Catch up

Hi
Let's catch up on life for Koala and Turtle.
Since our last post a lot has happened.

RETURN TO OZ

Koala went back to Oz for a visit in March 2008 for a number or reasons.
1) My best friends wedding. Congrats Kerrie and John.
2) My sisters 21st birthday. Congrats Leanne.

Kerrie and John


Family and friends


Best friends



Singing a song for our little sister


My beautiful baby sister - Leanne


Dancing queens



HERE are some more photos of my time in OZ


HEALTH

When I came back to Japan I took a huge life changing step and I quit drinking alcohol. YES, I quit drinking on May 2nd, 2008. I spent 2-3 months going to AA meetings to help me quit and I haven't had a drop since. Thanks a million to everyone, especially my amazing husband aka Turtle, who supported me during this tough transition. It is the best thing I have ever done and I hope I can stick to it. One day at a time they say, but I do hope and believe that I will never drink again.
We have had a bad run with the flu and some injuries in 2010 but nothing too major.



KYOTO TRIP and HOKKAIDO TRIP

We also went to Kyoto in May 2008 for a few days. Poor Turtle had a broken foot, and Koala almost had a broken back from pushing him in a wheelchair around Kyoto.lol

Ready for our journey.


Crutch-man





Camera on Wheels



My favorite temple



Turtles like it too


Kinkakiji - Golden Temple



In Feb 2009 we went to the Sapporo Snow festival in Hokkaido. The best holiday in my life so far.


Airport


OTARU


Making friends


Igloo


Snow luv



Turtle needed a cold drink


Snow boat- this was so much fun



Build a snowman


Snowman land


Frosty is born


Working it

Snow Sculptures


MORE PHOTOS here


WORK

At the same time I started a new job at Chit Chat Cafe English school where I was the only teacher for close to a year for all adult, kids and baby classes- this was a tough but very educational and growing experience. Thank you Natalie and Mika, I could learn a lot from both of you and now have my own school called Koala Kim's English in Haruhino.

WE MOVED

In August 2009 we moved from our apartment in Chiyogaoka to a brand new terrace house in Haruhino. Still renting.
We moved so that we could start Koala Kim's English. Our friend is the headmaster of Haruhino Junior High school, and he recommended that we move to Haruhino.
We have been here 16 months and are a part of the community. Koala volunteers twice a week at the school, runs English book reading classes 4 times a month at the community center and teaches English in our new home. We love living in Haruhino, it is a new area with lots of open space and everyone is very friendly.












VISITORS

During this time we had Gavin visit us from the Sunshine Coast; Simon, Sam and Sylvie from Byron Bay; and Jak from Brisbane. They stayed with us in Chiyogoaka.

My cousin, Molly, from Ireland had a 8 hour wait at Narita Airport. So we picked her up, went to a Temple, had lunch and dropped her back.
We also met up with Joanne, Kevin and their 3 boys in Tokyo for a day.

Ayako from Kyoto, Darlene and Brad from the Gold Coast, Cedric from France, Leanne and Sarah from Brisbane, Jake form Brisbane and Koalas parents from Brisbane have stayed with us in Haruhino.

Here are just a few of our visitors

Jake


Leanne and Sarah


Molly


Jak


Ayako


PETS

Big Fella- the Turtle, and Orange guy and Red guy - the Newts came with us from the old place to Haruhino.

Koala- the Guinea pig joined our family in December 2009.



Bic- the Dog is still at Turtles parents house.

Sasha- the Cat passed away in Australia at a ripe old age of 17 yrs. RIP my beautiful Sasha

FAMILIES

Both of our families have had a few health problems but everyone is ok at the moment :-)Koalas Parents and sister came for a visit, now we are waiting on Otooto Kevin to come and see our new place. Hint Hint

TURTLE

Turtle has been studying hard and passed a few English exams this year - congratulations. His English is so good now.

