In two days............ I'm going back to work! Yep, it's been 28 months of a sort of 'sabbatical' during which I moved with Bibu and Mr M to Tokyo and experienced the expat-wife life in all it's Asian glory. There was also that earth-moving thingy that happened back in March this year, but let's not spoil the memories.
I guess, however, that come Thursday, the one thing I will be asked over and over at the office will be 'how was living through an earthquake'. But well, cannot complain. The hype of me returning to the office will probably wither out after a few days. Will make sure I milk the prodigal daughter thing as much as I can. I am even considering baking some apple and cinnamon muffins, see? They will love me, hahaha.........
September 1st will also mark the return to school for Bibu. I have been mentioning this event to him a few times over the last few days, along with the fact that from now on I will also work. I wonder how it would be like. Hopefully the change to longer days will not be too tough on him. We'll see.
In the countdown to the D Day, things are pretty tame at home. Weather is Belgian crapitude at its best, cold as winter and grey, grey, grey............. Not much going on except trips to the supermarket intertwined with stops in the park, at the pet shop, at the toy shop, at the book shop............. and so on. Plus long indulgent afternoon naps. All that will change soon, so might as well enjoy it, right?
Ta-dah for now !
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Sunday, 17 July 2011
Easy Sunday in Brussels
So, yes, we're back in Brussels. In fact, we've been back for over three months, writing in my blog not being an obvious priority, obviously.
Anyway, been back, my parents came in late April to visit and stayed for over 5 weeks. Bibu had his first stint at a Belgian pre-school during June. I enrolled and completed a 20-hour driving course at a very cool driving school. Visited the Antwerpen Zoo and Planckendael about 4657313644360 times already this summer. Went an incredible three times to the movies (OK, one was to watch Cars 2 with Bibu, so that probably doesn't count) and even managed to meet up regularly with friends.
Today, in view of the totally impredictable and now frankly crazy weather we are having in good old Brussels, I arranged to meet up for brunch with my boss (who's also a friend). She's not from Brussels, so I decided to show her the bringht lights of the city (ha-ha) and we went to this place in Brugman square. It has a terrace where one a sunny day you almost need to fight with your teeth to get a table. But today, we had a good sense to look for a place inside, which quickly became more crowded than outside. Anyway, had a nice chat on all things work and gossip, dusted with a bit of our personal lives quests and challenges. It was really nice. After brunch, emboldened by the few rays of sunshine coming through, we went for a little walk in the nearby park Tenbosh, which is one of my favourite parks in Brussels.
After that, I arrived home to a very silent house. Bibu and Mr M were sleeping the siesta very sweetly, so I let them be. I retired to tackle more earthly matters, like the Kilimanjaro of ironing that has been waiting for me for over two weeks.
And so, that was my Sunday. Nothing too earth-shattering, but a nice girly chat and some plain domesticity. Sometimes, it's all one needs.
Anyway, been back, my parents came in late April to visit and stayed for over 5 weeks. Bibu had his first stint at a Belgian pre-school during June. I enrolled and completed a 20-hour driving course at a very cool driving school. Visited the Antwerpen Zoo and Planckendael about 4657313644360 times already this summer. Went an incredible three times to the movies (OK, one was to watch Cars 2 with Bibu, so that probably doesn't count) and even managed to meet up regularly with friends.
Today, in view of the totally impredictable and now frankly crazy weather we are having in good old Brussels, I arranged to meet up for brunch with my boss (who's also a friend). She's not from Brussels, so I decided to show her the bringht lights of the city (ha-ha) and we went to this place in Brugman square. It has a terrace where one a sunny day you almost need to fight with your teeth to get a table. But today, we had a good sense to look for a place inside, which quickly became more crowded than outside. Anyway, had a nice chat on all things work and gossip, dusted with a bit of our personal lives quests and challenges. It was really nice. After brunch, emboldened by the few rays of sunshine coming through, we went for a little walk in the nearby park Tenbosh, which is one of my favourite parks in Brussels.
After that, I arrived home to a very silent house. Bibu and Mr M were sleeping the siesta very sweetly, so I let them be. I retired to tackle more earthly matters, like the Kilimanjaro of ironing that has been waiting for me for over two weeks.
And so, that was my Sunday. Nothing too earth-shattering, but a nice girly chat and some plain domesticity. Sometimes, it's all one needs.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Japan's biggest earthquake in Japan............and we were there....
