catherine's Comments (32)

The one thing I'm not looking forward to in Japan is the rain. But I guess it rains everywhere. Certainly no shortage of rain in the UK. I don't really watch reports or anything, just if it's the season I make sure to wear something with a hood so if I get caught atleast my hair stays nice and dry (that's all that's important really. A bit of rain won't melt me but it will mess up my hair) I'd love to have one of those clear and cheap umbrella's you get in Tokyo :P ( View formatted comment » )

International moves suck in so many ways. Especially at a young age. Was moved to the UK at age 7 and often it feels like I don't belong to either culture. Also miss family, never had the chance to have childhood friends, miss certain foods....it's difficult. Can't wait to get out of the UK though (to Japan) and restart somewhere new as an adult : ) I think when it comes to international moves it's better to make them when kids are uber young or even better as an adult who can make the decision themselves. International mov... ( View formatted comment » )

I couldn't imagine such a long breakfast!! I usually have some cereal mixed with a bit of yogurt, or if I run out of time a cereal bar : ) ( View formatted comment » )

I get monthly pocket money from my parents (I'm still 16 after all- once I'm 18 I'll definitly have to pay my own way alot more!). I get £20 to spend on books, clothes, shoes, and music. I actually get £25...but £5 goes to my hosting fees. The more I try to manage my money the more I realise it doesn't get very far! But atleast it's something. :D I need a job soon so I can be more independent ^_^ ( View formatted comment » )

A beautiful post. I look up to you because you reached your goal, so it's nice when you post stuff like this to help and inspire others. My goal in life is to reach Japan or Seoul and to live and work there. I'd prefer to go to Japan and maybe take business trips to other countries like seoul though ^_^ I have thought about it alot and have everything planned out! I understand that things go wrong, and already have, but having this goal really helps alot- gives a meaning to everything. It gives a focus in your life, so when ... ( View formatted comment » )

I'd like to request activation please. Added your feed on my site: http://www.paradise.honest-lies.com/ Just the news feed for now but the main articles may choose to show up soon ^_^ Thank you! ( View formatted comment » )

I'll miss the articles but totally understand. Hope you get better soon!! Take lots of rest and relax a bit : ) ( View formatted comment » )

Never been to Japan, I know if I'm lucky enough I'll definitly try and buy CDs and manga and magazines : ) Especially rare CDs that you can only get in stores in Japan... ( View formatted comment » )

I love the photos! Looks like a beautiful area. I have plenty of time to relax always, school I try and finish work in class so I don't have homework and in holidays I make sure I get lots of sleep and I'll spend time not doing much so I can zone out and just chill. I don't work as of now. I think thinking is important. Though for me personally I like it when I don't have time to think, or I have something to occupy my brain so I don't think too deep. I find I think too much and I get unhappy. Staying busy and ... ( View formatted comment » )

wow. Deep post. Pretty inspiring. I understand what you mean. I have failed so many things before but though it depresses me I don't give up. I'm stubborn. Like I failed my grade 4 singing. Everyone else had already passed like grade 5. I cried and it hurts, but I'm still gonna retake. I think it's pointless starting something, then giving up just caus' you meet an obstacle. Like you said. Sometimes you know something isn't for you and it's best to give up though! I think intelligence comes from knowing wh... ( View formatted comment » )

Can't believe people would queue so much for a phone!! o_o Everyone seemed really excited...for a phone. I don't really like the Iphone, my old samsung does just fine. : ) Then again I've never been a fan of apple products, perhaps only the macbook. I really like Japanese phones, they can do so much more than the ones in UK. It's awesome! The longest I queued well..lots of times. When we went to Paris we had to queue to see Monet's waterlilies, very long wait. Recently we had to queue at the estate agents for a... ( View formatted comment » )

This is great! I didn't want to subscribe to RSS in case I get a load of articles on figures- but now I can subscribe to the Japan bits only :D I sometimes look at figures, but mainly I'm here to learn about Japan etc. ( View formatted comment » )

