MakingTheDifference: November 2009

(Note: I wrote this post 4 days ago but kept in in "draft" -never published-. I still have lots of things to say, therefore, I warn that in the next couple of days I am posting everyday. Now is Saturday and I am getting ready for a international dinner and party organized by a fellow colleague to celebrate our final "language module". Mata ashita! Tot morgen! Hasta mañana! À demain! See you tomorrow!

As the title says, this is the final week in Waseda. Actually tomorrow we have an oral presentation in Japanese and on Friday written language exam. This week is also full of deadlines and quite busy but the reward is around the corner because we are off most of next week. On Monday is National Holiday (this time "Labour thanksgiving day") and I will go to Korea (among others, I will check if Koreans are really the "latins" of Asia! ;-))

Last week I had to go to Kyoto for work. I met colleagues from my office in Europe and spent some time with my colleagues-to-be (starting to work in Tokyo on Monday, November 30th!). It was a pleasant time in Kyoto (worth to visit city -for those who want to visit it-). During the weekend I stayed in the area and went also to Osaka. I had a curious experience with a couple of Japanese men that, at different times on Saturday afternoon, approached me (but I will tell you the rest of the story in private since there are kids reading this blog!! ;-))

Yesterday we visited the factory of Nissan in Yokohama. I particulary enjoyed a lot. I love visiting factories that have lots of automotion and complicated machines! I came back home with a replica of a beautiful sports-car :-)

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan. It is located so close to Tokyo that it seems it is a "neighbourhood" of the capital. Yokohama has a harbour and was there were 150 years ago Japan decided to "open their frontier to the rest of the world". It is a very recent historical moment and in Yokohama many events are being organized this year. I remember Yokohama because there there is a big Chinese community but above all because last month there was a huge "Oktoberfest"!!

It was also surprising to see in Osaka, next to the impressive "Umeda Sky Building" http://www.kuchu-teien.com/english/index.html that some people were working on setting a typical German Christmas market.

Speaking about events and important dates, I would like to mention that this year also it is celebrated the 400th anniversary of the Japan-Dutch relations. I knew about this commemoration before I came to Japan but unfortunately I haven´t been able to visit any of the exhibitions or participate in the events neither in The Netherlands nor in Japan . For more info http://www.400jaarhandel.nl/

Around three one month ago the Dutch Prime Minister visited Japan but it was a "express" visit.

Ah! Japan is "the place to be". Besides Zidane and before him Scarlett Johansson, later on it was Brad Pitt´s turn. We had chances to see him because we had an "exclusive" event in Ginza that weekend, actually on the Bulgari building. And last weekend, the turn for Barack Obama!