国庆前夕杂感

不知道为什么，就突然想在国庆日前夕的这一天，在这里写下几笔。写些什么，却暂时没有头绪。

之前的假期，一直身在外头，基本上是没甚机会上网阅览新闻。我甚至担心，会否因此，而从此对时事发展不再留意再三。毕竟，距离，会使感情淡薄。来到日本后，我想我最努力的，不是读书，或融入这里的圈子，反而是不让自己与时事脱节。如此说来，我好像辜负了家人的期望。。。

异邦求学，我没有改变我的读书方式。依然是，随心而读。不强求，不匆忙，不给自己压力。也许我得不到最标青的成绩，但求学所应有的态度，所应有的成果，我想，他们都没有缺席过。尽管，有时还是会问回自己，我来这里其实是为了什么？

有了目标，中途遇到什么困难、挫折，至少也不会迷路。条件是，你得盯着你的目标不放。

2020年，马来西亚先进国目标，咱们在那轨道上走得如何呢？四周咖啡店里的民声，可以告诉我们答案吗？报章上的报道，已说明一切了吗？来自上面的述说、数据，我们可以就此安于现状吗？

每天，游览各家网上报章，我也许该庆幸我看的不是更详细更生动的报纸，不然我的心将会更难安抚下来。不过，另一边厢，也只有网上，才有所谓的言论自由，第四权真正起作用。网上，又是个怎样的世界呢？有各种的声音：乐观，悲观，希望，绝望，理智，无理。。。年轻一代都是政治冷感吗？或许，是因为没有空间，没有管道。老实说，我是有点惊讶，惊讶于那些绝望声，竟是如此高分贝。

既然标题是杂感，就别怪我的文字漫无目的的。纯粹发发牢骚。大概是因为又看到上面做的一些好事后，心有所感（也是累积下来的感），就在此发泄发泄。尤其明天如此重大日子，竟还有好事发生，真是不知该佩服他们多少次才行。

今晚，倒数活动，将在各地进行。十二点一过，唱国歌，放烟花，就结束曲终人散。留下的，是什么呢？我不是乌托邦主义者，但我还是希望留在街道上的，不是去年我见到般的垃圾满地。。。

50年国庆，预祝马来西亚，风调雨顺，人民，安居乐业。

原爆

For me, there is only one place in Japan which I must visit. It is not the Disney Land. Neither is the Tokyo city.

It is the Hiroshima city. Or I should say in more specific, the Hiroshima Peace Park. I don’t think I need to explain more about this park. The one, who knows about World War 2, will never miss up Hiroshima. And the park is dedicated to the legacy of Hiroshima as the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack. I always wish that I could be there and see all those memorials. But it seems liked in the mean time, I don’t have such chances.

However, we went to meet the mayor of Hakodate city together with those Thai and Laos students. After the meeting, we spent some time at the small exhibition about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. And then, I was standing motionless. I was stung by the photographs, the reports, the comments, and whatever shown. It was too hard for me to take it. May be I should say, everyone won’t be able to stay calm in front of those pictures. I couldn’t help myself but just grabbing my hands tightly.

It was just a small exhibition. Yet, I couldn’t help myself. What if I visit the park and the memorials someday, can I stay calm? I am wondering now. But yet I will sure get myself to Hiroshima someday. I want to see it with my eyes. ‘REST IN PEACE, FOR THIS MISTAKE WILL NOT BE REPEATED’

祈求，世界和平。

English

May be some will say that it is just a matter of time before Chinese replaces English as the international language. However, English is still the international language, a common language used to communicate with each other, when the two parties are from different country.

The Japanese students, who joined us in the UNESCO activity, said out their desire to learn English during the discussion session. Well, they found it very hard to use English to communicate with the foreign students. It is a good sign, I think. If they were not given the chance to join this activity, I have my doubts they may never discover that desire. Ok, may be they will find it out one day, but that might be too late already, isn’t it? We used to say that the standard of English of Japanese students is quite low. Well, we don’t have to say much about this. From what I saw before, they seemed to be having no confident at all whenever they are asked to say something in English. Is it the problem of lacking confidence?

