I would just like to take this post over for a day to say I have gone for an entire month without any alcohol. It's been a struggle, especially with memories of Mamoru supping away on a Carlton Black every night after school and all my other students coming in still wasted from the night before, but that's it. February is over, and so is my dry spell.
Let the good times roll!
This time, Mamoru has a touch of agoraphobia. We all hate crowds, but at a festival, you kind of expect it a bit. He also learns about some Aussie history and seems to relish the death of white Australia. Fair enough.
Finally, and to my relief, he has another black beer. Looks like the new budget can stretch to the odd schooner and perhaps beyond as he tries to reckon on his beer-swilling capacity. He ends on a wistful note of nostalgic contemplation. Lovely.
7th January 2012
I went to Sydney Festival at hide park. Are too much people.
I couldn’t counting the number of people also Fire works was so many people too.
8 January [Mamoru: he changes his date formatting on the winds of fancy.]
“Ones up-on a time in Cabramatta” by SBS1. It is immigration of Australia’s history. It had changed White Australia. White Australian policy.
Fistly Vietnam people. Next Korean. Then other people came in Australia.
It beginning an end of White Australia and beginning malti culturimsm.
9th January 2012
I drank Carlton Black Beer at Central Station.
Sometimes I has a beer after school. It was good taste beer.
How many can I drink in Sydney?
I will return to Japan, my father land.
A change has come over our hero. Perhaps it’s the turning of another year. Perhaps – as we all do – Mamoru is changing. Developing. Becoming. First up, he changes his mind about owning a Poland cap. He’s moved on to bigger, better and more ‘gallant’ things. Next, Mamoru’s meanderings take him to the Governor of New South Wales’ pad, where Mamoru finds peace.
Finally, Mamoru has a fiscal epiphany and realizes it’s time to save some cash. Does this mean an end to his black beer and beef liver steak obsession? We will see.
4th Jan 2012
I bought two caps at Woolworths. It was official cap of Rugby Warld Cup 2011.
I’ve had got the cap and is not nessarry a Polish Cap. But it was a cool design.
It looks brave, gallant.
5th January 2012 [what’s this? January written out in full? Yet another change to date formatting? What ever next?]
There was great and quiet bilding. It was the Governer House in NSW. So I went to the Governor House. I’ve visited it just one before, but I couldn’t enter to inside.
I entered at the Governor House today. It has dignified bilding.
6th January 2012
It’s weekend. I don’t have any plans. I spent much money New Year’s Eve and New Year day. I’m going to try save money.
Keep money!
I spent wasted money so I don’t have money.
Now.
Back on track with his dairy and forging ahead, Mamoru hits the first three days of 2012 harder than a sumo heavyweight hitting the pie shops. He shows his excitement at getting his customary NYD classical music fix, he tells of his chilly trip to Rhodes and finally there’s some excellent buck-passing after a fruitless conversation with an elderly Vietnamese man in Cabramatta who doesn’t understand what Mamoru wants.
Also notice yet another change in Mam's date format. He's gone back to the 'th' suffix on the date, but he's started putting the month - in full - AT THE START! Dramatic stuff. Do I smell the heady whiff of a New Year's Resolution??
New Year’s Day.
I am watching new year’s concert by Wein philharmonic every year.
I watch it at Sydney this year.
I’m looking aford to see the concert.
2th January 2012
I went to Rhodes to relax at Rhodes bay. I felt cold wind when I relaxed. Sometimes, to a ferry and yogtht yacht, boat passed. I saw them and I saw any jet air planes. I will to back to Japan next mouth. I thought.
3th January 2012
I went to Parramatta Cabramatta after school.
There was Vietnam town with many Vietnam store, shop opens there. I couldn’t see Korean language and Korean shops. I told older Vietnamese person but we hadn’t conversation. It might be my English is no good or poor. Also he doesn’t understand English.
More comic genius from our masterful man from Japan. His countdown to 2012 isn’t as thrilling as I was expecting but that’s okay. The highlight? How confusing it must have been for the poor lad when the 9pm fireworks went off. Still, I think he had a good time!
By the way, that’s ‘Happy New Year’ in Japanese in the title… or at least, I think it is!
This year has rest 3 days, including today.
It was exciting and difficulty, trouble year.
What will be next year? It will be the same year as this year.
