at the cafe of the famous Nakamura Tokichi, a green tea merchant and confectionist based in Uji. Uji, located outside Kyoto, is famous in Japan for its premium quality green tea.

This is one of my favourite meals this trip, called anago meshi (broiled conger eel on rice), a specialty of Miyajima. Anago meshi can be eaten piping hot straight from the kitchen or room temperature in a bento, but I prefer the former.

Maple leaf shaped deep - fried fish cakes sold near Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima. The maple leaf motif is pretty common in the Hiroshima Prefecture.

Another favourite meal, shojin ryori at the temple we stayed in Koyasan. Shojin Ryori is a Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, but while it may be entirely meat free, it is really pretty, delicious and healthy!

Breakfast at the lovely temple in Koyasan we stayed in, shojin ryori style.

Breakfast with grilled hoba miso (on leaf) on the side, in Takayama. Hoba miso is a specialty of the Takayama region, and it is so good with rice and grilled fish!

Hot - of - the - grill Mitarashi Dango is a popular street snack in Takayama.

The prettiest (and most expensive bento) I consumed this trip, eaten along the train journey from Takayama to Tokyo. It was a very well - balanced meal with great variety, but the only fault was that the brown rice on the bottom right corner was a little too salty. On the whole, though, it was a pleasant meal.

Awazenzai (red bean paste with millet), a specialty dessert from Umezono, a popular dessert shop near the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. I still don't know what those peppery tasting seeds in the little blue container is, but it helps to cut through the richness of the awa and zenzai mixture! Perfect!



 I believe that the easiest (and possibly the most fun way) to immerse oneself into a new culture is to have a taste of the local cuisine. Japanese cuisine is popular worldwide and I'm a big fan myself. Some may argue that Japanese food is bland compared to other cuisines such as Indian and Thai with their bold flavours, but the beauty of Japanese food is precisely this keeping of flavours simple. Often, with just a little of the right seasoning, the Japanese can make the flavours of meat, vegetables and seafood shine. Less is certainly more. Other reasons why I like Japanese food is that it is (generally) healthy and the presentation is often beautiful even for takeaway bentos at the train station.

 This trip to Japan, I decided to go beyond the familiar Japanese foods such as teriyaki, katsudon and karaage and focus more on regional specialities. Most of the food featured above are therefore unfamiliar to many including myself before I arrived in Japan. It was great fun eating my way around Japan! Markets are some of my favourite places as they offer an array of delicious street food that can be eaten on the go or plates of food to sample as one explores. Some regional foods I didn't like much, such as Onomichi  - style ramen, which came with cubes of lard on top on the soup noodles ( talk about a heart attack waiting to happen!). My Mum and I also found Takayama - style ramen too simple as compared to more famous ramen varieties such as Hakata's Tonkotsu ramen and Hokkaido's miso ramen (which is our favourite ramen of all). Nevertheless, the fun was really in trying out as much as you can, and discovering what you liked and didn't like so it didn't matter that some dishes failed to impress. My favourite cuisines this trip come from the Kansai region, specifically Kyoto, the regions surrounding Kyoto and Koyasan. Simple yet elegant and delicious, they capture the essence of Japanese cusine so well.

 Nature

Beautiful autumn leaves in Uji

Wild purple flowers in Inari

A rainbow appeared over the snowy mountains in Shirakawa - go

An aerial view of Mt Fuji, seen while flying back home to Singapore from Japan



The road to Okunoin in Koyasan, lined with tall trees (Cedar, I think)

Anyone ever noticed that many Japanese surnames and place names reflect nature? E.g. The 'yama' (mountain) in Yamamoto and Okayama, 'kawa' (river) in Kawasaki and Shirakawa - go, 'matsu' (pine tree) in Matsumoto, 'mizu' (water) in Mizuno, 'aki' (autumn) in Akihabara and Akiko and many more. The importance of nature is related to the significant role the Shinto religion/ spirituality plays in Japanese culture, as Shinto emphasizes respect of nature.