Yet, they are marching in front of the high technologies. They use Japanese to educate, and to learn. Low standard of English doesn’t seem to be a problem for them to be among the top. So, what is the secret for that? When many youngsters express that they feel worried about lacking of English, many from oversea come to Japan to search for knowledge. So, mother language should always be the best way to learn? Oh, I am not here to debate about the English for Science and Math in Malaysia…

Well, from what I have been through along the activity, I myself really need to power up my English. It is still hard for me to express my opinions in English. The problem is, it is very hard to get a chance to speak in English here. So, what are we going to do? And may be i should add up another question: What really is the best way to improve our student’s English standards?

Fireworks

Ever since I know that a single firework costs a lot of money, I never really enjoyed seeing fireworks. Every time there is a fireworks display, others will get excited and can’t wait to see it. But for me, I can just accompany them, and think about how much money have been spent, how many things can be done by the spent money, while I put up my head to see those fireworks. Rural poverty, children having not enough food…and the fireworks just burn it all in a moment.

Then that day, I asked my teacher about this. Well, the Japanese have been doing fireworks display since 100 years ago, during the summer season. And according to my teacher, the money for the fireworks is from the people itself. It is the tax that they have paid. So, for them it is not a big matter to spend on it by displaying fireworks. Instead, it is also a time for every member of the society to be together in a harmony event. By the way, only then I know that actually fireworks won’t bring much harm on the air.

But he didn’t really answer my question about using the money in other ways instead of fireworks. As I turned my eyes back to the fireworks, no doubt they were indeed beautiful. The explosion was so big as it beat my heart strongly. I was thinking that it might wake up my sleeping motivator. But yet, what I was thinking, what I am still thinking, is the other ways to use the money. Sorry for being the one who couldn’t enjoy fireworks like you all.

29th July - 6th August

从大阪离队赶回函馆，就是为了参与学校与UNESCO联办的一个交流会。这交流会邀请了八位分别来自泰国与寮国的学生前来日本，而函馆则是他们的第一站。长达一星期的交流会，我们还走访了北海道另一个大城市——旭川。虽然我没能与朋友们继续编织一起欢闹一起走天下的回忆，但我也不得不承认，这交流会让我学到不少东西。至少，让我这个本是没机会碰到机械人的化学系学生，制作了两个机械人，还充分了解要控制一个机械是非常不简单的。你输入了电脑程序，他却不一定能如你所愿般完成任务。最终，我们是成功控制机械，还是会反被他们牵制呢？

我们参观了函馆附近的未来大学，是座以玻璃为主的大学。身在其中，仿佛身在温室，非常热。不过，使我大开眼界的是她如下图般的开放式校园，并非传统式全都是在室内进行研究、讨论。连发表演说，或呈现研究报告，也是在上图那三个圆圆圈中进行。而讲师们，学生们就围在圆圆圈四周聆听观看。

百闻不如一见，见证科技发展的结晶品——电子狗。

有幸参加了函馆的港口祭，还随着如下下图般的机械章鱼游行了整个晚上。这可是我第一次随着人潮在街道上跳舞呢！

函馆之后，是旭川。上图是路途中经过的向日葵园。绿油黄澄澄，可惜没能停下来置身花群中，甚可惜。

在旭川，也遇上了她的文化祭。男女老少，普天同庆。不禁佩服他们对自身文化风俗的执著，投入全副精神，就为了呈现最动人靓丽的一晚。回头看，请恕我孤陋寡闻，我看不到如此镜头在祖国上演。有的只是倒数活动上，不见本质意义的喧哗玩闹。。。

身在旭川科学馆， 再次被科技征服——电子狗足球赛。由小孩操纵的电子狗对垒自动化的电子狗，比赛结果是，4-0。小孩输了。

旭川旭山动物园，是日本如今最有名气的动物园。其中最吸引人的，肯定是来自北方的北极熊。从你身边贴身游过，几乎没有感觉到他一丝丝的凶性。北极熊，身躯庞大，却让观者们以可爱赞美之，日本人难道就没有别的形容词吗？

