Oct 2008
Party at Mr Hiro's
26/10/08 11:29 Filed in: JET
picking apples and grapes in Otaru
25/10/08 11:52 Filed in: JET
hoheikyo dam and futami park
19/10/08 21:46 Filed in: JET
Beautiful
place.
To really appreciate the beauty, see more of my photos here.
Enjoying Autumn, I am!
To really appreciate the beauty, see more of my photos here.
Enjoying Autumn, I am!
Celebrating Hari Raya at my apartment
19/10/08 20:26 Filed in: JET
Learning Japanese/Chinese
19/10/08 20:05 Filed in: JET
So I was
invited to write the Chinese/Kanji Character for
“moon”. It was my first time!
I think I’ve never held a brush to do calligraphy before. I have written arabic letters before, but not with a brush!
It was interesting! I have to thank the teachers there for the warm welcome.
Is this ok?
Great Japanese Teachers
Teacher on the left looks likeHK actor Anthony Wong Chau Sang!
The P and VP
I think I’ve never held a brush to do calligraphy before. I have written arabic letters before, but not with a brush!
It was interesting! I have to thank the teachers there for the warm welcome.
Is this ok?
Great Japanese Teachers
Teacher on the left looks likeHK actor Anthony Wong Chau Sang!
The P and VP
In the biggest elementary school in Sapporo
14/10/08 21:36 Filed in: JET
Celebrated Hari Raya in Sapporo!
So last
Sunday evening was a great day for me. I got to have
Malay cuisine!!!
Feels great to have rendang, ketupat, lontong, satay gravy. Heavenly.
I have to thank Mr Halim for inviting me. The celebration was held at Hokkaido University Hall. It was organized by the good Malaysian community there.
Here are some photos, most of them courtesy of Mr Ice and group photos are nicely taken by Mr Mahzan.
Hokkaido University Hall
Hari Raya Celebration hosted by the Malaysian community at the Hokkaido University’s Hall (enyugakusha) Photo courtesy of Ice
Quite a large spread!
Buffet style
The buffet style feast is prepared by the ladies from Malaysia. Ice man contributed cakes from his mom in Brunei. Photo courtesy of Ice
Lontong
Damn I love the lontong and especially satay gravy!!! Photo courtesy of Ice
Look at that rendang! I think I had 3 rounds of serving
Feels great to have rendang, ketupat, lontong, satay gravy. Heavenly.
I have to thank Mr Halim for inviting me. The celebration was held at Hokkaido University Hall. It was organized by the good Malaysian community there.
Here are some photos, most of them courtesy of Mr Ice and group photos are nicely taken by Mr Mahzan.
Hokkaido University Hall
Hari Raya Celebration hosted by the Malaysian community at the Hokkaido University’s Hall (enyugakusha) Photo courtesy of Ice
Quite a large spread!
Buffet style
The buffet style feast is prepared by the ladies from Malaysia. Ice man contributed cakes from his mom in Brunei. Photo courtesy of Ice
Lontong
Damn I love the lontong and especially satay gravy!!! Photo courtesy of Ice
Look at that rendang! I think I had 3 rounds of serving
Nusantara
Malaysian,
Bruneian and Singaporean delegates Photo courtesy of
Ice
Everyone that attended
The
Malaysian community here in Hokudai is pretty
large.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VISITS
11/10/08 09:05 Filed in: JET
This
month of October sees me going to several different
elementary schools in Sapporo.
Some are small, some are huge!
But almost all that I’ve been to have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of children enrolled in schools.
I can see this without even the teachers telling me. I saw lots of empty shoe racks for school children right outside of schools.
I spoke to teachers there and they said the number of young people in Japan is decreasing. However the baby boomers of the post world war II era are getting really old. Puts a lot of financial strain on the economy because of the lesser workforce. The Japanese government are also strained because they ust support the many unemployed and retirees. Not to mention their policies of subsidies for healthcare. This is a real problem.
Things will not look so bad if the younger populations are more than the elderly.
