The Deal

As we get older we realize we're not flexible enough to spontaneously learn new things anymore. If there is any outer force that could encourage us to try new things,nesessity at office might be one but close friend's influence sure has a large impact.
Back when my boyfriend and I were simply just friends I'd given him a deal that "we would go on a date if he gets above 900 on TOEIC within a year." Obviously I had no affection towards him back then for it was an unbelievably high deal considering his score being just around 500, it amazed me when he marked over 800 2years later.(And then I couldn't wait forever so instead of renewing the deal for another year, I decided to reward him in advance)
Now we encourage eachother to explore many new things starting out with Korean followed by Morse Code(deeply inspired by ALIAS, an American TV show), now a billiard game to be added on the list.For one or two of these close friends who tell me I could do more, I feel my life is enriched.

Article 9

Guys, would I be over acting? How often do these things happen and are tolerated as necessary sacrifices? I just can't help revealing this experience of my friend's who'd had to testify in court for unwillingly becoming a close witness to a tragic accident.This past MC member in Korea who currently serves in the military has written me that a grenade had exploded and 2 mates were killed in front of him during one of the drills. Though we all admit what terrible damage a war causes most countries won't stop training their men in the army, steadily preparing for the coming war and what's worse ocassionary sacrificing them by mistake.
As enacted in the Japanese constitution Article 9, Japanese nation don't posess a military force and yet I feel even worse about my country having to politically subordinate to the US to be protected under their nuclear umbrella and barely observing the constitution.We are such happy-go-lucky poeple to only argue the understanding of article 9 when we face crisis like having to send Self Defence Force to Iraq or any country America's fought.The idea of apealing to arms still being the ultimate way of maintaining order in this world irritates me.

Portkey

Collecting postal stamps have long been one of my hobbies.When I counted up to 5000 from 100 different nations I gave up keeping track but I keep them all nicely filed inside an album. The postal stamps are like "portkeys" to knowledge. The exciting part of collecting stamps are learning about different countries from the design,language,and currency on it and this is how I gained interest in world geography, history and languages.
Tonight I was adding some new stamps to my collection and this is when I came across a stamp printed "S TOME E PRINCIPE" I usually recongize most countries but Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe was not in my dictionary.It's a small country -about half the size of Tokyo- on Sao Tome island south of Nigeria and west of Gabon.Since I'd never heard of the country I thought it might exist very quietly never attracting the world's attention even perhaps standing outside this borderless world. However this is not true at all. They trade with countries like England, U.S., Netherland, Portugal and they even have diplomatic relations with Taiwan! I am ashamed of how ignorant I am of Africa and realize how far east we are located.

Shakira's teachings

I'm currently playing Shakira on my stereo and wondering,"who in the world started this Shakira craze in AIESEC?" Even among numerous aiesec dance numbers,"Ojos Asi" and "Whenever,Wherever" must be aiesecer's favorites. But then I come to think I might be the only one wondering such a thing considering her fame in Latin America and the rest of the world.Since Japanese value the lyrics when listening to music there are very little chances Spanish singers catch attention here and Shakira was no exception. To aiesecers in Japan "Ojos Asi" had somehow been introduced as "Turkey" by some past conference delegates that I'd long though it was some local music from Turkey.I'd only known the truth and how famous she was when I recognized "Whenever,Wherever" played on a radio in a hostel in Bratislava right after Expros02.Watching the members dance Shakira at conferences, it astonishes me what power aiesec holds to penetrate same ideas, activities and cultures to 80 plus countries around the world even if there were slight distortion along the implementation process.It makes me believe harder, there's got to be more we could do if 50,000 youths around the world share the same vision.

Carpe Diem

It's always hard to be certain of the right time to make a decision, especially when it comes to those you make once in a lifetime.Here's an interesting story I've recently heard about one of our MC team mates.
On becoming finantially independent last year, he wanted to express all his graditude to his parents. So he came up with this great idea last Christmas to get them a principal product from each and every 47 prefectures in Japan. The family had been enjoying the food when suddenly he himself got terribly ill from eating an oyster. It had been really serious for he had hovered between life and death during the next few days.When he regained conciousness, he says he felt he needed to live harder and not postpone whatever he's willing to do in his life for he couldn't be so sure of his life expectancy anymore.So the first thing he did was to propose and this is how he got a lovely fiancee at the beginning of this year.
I'm really happy for him and other MC mates who are currently engaged.Congrats and best wishes!!