30 Dec 2011
It begin long weekend has begun. It’s 3 days. It will start on 3th January.
It’s New Year and I will be back to Japan next month, on 19th Feb.
I will leave at 19:00 pm. In Japan is Winter. I take care a condition oneself.
31 Dec 2011
The fainal day of this year. I was being under the Huber Brige.
Suddonry, somebody started to count down. Ten, nine, eight, seven…
It’s began just 9 ‘o clock. The frower works was very wonderful and noisy. Smokey.
Merry Christmas, indeed. Sadly though, our hero hits a snag when he discovers everything shuts on Christmas Day, even army barracks and their museums. Blimey, we’re a lazy lot!
Things pick up for him though, when Mamoru gets a free concert under his belt.
He is also cheered up by the fact that the long weekend is almost over and our infidel cavorting is about to cease. To celebrate, Mamoru does some laundry and has a walk around his house. What fun!
25/12/2011
I went to Victorian Barrack at Milltaly museum. But closed. It still will closed all January netx year. Reopen on 5th February.
I visited to Victorian Barrack many times. I don’t seen yet the museum.
26 Dec 2011
Japan Australia Music Good Will Mission Concert at Sydney Opera House. I saw many pafoumuns show. It was very good especially because entry was free, 0 dollar.
Thank you very much.
27 Dec 2011
The final day of the long weekend. Today was not a hot day. I washed clothes then after I had a lunch and a beer at Homebush. What’s more, I went out around my house.
I relaxed today.
This post hears Mamoru’s opinion on the state of this terrible summer and gives us an insight as to where he thinks Japan is. He also gives a review of a couple of Sydney’s famous beaches and finishes off with a belting appraisal of the Powerhouse Museum and its Harry Potter show.
22 Dec 2011
Today was cold. I felt cold. It’s cold summer this year in Australia. But the opposite side of Australia, is Japan. It’s very hot summer this year. Any older person was dies by warm, and last year too warm.
I hope it will be hot summer in Australia next year because cold summer gives bad effect to economics it sales down in cothes and drinks, food.
23 Dec 2011
I went to Manly beach by the felly.
Weather was in the best condition. It was a sunny and beautiful beach.
Bondai beach was beautiful and the Manly beach was beautiful too.
24 Dec 2011
I visited at the power house museum near China town. Organized a Harry Potter exibition. It enter was $20 each adult, too expensive.
I stopped to enter it.
It was not pleasure.
It was precious.
This time, Mamoru kicks back and has a lazy Sunday and prepares for tomorrow’s test. The test itself is, however, somewhat overshadowed by the death of Kim Jong Il. Mamo is fascinated by this and doubts it really has happened. Mamoru is suspicious of the North Koreans having nuclear material but no trigen cooling systems, which would suggest a nuclear power station. I think he might be a spy of some sort.
Things lighten up a bit in his last entry with a mosey round Enfield in an attempt to find a Poland cap. I wonder where his unusual fascination with Poland comes from? Perhaps his Polish Beef liver steak?
18 Dec 2011
Sunday, I’m being at home. I’m relaxing at room. Sometimes sleeping and study for exam, and I went to shopping.
I have to do exam tomorrow. I do my best and take easy.
19 Dec 2011
Nothe Korean dectator dead. His name is Kim, Jong Il. I don’t know why he died?
Tomorrow I’ll get a newspaper, and I think I want to buy Japanese magazine.
20 Dec 2011
Kim second of Nothe Korean’s dectator die.
It has a nuclear weapon. It most dangerous country.
I hope they won’t use the nuclear weapon. They never use. They don’t take a danger trigen policy.
21 Dec 2011
I wandered around Enfield. I couldn’t find out my target. Where is a Polish cap?
I was wanted buy the Polish cap but I couldn’t buy it. Someday I will go to Poland. I will get it.
If I could go to Poland, I get buy the Polish cap.
This episode leads us into Mamoru’s dark past of model train collecting and what is to become his epic crusade for an Australian made miniature train. We also discover how he feels comfortable in any surrounding – be it a Polish restaurant in Bankstown (see previous post) or, as we see below – a snazzy city bar. As long as he’s fed and watered, ‘Mamo’ is happy.
Finally he tells us about his preferred reading spot and his frustrations with government-run facilities and the gargantuan holidays they get. Enjoy.