茶道，我至今仍不明白为何喝茶也得费心费力的日本文化之一。不就是喝茶吗？竟然还要各种步骤，还要把茶碗转两个圈，惊叹它的美丽雕饰。。。抱歉，我实在不会欣赏茶道。

就如上图的插花，整个过程，几乎是老师一边说一边帮我弄。而我就只是点头，再点头。亲手制作的机会，被她的标准，她的要求，弄得消声灭迹。结果，桌上摆着的，是老师的成绩。当然，也少不了我点头的努力。
泰国及寮国的学生的下一站是Toyota城市。而我们则“功成身退”地回到函馆，结束了我第二个星期的假期。


有得也有失，又何必让自己的眼睛死盯着失不放呢？来自同是东南亚国家的朋友们，有缘再见吧！

20th July - 28th July

七月二十号，星期五，终于等到这一天的到来，终于可以与久违了的朋友相聚。然而，相聚前，还得坐上四小时的渡轮，九小时的夜行巴士，及不知多少小时的电车兜兜转转。犹记得，我是下午五点半从函馆出发，第二天的下午五点半，才让我抵达和歌山的御坊，见到伟健与赐利。整整一天时间！想起那一段时光，还真是有点佩服我自己。毕竟，函馆与御坊之间的距离，可是很远很远的。

这就是我乘坐的渡轮内景。大大的空间任你休息，除非适逢人多。四小时，除了躺着休息，还真不知道能做什么。不过，这可是前往东京最便宜方法之一，时间也不需消耗如此多。四小时渡轮到达青森，再坐九小时的夜行巴士抵达东京的渋谷，只需9700日元，算是便宜了。也许将来我都会使用这方法去东京。

前往御坊前，我一个人走了走横滨的中华街。可惜，天不作美，雨滴使我的足迹不能留得更深，转了两个圈，就不得不踏上去御坊的旅途。不过，我还是捉紧时间，在附近的山下公园吹吹海风，不放过哪怕只是一点点的横滨海域美。“有机会，我定会再来看你。”

终于坐上了所谓的子弹火车，果然是快！而钱，也去得快！为了省时间，也没办法了。下一次，应该不会有下一次了，除非是迫不得已。毕竟，谁喜欢钱去得如此快的感觉！要去得快，就让悲的愁的忧的去吧！

经过京都时，我及时拍下了市景。这一次，我因为必须回到函馆参加学校的活动，而不得不中途离队，而与京都擦肩而过。除了广岛，我最想走访的地方就是京都。那些古迹，那些世界文化遗产，以及那股古城气息。听说，走访京都最好的时刻是秋季，尤其是秋叶化红纷纷下的时候，最是美。可惜，咱们学校没安排秋季假期。难道我得把目标设为京都大学，好让我以后能慢慢走进京都各个角落？

神户的第一站是神户的中华街。不过，我们只是在那填饱了肚子就匆匆忙忙地离开了。也不是没有印象深刻的地方：餐馆里那一直申诉不停的中国员工，及那一点都不好吃的所谓中华料理，有点不光彩的打开了我们关西之行大门。

神户，很美。抱歉，我字乏词穷，只能如此形容神户的美。海口旁的夜景也好，山上的夜景也好，都俘虏了大家的心，使大家爱上了神户，也无虑地写下了必定重投她怀抱的誓言。看来还是伟健形容得好：文化气息浓而不腻的神户，繁华却不凌乱。。。

神户的关帝庙

神户的凑川神社

我在凑川神社

世界文化遗产 – 姫路城堡

离开神户前，我们登门造访布引瀑布。这瀑布还有分雌雄两个呢！不过，我还是把李白的飞流直下三千尺，疑是银河落九天留给霹雳州打巴的瀑布。那是至今为止我亲眼看到的最壮观瀑布。或许有一天我有机会去到九塞沟，我才会改变想法吧！