I was therefore unsurprised to observe that the Japanese appreciate nature more than many other cultures do. Why else would they travel just to see the cherry blossoms bloom in Spring and the maple leaves change colour in Autumn? I, too, enjoy revelling in the beauty of nature. One of my best memories from this trip is the walk through the huge cemetery outside Okunoin in Koyasan, weaving our way through graves, memorials, small shrines and towering ancient trees. Melting snow from the leaves and branches above dripped gently upon us like a shower of rain, and shimmered in the sunlight that pierced through the canopy. So beautiful, so Zen.

(Pop) Culture

Hyouka poster commonly seen around Takayama, the town this anime was based on. I liked this poster so much I went around asking many people where I could buy it, and was directed to the strangest of places (folk art gallery? pharmacist?). In the end, it turned out that this was an official tourism poster not available for sale, so I made do with purchasing another really nice Hyouka poster at a toy shop. I've now been inspired to watch the Hyouka anime!

Giant anime ads at Akihanara, Tokyo, the mecca of electronic gadgets and all things anime and manga!

Little boy playing with the water pump at the Ghibli Musuem, Mitaka, Tokyo

 When one thinks of Japanese culture, pop culture usually comes to mind. Japanese pop culture, particularly anime and manga, are very popular worldwide. Being a big fan myself, I always make it a point to stop by any shop I come across specializing in anime and manga merchandise whenever I come to Japan because of the sheer variety many of these shops offer. And if I happen to be in Tokyo, a short visit to Akihabara, that mecca of all things Japanese pop culture, is mandatory.

For this month's trip, I finally made my "pilgrimage" to the Ghibli Musuem in Mitaka, Tokyo! This museum has got to be one of my favourite musuems I ever visited. It has the same magical feel you get from watching the beautiful Ghibli films. Mum and I arrived on a weekday morning before 10am, thinking that it wouldn't be very crowded because it was, well, a weekday morning before 10am. How wrong we were. When we finally arrived at the musuem, there was a massive crowd waiting to enter, consisting mainly of international visitors like ourselves and locals. That crowd was a testament to the immense popularity of Ghibli films, which evidently cut across age and national boundaries. We all entered the musuem full of excitement, were collectively wowed by the very well - thought exhibitions (pity, though, that all the explanations were in Japanese!) and left with bags of lovely Ghibli souvenirs.

 Conclusion on My Experiences in Japan

One of my favourite pictures taken this trip - a man selling Battledores at the year - end Hagoita - Ichi fair at Sensoji Temple, Asakusa, Tokyo.

Rural mountain villages and bustling big cities. Traditional sho - tengai markets and glitzy malls. A pilgrimage of sorts to various temples and shrines and a pilgrimage of a different kind to the Ghibli museum. Not to mention eating my way through a diversity of regional Japanese cuisines. This may be my fourth trip to Japan, but never once did I feel bored, for there is a huge wealth of experiences to discover and rediscover in Japan.

Japan is definietly beautiful in the many ways I have described earlier, but what made all my trips to Japan truly beautiful was the hospitality and kindness of the local people. Truth to be told, before I arrived, I was a little worried about being discriminated in Japan. Japan is notorious for being an insular country where a clear distinction is made between locals and foreigners, so I was mentally prepared that people would not waste too much time on foreigners like myself. How wrong I was! There have been many occsaions of locals trying their best to help when approached, and service staff offering excellent service to the point of going the extra mile. I felt truly welcomed in Japan. At the end of my trip I realized that a meaningful and positive cross - cultural encounter is when both parties approach each other with an open - mind. For the part of tourists, it helps immensely to show that one is genuinely interestested and curious about the local culture. My own spoken Japanese is basic but I found that simply trying to speak the local language and being interested worked wonderfully well to break down barriers. "Doko kara kimashita  ka (Where are you from)?" " Shingapooru kara kimashita! (I'm from Singapore!)" "Aa, Shingapooru... (Ah! Singapore...)" Smiles are exchanged and a mutual understanding is reached.