You know a good thing about Japan is that, I don’t see any old people working in McDonald’s. Compare that to Singapore. Where the government encourages old people to continue working till they die. In Singapore, its not an uncommon sight to see old people; men and women, so old their bodies are bent and they can no longer stand straight. We see these people pushing carts collecting papers, cardboards, tin cans just to make ends meet.
Unbelievable.
Well, anyway I digress.
Here are pictures of my visits!
INTERNATIONAL REALIZATION CLASSROOM
Students love this room. They got to see pictures, flags, music of other countries.
JAPAN AND SINGAPORE
Kimono and Baju Kurung. I didn't bring kain samping or songkok.
SCHOOL LUNCH
Students pay a fee every month for school lunch. They all have the same food to eat.
I was told by a teacher that the system of “school lunch” goes way back during the post-world war II era when Japan was in dire need for help in rebuilding their country. The UN came up with this system and it has helped the nation tremendously. The school lunch was a success that it continued till this day. I didn’t eat the school because of my religious restrictions. So I brought my own lunch!
EXCHANGING GIFTS
Exchanging gifts; ketupat with Japanese paintings
I weaved the ketupat, since its currently Eidul Fitri this month. Also ketupat weaving is part of the Malay culture. By the way these are the staffs from the huge Elementary school here in Sapporo. Standing next to me i the Principal. He looks like uncle Ben in Spiderman movie.
YAMA
The sky was very cloudy. But you can see the trees on the mountain have turned orange and yellow.
ITS AUTUMN!
Nice cool weather. The whole place looks nice too the surrounding area are seemingly bathed in assorted colors!
I like Autumn. But I still have got to get used to the cold and chilly winds!
Some are small, some are huge!
But almost all that I’ve been to have seen a dramatic decrease in the number of children enrolled in schools.
I can see this without even the teachers telling me. I saw lots of empty shoe racks for school children right outside of schools.
I spoke to teachers there and they said the number of young people in Japan is decreasing. However the baby boomers of the post world war II era are getting really old. Puts a lot of financial strain on the economy because of the lesser workforce. The Japanese government are also strained because they ust support the many unemployed and retirees. Not to mention their policies of subsidies for healthcare. This is a real problem.
Things will not look so bad if the younger populations are more than the elderly.
You know a good thing about Japan is that, I don’t see any old people working in McDonald’s. Compare that to Singapore. Where the government encourages old people to continue working till they die. In Singapore, its not an uncommon sight to see old people; men and women, so old their bodies are bent and they can no longer stand straight. We see these people pushing carts collecting papers, cardboards, tin cans just to make ends meet.
Unbelievable.
Well, anyway I digress.
Here are pictures of my visits!
INTERNATIONAL REALIZATION CLASSROOM
Students love this room. They got to see pictures, flags, music of other countries.
JAPAN AND SINGAPORE
Kimono and Baju Kurung. I didn't bring kain samping or songkok.
SCHOOL LUNCH
Students pay a fee every month for school lunch. They all have the same food to eat.
I was told by a teacher that the system of “school lunch” goes way back during the post-world war II era when Japan was in dire need for help in rebuilding their country. The UN came up with this system and it has helped the nation tremendously. The school lunch was a success that it continued till this day. I didn’t eat the school because of my religious restrictions. So I brought my own lunch!
EXCHANGING GIFTS
Exchanging gifts; ketupat with Japanese paintings
I weaved the ketupat, since its currently Eidul Fitri this month. Also ketupat weaving is part of the Malay culture. By the way these are the staffs from the huge Elementary school here in Sapporo. Standing next to me i the Principal. He looks like uncle Ben in Spiderman movie.
YAMA
The sky was very cloudy. But you can see the trees on the mountain have turned orange and yellow.
ITS AUTUMN!
Nice cool weather. The whole place looks nice too the surrounding area are seemingly bathed in assorted colors!
I like Autumn. But I still have got to get used to the cold and chilly winds!