接着是大阪。一定不能错过走不尽的难波街。照片中的大螃蟹，大概是难波街的标志之一吧！当然还少不了下面照片中的人山人海。没错，整条街，无尽头似，都是人潮。走不完，逛不完，是不错的购物胜地。我只想说，这是一条很长很长的街。。。

当晚，刚好是大阪市的烟花大会。从电车站走出来，就看到人潮汹涌，整条路都挤着人群。终于明白，何谓沙丁鱼似的拥挤，简直喘不过气，恨不得有双翅膀能帮我逃离人潮。君不见，照片里的道路上都坐满了市民。没有尽头似的坐满了人潮。而这还不包括公园里，其他道路上，各处可以让人们坐着或站着的地方。我暗暗对自己说，这种盛会，一生人一次已足够。。。

大阪也有个城堡，但并非世界文化遗产，而且内部已经改建成展览厅。比起姫路城堡，她失去了城堡的味道，更别说那历史的气息。如何保护历史古迹，还真是一门不简单的学问。至少，我在这里，看到他们的用心。

这是坐落于大阪的水族馆。就我而言，这水族馆是至今为止我去过之中的最棒的一间。数量之多，品种之多，可称世界级！那一天，我和朋友不顾一切就坐在那大鱼缸前，静静陪伴各种鱼儿游来游去，煞是爽也！但是我不禁想到：我们把它们装进这里，满足了我们的好奇心，开阔了我们的视野，却让他们失去了自由，离开了深深蓝海，是对是错呢？

大阪最大的摩天轮。我应该感谢耀强吗？让我在第一次的摩天轮，留下心惊胆跳的美好回忆。

Universal Studio of Japan，据说是比迪士尼乐园更令人流连忘返。我没去过迪士尼乐园，所以无从作比较。但那一天的确是玩得痛快不已！可是，排队消耗了我们不少时间，造成有几条漏网之鱼，未能尽情玩完整个乐园。ET，Spiderman，Terminator，Back to the Future，Jurassic Park，Water World，Jaws等好莱坞影片一一由我们通过各种玩乐亲身体验，除了爽，还真是想不到别的字眼来形容。而那一晚，我再次淘气地不告而别，踏上回去函馆的归途。对于我的不告而别，虽然是迟了，但还是想在此说声对不起。

从忘了多高的高处冲下来的感觉是什么呢？照片，说明一切。

我最喜欢的表演之一 – Water World真实呈现眼前，震撼无穷！只有看过的人才能明白其衷！实在想重临现场，再看几回！

如果我能回到从前，我最想做的事情是什么呢？

中途离队，心里还真不好受。尤其回程路上，百般无聊，左思右想，就只是跌回一星期来与朋友的欢闹声中。下次的欢闹声，会是几时呢？但愿，我不再会中途离队了。

各位，加油。

Back

Well, i am back. Back from my one month of holidays, as i started my school yesterday. It is really hard, with my mind still playing all those great moments i have spent with my friends. They are the best, as i always say. I can't complain anything. This is my choice to be far away from others. I just have to come over it no matter how. Time will bring us go through all these.

So, what did i do during the holidays? Or should i say, where did i go during the holidays? Wakayama (though just around Gobo), Kobe, Osaka, Nara (though just stayed a night in Nara Kousen), Kyoto (though just passing by, at least i could see the famouse temple from the train), Asahikawa (where the Japan No1 zoo is located), Tokyo (just a few places of Tokyo), and then Taipei. Seems that i have gone through a great holidays. And of course it is! Only if i forget about the total money that i have spent...

Many things to share, but seems like a mixture, have to take some time to arrange it properly. Yet, there are things that i can't express it very well. And it had been quite a long time since i worked out my mind to come out with some words. Wondering could i write as well as before anymore or not. Nevermind, no harm done to give it a try.

Ok, where shall i start? Any suggestion? haha...