Stroop Wafels

Have you ever doubted the truffes and foie gras being the most delicious dainties in the world? Might not we appreciate something we're more used to eating? I guess we each have certain taste we just can't let go of, although it's not that delicious nor gorgeous when seen objectively. I think taste is strongly related to the environment you enjoy the food and if you are anxious about certain taste, you might be trying to relive the enjoyable time in the past. This is why I set a goal "To learn a new taste I'll be crazy for the rest of my life" during my traineeship in India.
Well, taking curry every meal was more or less my eating habit back then (Oh yeah, I bet the film "Super Size Me?" wouldn't surprize the Indians) and yet even the Shahi Paneer -my favorite Indian curry-didn't seem "the taste". For over a year now I was lost and wondering what the taste would be that strongly triggers my experience in India until today I ate the stroop wafels brought back from the Netherlands by my sister. In Delhi I shared a flat with 2 trainees both from the Netherlands and one of them had brought these wafels from home. The stroop wafels aren't the best sweets in the world but it suddenly reminded me so many things that happend in our flat in Lajpat Nagar, Delhi. And I understood this was why I anxiously asked my sister to get it for me. Never imagined it would be something outside India.

Responsibilities and Rights

2nd Monday of January is "Coming of the Aged" national holiday in Japan. Each city give a ceremony to the newly aged citizens, and girls dress up in kimono according to the tradition. Since one of the ceremonies took place in front of my apartment, the street was flooded by kimono worn girls this morning.
On one's 20th birthday we would automatically be considered an adult, legally permitted to drink, smoke, and vote in this country. However, I guess most of us aren't any different from the day before when we obtain these rights. It's been 3 years since I came of age and I still haven't voted in my life yet meanig I haven't learned what to do with my rights. I might be one of the worst ones but it's not easy to act as a sensible citizen.

Greatest assets

I can't forget a session from APLDS2000 in HongKong imagining what aiesec would look in the year 2005. I remember how excited delegates all looked visualizing "aiesec2005" in front of them. Back then 2005 seemed so far away, I can't believe how fast the time has flown.
Now that I'm out of the organization I hardly know about the discussions on re-defining our visions and roles but when 2005 came around I couldn't help looking back at what we've achieved during the past 5 years and ask my self whether the world today is anything like what I'd imagined back in HK. We may have not achieved the 10,000 exchanges, the world peace still seems out of reach and yet I'm not all that pesimistic to this question.
Last night old mates from aiesec-sfc got together to drink. We were all newies in the year 2000, and some contined to work for the organization throughout their student life while others eventually chose to concentrate on their studies or otherwise on other activities. Now that most of us are out of school, we've all taken different paths. I don't know how often they regard themselves as aiesec alumni but in their faces, I remembered the days we worked hard for one purpose and how they live the spirit today. AIESEC has taught me that people are the world's biggest assets and the driving force that makes changes to this world and I was proud to see some of these people around me.

My EBs 01-02  

My new year's day

My new year's had been too typical but I'm writing it anyways in hopes that it might interest someone in another part of the globe.
On the first of Jan., families :grand parents, cousins, aunts and uncles get together to have morning feast. My family always celebrate it at my mom's parents' house in Kyoto and so we traveled 2 hours by car that morning. The traditional tablewares only used on new year's were placed in the guest room and we enjoyed typical dishes that are believed to bring good fortune.
After meal we visited the graveyard, a shrine and other relatives' to give greetings. The day is dedicated to all of this, nothing interesting in particular except for one thing. Perhaps without the tradition of "Otoshidama" these tedious greeting traditions must have died out much earlier. Because of Otoshidama; the tradition of giving money, children in Japan look forward to the new year's to this day. This year was the first new year I didn't look forward to, for I was no longer getting one, but had to give in return. I have 2 little cousins and a brother but it was pretty awkward to give them money just because I started working few years ahead of them. I could tell my brother feeling the same uneasiness but that's how the tradition is, and it's nice to do some good deeds on the start of the year.

New Year's Resolutions

As long as you work for a Japanese company, it is important to follow various traditions in this country, one of which is to send out New Year greeting cards to your colleagues. (While all my friends exchange greetings through SMS and e-cards, post card greetings are required in this case) Chinese zodiac or photo printed postcards are common but I like to share how I'm getting along -summary of the past and hopes for the coming year-so this is when I came up with this year's resolutions.
1. Keep my room clean
not to keep unexpected guests waiting outside the door while I clean
2. Learn to speak Korean
beat my friend in it (don't ask why korean??)
3.loose weight
all times girls favorite resolutions:)

Putting a little more pressure on me by publishing this...Watch!