14 Dec 2011
I’m looking for Australian locomotives and rolling stock models. I can’t find yet made in Australia.
I bought a Marklin. It is Germany.
Made in West Germany is very proud of the name.
15 Dec 2011
It was fantastic night. I had enough dinner. I had beer, 4 glasses. I didn’t want to move anywhere. I relaxed at Cargo Bar.
I had a great time.
Thank you very much.
16 Dec 2011
I read Japanese newspaper and magazine at Japan. Trade research centures riblary.
I used to read in there, but I can’t use the riblary still 7th January, because staff will get on long holiday. I won’t read the newspaper.
Brace yourself for more Mamorisms… hmm, that didn’t sound quite the same in my head. Anyway, this episode, Mamoru enjoys parts of cows most of us would never think eating would be an option; he then does the most English thing he’s probably ever done and resorts to the weather as a topic of conversation.
To finish up, he reveals a dirty secret – his love of the Footy Show. Matty Johns would be kicking himself if he ever found out what kind of singular audience members he’s no longer connecting with.
Dec 11 2011
I went to Banks town to a Polish restaurant. I ate a Beef liver steak.
I was first time in my life.
I used to eat BBQ Beef steak at and Bird grilled shop in Japan. But I haven’t ever eaten the Beef liver steak. It was delicious. I will go to eat there.
It cost is A$16.50.
Dec 12 2011
This summer is cold summer for 50 years since 1960s. A comementator announced it in news program.
It might a gives to effect to agriculture.
It will be poor crops any products.
13 Dec 2011 [Ahh. Mamoru has gone back to his old style of date numbering. A wise choice.]
“The Letters and Numbers.” It is the greatest TV programme in Australia. Next is “Fotty Show”.
The Letters and Numbers is nothing the type of TV programme in Japan.
If it were broadcast in Japan, people will be supplied surprised.
I hope you’re ready for an avalanche of Mamorage as Mamoru lets rip about what a state the world is in with his review of the dailies. He talks about his trip to the travel agents and the stopover in Beijing in China – he also experiments with the spelling of that great eastern city… without much success. He finishes off with an old favourite topic: food. This time, Mamoru dreams wistfully of proper ramen in Japan.
6 Dec 2011
I read a newspaper at libraly. A article was electronic pewer in Japan. Water, nuclear, oil.
Natural Gas. Their thing’s now and fentue (demande’s forecast). Another, A scandal of the Olympas Industry.
Euro cricies. Rossian election Mr Putuim will probably win to the presedent election but He couldn’t get a votes number the last election. The newspaper wrote in yesterday
7 Dec 2011 (a.m.)
I will probably go to my travel agant, because
I have to buy an airticket for Japan.
7 Dec 2011 (p.m.)
I went to travel agant after school. I bought an airticket via Beijing to Narita Japan it cost was A$695.
Include Fee and commisiton. I haven’t been to China. I will match Paijing from airport.
I can see Paijin it little bit.
I’m looking forward to seeing it.
Dec 10 2011 [notice, Mamoru is trying a new format for dating his diary entries. Interesting!]
I ate a Ramen every weekends breakfast. It was instunt. Ramen is fitting stomach. It’s so good.
Any way, I haven’t eaten Ramen at the ramen shop in Australia.
Because It is expensive and I didn’t feel looks for good from pictur.
If I arrived to Japan next year, I would eat at the ramen shop in Narita airport.
Here we are again and Mamoru finally gets to see the stars in the photo exhibition. He obviously likes ‘Mr’ Mick Jagger, but has some trouble with the spelling. His singular nose for adventure and more dark beer takes him to a Polish festival, but his research leaves him feeling a little deflated when he discovers the lack of Polish people in Australia and that they really haven’t been here that long.
Finally, a disaster strikes when he loses something very dear to him and has his fledgling flight of cursing in English, but without much success or aplomb.
I went to “Star Spotting Saint – Torpez” to Sydney Westworth.
I watched around 40 photo pictures. It put on the wall hotel’s reception holl. Mr Mic Jugger Jagur Ringo Star and his wife Princess Piana. Elton Jhone anymore. The famous person in the world. If I’m going to Saint-Torpez in summer, can I meet them?
4th Dec 2011
I went to Polish festival at darling harbour.