So, probably everyone knows about the 8.9 earthquake that shook Japan yesterday afternoon. In the almost two years I live in Tokyo, this has been by far the worst and apparently Japan's worst in 140 years, since they begun recording them.
I wrote my experience of the moment of the quake for Argentinian newspaper La Nacion. Here is the transcript (it's on Spanish only, sorry!)
"El sismo se sintió súper fuerte en Tokio. Yo estaba en casa con mi hijo de 2 años y de repente, a eso de las 14.50 hora local de Japón, se empezó a mover todo. Fue muy fuerte y duró mucho, como dos minutos fuerte y otros cinco un poco más leve. Cuando paró un poquito empecé a preparar la mochila que tenés que tener lista en caso de evacuación, con un poco de agua y comida, una radio a dinamo, etc, y agarré a mi hijo para irnos afuera. No se cayó nada dentro de mi departamento, pero las puertas anti-fuego del edificio se habían accionado todas. El portero estaba muy asustado pero vino a decirnos que según la radio no había que evacuar, pero como yo estaba tan nerviosa preferí irme para el parque cercano a casa donde es el punto de encuentro en caso de catástrofes. En la puerta de calle ya estábamos reunidos casi todos los vecinos del edificio, con nuestros hijos y nos fuimos al parque y ahí se sintió otro temblor fuerte, tanto que un taxista se bajó del taxi que se movía horizontalmente con mucha fuerza. Los cables de electricidad (en Japón son aéreos por los terremotos) se movían un montón, lo mismo que los árboles. En el parque Arisugawa, donde nos reunimos, hay una estatua ecuestre de bronce pesadísima que se movía un montón. Estuvimos en el parque como dos horas y luego fuimos a casa de una amiga que vi en el parque, que vive cerca y en planta baja. Ahí nos quedamos otro par de horas, sintiendo varios temblores leves más. Dicen que hoy hubo más de 40 temblores en Japón. Todo el transporte público se cortó y el tráfico es un caos. Mi esposo tuvo que volverse caminando de la oficina una hora y media a pie y le prestó una de nuestras bicicletas a un colega que vive a 50 kilómetros de Tokio porque no funciona ningún tren. Hace dos años que vivo en Tokio y, en general, los japoneses ni se mosquean cuando hay un temblor. Esta es la primera vez que los veo súper asustados. Pero eso sí, súper bien preparados. Por ejemplo, enseguida la gente se puso el casco anti terremotos y veías muchos nenes con la protección para la cabeza. Y la gente súper ordenada. Vi por la calle mucha gente con bolsitas con comida y botellitas de agua, comprando mucho como para pasar la noche o un par de días, pero ninguna escena de histeria ni pánico. Ahora vamos a intentar dormir un poco, pero hay un temblor leve cada 30 minutos más o menos, así que calculo que va a ser una noche larga."
Right now, we are closely following the news on the issues at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Apparently the latest news say that the radioactive leak has been small and there is no immediate risk for Tokyo. It's surreal times. There are still tremors as I write this. In all honesty, I just want to be out of Japan as soon as possible. We are living in a month's time to Belgium, anyway. But I cannot wait. We are even looking into available flights out of the country..... I just hope things stabilise and the tremors end. My thoughts go to all the afected people, people in the refuges and the ones who have lost family members or friends. It's a horrible experience and we in Tokyo got it relatively easy.
I wrote my experience of the moment of the quake for Argentinian newspaper La Nacion. Here is the transcript (it's on Spanish only, sorry!)