Now he is my right hand man in running Koala Kim's English. We both work other jobs too, but Turtle really puts in long hours and is a champion.
Lucky me:-)

Hopefully he will add something to this blog for our Japanese readers- hint hint.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO LET US KNOW IF ANYONE OUT ThERE IS READING OUR BLOG :-)

That's all for now. Bye

Turtles and Koalas last days Downunder

12　August　－　22　August, 2006 PART 3

Well needless to say everyone was fairly tired and hung over after the Engagement party. Kerrie, John, Dad, Kame and I were the troopers and stayed up till about 2am drinking gin and joking on the deck. There were a few sore heads the next morning, except for Kame who miraculously never gets hangovers. This really impressed Mum and Dad who battle to get any of us up before noon especially to help clear up after parties. I knew I had made the right decision in accepting Kames marriage proposal, when, by the time I dragged myself out of bed, he had not only finished helping clean up everything but also promptly made me a huge cup of coffee. Sooo spoilt.

That night Christian came and picked us up and we went to The Fox hotel for Kerrie's 29th birthday. After that Chris and I took Kame to The Beat, where Chris and I used to hangout at in our youth when we were into techno. Kame got to experience his first gay club and also the ordeal of trying to catch a cab home in Brisbane on a Sat night.



We finally arrived back at Ferny Hills just in time to see Kev and Rachael off as they headed to Cairns. Mum and Dad should have had their own personal express lane to Bris Airport, as the next morning Leanne was off to Europe. Followed by Kame who headed back to Japan on the Tuesday and myself back to Japan via Korea on the Wednesday. Kame spent his last 2 days doing some last minute shopping and seeing the sites of Brisbane. He definitely had a great time and keeps talking about going back to live in Ferny Hills with Mum and Dad someday. Hmmm ...no offence Mum and Dad but I might have to get my own pad a bit closer to the city. I promise you guys and Kame can visit sometimes.

Turtles and Koalas Engagement Party Downunder

12　August　－　22　August, 2006 PART 2

Sorry for the long wait . u know the story life is busy blah blah blah.... Anyway the Down under trip comes to an end....
On Friday August 18th,2006....After a quick day tour of Bris Vegas and some last minute shopping, Kame and I headed back to Ferny Hills. On the train Kame was very nervously trying to finish writing and practice his speech for the party Mum and Dad had organised for that night. Mum and Dad started organising a Hello/Goodbye Party a few weeks before, as it was the first time in a while that they had had all 3 of us kids under one roof even if it was only for a week or so. And soon they would have to say goodbye to the baby of the fam, Leanne, who was venturing on a European trip for 6months. Then Kame and I stole the limelight by deciding to announce our engagement, so it turned out to be quite a party.
And what a great party it was. It was awesome catching up with old school mates, drinking mates, housemates, family friends and new friends. Plus it was the first time for many to see Mum and Dads new place in Ferny Hills. Kame and I wanted to keep things really low key so most people didn't know about the engagement until that night, which really added to the fun atmosphere of the night.
Thank you Mum, Dad, Kevin, Leanne and all our great friends who made out night so special. Here are some photos as a reminder of an awesome night had by all.

Turtle goes downunder

12　August　－　22　August, 2006
PART ONE　

We could start right at the beginning, but WHEN is the beginning? When we first met?, When I came to Japan? Hmmmm.....
Anyway we have decided to start WHEN Kame went to Brisbane, Australia to meet my family.

We had already discussed marriage in March 2006, but Kame decided that he really wanted to do the traditional western thing ask Ron (My Dad) in person.So we booked our flights and let the fam know that we were coming over. Next Kame decided he had to brush up on his English, but after joining Shane English School for 3 months, 2 lessons/week Kame was still very shy about speaking English.

So while I was in Australia ,2 weeks before Kame joined me, every time anyone asked me

"How's his English?" My response was always"I dunno. He can understand most things cos I only speak to him in English, but I've never heard him speak, he always answers me in Japanese."

