So, EUROPE here I come!!!!

To cut the long boring story short, two weeks ago, Campus France sent me to DELF A2 test. The test was started from listening, grammar, essays and ended with oral test. FYI, I dont speak French and seldomly heard people speaking in French. Anyway, I only had 3 days to prepare before the test. Luckily, I have a committed and fussy teacher who always stand-by through skype and MSN hehehee…

On the D day, I went to Campus France with no confidence except faith that there’s always a way when you have a will. I sat alone in an empty room during the test. Well, as predicted, i screwed up the test. How come they expect a completely foreigner who is still on Japanese mode on to speak French???! I even said “hai” and “wakarimasita” when the test giver gave me instructions (( and one other thing, I am going to France to study French. After the test, I chatted with the people who gave me test about my situation. I cannot do anything except crossing my fingers that they will give me an exception and give a positive recommendation for my visa to the embassy. Due to their hectic schedule, they scheduled me for an interview on the following week, as the final step to get their recommendation.

I was interviewed by the manager of Campus France, a French lady who -thank God- speaks English. The interview went well and actually I wish I had more time because I had many questions for her. She said that I dont need to wait for the recommendation, they will send it directly to the embassy.

I finally submitted all the documents required to the embassy last friday and now crossing my fingers that everything will turn out as planned so I could leave on 23rd. Meanwhile, I will spend more times with those people I love at home before -probably- leaving them again soon.

Not only struggling with French, I also have to fight with bereaucracy to arrange the time line of my visa application.

First challenge was to gather all the information, I did this two weeks ago. In my country, to get a student visa, we’re not only need to deal with the embassy but also with what so called “Campus France”. Unlike other country, at least in compare to Japan, Campus France is more than an iformation agent but also have power to give a recommendation about your visa that will significantly affected embassy’s decision upon your visa. They also will give French test as part of your visa application. At the beginning, I was pissed with this unreasonable rule. My intention to go to France is to learn French, and now they’re expecting me to reach certain level of French proficiency before studying the language, what kind of LOGIC is that???

Moreover, they’re required me to translate the documents such as diploma, transcript and birth certificate into French. Well, due to the culture, I fully understand about this rule. BUT, I have to go to a legitimate translator that appointed by them, and he’s f@$&!n slow. My documents were supposed to finish within 2 days, as he said in our first contact but in the end with many excuses, it took 6 DAYS, D@$n!!!!!

Anyway, I realized that would be no use to complain since i have a very limited time. So within a week, finally I could manage all the documents sent from France. I felt so sorry for the UPS guy who delivered my documents in the middle of the night but I was so impressed with his dedication to his work. UPS is lucky to have him.

Donc, grace aux merveilleux reseaux sociaux (en l’occurrence Facebook), je suis tombe sur cette video:

Click here to see the video.

S’il faut bien avouer que certains sont tres tires par les cheveux, d’autres sont assez bien trouves et m’ont fait beaucoup rire… En fait, apres une petite recherche (tapez “hallucinations auditives” sur youtube), il est facile de trouver d’autres videos:

Click here to see the video.

Bon pour la prochaine video, je demande pardon en avance a toute personne de nationalite russe…:

Click here to see the video.

Je suppose que ca aide egalement d’avoir l’esprit mal tourne/pervers. Mais ca me fait penser aussi quand j’etais petit et que j’entendais une chanson en anglais ou autres (les gipsy kings). Vu que je comprenais rien, je remplacais par du Francais avec ce qui s’en rapprochait le plus… Mais je ne vais pas me rabaisser a donner un exemple

After difficult games, France managed to qualify for Euro (only going through some kind of loser bracket).

While some nations are obviously going to deliver (Spain, Greece, Croatia, Lituania, …), some like France are outsiders. I’ve been disappointed with French national team’s results for quite a while now, especially considering the potential of the team and the number of players who currently are in the NBA. I think France does not have good shooters, no strong and tall center, their FT% is ridiculous, … and they lack of regularity. The time where I woke up very early to watch every single game of France at Sydney’s Olympics in 2000 is far behind now…

So tonight, I’m gonna watch France vs Germany (without Nowitzki), knowing that France could very well lose or win by 20 points. Then I’m gonna pray they make it to the Olympics…

It’s like Mulder in the X-files, “I want to believe”…

France vs Germany – Half time update:

Not surprisingly France is behind (4 or 5 points). Let’s sumarize:

- France sucks at FTs (nothing new)

- Tony Parker/ Boris Diaw transparent, but really what is Boris Diaw doing on the court, does he even wants to play?

- Big up to Ronny Turiaf, so active and into the game… I even forgive his low % at FT. Big up to Florent Pietrus for his defense also.

- I think De Colo is bringing the spark offensively, but in defense, caramba!!! Always late …

- Anyway generally speaking France is not defending…

Mmmm, so what it’s gonna be in second half?

Update after the game

What if Tony Parker had not scored these three baskets at the end of Q4?

Some comments about the game:

- Boris Diaw, wakkkkkeeeee upppp and move your ass… It looks like you have the mobility of a center

- Ronny Turiaf was great in this game, though some defensive mistakes and FTs %

- FTs! FTs! PUT THEM IN! Come on they are professional players and they barely score 1 out of 2…

- Same thing for 3 pointers. Tony, when you see it’s not going in, it’s not going in!

- Surprised by Nicolas Batum, first time I really see him play in a game. Maybe needs to shoot more and be more agressive and it will be perfect.

- Koffi, just no comment, same goes for Bokolo (who barely entered the game anyway).

- Guys, D-E-F-E-N-S-E! Although I saw improvement in Q4, but the first 3 quarters were a joke.

After this game I watched most of Spain vs Serbia.  Quite easy win for Serbia, surprisingly, especially considering they don’t have any star this year.

So during my intership I got a coupon for a discount on their newest burger (don’t remember the name, and don’t know these kanjis (although I could look for them, but laziness has me):

So after getting my Japanese driving license (details in the next blog post), I saw a Lotteria near the Driving center, and I still had the coupon, and it was lunch time, and I thought why not? So I entered Lotteria for the first time…

First thing you notice when you enter, the design of the the restaurant is not as nice as a McDonalds. McDo has more stylish restaurants, looks kind of cheap, but it’s “design”. This Lotteria looked old inside, no music, no people…

I get to the counter and order the burger with the coupon and get my discount. Fries are about same as McDonalds, but when I received the burger, I thought, wow it’s kinda smaller than the picture… Size is about the same as a Quarter Pounder, except that I thought the bread/meat ration is bigger than in McDonalds, I got the feeling of eating bread with a small steak. Secondly, this burger had nothing special, it’s like a Big Mac but smaller.

Since it wasn’t enough, I wanted to try another burger, so I tried the Cheeseburger. Result: better than McDonalds, but a much higher price. I finished my meal with a milkshake, or should I say, melting vanilla ice cream. Nothing compared to McDonalds milkshake, one of the best in terms of quality/price ratio (100 yens!).

It’s good to have a change once in a while, but… It’s not like when I was in England and I discovered Burger King (XL Double Bacon Cheeseburger, aaaaahhhh I miss u!), Lotteria won’t replace McDonalds as long as I am in Japan. Anyway, the closest lotteria from my university is more than a 100km away, so I guess it does not really matter…

1,

Click here to see the video.

2,

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and 3-0:

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Post-game interviews:

Click here to see the video.

Click here to see the video.

Better luck next time! Also I don’t know why the Japanese TV shows height and weight of Japanese players each time they touch the ball…

I think I have heard somewhere that they have the objective to be finish at the 4th place of the coming 2010 World Cup.

“It was a good experience” said a wise man