Lukas and Martina in Japan//japan.lukas-prokop.at/blog/2016-10-09T17:00:00+09:00Sign language2016-10-09T17:00:00+09:002016-10-09T17:00:00+09:00Lukastag:japan.lukas-prokop.at,2016-10-09:blog/sign-language.html<div id="preamble">
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<div class="paragraph"><p>※ This article discusses the 9th of October 2016.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>During the night, my coughing worsened. I woke up and lost my voice. It hurts a lot to speak and eventually leads to coughing. So I did not show up in the study room as planned to meet Martina and stayed in my room. Time to tidy up things and write the remaining blog articles. At 12:30 Martina got hungry and visited me at my room. I told her in sign language about my problem. The question raised, whether there is some special Japanese sign language. Indeed, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Sign_Language">there is</a>.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>We decided to go towards the train station. Martina discovered a restaurant nearby and we wanted to try it out. On Sunday, it seems to be closed. So we headed for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7-Eleven">Seven-Eleven</a> conbini. I was curious whether my account balance increased with the money transferred from Europe 3 days ago. Nope, the balance stayed the same. Even though we got some lunch, we were unsatisfied. Finding a clothes line for both of us was a necessary requirement. So we continued our search at the supermarket. Unsuccessful again, we found some dinner. We headed back home again. We came across a sign showing "Minatojima Shopping Center". We got curious which kind of shops there are on this island. As far as I know, besides IKEA, a few supermarkets and a few conbini, nothing of interest can be found on this island. Next time we will check it out. While eating lunch we discussed Japanese courses and how I/we can make some progress. We recognized that we didn’t buy water. We will check out the Shopping Center this evening. We might be able to find a clothes line we are still looking for.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>In the evening we met again and went back to the sign. It indicated to go upstairs some stairs we didn’t know so far. We ended up in a nice shopping center. On the left and right side we found shops such as a Fast Food chain, a barber, a phone company, a shoe retailer and a supermarket. As I didn’t plan for a dinner specifically, we went for dinner at the Fast Food chain DomDom. The food was presented in an American style and contained many fat, sugary and fried products. However, the packages are smaller and equipment was still Japanese. It was a funny experience. I ate some fries and Martina got some Cheese Nuggets. I drank Coca Cola and Martina got some toxic-green artifical-tasting drink. I don’t remember its name. I like my fries, but didn’t like Martina’s food.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>We continued our journey at an 100-Yen shop. It offers many small gadgets and household products. We were mainly interested in a clothes line. Martina found some <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genk%C5%8D_y%C5%8Dshi">Genkō yōshi</a>; a paper defining a particular structure where to put characters on a paper. Furthermore it defines squares to put Kanji into. This way students learn to stick to a certain size when writing Kanjis. Martina needs the paper for her Writing class. I joined in, because of my interest in typesetting I was familiar with Genkō yōshi from the Wikipedia article and where is a better place to buy some than in Japan. I found some hashi. In the supermarket before lunch, I bought a set of 100 cheap chopsticks. Those chopsticks are meant to be used one time and thrown away. Depending on the quality, wood might chip off cheap chopstick. Good chopsticks (as in ramen restaurants) are mainly built from plastics and feature rough end to avoid food slipping off when grabbing it. So I had 100 cheap chopsticks and bought them to ensure that I have always some at home. But I was actually looking for 1-2 plastic hashi as I have just found. So I bought 2 hashi and now had 101 chopsticks available (I used one pair for lunch). Furthermore both of us got a bowl of plastic to eat some cereals, noodles or alike. Finally we found a solution for our clothes line dilemma: We found a simple rope strong enough to hold our clothes. 30 meters was 15 meters longer than required, but it enabled both of us to dry our clothes outside. I washed my laundry on Friday for the first time and Martina was about to do it today. It was a hazzle without a line on Friday. Our balconies have some supporting elements, but the line was missing. As far as the washing machine and dryer is concerned, unlike we were told at the Residence Orientation, we cannot insert coins directly, but necessarily need to buy cards for 1000 Yen.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>Afterwards we visited the supermarket in the Shopping Center. I started to recognize that conbinis are more expensive and have a smaller product palette, but feature extended opening hours. Supermarkets on the other hand have a much larger selection of products and at lower prices. We went through the shop mainly to understand what is available. We both bought water and also Kellogg’s cereals for the morning.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>In the end, it was a day with lots of shopping. But we discovered a new part of Hiratojima. Also I start to feel like I learn how to handle food supply and generally buying products for daily life.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>I am sorry, if anyone was waiting for me online this evening. Because I have no voice and I was still at the Shopping Center, I was not in the video conferencing room. I also did not inform people. I need to work on my information policy.</p></div>
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Day of Typhoon Chaba2016-10-06T01:06:00+09:002016-10-06T01:06:00+09:00Lukastag:japan.lukas-prokop.at,2016-10-06:blog/typhoon-chaba.html<div id="preamble">
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<div class="paragraph"><p>※ This article discusses the 5th of October 2016.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>Being sooo tired last night and with a remaining jetlag, I woke up at ~9:00. However, we did not make it until 12:30 to work productively.</p></div>
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<pre>Only because Martina entered my room. Eventually I dragged her into my bed and we slept both in bed until about 12:30. She was mad at me for doing it 😇</pre>
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<div class="paragraph"><p>On Wednesday, Typhoon Chaba was expected to hit Japan. In South Korea two people died because of the Typhoon, but being in Osaka Bay provides a certain safety. Therefore no warning was issued the whole day. I asked my Japanese teacher the previous day whether classes take place and he point out "No classes" (batsu - no!). I didn’t worry, because my study plan does not have classes on Wednesday and I would stay at home anyways. Martina on the other hand has her first Kanji classes (if I remember correctly).</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>So I woke up in the morning and she brought food she bought last night after I went to sleep. I was still too tired to get up and just offered her a place in my bed, which worked out. We rested for another few hours. Eventually I took a shower and we tried to cook some noodles. You buy some plastic packaging with ingredients, heat up water and pour it into the plastic packaging (in the shape of a bowl). After a few while, you can eat it. Apparently the water cooker is not for everyone, but provided by a student. Therefore it was not in the room this time and we ate our dinner: rice with vegetables and Martina got some rice too. We warmed it up in the microwave.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>During the day, I started to watch videos of my MOOC and therefore studied Graphical Probabilistic Models. Afterwards I finally managed to deploy the <a href="/">website</a>, the <a href="/gallery">gallery</a> and this blog.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>What about the Typhoon? Yes, classes took place anyways (probably the Japanese teacher meant that he does not hold any classes tomorrow?!). Yes, the storm was recognizable during the night according to Martina and also at ~15:00 and from 16:00-21:00. The air was very warm and it was windier than any other day. It also rained multiple times. Especially during the mentioned times. The <a href="http://www.jma.go.jp/en/warn/332.html">JMA</a> even issued a warning at 17:00. The university rules state that if no warning is issued at 6am for the morning, classes in the morning take place. If no warning is issued at 10am for the afternoon, classes in the afternoon take place.</p></div>
<div class="paragraph"><p>So in the end, it was a day at the residence. I didn’t leave the residence. Anyways, enough was left to do.</p></div>
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