Japan in the international news is usually not so positive: frequent changing of prime ministers, rapidly aging population, the aftermath of last year's earthquake and tsunami, gender inequality etc. All these are no doubt very real, but I never got such a depressing sense whenever I visited, simply because there was so much beauty around me to discover and rediscover. Japan will always be one of my favourite countries to visit. Sayonara, for now, I will surely be back again to visit when I can!

...... and there goes half my Honours year

To think that my last post (yes, it was quite a while ago!) was on graduation and embarking on my Honours programme!

Last Friday was the last day of lessons. For majority of my fellow UQ schoolmates, this week is study break and the coming Saturday would mark the start of the exam period. Not so for me. I submitted my final assignment for the coursework I did this semester on Wednesday, and went for my last day of coursework class on Friday. Honours students in my School don't have to do exams (thank goodness, I've done enough exams to last a lifetime!), so while most of my schoolmates are busy studying hard for their upcoming exams now, I've been indulging in some much-deserved relaxation over the past few days.

That's the thing about being an Honours student and not an undergraduate any more: your academic schedule is pretty different. This was one aspect of Honours that I found a little difficult to adjust to when I first started in July this year. My academic schedule is also different in the sense that I do a lot more independent study. The main feature of the Honours programme is the thesis, which I begin working on from the start of my programme and submit about a year later. Save for the occasional feedback sessions on thesis writing organized by my school, the thesis writing process is driven by me. It is up to me to decide how much time and commitment I want to put into my thesis, how often I want to work on it, seek advice and help if needed, what I want to write about, do my own research etc. Aside from writing my thesis, I also have to do two compulsory Honours courseworks, one for each semester. The coursework takes up about 2 hours of my week, which means the rest of the week is entirely up to me to decide how to spend it. This was pretty new to me at the beginning, because for all my life I was used to having lessons planned for me to attend most weekdays. Now, I am "my own boss", as my thesis supervisor likes to tell me.

Oh well, now that half my Honours programme has been completed, I'm pretty used to this kind of independent study. I also think more like an Honours student, in the sense that I am aware of the wider debates and contexts of my discipline. All thanks to the compulsory course I had to do this semester, which is concerned with the Philosophy of the Social Sciences. It's mind-bogglingly deep, complex and challenging, and occasionally a source of frustration because I was never good with philosophical and abstract concepts to begin with. At the end of it, however, I was proud to be able to go up to my lecturer and tell him that though I still did not understand the nuances and details of some of the debates we learnt about, I did understand the gist of the course as a whole and could see how it was relevant and useful to  myself as an Honours student and the thesis I am working on.

All that's left for now is to focus on my Honours thesis this summer holidays. I have not yet started the 17 000 word journey actually (yep, that's how long my thesis is supposed to be!), because I first had to submit a detailed Statement of Intent and get feedback on it. I've got my feedback already and my supervisor reckons that I'm ready to begin writing. Now if I could just muster the willpower to get started and stop myself from sinking too deeply into the holiday mood ......

Graduation

20th July will be one of those days in my life that I look back upon with immense pride and fondness. It was the day of my graduation, a day that marked a closing of one highly memorable chapter of my life and the start of a new phase that promises to be just as exciting.



The day was highly charged with a mix of emotions. I woke up that morning all excited, nervous and determined to look perfect on my big day. Two hours of fussing over my hair, makeup and clothes later, I was on my way to university accompanied by my parents, looking just as gorgeous and grown-up as I wanted. The first thing I had to do when I arrived was to collect my academic gown, trencher and the pearl-white hood all graduating undergraduates wear. I swear, when I put the full regalia on, I felt utterly transformed. It's hard to describe, but I felt like I had indeed become the mature and confident young woman ready to take on the world that I always aspired to be. The nervousness about going onstage or making embarrassing mistakes was replaced by a cool confidence and fierce pride in myself.