"El sismo se sintió súper fuerte en Tokio. Yo estaba en casa con mi hijo de 2 años y de repente, a eso de las 14.50 hora local de Japón, se empezó a mover todo. Fue muy fuerte y duró mucho, como dos minutos fuerte y otros cinco un poco más leve. Cuando paró un poquito empecé a preparar la mochila que tenés que tener lista en caso de evacuación, con un poco de agua y comida, una radio a dinamo, etc, y agarré a mi hijo para irnos afuera. No se cayó nada dentro de mi departamento, pero las puertas anti-fuego del edificio se habían accionado todas. El portero estaba muy asustado pero vino a decirnos que según la radio no había que evacuar, pero como yo estaba tan nerviosa preferí irme para el parque cercano a casa donde es el punto de encuentro en caso de catástrofes. En la puerta de calle ya estábamos reunidos casi todos los vecinos del edificio, con nuestros hijos y nos fuimos al parque y ahí se sintió otro temblor fuerte, tanto que un taxista se bajó del taxi que se movía horizontalmente con mucha fuerza. Los cables de electricidad (en Japón son aéreos por los terremotos) se movían un montón, lo mismo que los árboles. En el parque Arisugawa, donde nos reunimos, hay una estatua ecuestre de bronce pesadísima que se movía un montón. Estuvimos en el parque como dos horas y luego fuimos a casa de una amiga que vi en el parque, que vive cerca y en planta baja. Ahí nos quedamos otro par de horas, sintiendo varios temblores leves más. Dicen que hoy hubo más de 40 temblores en Japón. Todo el transporte público se cortó y el tráfico es un caos. Mi esposo tuvo que volverse caminando de la oficina una hora y media a pie y le prestó una de nuestras bicicletas a un colega que vive a 50 kilómetros de Tokio porque no funciona ningún tren. Hace dos años que vivo en Tokio y, en general, los japoneses ni se mosquean cuando hay un temblor. Esta es la primera vez que los veo súper asustados. Pero eso sí, súper bien preparados. Por ejemplo, enseguida la gente se puso el casco anti terremotos y veías muchos nenes con la protección para la cabeza. Y la gente súper ordenada. Vi por la calle mucha gente con bolsitas con comida y botellitas de agua, comprando mucho como para pasar la noche o un par de días, pero ninguna escena de histeria ni pánico. Ahora vamos a intentar dormir un poco, pero hay un temblor leve cada 30 minutos más o menos, así que calculo que va a ser una noche larga."
Right now, we are closely following the news on the issues at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Apparently the latest news say that the radioactive leak has been small and there is no immediate risk for Tokyo. It's surreal times. There are still tremors as I write this. In all honesty, I just want to be out of Japan as soon as possible. We are living in a month's time to Belgium, anyway. But I cannot wait. We are even looking into available flights out of the country..... I just hope things stabilise and the tremors end. My thoughts go to all the afected people, people in the refuges and the ones who have lost family members or friends. It's a horrible experience and we in Tokyo got it relatively easy.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Eight little boys in kimono
So, last Friday was the day of the delayed photoshoot with all the boys from Bibu's class at kindergarden. A while ago, all maums had agreed on organising a photo session with the boys dressed in taditional kimono, at a small photo studio in the same floor of the Acachan Honpo shop in Gotanda. I thought it was a great idea, as it will be a wonderful souvenir for Bibu of his friends in Japan, specially since it looks like we'll be heading home for good end of April (iupiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!)
Anyway, the first date we agreed upon had to be cancelled as Bibu was sick, so last Friday was the re-scheduling. It went fairly well, considering the appointment was right after school, early in the afternoon, which is the nap-time for most of the kids. By the end of it, they were all cranky, tearful and sleepy, but we managed to get a couple of nice photos of the whole bunch. At least some where noe of them was picking their nose/ crying/ trying to escape/ all the above.
I chose a green jacket kimono for Bibu and he kind of stood out among the more demure blue and grey kimonos of the Japanese kids. Probably a gaijin faux-pas, but well, it's not about blending in the background, uh? Will share the result as soon as it becomes available. Watch this space.
Anyway, the first date we agreed upon had to be cancelled as Bibu was sick, so last Friday was the re-scheduling. It went fairly well, considering the appointment was right after school, early in the afternoon, which is the nap-time for most of the kids. By the end of it, they were all cranky, tearful and sleepy, but we managed to get a couple of nice photos of the whole bunch. At least some where noe of them was picking their nose/ crying/ trying to escape/ all the above.
I chose a green jacket kimono for Bibu and he kind of stood out among the more demure blue and grey kimonos of the Japanese kids. Probably a gaijin faux-pas, but well, it's not about blending in the background, uh? Will share the result as soon as it becomes available. Watch this space.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Please, February, end once and for all!
Yes, indeed, please. Just go away. You have brought us.....
1) stomac flu. All three of us had it on your first week back from Argentina. Nothing to feel more at home than a good old gut-spilling bug to begin the Chinese new year in top form. The worst I've felt in years.... Made me realise how great is to have good health and how trully minor things like a stomac bug can ruin your life
2) more sickness for Bibu, as in 6 days of continuous high fever courtesy of an ear and throat infection. Lovely....