I drank Polish black beer. It was good, but Irish’s Gunns is better than it. Polish and Polish Australian organized this festival.
Some Polish said. We are opening every year.
And Polish and Polish Australians lives in Australia it 100,000 people. Not much.
Almost Polish were lived since 1980. Not too old.
5th Dec 2011
I left at a train my cap. It bought at custam moter show in August. It was good cap and my favorat.
It has never come back.
It $25 was.
[some angry looking letters in hiragana, and then:] – Goddum am.
Goddammit.
After a disconsolate start to his week with a nightmare test, Mamoru picks himself up with some ramblings on unethical critics, politics and the economy and a bit of a piss-up. He also discovers the ‘th’ suffix on dates, that you will find from now on in. However, he never really gets the idea that there is also an ‘rd’ and ‘st’ at the end of some numbers, too. Comic genius… if only he’d meant to do it.
29 Nov 2011
What is one things you couldn’t live without?
Very good question in today’s lesson. Any anser is a beer. The beer is medicen in any life and for me. And the spices in my life.
Charch doesn’t appl approves for drinking. But I need it. People crowds needs alcohol. It can drink any alcohol in the communist countries.
30 Nov 2011
Some economists and critics are writting give their opinion too easily. They are not a minister, politician and governments officer. They have not to take responssivilty.
Because, they didn’t have responsivilty from front or firstly.
They are easy going.
Talking of politics and the economy, I asked him recently what part of his body he would least like to lose. He grabbed his considerable beer belly and shook it, saying “This. I don’t want to lose this. It is my GDP. Japan’s economy is going down but my GDP is going up,” he shook his belly again for emphasis, announcing “I am inflation!”
I made a joke saying if he stopped drinking and lost weight, he would be in a depression… but it just confused him.
Dec 2th 2011
We had party near Hall Town. It was early xmas party.
I drank 5 glass’s of beer, it was over drunk.
I got up Sunday morning at the momment, I had little bit headache. I slept again.
Here we are again with more of Mamoru’s classic observations. I love the way he questions everything and how beer is the centre of his strange universe. His clear distain for so-called fame in the photo exhibition culminates in a total fritz-out in his grammar, but then it’s never too far away.
His sense of value and worth also comes out very clearly in this entry, and even more excellent closing statements that he should patent.
26 Nov 2011
I found a unique photo exhibition “star” spotting in Saint Tropez. Sofitel Sydney West north. Map. Internet. I tried it but I can but I couldn’t it. I’m going to try again it school’s computer. I am find by Internet.
West north Sydney
Sofitelß what’s mean?
Daniel Engeli privat
Pictures Gallery Cyril.
27 Nov 2011
I drank a mixed a beer, it is beer and lemonade. That is not bad it’s good. It cost $4.00. it is not very hight. It’s good price. I sometime, I will drink it. I think I’ll try it again.
28 Nov 2011
Today was a exam. It too difficult. I needed a time. I was lacked enough time espacialy for grammer test. I was reduce a min. time of writting test.
I spent the time for grammer test, but I couldn’t all questions in the grammer test. What a shame!
I am continuously surprised by how hum-drum things become so very much more interesting when this student writes about them. The way he puts things and the mistakes he makes draws me in and keeps me reading (and laughing) all the way through. It’s funny, I laugh at his writing, but it don’t ever feel like I'm taking the piss… though I suppose I am a bit. Judge me if you like. I’ll still think this stuff is funny in the morning!
For the first time, we see the emergence of one of Mamoru's true loves: black beer!
22 Nov 2011
Today is raining from hight noon. It will be rainy this week.
Rainy and Crady.
I can’t hope good weather. This week may be cold and rainy.
23 Nov 2011
I drank black beer, it is carlton black. Good taste. It has been long time. Since leave Japan.
It left from Japan.
Carlton black as good taste as as Ebisu black Japanese beer Evisu black draft beer.
25 Nov 2011
Next man day is exam. I have to try exam. Maybe I will do my best if I’m not sleepy. I don’t choose to escape from exam.
I try to work hard man day.
As you will see from today’s ingenious dairy entry, Mamoru focuses very much on what he eats and drinks. It’s very important to him. But he’s also a bit of a thinker.
Today was hot day too.
Really hot day.
I drank many coll drinks.
I think much omre.
