Saturday 1st December 2001

It's been a bit quiet lately, just doing the normal things. Working, drinking, working, karaoke, drinking, sleeping, working, drinking, etc. The sleeping and working did get a bit confused though recently. I had a meeting, the sort where several people around the world are sharing the same phone line and watching the same computer presentations. I had drawn the short straw. The other participants were in Texas, England and Finland. With that geographical spread, either Texas had to get up incredibly early, or I had to stay very late in the office. I went home at 2:30 am!

The opportunity to apply for World Cup tickets has resurfaced. I recently met a guy who had successfully got tickets to follow Tunisia to the final. Using the same logic, I have applied for a series of tickets to watch the mighty Ecuador! If I get them, I am guaranteed to see games up to and including the semi-final (whether or not Ecuador get that far). I'm looking forward to the challenge of finding an Ecuador scarf to wear to the matches! Do Ecuadorians wear scarves? I think the country gets i... As I was typing we just had a little earth tremor... I think the country gets its name from the fact that it is on the equator, so maybe it doesn't get too cold there! I'll check. I checked. The "Lonely Planet" web site says that it can get "Chilly" in Ecuador.

I've also entered a phone in lottery to be selected for the opportunity to buy tickets as a Japanese resident. Let's hope at least one of my applications bears fruit. The draw for who plays where and when is later today. There is always a chance my tickets for Ecuador, if I get them, could mean me jetting over to Korea. How am I going to explain that one to Yuki?

I'm taking the level three Japanese language exam tomorrow. I haven't done very much studying. I'm just Hoping my accumulated knowledge will scrape me through.

Sunday 2nd December 2001

I'm on the Hibya subway line on my way to Tokyo Daigaku for my Japanese exam. If last year is anything to go by I will see more and more gaijin as I get closer to the university (Japan's best, apparently). The very fact that I'm writing this rather than cramming the last desperate nodules of Japanese into my tiny skull shows my rather relaxed attitude to this year's test. I have a level four pass, so level three would just be a bonus. To all except the most fussy potential employer in the UK, any recognised certificate would be a big plus (not that most could recognise one)!

Almost there now. I didn't need to listen to the station name. It's the one where the United Nations are getting off!

I'm in the classroom now. A few minutes to go. I don't think I've ever been this relaxed before an academic test!

I don't think the first section was a great success. That was the kanji part. Let's hope the bit I'm about to do is a lot easier!

It was easier. It was the listening test, which last year was my worst section. After another break, I went into the final (grammar) test. All day I'd been careful to switch off my mobile phone - except this time! During the exam it rang. I scrambled to my pocket to switch it off, but in no time the official was there to relieve me of it.

She also placed a yellow piece of paper on my desk, on which was written "CHEATING". She told me I should continue, but it took me a few minutes to regain anything like that earlier calm. After we'd finished, I could make out that the yellow notice was a first and final warning.

The only other time I can recall being in such a position was at my uncle's funeral, but fortunately the phone didn't ring until a few minutes after we'd left the crematorium!

I will not know my result until February, but if I had to hazard a guess, I'd go for a narrow fail.

The World Cup draw yesterday put England in a group with Argentina. Not a good prospect, as they are favourites to win the cup. My Ecuadorian friends were drawn in Italy's group. Their first round games are in Japan (including Sapporo in Hokkaido - Japan's northern island). From the second round onward my tickets would be to games in South Korea, if I get them. I guess it could have been worse - just!

Monday 17th December 2001

Last Monday evening, after work, I went to play five-a-side football, as I often do. The difference this time was that only one other person turned up! One-a-side football isn't much fun, so while I practised my Beckham free kicks, my friend enlisted four guys who were watching another game. Three-a-side football! This was actually quite an interesting challenge, but also very tiring!

On Thursday a bunch of us went for the regulation izakaya, followed by karaoke, followed by... Timo was over from Korea. He is returning to work in Japan in January so we had to remind him what life would be like. I think his most significant lesson would have been learned when he woke up in the morning!

On Saturday night we had a Christmas party at our apartment. Just a small group of friends, but plenty to eat and drink. I'd even managed to get a Christmas tree. A guy at work was selling it for the price of a beer, because he's returning to England any day now. You can often pick up some real bargains from "Sayonara sales". The party went well, helped by repeated showings of Kylie Minogue's latest video on the big screen. We also watched the Arsenal West Ham game, which didn't go quite so well, being a one - one draw.

Talking of football, I've been trying for three days to get through to the ticketing hotline. Not once have I got to the people at the other end, just constant NTT recorded messages, or if I'm really lucky, an engaged tone! They're selling fast and my hope is fading. I'd settle for a ticket to one game, I don't even care which, but I just want to be "included"!

It's now late evening. I've spent the day in the office, occasionally (quite often actually) dialling the ticket office. SUCCESS!!! I am going to get tickets to Croatia Vs Ecuador! I got through at about five-thirty this afternoon. I managed to get someone who could speak English to take my booking. It took about thirty minutes just to order two tickets - no wonder I couldn't get through before. The game I chose is in Yokohama, the nearest venue to Tokyo. I should have bought four tickets, but didn't realise I could only buy tickets to one game per call. I was so happy to have any tickets at all, that I didn't want to risk confusion by asking for more. I'll try again tomorrow, but even today I was told there were only four games available. I'm so relieved that I can see a game and be part of it all!

Thursday 20th December 2001