3) depressing weather... I'm done with the cold, ok?
4) depressing reading: Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" is a great book, but surely not for February, right?
5) Mr M being away on a business trip for 10 days (also, said business trip was to Belgium, so big envy vibes going on) Add point 5 to all previous points and you get the picture.
So, I won't me missing you, dear February 2011. Bye.
1) stomac flu. All three of us had it on your first week back from Argentina. Nothing to feel more at home than a good old gut-spilling bug to begin the Chinese new year in top form. The worst I've felt in years.... Made me realise how great is to have good health and how trully minor things like a stomac bug can ruin your life
2) more sickness for Bibu, as in 6 days of continuous high fever courtesy of an ear and throat infection. Lovely....
3) depressing weather... I'm done with the cold, ok?
4) depressing reading: Sylvia Plath's "The Bell Jar" is a great book, but surely not for February, right?
5) Mr M being away on a business trip for 10 days (also, said business trip was to Belgium, so big envy vibes going on) Add point 5 to all previous points and you get the picture.
So, I won't me missing you, dear February 2011. Bye.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
A first in Tokyo
Bibu is playing next to me on the sofa (yes, the yellow one) and watching his 51651752175626 episode of Thomas the Tank Engine. He (Bibu, not Thomas) has been sick since Monday evening, when a low fever started. When the low fever turned into 40 degrees yesterday evening, I called the doctor and made an appointment for this morning.
As I suspected, he had an ear infection. It's been his first ear infection since we live in Tokyo. He used to have them very often in Brussels, what with the chilly and damp weather being the ideal weather for them. Oh, well, it's good to know at least what it was. Being the stoic and hyperactive kid he is, it was hard to even tell he was sick, apart from the readings in the thermometer.
So, with the exception of this morning, when we went out for a grand total of an hour to go to the doctor, we have been confined inside the appartment for the last three days. Mr M being in Belgium until today didn't make things any easier. Thank God he's back.
So, the casa de Detoured is a bit like a cabin these days. Bibu has the fever and I have the cabin fever.
As I suspected, he had an ear infection. It's been his first ear infection since we live in Tokyo. He used to have them very often in Brussels, what with the chilly and damp weather being the ideal weather for them. Oh, well, it's good to know at least what it was. Being the stoic and hyperactive kid he is, it was hard to even tell he was sick, apart from the readings in the thermometer.
So, with the exception of this morning, when we went out for a grand total of an hour to go to the doctor, we have been confined inside the appartment for the last three days. Mr M being in Belgium until today didn't make things any easier. Thank God he's back.
So, the casa de Detoured is a bit like a cabin these days. Bibu has the fever and I have the cabin fever.
Sunday, 20 February 2011
It was a weekend of....
Finally visiting the DAIEI close to Toritsu Daigaku, sharing a sugar-glazed doughnut with Bibu at Stabucks, missing the pony ride in Himonya park for a few minutes, attending a proper for-grown-ups-only housewarming party that our ex next door neighbours threw in their quite lovely new appartment in Roppongi, going for a long lunch in Nakameguro followed by walk to the park and some super delicious cheesecake and pancakes at Daikanyama with one of the mums from Bibu's school and his son.
In short, I ate a lot of sugary, evil things. But oh, so good....mmmmm!
Mr M away in the grey country (a.k.a. Belgium) since last Tuesday and back next Thursday. Doing it all on your own for 10 days in a row is hard, hard, hard. Again, my respect to single parents worldwide. It's now 19:30 and I am very tempted to jump under the duvet and call it a day, but it just feels wrong. Will hang on with chopsticks under my eyelids if necessary until.......mmmm, maybe 21:00 or something. Much, much better!
Ciao, bellos!
In short, I ate a lot of sugary, evil things. But oh, so good....mmmmm!
Mr M away in the grey country (a.k.a. Belgium) since last Tuesday and back next Thursday. Doing it all on your own for 10 days in a row is hard, hard, hard. Again, my respect to single parents worldwide. It's now 19:30 and I am very tempted to jump under the duvet and call it a day, but it just feels wrong. Will hang on with chopsticks under my eyelids if necessary until.......mmmm, maybe 21:00 or something. Much, much better!
Ciao, bellos!
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