WEB 2.0 is connecting people

WEB 2.0 .... is sometimes really annoying. Just some years ago I thought this is not going to be successful and I was really concerned about the fact, that everyone has information about me. And now? It's not bad at all and usually a lot of fun! Thinking just about facebook, studivz, xing, mixi, ... - it's a great way to stay in contact with old friends, but I wrote this already once ...

But now to the important story: I received already in September a message via mixi from a Japanese Student, which is studying at the same university I have been. He was looking for someone, who is living in Munich, because he was here in September to do a German language course at TUM! We had here a lot of fun, visited also the Hofbräuhaus and see each other hopefully again. I think he had here a great time and this is maybe also one reason, why he's trying to come back to Munich as a exchange student .... check out his blog!

This was not the first time I meet people via "WEB 2.0" and at least I had until now only positive experiences with the people I met.

E-mail Magazine of Japan's Prime Minister

Like leaders of other counties also Japan's Prime Minister has a way to communicate directly from week to week with the whole population. Subscribe to his E-mail Magazine here - there is a Japanese and English version of this newsletter. You can find on this page also a lot of small videos about what is currently going on in Japan - of course in English!

The German "Bundeskanzlerin" publishes every week a video podcast, but unfortunately only in German.

Study Japanese with podcasts!

I became already during my stay in Japan a big fan of podcasts. Podcasts are great! They are great to shorten the time in public transportation or to keep in touch with a foreign language or country. Here are some of my favorite podcasts:

Japanese

• http://www.japanesepod101.com - they provide you with a daily 15 - 20 min podcast with a short dialog in Japanese and grammar and vocabulary explanations in English
  

Japan

• http://www.podkost.com/ - Kilian, who is living in Tokyo talks about Japan, Japanese and his life there (in German). His recent podcast is online since last December and there will be hopefully some new episodes soon. But listen to his old episodes! It's definitely worth it!
• http://www.ayearinjapan.com - A exchange student from UK in Tokyo tells his life, impressions, ....
• http://www.planetjapan.org/ - Amy and Doug as they take a lighthearted look at life in Japan
• Japan Explorer - traveling in Japan
  
• http://www.gaijin-in-japan.com/
  
• http://www.planetjapan.org/
  
• ...

studying German?

• www.schlaflosinmuenchen.com - sleepless in Munich
• N-TV - German news
  

other stuff

• http://thewordnerds.org - a podcast about language
• http://www.dailysourcecode.com/
  

You need more? Visit e.g. the iTunes Store and search there for other podcasts!

Japan-Festival on July, 15th

Are you interested in Japanese Culture? Then you have to visit the "Japan-Festival" (Japanfest) on Sunday, July 15th. It will take place around the Japanese Teahouse in the English Garden.

More Information (in German): Japanfest

Contact ....

Who has a mixi account? You don't know mixi? This is the Japanese version of things like facebook, studivz or Xing. The whole things is of course in Japanese, so a perfect way to study Japanese ;-) I think one of the main characteristic of this "communication network" is a blog function .... interestingly, the Japanese are the world champions in blogging: 2/3 of all blogs worldwide are written in Japanese!

So, if you have an account, add me! My account name is my Japanese name in Katakana: マルクス

Visitor from Korea

Hello everyone! This is now my first post in English! I do this only for you, former and current NUPACE students, Japanese friends, ... and everyone out there :-) You know, I was for one year in Nagoya/Japan and participated there in NUPACE (Nagoya University Programme for Academic Exchange). Besides this great time there in Nagoya I have gained a lot of new friends from all over the world - maybe the best thing after all!

This blog was originally created for my friends and family back home in Germany. Now I'm back in Munich and of course I don't want to lose my contact to Japan!

Last week it finally happend: Kim Minyoung from Korea was here! She also participated in NUPACE and is currently doing a two-month trip through Europe. We visited yesterday together with Thomas from Chemnitz (also former NUPACE student) and Clara (from Munich ;-) ) the famous castle "Neuschwanstein". Here are some pictures:

Castle Neuschwanstein

Of course, we also enjoyed some Bavarian beer in some typical beer gardens here in Munich. I hope, Minyoung will have a great time here in Europe. She left today for Berlin, then she will go to Dresden, Prag, Italy, my Spain ..... Take care!

Grillen!

Allgäu

Zurück in der Heimat! Endlich ein Wiedersehen mit der Familie! Und das Allgäu zeigt sich von seiner schönsten Seite.

Ich habe ja schon irgendwie das Gefühl, dass ich nur so zwei Wochen weg war. Es hat sich ja nichts verändert. Alles ist so wie davor! Mal schauen, was die nächsten Tag so bringen, v.a. werde ich wohl viele Freunde treffen müssen ....

Allgäu ... near my "homevillage"

ただいま！

Paris, CDG, 30. März 2007, 12:50: Auf nach München!

Um so drei Uhr hieß es dann wirklich "tadaima"! Das sagen die Japaner immer, wenn sie nach Hause kommen. Am Flughafen erwarteten mich schon Hanna und Päääät! Endlich wieder bekannte Gesichter! Auf der Fahrt ins Wohnheim gabs dann schon gleich mal das erste Radler und im Wohnheim wurde schon fleißig gekocht. Vor dem richtigen Essen gings aber noch schnell zum Café Ignaz für den obligatorischen ersten Kuchen und Cappuccino. Danach warteten schon eine Flädlesuppe, Schweinebraten, Bier (endlich wieder vernünftige Gläser), ... und viele Freunde auf ein Wiedersehen! Vielen Dank für Alles!

tadaima! ... back in Munich

Good bye Japan! Hello Europe! Franz!

Donnerstag, 29. März 2007, 10:05 war es dann soweit: Mein Jahr in Japan hat ein Ende und der Flieger hebt vom Centrair ab. Die letzten drei Nächte habe ich ja noch bei Matchan, einem japanischen Freund, und seiner Katze verbracht. An meinem alten Wohnheim haben sich dann sogar noch einige die Mühe gemacht, mich um 7 Uhr morgens zu verabschieden .... komisches Gefühl, so eine liebgewonnene Umgebung wieder aufzugeben. Aber die Zeit hat kein Erbarmen, sie "raste" auf mich zu und bald war ich dann am Flughafen, bald im Flugzeug, bald über Nagoya, Japan, .... Die 13 Stunden Flug gaben mir ja dann auch nochmal Zeit, alles irgendwie zu verarbeiten.

Die Ankunft in Paris war dann schon bizarr: Westliche Gesichter, westliche Architektur, Sprachen, die ich zumindest teilweise verstehe, ... auf einmal stach ich nicht mehr aus der Menge mit meiner "weißen" Haut, meiner Größe hervor.

Air France hat mir ja netterweise einen Stoppover in Paris erlaubt und so konnte ich nach Jahren François, oder auch Franz, wieder mal besuchen. Wir kannten uns aus München, wo er mal ein Praktikum gemacht hatte. Leider war das Wetter nicht das beste und so war das Sightseeing eine etwas nasse Angelegenheit. Später gabs dann noch eine französische "Brotzeit" ... schon komisch, dass das Vorurteil sofort wieder erfüllt wurde: ".... ihr Deutschen isst doch immer Wurst und trinkt Bier ....", meinen die Japaner immer. Um kurz vor Mitternacht, oder für mich schon gefühlte 7 Uhr Morgens, fiel ich dann auch nach einem meiner längsten Tage ins Bett.

flight + paris