Final confirmation

Now it's definitive. I'm approved as a Monbukagakusho exchange student!! Meaning: from April this year I'll go back to Japan as a researcher, and I intend to go through my MSc. there.

Another meaning: this blog will resume it's original purpose (keep in touch with friends in Brazil... and write some stories about Japan) shortly. But with an addition: some friends that live in Japan and that I won't be able to meet as often as before may do the same (as some have been doing since I returned to Brazil).

Thanks to all who helped, supported or collaborated in any other way for this!

There're also some other things to write about, but they'll have to wait. I want an exclusive post for this one.

Floripa!!!

Finally, after about 2 years, I went to the beach again...

From Jan 2nd to 4th I was in Florianópolis with William. Both of us invited by Juliano and Simone who live there.

The only thing in the way was a 10-hour-long bus journey...

Leaving on Monday night, we arrived on Tuesday morning there. And off we went...

The first day was dedicated to the beaches. Since it was (obviously) impossible to visit them all, our guides recommended some...

Jurerê - basically we played beach volleyball and spent the rest of the time inside the water...

Joaquina - sandboarding!! I thought it'd be easier for me who'd already snowboarded before, but it wasn't. Well, I've never learned how to brake anyway... heheh... That was surely the highlight of the day. Ah... and sliding is very good, but climbing back is tiresome... I missed a ski lift...

Mole - It was close anyway... a choice to end the day.

Second day. At Lagoa da Conceicao. After tiring our legs climbing dunes, time for the arms to get some work. In other words, canoeing. Then, we changed for a paddle boat. That was an interesting one. It had a slope, so we could also play in the water.

After (late) lunch, a little of futsal and, as the weather was a little rainy, we went to a LAN house...

But for dinner... shrimp. And a lot! And relatively unexpensive! Since if I only tell few would believe, I have a picture:



That, plus rice, french fries (also in the picture), salad and mayonnaise... all for R$ 62,50. More a less US$ 30,00...

For the third day, we decided to change the saltwater sea for freshwater pool. So we went to a club and spent the day at the pool and playing sports (some strange, but interesting mix between tennis and volleyball) and truco.

By the end of the third day, it was time to face the long trip again... this time back home. Three days well spent!

And, of course, special thanks to our hosts / drivers / guides: Juliano and Simone!!

童話

Some time ago, a music video was (I believe that still is) popular among people who like asian music (J-Pop, K-Pop, etc.) here. That was the music "Because I'm a Girl" (Kiss).

That clip showed some sort of romantic story with a sad ending. Since it's a Korean song, I have no idea what the lyrics are about, but some friends have told me that it doesn't exactly match the video.

Anyway, this time a friend who is in Japan (well... I don't know if he's Japanese... long story) showed me another clip that reminded me of "Because I'm a Girl". The title of the music is that one written as the title of this post (童話), but it's in Taiwanese. That means I don't know how to read it properly. But, it has also a meaning in Japanese, that's "Fairy Tale". I suppose the meaning is the same.

The clip is embedded below. Enjoy

Fantastic 4... Reloaded

First of all, happy new year for those who still read this blog! (Anyone...?) May 2007 bring happiness, fulfillments and all those adjectived nouns.

But I'll start the year talking about things of the previous one.

Well, Christmas Eve and Christmas itself were spent with family and relatives. You know, dinner, amigo secreto (or Secret Santa, but with some changes), meeting people you haven't met for a while... Good time indeed, and something that I have to admit I missed when I was in Japan (well... only while I could stop to think about that. I've spent Christmas with other Brazilian exchange students in Nikko, so I also had lots of fun). But I'd bore other people if I started describing the events.

Another interesting thing that happened was that, while sending Christmas messages to friends, one that I've not met for years, Leon, said that he was around. And, for my surprise, the other friend (Fernando) who lives in another town was also nearby.

Some background: during junior high (more a less), I started training judo. And some years (I guess) after, I got along with other three people who also practiced judo at the same dojo and liked video games. So, whenever possivle, the four of us tried to get together at someone's house to play and enjoy. But getting the four together was a rare occasion. There's even one time when finally the four got toghether... and then a blackout happened...

Ok, but after some of the group started getting into university we never managed to join all four again.

So, after some phone calls, we finally set another reunion... after about five years. Although it was basically a lunch and chat in a mall, it was good to revive old times... especially at the arcade corner.

But, since the blackout episode, we say that when the four get together, something goes wrong. This time could be no different. We asked someone nearby to take a picture of us (hey, that's a memorable occasion!), but it's a little... well...