Well the morning Kame arrived at Brisbane airport, Mum Dad and I were waiting for him. i didn't recognize the man who walked off the plane. not only had he swapped his boy-ish jeans, bright t-shirt , bright orange sneakers and cap trademark for smart pants, shoes and a jacket, but the man could speak English.!!! Gee did I look like a liar.
Kame was really amazed at the size of our house compared to the Japanese houses, and the fact that we had a front garden and a back garden. But then Dad shocked him even more by cooking breakfast.

But not to worry Kame soon shocked us all after breakfast and proved just how good his English skills were when Kevin(my 31yr old bro) and I were having a friendly SSGS (sibling shit giving session). Kame had brought some Vitamin Jelly for me from Japan and I was explaining to Mum, Dad, Kevin and Leanne(my 20yr old sis) that they were the best hangover cure.

Kev threw a typical younger bro fat comment my way by asking "Why do you need more jelly Kim, don't you already have enough?"

I quickly threw back in Japanese. "Urusei, Kono yaroo"

All eyes turned to Kame. "What did she say?" Kev asked him.

Kame very casually answered "shut the f##k up", quickly followed by a gasp,　quick glance at my parents and a really embarrassed "Oh !!! I am so sorry"
We all pissed ourselves laughing and I think Kame was surprised but relieved at every ones reaction to his not so perfect translation error.

So of course everyone loved him straightaway, especially when after four hours of being in the country he was out in the back yard helping Dad fix the fence. I think he was trying to make up for the "Shut the f##k up" comment. Better watch out Kame,next trip Dad might have you rounding up the sheep, mate. Especially if you get any better at English.

The next few days were great. We hired spent a few days at Kirra Beach, Gold Coast in a 3bed room apartment. On the way we stopped in at Nerang to see Ryan Mac and Sarah for a S.A/Aussie BBQ. Ryan Mac and his fam are old friends of our from South Africa. When Kev and I were growing up in SA our families used to go caravanning together every school hols. so we go way back. Ryan and Sarah recently got married April 21st at the Gold Coast and are honeymooning in South Africa. Congrats you guys from us both.
Anyway while we were staying at Kirra we also managed to catch up with Elfreda(my Fathers cousin from South Africa) and her husband Julius, who have been living in Nerang for at least 20yrs now. Their son Markus who is married to a lovely girl from Osaka, Sachiko, and Mia(their little girl) also came with. We all headed down to Kirra Surf club for some tucker, beers and family bonding.

Another highlight for Kame was a few hours of surfing at greenmount beech. He was very excited to get to surf in real waves. We also went to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary where he got to hold a koala, a baby croc and pose with aboriginal dancers. he finally got up the courage to speak to Dad about getting married in the reptile house of all places. Anyway Dad said "Already" which Kame interpreted as I said yes already, but maybe Dad was asking already? as in so soon. Dad has a habit of answering questions with questions so sorry Dad if you didn’t mean yes.... that’ll teach ya..ha ha

The next day Kev, Rachael, Kame and I left Kirra for Byron Bay. After lunch at the famous Yatala Pies, we arrived at Byron and headed straight　for the lighthouse. After that Kevin and Rachael went to their accom and Kame and I found a lovely place to stay at Julians Apartments It was fantastic. we dropped of our stuff and headed into Byron to look at the shops, and walked back along the beach as the sun set back to..Julians
..After a few drinks and dressing up we decided to go back to our youth and head out clubbing, so armed with a mix of cc and lemonade we heading into town, grabbed a burger and hit the bars/clubs. at about 2am we decided to walk home to sober up. Kame proposed to me as we were having a rest on the beach. The moon was shining on the ocean like a spotlight, the waves were gently crashing, the sky was filled with stars and the air was cool and fresh.... it was perfect.
AND ABOUT BLOODY TIME I RECKON cos I aint getting any younger. Ha ha

The next day wasn’t so cool cos we had to drive from Byron to Caboolture for a 2oclock MRI appointment. But I only was seen at 6pm. But it was all covered by Medicare thank　god cos they still don’t know what wrong with my hand。 But that’s another story that I don’t wanna go into. the friday nite we had a party at my parents place...but thats the next blog..cya