Nothing wrong with animals in zoos- IF the conditions are good. If you stick them in tiny cages it's evil, but if they are given proper care and enviroment and aren't suffering then it's fine. Not everyone can afford to see them in the wild ^_^ Once again Tokyo shocks me with how lenient it is. Free books? They actually trust people? Amazing. Something like that could never work anywhere else. Haha. ( View formatted comment » )

I live in a rich area of the UK so not much run down ness- not compared to Cape Town and the shanty towns you get just about everywhere. I didn't epxect Japan to be perfect, so the pictures you took come as no surprise. Atleast those areas are still safe-ish, even if people are living in poverty. In answer to your question, I was Born in South Africa and we go back to Cape Town once every 3 or 4 years. All my relatives live there so it's important we get to see them. ( View formatted comment » )

This was a very interesting article! I want to live in Japan, or seoul. I'm a student right now and will be studying science and maths A-levels. Will work extremly hard so I can get into a good university to learn Japanese and Engineering, perhaps Korean and Engineering (not yet decided). I've heard Japan needs Engineers so I'm hopeful! Then again scientists and engineers are always in demand, and I hope that by speaking English and Japanese and studying in the UK I will have an advantage :P I'm also hoping that I can spend... ( View formatted comment » )

London looks awesome. Only been there once when I was little, and it was only a couple of days. Wish I could go again- go to Japan center! I was born in South Africa, but we moved to the UK. We live in the north though- near manchester which is also one of the worse places to live!! UK is alot better than SA in many ways though. It's alot safer for one, get free healthcare (even if it's rubbish), free schooling and lots of benefits. It's much more expensive here, and there's more variety of food however not as many ... ( View formatted comment » )

It's terrible what happened- even worse because it happened in japan which usually things like that don't. Very scary. Those words especially. That "anyone can be fine" shows just how little regard the man has for human life. I live in the UK now and I must say, compared to South Africa (where I was born) it's alot safer. I can walk to and from school etc. In SA there's burglar bars, concrete walls around your house...these days schools have electric fences... It's pretty dangerous- lots of steali... ( View formatted comment » )

It could work but would be better if it wasn't sun powreed but somehow powered by someones own body heat, or the cold, so in cold weather you could wear it and it would be like a personal heater. Yummy- especially in the UK when you have PE outside in the dead of winter :D ( View formatted comment » )

That's so many bikes in your photos! o_o How do you recognize your own? What if it get's stolen? (Then again, it's not that dangerous in Tokyo is it?) I agree that bikes are really annoying. When I walk to school there are people that ride their bikes. They don't have bells and they just ride forward as if you don't exist, or go around you. Or, as you mentioned, the stalker type who can't seem to tell you they are there and then get annoyed at you for not noticing. Either way, Bikes always scare me! Th... ( View formatted comment » )

I'm a teenage girl and I can safely say that the amount you have right now is fine- just enough to make me look away but not enough to stop me visiting :D ( View formatted comment » )

This sound interesting, I've been confused by advense for a long time but it makes sense now ^_^ I think the key with things like that is that you're only going to make money from them if you get alot of visitors, visitors who care for you're site. Thus, I could never use something like it! ( View formatted comment » )

Where I live, we have a chinese and and indian close to us (naturally, not one but two fish and chips and a sandwhich bar too), however I would probably have to travel 30 mins/45 mins on the train to the city to find Japanese, Korean etc. I've not actually seen any Japanese or Korean there though... So, not much different types of food :D I'd love to try Korean food though! That car park looks quite awesome too. ( View formatted comment » )

I listen to Jpop, Jrock and also anime music. Artists like hamasaki ayumi, SADS, 12012, kiyoharu, Chihiro onitsuka, olivia and LUNA SEA: and , of course, alot more. I also listen to occasional Kpop like lee soo young, gummy and TVXQ. I like the artist you mentioned too, melody. though I've not listened to her latest album (yet). I get all the news from various websites, as well as the music. If I buy the music I get it at yesasia. Music is very expensive though ^_^ ( View formatted comment » )

Sounds awesome, and something I can drag my friends too (lol). Just hope it makes more sense than the two animated movies did... I need to read the manga now and watch the live action to catch up! ( View formatted comment » )