Full circle

This marks the close of a significant chapter of my life



My memory of Japan
(Taken at that instance when the clouds cleared)
Landed myself a job at my firm of choice
Hanging out with loved ones that I havent seen for a year
Life is surreal. Its as if I have never left
Yet, when I see sushi and bento, a faint pang of longing hits
I had grown immensely, more certain, more secure, recharged
My viewpoints will never be the same
A treasure chest of memories, laughter, and promises

Dear friends, this will be the last post. Thank you for coming this long way with me, through 4 seasons, through ups and downs. I will be starting a new blog, somewhere. Just ask :P

Return Flight

SQ 990 Fukuoka to Singapore

When do I feel that I am home? The moment I board the plane, when I hear the stewardess, in a Singaporean accent, ask me if I want a copy of the Straits Times, placing the nice hot towel on my face while getting to drink Tiger Beer while listening to Stephanie Sun and Jay Chow. I'm already home.

Farewell party #6

With Chihiro, Hiroko & Keigo





Last dinner in Japan: Ippudou ramen. I've converted!

Farewell Party #5

With my friends from the Masters Law course in Kyudai, Hawaiian Restaurant, Daimyo



Frankly, I was overwhelmed. I could have never expected a more meaningful night. I would have been happy if just 5 people showed up, because 3 of our papers were due the day after, and everyone had yet to finish them, and the thesis was due very soon. It was an emotionally tough night for me, especially after Carlo gave me the DVD of the photos we took and the movies he made of us, after talking to everyone of them individually and hearing all the personal words of encouragement from each of them, Reall, this year has been so meaningful, in part because of friends like them.

Thank you guys, so, so, so much. I will never forget this night, not with the grouchy man in the bus telling the whole lot of us to shut up, and the policeman incident at the beach after our takeaway supper of MOS burger. Haha. Hilarious. Bittersweet memories interlaced with the poignant dash of regret. I will never forget this year.

Canal City

Muji Cafe, Canal City Fukuoka



Tetsuya & Albert were taking me shopping for Japanesey souveniors for my friends that wont break the bank nor my suitcase.



A nice Sunday afternoon chillout at Muji cafe, which i have incidentally never patronised because... er... i was always very frugal with my own spending. Its a great way to relax, with the water fountain beneath us :)

Sunday's rest

Riding home from Church on a sunday morning my eyes gazed upon this splendour:



This is the day that the Lord has made

Downtown Park

Keigo Park on a Saturday's Summer Night

Farewell Party #4

With my Singaporean friends here in Fukuoka, and Emi & Friends




Kushiage Restaurant, Daimyo
Never knew Daimyo had such a great range of restaurants until I am about to leave. This is really fine Japanese dining at its best.




Thank you guys for being with me through ups and downs these 10 months. I appreciate our friendship :) I will be going back to Singapore first, see you guys soon!

Last Karaoke

Emi and Yasuko dressed up like this to surprise me.. haha... and i was! Don't you think Japanese ladies look that much different in yukata? I noticed they even carry themselves differently





Ultra thick song books to choose that particular song you fancy



In Daimyo's biggest Karaoke club on dunno which floor.

Maid cafe

Jumping right out of anime into reality is the maid cafe, where pretty girls serve you lunch, all dressed in frilly outfits fit for manga anytime. On entry, they chorus "welcome home, master" and treat you like a king. Hence, an otaku hotspot for sad single TVgame addicted men. We're foreigners, so we lose the "loser" label upon entry heh heh



Maid Cafe, Kita Tenjin



Me and Alex, with the maids in the background and what is being touted as ice kachang
We werent supposed to be taking pictures of the maids (you could, they charge you) but we did



With lovely Sev! I could have asked the maids to write "Master James" on my curry rice but decided not to after seeing Sev's disapproving look. hurhur!

Farewell Party #3

After not sleeping the whole night to finish the papers, I passed all of them up, said goodbye to my academic supervisor Prof Fenwick (the ultimate coolest professor ever! and I am not just saying that because he is my supervisor) and then headed down to Tomoko-san's new place in Hakozaki where she cooked a nice farewell lunch for me



I always had an impression of what lovely little old ladies should be, and Tomoko-san fits the bill to a T.



I will miss her cooking lots



This is one reason why Fukuoka always felt like home: their danchi reminds me of HDB flats

....



And its goodbye to another 2 of my students, who took me out for a Royal Host dinner on our last lesson.

A day in the life of

Usually I post things noteworthy. But since I am leaving already here's a peek into a typical, mundane day of Agent Jared's life:


Leaving Ryuugakusei Kaikan
My place, the cheapest place to stay in the whole of Fukuoka, i reckon


Taking out the trash, which we have to sort (burnable garbage, non-burnable garbage, pet bottles, cans... you get the drift)


Post Office
Finalising my Ministry of Sound Membership. I love my law firm!


Cycled to Kashii town


Sent my Yukata for cleaning


Just walking around


I realise how much more attention i pay to my familiar surroundings now that I am leaving. Camera in hand, i walked around, thinking to myself "hey I didnt know there was a shop like this here" or "hey the building's architecture is rather old". As i took this shot, an old lady beside me commented "Its rare, isn't it?" I agreed wholeheartedly, without telling her that I had walked past this street for more than half a year without noticing


Cigarette Vending Machine, something never seen in Singapore


100yen shop
I just needed a felt marker and some duct tape for packing purposes but i ended up buying a hundred and one other things. how typical.


Lunch at Osho, my favorate cheap eat


Will miss eating at the bar counter


Nagasaki Champon & Gyoza


Then its back to Jusco, the shopping centre across the road from my place. Its great living here i tell you.


Jusco's array of bentos.


Today's haul. Grape Juice and Meiji Yoghurt. We have to pack the stuff ourselves


Toys R Us Nintendo Game section. I'm addicted. So was the kid.


Picked up some new games today. Pah abit of Bleach before dinner


My students Shiho and Naoya hard at work at the quiz I set for them


Learning English drives you nuts. The same applies for Japanese to me haha
Its our last lesson today. Sigh, everyday this week I say goodbye to 1 or 2 students. :(


Now its back to writing my paper. I doubt I will be sleeping tonight I have 5 more pages of Comparative Japanese Law to crap about. ARGH.


Ok. a typical mundane day in my life. i dont think many of you would have made it this far given how boring my life is haha

Last Day of School

Law Faculty, Kyushu University

Last day of class today. A mindblowing intensive 10am - 6pm class where we did our moot for the mock trial. I can say that this was easily the most intensive class the whole of this semester, but I have learnt loads; not merely about international commercial arbitration, but also about myself and where my skills/preferences lie, as in more of a negotiator/corporate lawyer than a litigator who has to plead his case before a judge. Then again it was fun doing this mock trial, but I dont want to do this for a living. its different. Thank you team, you have been great!~



Cleared out my desk



Najima Bridge

I cycle this route home everyday but I have never once felt it worthy enough to be photographed. Maybe I do now.


Najima Bridge Sunset