The hours before the ceremony were spent taking many photos of myself and myself with my parents in various parts of the school. It was, most thankfully, a beautiful sunny day with a clear blue sky, perfect for photo-taking. We had fun taking photos, but there was an underlying anxiousness about being there in time at the designated venue for the big ceremony, so we reported half an hour early. My parents and two friends who I invited to attend my graduation then left to find seats in the hall and I went to join my fellow graduates.



We graduates were the stars of the day. We entered the hall in a long procession, and the audience erupted in cheers and flashes of camera lights. So this is what it feels like to be a celebrity, I thought to myself. An opening speech was made, the first batch of students went up to receive their scrolls, the valedictorian gave a speech, the presentation of scrolls resumed and all too soon, it was my turn. This is it, I told myself as I watched by the side of the stage as the person before me received her scroll. Some of the nervousness I felt in the morning returned, but before I knew it, I was walking across the stage towards the Chancellor upon hearing my name being called. We smiled, shook hands, and I received my scroll with both hands and thanks. My moment in the spotlight was over in less than a minute. I then proceeded to a desk at the back of the hall to collect the remaining documents, which included my academic transcript and certificate. On my way back to my seat, I caught sight of my parents and friends smiling and taking photos of me. I beamed and stopped for a moment to show them my scroll and documents. The ceremony ended with a speech by the guest-of-honour, an alumni member. His speech, which was basically about how success is a journey and not a destination, struck a chord in me the most. I could not help but shed a few tears. The graduates then left the hall in a procession, this time with the precious rewards of all those years of studying and learning clutched in our hands. By then, I was overwhelmed with rapture.



I didn't want to remove my full academic regalia. The gown, trencher and hood were all markers of my new status as a graduate, and I felt so mature and sure of myself when I had them on. I spent a long time after the ceremony taking as many photos with my friends and parents as I could, while I was still able to keep on my full academic regalia . I did crazy and playful poses, looked serious for the more formal shots, tossed my trencher into the air and caught it, and reveled in the festivity and joy of that very special day. All too soon, I had to take off my full academic regalia and return it. For a moment, it seemed like the magic of the day had faded a bit. Then my parents suggested we head to a popular cafe in my favourite suburb for an afternoon tea celebration, a suggestion that was well-received.



As we made our way to the cafe, the words from one my favourite songs, 'We Are Young' by the American band Fun and featuring Janelle Monáe, entered my mind:

"Tonight,
we are young.
So let's set the world on fire,
we can burn brighter
than the sun."

Yes, on my graduation day, a fire was lit in me and I shone brightly from within. I am now on the verge of starting a new chapter in my life, my Honours year, and may those flames of passion, pride and confidence continue to burn fiercely from within and propel me through the rest of my life.

Living in Brisbane

My parents will be visiting really soon, for the main purpose of attending my graduation (see previous post), but while they are here in Brisbane I do intend to show them around. A number of fellow international students studying in Brisbane have remarked that Brisbane is a boring place to live in. Well, I guess it's true in the sense that Brisbane, being only the third largest city in Australia, does not have the big city vibes and excitement that can be found in Sydney and Melbourne, which are probably the two best-known and popular Australian cities. Indeed, when I visited Melbourne with a couple of friends recently, I could sense a difference in the 'feel' of the two cities. Melbourne was bigger, more crowded and more urbanized. My visit to Melbourne was a very memorable and enjoyable one, but I did also find myself being glad to be back in Brisbane and missing good 'ol Brissie.

I for one do like to live in Brisbane. What I like best about Brisbane is that it has a good balance of the urban and the country. That is, Brisbane has a thriving city centre and financial heart, but there isn't an atmosphere of stress and fast-paced living that you often find in many other major cities around the world. People are generally laid back and know how to achieve work-life balance. Also, beyond the city centre, the various suburbs and neighbourhoods have a nice, peaceful community feel to them.

