Golden Week that was...part 1

Last week was probably THE most important week for any Japanese in Japan. It's so important that they decided to name it "Golden" week. Actually, Golden Week don't even last a week....it's just 4 days of holiday. And the ones who named it "Golden" are probably businessmen as Japanese are compelled to spend money during this time of the year.

And this holiday is for everyone!! The 4 days includes a Saturday, Sunday, Greenery Day and Children's day....Nothing escapes the holiday spree, not even the trees.

Anyway, Golden Week is used by us Malaysian Chinese to hold a gathering every year. Some sort of get to know your juniors kind of thing. But in reality, it's just another excuse for us to get together and reminisce about the old days and catch up on gossips about other people's love life while keeping their own a secret....just like what all old people do.

Just like last year, the gathering was held in a forest of somekind somewhere near Tokyo(about 40 minutes or so from city center)



Where last year was a hike up the mountain and camwhoring while making hell of noises, this year we had games where we made even more noise. We Malaysians are always champions when it comes to making noise in public places, but luckily no one took off their clothes while doing that!! haha...

Btw, the game we played was where each person was given a card with a number on it. We then had to form groups corresponding to a number decided by the referees. I sort of cheated and held two cards(given by Koek Seng Chye, second eldest among us. What a way to teach a junior about life..lol). Still, I got kicked out early in the game....

The second game was drinking coke out of a tin cup using a skinny ass straw to suck at. Damn, straw was skinnier than Cristian Bale in The Machinist. In this game, my team won the competition. How? Well, thanks to my genius and teamwork by Jeremy Cheong...haha.

"When pouring coke into the tin cup, some of it are bound to spill right?"
*Jeremy spills some coke*

"When moving, unsteady hands will cause it to spill right?"
*Jeremy spills some more coke*

Oh, and not forgetting the awesome power of sucking by Ben Foo. Teamwork was what made us win. Teamwork guys...teamwork.

The next game played was carry a ping pong ball on a spoon. Classic.

Oh, one person worth mentioning was Lee Boon Hon. You seem he came a bit late, about halfway through the first game. Boon walked towards us and suddenly flings his bag high up in the air, which landed at nearby benches, and lifts both his hands up, just like a politician greeting his supporters. Haha...what a way to make an entrance. Needless to say, most of us are shocked to see such antics...but damn, what a memorable wtf moment. Guess what.....he forgets his bag later that night!! LOL!!!





We later had barbecue for dinner. The usual sausages, chicken wings and sweet potato placed above roaring fires. Clement and Jeremy happened to be in the same group as me....the few other English-ed guys at the site. SO....seizing this opportunity, I unleashed my cheeky jokes on "sausages" and "chics"....haha. Those with mind as dirty as a charcoal will know what I mean, so no need to elaborate here I guess.



So, we've had our fill, eating to our heart's content. What to do after sitting in front of a fire smelling burnt chicken wings? Go sit in front of a bigger fire!!



Then comes the part everybody's waiting for....Juniors introducing themselves. Well, not that we can remember all their names anyway...no one can. But what we do every year is tease couples of their batch. Nothing excites us Malaysians more than childishly teasing people in love, is there?

Most of the seniors left after the bonfire....but I stayed. Thought that they would like to ask about life in Japan, so thought that I'd play the "senior" role and offer "advice" on living in Japan. Haha...sounds so mature and caring when my real intentions were to...ehem, lets not tarnish my image here.

Anyway, it turns out that I didn't have to speak much after all. This guy Yow Keong, did all the talking. This earned me comments such as "Randy, you look serious". Ho ho...just wait till I start telling unending lame jokes.

We kept talking all through the night....and kept talking until they locked the doors to the main building(I stayed in the cabin) and a few juniors couldn't go back to their own rooms and had to crash in with me instead.

It was very nice getting to meet them juniors...although they made me feel sad by reminding me that I'm "old". To me, they seem somewhat quiet and well mannered, and knew how to carry themselves around elders. