Vacation

I had paid holiday about 10 days since I started to work.

The purpose was to invite my mother and to go to vacation.
My current visa and contract will expire next April. I don’t know until
when I can continue to stay here. So I thought it’s good chance.
Finally my mother and her friend came and went together.

It’s too enough to stay only at London for 10 days, I recommended
to go to Italy. I went before and it was so beautiful even winter season.
I’ve been thinking to visit again. Even for me it was long awaited event. 
I planed all schedule to research hotel, place, book flight like tour guide.
It was little bit heavy but really fun and enjoyed to spend time with them.
Italy in summer was exactly amazing. Of course London too.

If I didn’t decided to come here, may be we wouldn’t have a chance to
visit there. I hope change of my life would be good influence for my
important persons. I think so.

Ａs an aside, I took big Japanese rice cracker box which was brought
by my mother as a souvenir to my coworker. They really loved so much.
It disappeared within 15 minutes!

Catsick

I don’t know this word is exist or not.

But one of my homesick is definitely catsick. I’m a crazy cat lover
instead of dog. I’ve been missing my cat about one year. I ‘m really
worry about my cat already forgot me. When I talk to my family,
I try to say something to her but her reaction was nothing..

It seems there are more dog lovers in London. I have no chance
to contact any cats and of course there are no cat cafe in here.
I heard one cat sometime comes to our backyard. I never seen.
So I’ll try to contact with special cat food. It’s no cheating, isn’t it?

For your information, our cat’s name is Yume. Because she
always sleeps anywhere anytime. That’s why we named her.

Homesick

I’m normally enjoying to live in comfort here every day.

But I sometime get homesick especially when I catch
a cold or not get well my work. And it comes periodically.

To tell the truth, I’ve been getting homesick recently days.
I really miss Japanese family and friends. Living here is so
fun but at the same time I feel so lonely. Contacting different
culture is really exciting experience but at times It's stressful.
I want to show my weakness. I know that time will tell...

Good solution for homesick is to charge Japanese essences.
Watching Japanese movie, eating Japanese food etc. There 
are some good Japanese restaurant in soho. I went kurukuru

sushi restaurant. I’m basically optimist, this sick will disappear.

I’ll go back to Japan end of year. I’m really looking forward to go.

English Name

My name is Yousuke.

Yousuke is popular name in Japan. But it seems little bit a 
difficult to pronounce for foreigner. I always teach them correct 
pronunciation. I was sometime thinking about my English name. 
Because some of my friends who didn't born at English-speaking 
countries have English name as a nickname.

I went to curry night few days ago. This event is hold every couple
of months with coworkers. It's good chance to meet other people.
In the event, surprised thing happened. One guy suddenly stood up
and said. “We present English name to Yousuke! it’s Charles!!”
It was so suddenly. Finally I got English name!! what a royal name!
I think probably half kidding. But It seemed I was greeted by them 
at MPC. I was really really happy.

I’m already called Charles from some people even client.
I’m wondering until when will my English name continue to use.

パリ

先週末にパリに行ってきました。

パリへは電車で2時間なので、とても気軽に行くことができます。
今回の目的はドイツで働いているKさんとの再会です。自分も働き
始めて早5ヶ月経ち、落ち着いてきたのでドイツとイギリスの中間の
パリで再会しようということになりました。

この時期のパリはすでに真夏のような気候で、天気にも恵まれて
エッフェル塔登ったりエスカルゴ食べたりと、のんびりとした時間を
過ごしました。以前のブログでも書いたようにKさんとは2008年の
ロサンゼルスでのシーグラフで行動を共にしたわけですが、それを
経て今回に至ることを考えると本当に感慨深い気持ちでいっぱい 

でした。とてもすばらしい再会となりました。

そういえばロンドンに戻ってきた時に不思議と帰ってきたなぁという 

安心感みたいなものを感じて、知らないうちにロンドンにも愛着が
沸いてきたんだなーとしみじみ思いました。

　

White Night

It is bright even 9pm recently days.

It was dark and exactly night time after work in Japan.
But even thought I had to overwork, sky is still bright in here.
This phenomenon usually gives me a illusion of time like a
one day is longer than 24 hours.

Moreover it’s really good combination with drink beer outside
of pub! It’s sometime still cold but basically very comfortable.
It was always cold and cloudy or rainy until two months ago.
I feel that summer is approaching around here.

Oyster Card

I lost my monthly oyster card because of my mistake.

I repurchased and got new card. Fortunately or unfortunately
my new oyster was limited edition. Because limited edition was
designed about royal wedding. it’s already out of fashion for me...

I had to transport information from old card. It was quite hard.
They provides only telephone support for that. It was stupid...
Most of operator speak so fast and not kindly. I tried 3 times and
finally I could. I disappointed my poor English skill every time.
But I think they should more friendly and kindly for us!!  

L

I had a misconception thing for a long time.

What do you guess a meaning of this photo sticker?
I sometimes see this sticker especially motorcycle in London.
I taught L is L of London and popular sticker like I love New York.

But answer was wrong. L means L of learner. That is like a
biginner driver mark in Japan. It looks cool but so rough.
I think this feeling is exactly London.

New Flat

I didn’t write my blog for a long time,
So my post will mix past and current thing for a while...

I moved my flat. This is my third flat in London. I realised that
I didn’t post about my second flat. First I’ll describe about second
flat in Turnham Green. The place was located Chiswick where is
for upper class resident area and very beautiful place.

Second flat was near my English school about 10 minutes by walk
and 15 minutes to my CG school by bus. So very convenient place
and I liked it. But on the other hand flat payment and other price of
commodities were expensive for me. However I sometime invited
my classmates. And I wasn’t work, so I spend almost time there.
Second flat was very memorable flat for me.

Now I moved to Shepherds bush. The place is along central line.
Compare to previous city, Shepherds bush is more mixture city
like a down town. It isn’t dangerous and very convenient to go to
my company within 25 minutes. And Good point is that there is
biggest shopping center in Europe named Westfield.

My room is top attic room in house. Though it’s very small, my
room has big roof window. Bright sunlight and comfortable wind

always enter my room. The reason why I decided to stay here.
Above all reasonable payment too.

From April, new flatmates came here from Japan to use working
holiday visa like me. I already have been stayed about 9 months.
Time passed so fast but at the same time there were so many
things to happen during this 9 months. 

 
I wonder what will happen this year.

日本との距離

またしばらく間が空いてしまいました...。

この数ヶ月の間に日本で起き、今でも続いている様々な出来事は、
自分なりに色々と考えさせられました。日本を離れて生活している
自分にとって、何か当事者ではない申し訳なさや無力感を感じたり、
日本との距離や特に家族に対しての思いなどを痛感しました。

ネット上や街角でよくPRAY FOR JAPANという運動を見かけます。
自分もただ祈るくらいしかできませんが、どうか物事が無事解決して、

被災した人達が一刻も早く平穏な生活に戻れるように祈ります。

カウンターパンチ

だいぶ間が開いてしまいました...。

最初の研修期間はやる事がないくらいに放置気味でしたが、 

プロジェクトが始まると、想像以上の色々な壁にぶつかりました。

CMの仕事は製作期間が短く、スピードと臨機応変な対応が必要です。
スーパーバイザーからのおかまいなしの早口口頭指示、制作スタイルも
その場で話し合って決めたり、英語がわからないなんて言ってられる
状況ではないです。とはいっても全てを理解できるわけもなく、
勘違いや誤解は多々起こり焦れば焦るほどうまくいかず、結局本来の
実力も発揮できずに初仕事は終わってしまったようなものでした...。

最初の仕事はバシッとこなして信頼を得ようと思ったもくろみは、
もろくも崩れ去り、正直なかなかのショックでした。
でも、こんな不甲斐ない自分をチームの人達は常に気にかけてくれて
やさしくフォローしてくれて、ほんとうにありがたいなと思いました。
苦いスタートとなってしまったわけですが、気持ちを切り替えて
次のプロジェクトでは今回の恩をきちんと返せたらと思います。

 
今週末から次の仕事が始まりましたが、前回と違って気持ち的に
余裕もあって、一ヶ月前に感じていた恐怖やよくわからない人達の
中で働いているストレスはなくなり、顔見知りも増えてきました。
こうやって少しずつ慣れていければいいなと思います。
そして半年ぶりのCGの仕事はなんだかんだやっぱり面白いです。
頑張ります。

　

Work Environment

I finished my first week at new company.
It was really great company more than I expected.

MPC is located in center of London. The place is so cool. And
coworker are not only British people but also many foreigners.
Exactly international work environment. So very good place for
practice English. But to tell the truth, I really really realize my poor
English skill. May be worst among all... I have to improve quickly.

My big surprised was their values of work. Though their works
are so great, they basically don’t do overwork and holiday work.
When I was working in Japan, I usually had to overwork everyday.
And I sometime had to continue to stay all over night at company.

Of course they have to do depends on cases and near deadline.
But basically they are forbid to overwork without permission and
schedule is planing without overwork. Quite different to Japan.

I want to continue to work as long as possible in this company.
And I also want to get a lot of experiences about not only VFX
skills but also their culture and values of work and life.

I Got Job!!

I got a big chance!!
I’ll be able to start working as a Computer Graphics Artist.

It was suddenly event. My CG school teacher introduced
me to some companies' recruiters end of last year. And 

I received one recruiter’s contact and had a chance to
take interview end of last week.