Coloa 1l, beer 400ml, tea, coffee.
I had little bit over drink today.
Really, today was very hot.
20 Nov 2011
Watched TV programm about Henry Kissinger late night.
He is alive in State NY his written books and (written by him) some book about him, his carrir. I read them.
He was the greatest politician and famous in the warlds.
21 Nov 2011
After dinner I slept maybe around 8.00 pm.
I was sleepy.
not hot warm. I could good sleep. But I couldn’t text book. I am going to read tomorrow.
Therefore, it was with great happiness that at least two of those points were removed when I was asked to mark a very charismatic Japanese student’s diary or ‘dairy’ as he so sweetly put it. Yes, he has a grip on the English language like someone trying to balance a pingpong ball on their palm and run down a set of stairs. Blindfold. But at least, as you will shortly find out, he has an interesting outlook on life and even does some interesting things. Also, the mistakes he makes and the way he puts his words, wrong or not, made me laugh a lot.
I struggled with the moral and ethical dilemma of publishing a person’s most intimate document for two maybe even three minutes before deciding this had to be shared. To break it up a bit, I’ve decided to show you a few days at a time.
So here we go:
16 Nov 2011
I bought a new dairy. This dairy is looks for good and has a hard cover. maybe strong.
It is good. It cost $2.40.
I pluserse.
17 Nov 2011
I received task.
I must try it.
It’s difficult. I have no idea. I think especially difficult this time.
I like movies but I can’t describe to easey .
I can describe to easey in Japanese but can’t easy in English…
I’m in trouble.
18 Nov 2011
EXCURSION. I went to the Bondai beach in today.
The sun is glaring. It is bright sammer day.
Sometimes wind was blowing from the sea. It was comfortable. My body was colled in comfortable wind.
The after I had a glass of beer in the Central.
I had a good time.
The main reason I wanted to post about this activity in particular is because of a very endearing student I have in my class at the moment. His name – for argument’s sake – will be Mamoru. Because that’s his name.
Anyway, we’d almost finished this activity and were feeding back as a class. Characteristically, Mamoru had not contributed much in front of the others and had sat quietly puzzling over the words in the lists. When we got to the last four, however, he became more animated.
“Which one’s the odd one out?” I asked. “Slice, chop, mince, mash?”
There were a few answers they came up with. ‘Slice, because it’s the only one you do with cheese’, ‘mash, because it’s the only one you don’t use a blade with’ and so on. I could see Mamoru had something to say so I asked him the same question.
After a lot of aaahh-ing and ummm-ing he said: “Mince is odd one out.”
“Why, Mamoru?”
“Mince is only one which is person,” he nodded.
“A person,” I stared at him. “What do you mean?”
A lot more umming and moustache stroking (of course he’s got a moustache).
“Homo… homosexual,” he stammered.
It took me a while to stop laughing. I’m not sure if he meant it to be funny, but bloody hell, it was.
Just like the North Koreans, Iran is in Mamoru’s sights and he’s not happy with what he sees. Another topic we can refer back to the annuls to is those lazy sods at Darlington Barracks. It was in December that Mamoru tried to go there and failed due to an enormous staff Christmas holiday. Personally, I wonder why Mamoru is so interested in the barracks. Could he be a spy? Hmm.
By the way, is it bad I thought it was in bad taste when the guide/veteran told Mamoru he’d been to Japan many times?
And lastly, Mamoru shows his commitment and tenacity to his studies that he was given a presentation task to do. Although he was due to leave before the assessment was given, Mamoru did do the presentation. It was on family values in each student’s country and in his typically lateral way, Mamoru based his presentation on the Japanese royal family. It was interesting and thoroughly entertaining.
7th Feb 2012
Iran is making a nuclear weapon. Western nations will stop to import of oil from Iran, also Iran starts embargo to Europe. Iran is received big damage and Iran can’t use US dollar and banks.
Perhaps it starts revolution movement in Iran.
9th Feb 2012
I did skip a school.
I went to a Victorian Barack at Darlington.
I saw the Barack’s bildings and everywhere in camp. I was lectured from a veteran.
He has visited to Japan many times. He knew Japan. He was wonderful guide.
10th Feb 2012
I have to do a task, presentation. I finish on 17th Feb.
I don’t have a due obligation. I thought, however, I have to do it.