As for the criticism that Brisbane is boring, my response will be that interesting activities and lifestyles don't fall from the sky onto your laps. There are interesting things to see and do in Brisbane, you just have got to look out for them, sometimes by going off the beaten track. Notging ventured, nothing gained. I also think that any city or country will eventually get boring, especially if you finish all the must-sees and must-dos promoted by tourism campaigns. The next stage would then be to immerse yourself in the local life and learn to appreciate local culture.

I do have my favourite hangouts in Brisbane, particularly the suburbs of West End and Fortitute Valley. At the same time, I enjoy discovering new places to hang out, the most recent being the suburb of Paddington, which has many excellent cafes and is a good place to go for vintage shopping. A favourite activity of mine is to go out for a delicious weekend breakfast, which seems to be a popular thing to do among locals, aside from going to the pubs and clubs for a drink and watching a footy match. When my parents visit later this week, I am definitely going to show them Brisbane as I know and enjoy it, and hopefully they'll fall in love with this great city too.

June holidays!

Now that I'm completely done with my Bachelor degree, I've been soaking up the sweet, sweet freedom the June holidays bring by chilling out as much as I could.

First, some updates on myself: I will be graduating next week (gasp! so soon!) and am gearing up for the big day. My parents will be coming over from Singapore to be present on this special occasion. Unfortunately, my younger bro is unable to come as he is busy with schoolwork. After graduation, my Honours programme will begin! Yes, I have been informed that I met all the requirements to do my Honours and am looking forward to getting started :D

Meanwhile, I have been enjoying my precious free time as much as I can. Unlike previous holidays, I did not go back to Singapore to visit this time as I felt that it will be better to stay behind to settle the various Honours application stuff. Also, a few good friends of mine are graduating and returning to their home countries for good, and I wanted to spend time with them since we may not meet again. There's not a whole lot to do in Brisbane so I've given myself little projects to do over the holiday. My aim is to pursue my hobbies as much as I can now that I have free time, as I know the Honours programme is going to be a busy one. So far, I've completed Book 1 (Game of Thrones) of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series and the Game of Thrones TV season 1, made Chinese steamed bao and pounded a new batch of Thai green curry paste, kept in touch with some people important to me, caught up with good pals of mine, ate at my favourite eateries and discovered new favourites, did some shopping, resumed manga-drawing and finally got a chance to travel to Melbourne! Yep, life is good, really good!

Keep an eye out for more posts, I'm hoping to blog more about my life in Brisbane :D

Shake it out, shake it out ...

Someday, if I ever get to meet the amazing Florence Welch from Florence and the Machine, I want to thank her for her song 'Shake It Out'. It's one of the most powerful and moving songs ever, and it's basically about shaking out your fears, letting go of your regrets and bravely embracing a new beginning. The song has helped tide me through many dark days of fear, uncertainty and self-doubt.The lyrics (especially the lines "It's always darkest before the dawn" and "It's hard to dance with the devil on your back") and Welch's powerful vocals somehow help to soothe my emotions and make me feel braver.

I began the morning of a brand new week by playing this song aloud on my laptop. This week is significant, because I've two final exams, probably my last school exams ever for the rest of my life. As mentioned in the previous post, I'm applying for my Honours degree, which I hope to begin next semester. These two final exams will count towards my overall grades, which my Faculty will use to assess my final Honours application, so I'm determined to do my best. I've prepared as much as I could for these two exams already, but every now and then I still find myself panicking about them. As always, 'Shake It Out' reminds me to let go of my anxieties and just embrace the exams without fear.

Do have a listen to the video above (lyrics are included). I find that this song resonates most powerfully when played loud while your eyes are closed. 'Shake It Out' is definitely one of my favourite songs and I have a feeling I will continue listening to it for comfort and strength for a long time.

Have a great week everyone, and wish me luck!