And I finally got official offer from the company!!
The company is MPC. (http://www.moving-picture.com/)

MPC provides many Hollywood movies and commercials.
I'll start to work in commercial department from this week.
I'll contract three month as a trial and after that if possible,
I’ll be able to contract one year until end of my visa period.

I'm so exiting and at the same time I feel so strong pressure....
But this is start of my dream. I'll do my best!!

Happy New Year!!

あけましておめでとうございます。

I went to new year’s fireworks event at London eye.
We gathered along the river Thames and counted down to 2011.
When 2011 came, we could see so many fireworks our overhead.
Exactly It was my imagination of new year event in foreign country.
It was so excite and beautiful.

I hope this year would be great one for me and you.
Best wish for you.

Backpack Journey

I traveled Netherlands and Belgium for one week with my friend.
Though the aim of Journey was to escape from cold London, these
countries were colder than London... But it were so beautiful cities.

We had to save money. went by coach, stayed hostel, walked
as much as possible, like a my university student age’s journey.
My friend who traveled with me was Colombian guy. So during
journey, I found a lot of difference of sense of values from him,
time, food, money, planning, etc... Though we didn’t stay deluxe
hotel and eat delicious food, the journey was valuable for me.

And more pleasure for me was to visit Rietveld Schröder House.
The house is master piece of Rietveld. I really wanted to visit that.

And yet, There were a lot of snow, and everyday was below freezing.
If I had a chance to visit again, I would like to visit summer season!!

Okonomiyaki Party

I hold Okonomiyaki party with my classmates last week.

As I wrote my previous post, I was invited Spanish omelette party.
This party was thanks for the party. I wanted to introduce Japanese
foods and I also missed for a long time. So it was a good chance.

There are some Japanese foodstuff shop in London. Almost goods
are about 1.5 times expensive... but very good selection of goods.
I bought a lot of foodstuff for okonomiyaki from these shops. 

And just in case, I practiced to cook before the party.

Thanks of the practice, my okonomiyaki was so delicious.  

I cooked not only okonomiyaki but also tanuki udon and miso soup.
It was their first time to eat okonomiyaki. So their reactions were so
nice. Though it seemed tofu was not good for them, but they really
liked okonomiyaki and others very much. I really satisfied.

When I arrived in London, I didn’t have any friends. I was so lonely.
But now, I have a lot of good friends. I feel relieve very much.
I’m really glad that I can spend such a great time with my friends.
I've got a lot thanks for such a encounter!!

Business Card

I made my business card.

My current English school will finish end of next January.
I think it’s almost time to prepare for my job hunting in London.

This business card is not only business card but also strong
expression of my decision toward the future. Rest of my period,
I want to gain experience to work in VFX industory in London.
If possible, after that I think I’m able to proceed to next step.
Anyway, I only have to do my best towards getting a chance.

For your information,
The two colours of my business card are my lucky colours.
Best of luck to me!!

Spanish Omelette

I was invited to Spanish omelette dinner party from my classmate.
Two month ago, I ate Spanish omelette at Spanish restaurant.
It was my first time to eat. The taste was really good, so I liked it.

When I talked about that thing, My Spanish friend said to me that
she’ll teach me how to cook and hold Spanish omelette dinner party!
Spanish omelette is different from ordinary omelette. like a cake.
According to her, the foodstuff are only egg and potato and onion.

That day, we gathered in her flat with some compliments.
There were some Spanish foods. Spanish omelette and some kinds
of chorizo and Spanish salad etc. Spanish salad was also different.
Each foods were delicious. I spent a good dinner time with my friends.

I’ll add my cooking recipe. It seemed very easy to cook even to me.
I’ll try soon. I have to increase my poor cooking recipe!

CG School

I’ve been going to CG school since mid-October.

As I wrote my previous post, I delayed the day of starting CG school.
I was really worried about CG class because of my poor English skill.
I finished the class of the tenth times this week. I think I’m going well
so far. Of course I can’t understand all words completely, but most of
words are familiar for me. So I can understand. I’m feeling relieve.

I applied the composite evening course. I want to learn about latest 

composite software. But I already have enough knowledge about CG.
So I needn’t apply full time course. The course is midterm period from
7pm to 10pm and two days per week. Thus this course is suit for people
who already have a experience in CG industry. In fact it’s a good place
to meet people who are working CG industry in London.

They are friendly and gave me advise even thought my poor English.
Though I don’t know whether I could grab the chance, I’ll do my best
and I wish I could start to work in CG industry in London.

Blow Freezing

When I waked up in this morning, snow lay all over the ground.
It was first time for me to see the snow in London.
And temperature was about -2 degree... So it was so cold.

Recently years, we don’t have snow in Tokyo due to global warming.
But I heard UK is getting colder and colder year by year conversely.
The reason guess the cold ocean water from melting polar ice.

Our teacher told us it recorded -21 degree in this January...
I can’t imagine. I really miss Japanese kotatsu!!