4 days to go...

最近、色々あった為にかなーり疲れている。友人にどうしたの？疲れた顔していると言われてる。仕事もモチベーション下がってしまって、ここらでre-chargeとしないと、あと半年弱も頑張れないかもしれない。ストレスには強いつもりだったけど、違うことが諸々重なるとダメみたい。２週間のお休みまで残り数日、それまで持つか？（まだ飛行機代さえも払ってない！！）ブログで弱音をはいてもどうしようもないんだけど、取り敢えず近況ということで。

I am completely exhausted lately because of both personal and professional things. My friends tell me that I have bags under my eyes.... To be honest, I feel de-motivated in my job as well which is unlike me ( I usually like my job). I really need to rest and focus on myself, otherwise I am not going to last another 5 months of this. I thought I can handle stress, but when multiple things happen at a same time, I am not as good as I thought. I am really counting down till my vacation and I don't know if I will survive till then.... I should be writing something more positive on my blog, but this is really the update...

Jobs wanted

先週の話しだけど、３年ぶりに面接をした。面接官じゃなくて（来週面接官の仕事が２件あるけど）。しかも私が苦手な電話面接。最初スカイプで始めたけど接続が悪くて、家電話もつながらない。それで、仕方なく、有料のスカイプでこちらからかけ直し。なんだか出ばなを挫かれてしまって、調子が出なかった。

久しぶりの面接でかなり緊張したけど、これからまた求職するにあたっては良い練習になったかな。

仕事は国連ではなくて、でもアフリカ。内容は今の仕事と似ているので、良いかなと思ったのですが、聞いてみると３０人以上いる事務所のナンバー２だということで、ちょっと無理だと思う。もし万が一オファーされても、荷が重すぎます。

他にも少しずつ出しているので、何か引っかかれば良いな。

World Cup is over...

I jumped on the band wagon and closely followed the World Cup matches this year, even though I may not know all the technicalities (now I am better). With some bitter-sweet memories, I can catch up on my sleep (with the time difference, the final went on until 3 am here...). Now, two friends of mine are visiting, but I am so completely swamped with my job, I cannot even take a single day off to show them around. I even have to work late and feeling like a horrible host. I shouldn't be even writing this and just do my job... off to a meeting now

Lunch Party

Still on the same topic about colleagues....

Today I had some colleagues over for lunch (six of them). It was a sort of spill-over of the Friday Night Vodka Club member +.

I made sushi, tempura (shrimp kakiage to be more precise), seaweed salad and Okonomiyaki (Japanese savory pancakes) etc, and they all disappeared instantly, which was a good sign. They particularly liked Okonomiyaki (regular one and Kimuchi flavored one)

This was in a way a very very belated house-warming party, as I have not really invited people since I moved to my place. Since I started living by my self in the past 2-3 years, it is such a joy to cook for others and have dinner/lunch party. The best part of living on my own is having my own kitchen, and this apartment has a very nice spacious one.

My colleagues/ friends all brought drinks and some helped me to cook, rolling sushi etc....

I have been feeling little down lately, but this lifted my spirit.

Happy Friday!

After a very long and stressful week, Friday has finally arrived.

Today after work, we had an office party (pre-celebration of official event, the World Population Day). We were all encouraged to wear a national/ ethnic dress to celebrate the diversity. So, I have pulled out very very old Yukata (cotton Kimono) from a box, which I can't even remember the last time when I worn it. I practiced ting the belt -obi twice the night before after staring an instruction paper for a while.

Too bad that I can't really post the photos (without the permission of my colleagues and this site is a secret of course), but it was really nice. Most of my female colleagues wore sari; my African boss wore her national dress and male colleagues also put on their various ethnic outfits. I am the only one in Yukata. I was suddenly very popular and everyone wanted a photo with me, which was really funny. I should do this more often to make my job easier... :).

The office has its own set of problems, but I love my colleagues and so lucky to be surrounded by many nice people.

We had some delicious snacks and wine on the rooftop of the office building.

浴衣なんて着たの何年ぶりだろう。職場で大好評でした。みんな帯の技（？）に感心していた。

七夕

今日は七夕ですね。

今日は、久々にダンスのクラスに行って、七夕ディナーと（口実を付けて）日本食レストランで夕ご飯を食べてきた。梅酒ソーダも飲んじゃいました。仕事が只今ストレスフルなので良い気分転換になった。

前に好きだったけどふられちゃった人のお誕生日でもあります。（人の誕生日が覚えられやすい日しか覚えられない！！）

停電中のうちのエリアは星も綺麗。笹飾りはないけど、私も何か願いが叶えば良いのにね。

Going home soon

Well, I have not written about my work for a long time, but I am working. It is crazy as usual. I have somehow recently became a kind of mental health and psychosocial focal person in my office and handling some heavy topics. We will be collecting data on "suicide" in some research this year, and I have been reading and thinking about suicide a lot lately.

I have tentatively booked my flight to Japan to go on home leave the first 2 weeks of August. With everything these days, I am quite exhausted and I really need a break. My short (actually less than 2 weeks) holiday seems already filling up with plans, and I am not sure how resting it will be. But, certainly it will be good to be home and be around my family and see friends. It is probably the worst time to be Kyoto given the hot and humid weather... I hope I will manage. I can't even remember the last time when I was home in summer (because I usually avoid it).

My next three weeks are almost completely booked up with another recruitment duties, my own project work and some humanitarian assistance related strategic meetings. Non-stop always!!!

Exchange drive

When I was chatting with my girl friends over drinks a while ago, we were wondering “what people do with presents from your ex-boy friend(s)?”. It is interesting how people react to this and maybe their past in general. Some are still good friends with their exs, and for others, it is too difficult to be that way. It applies for gifts as well. Some still use the items, and others (including me) cannot use or wear them (especially jewelries), since it is too sentimental. You can’t use them but you cannot easily throw them away.

I read somewhere that according to Fengsui belief, it is not good to have these items hanging around you, which will keep new relationships from coming (do you believe this?!)

So, what we invented is “ex-boyfriend gifts exchange drive”. You exchange gifts that you have held on but don't know what to do with, with your friends. Your friends' sentimental items are just "things" for you and does not mean anything obviously, so it works.

I have recently gotten rid of a few things (particularly when I moved to a new apartment) and also through this "initiative" and it actually feels good and liberating. "De-clattering" life is always good ;)

Relaxing weekend

Went to a pool and swam almost after 2 years. I finally had a chance to wear my bikini that I bought before coming to this country. I had barbeque lunch and spent a half day swimming and chatting on a lounge chair with my two girl friends.

Finally connected at home

I am finally connected at home, which will help me to keep in touch with my family and friends, and hopefully I would spend more time on job applications now.