Fifth month in Japan

Welcome August, the second month of summer. Things are going pretty well so far. Summer in Japan is associated with festivals and of course fireworks. However, as the weather is hot, I lost all my desire to go to any places out there. My seniors told me to enjoy this summer as much as possible before the class started in October, but no. I can't enjoy things this way.

Ahh, alright, where should I begin...
Nothing much happened in my research, I tried my best to push my sluggish brain do it faster. So far there are not much improvement. Just do whatever I can.

Typhoons! Yeah...
Summer in Japan is also related with typhoons. Some places got hit hard this year such as Hiroshima and places around there. My friends who live near the area sent pictures of floods and landslides. As for Nara, this place is nicer when there was typhoon. Only strong winds and nice cloudy weather. The bright side? Lower temperature. Usually, during summer, the temperature can reach 33 to 35. But whenever a typhoon is coming, 2 days prior to the typhoon, the temperature could go as low as 27 which is very nice with cloudy sky.

I went to Kobe for Hanabi on 4th August. My friend from my country is currently learning Japanese in Kobe, so we promised to see each other. It took around 2 hours to get to my friend's place and we went to Motomachi from there. I stayed a night at her friend's room. We cooked curry that night and unfortunately bought a wrong meat. Her friend can't eat pork so I gave that meat to another. During my way back she tagged long with me to Amagasaki for an English mass. It was a small church but with AC!!! Finally!!! I planned to ask her to pay for the meat, but I decided to ask her to give the money to the church. What happened next is when I was heading back, one of the church members came and asked us to join a birthday + farewell party of their Philippines fellow. They served spaghetti and rice. Oh well,.. God gave my money back this way.

On August 6th afternoon I got a task to buy ingredients for Prof's birthday party. I with Aini, one of intern students went to Aeon. We missed the last bus so we walked back to our dorm at 9 PM. The next day I didn't come to the lab but work on my things from my room. In the afternoon I went to the lab to distribute the things. On Wednesday, I completed my work and tested it with my supervisor. One task done. A good thing achieved during this crazy week. He also asked me to go for ramen next week. I don't know if he will remember it. He showed me several photos of Hanabi from his father-in-law apartment. It was much much beautiful than what I saw in Kobe. Damn! ...

4th August was my Prof birthday. This year, our lab celebrated it on 9th August somehow. He turned 60 this year which according to Japanese beliefs, it marks one full cycle of a person's life. That means that my professor revert back into a baby once again. LOL. The party was great. The next day, I woke up at 11 AM and went to the lab for cleaning duty. It was quick. My PhD senior asked me and several other students to go to karaoke. Honestly, I never been that interested for these kind of invitations so I never go to karaoke until that day. I had refused his offer several times before, but this time I joined them. Let me tell you one thing. I don't regret my decision.

After the karaoke we went to ramen restaurant. No, I don't like the taste that much, but still edible. Ah, whatever. It is who you eat your food with that matters the most. I spent 2000 yen for our lab party, 1200 yen for the karaoke, and 900 yen for the ramen. Ok. Enough spending this month. As from today to 15th August Japanese are having Obon holiday to give chances for people to go back to their hometown and pay respect for their passed-away family members, I think the lab will be empty. Time to be productive and save my room electricity bill. Hahaha...

So as for the interns, they are returned to their country in August 24th and 29th. Because of that, we had a farewell party together with one of my senior who just graduated. He is in Melbourne right now together with his GF. Damn, why they can maintain LDR... (cries in the corner)

That's my first August and also, time really flies. It is already my 5th month here...