Yay me! Oh... and Pochi!

GUESS WHAT! GUESS WHAT!!! GUESS WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!

I PASSED MY JLPT N4 EXAM! KYAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Ahem... I'd really like to thank every single person out there who was praying for me or rooting for me! I would especially like to thank my Sensei - Ramesh-sensei and Shimizu-sensei. Both of them had such immense trust in my abilities and thanks to the gentle motivation I received from them, I felt loved and truly inspired to give it my all!
有難うご座いました、清水先生、ラメシュ先生！お蔭様で合格しました！

And I'm really really happy that I've finally managed to be good at something! Oh so happy! So very very happy!

皆、合格しましたよ！万歳！

Oooo... and there's a wee little puppy near my institute! I've decided to call him Pochi!

♫ ♥ Pochi-chan! Pochi-chan! ♥ ♪

To the special ones in my heart!

Everyday, I go there early in the morning. I'm greeted by her dazzling smile and her crinkling eyes that make her the most beautiful person in the world. And then, she guides me to my work. There's never a harsh word and never a stern glare. All mistakes are so gently explained and taken care of. She treats everybody like they mean something and in turn, she is immensely respected! Ah... if only there were more people like her!

And then there is her... so fragile and yet so very strong. I wonder if she realizes her own fortitude as she sits there, worrying about appeasing her mother-in-law. After miseries that would have left me broken for life, she moves on - she shows me that nothing is permanent. Her eyes are sad at times when she thinks of those days. But there still lingers that deep note of silent strength that makes her elegant beyond words!

She walks in with her eyes straight ahead and her heart with a purpose. No question is silly. And no answer is accepted without some insight from her end. And in those little insights, she shows us all just how intelligent she is. She is witty. She is assiduous. She has the kindest things to say and she tires not. She makes those around her happy just by being there!

She's seen my darkest secrets and still smiles when she lays her eyes on me. She makes fun of me and yet has gentle reprimand for me when I go wrong. She knows our days together are numbered and yet puts on a cheerful smile. She is innocent enough to let a cricket match get to her and has wisdom that could solve disputes between nations!

These women... they are truly worth loving. And on this valentine's day, I would like to tell them - forget romance! Forget all that weird connotations that plague this day! I love every one of you and it's in no way any less important than what romantic folks could feel!

On chillies and childishness

Today, we had fish. Extremely potent and spicy fish! And if anyone is interested, I almost fainted eating it.

This had mom tell me how fish is supposed to be spicy and how I can't keep telling my husband that I can't cook spicy fish when he could love rolling around in chilies. This had me thinking. What is it that makes everyone just automatically assume that I will change my habits once I have a guy in my life? Sure, adjustments have to be there. Like getting the bowel movements organized and the extra laundry and all those things. But to actually tell someone that they should change everything about them and take up things that could give me extreme discomfort is not what I would call adjustment. And in the society where I come from, it's always the girl who adjusts. It's always the girl who takes care of all that her husband needs. The girl intuitively knows what her guy wants and needs and follows his uttered and silent commands to the T. In other words, she automatically becomes docile and obedient.

Now, if the guy likes it hot, I'll most probably divide my portions from his before I dump the chillies by the cartload and serve him his dish from hell! But apparently that just goes on to show I'm not adjusting with his tastes. Come on now! They can't be serious!! I've been called "spoilt" by people who have hardly known me and it amuses me even now. But to hear such backward a thought process from my own mother, that was an eyeopener!

It makes me wonder. If peanuts make me swell up like the Mardi Gras float and my husband happens to love peanuts, will they tell me that I should "learn to accept" peanuts even if I end up in the emergency room with a face swollen beyond recognition?

Strange... very strange!

Happy news!

I know I haven't been the most judicious with updates as far as this blog is concerned but pray forgive! I have a valid reason for not posting for so long!

Get this!

I've finally managed to get a job that's just tailor-made for me! I'm officially a Translator! And I've never felt surer about what I am good at! This job, it's made for me, baby!

This must also explain my inability to contribute as much as I'd like in my blog! And not to mention that the classes for N3 have started and believe me, now I see why they call this language difficult! But it's all so interesting! It feels like I'm discovering a part of myself that was lost long ago... in some other lifetime! It feels like homecoming to me.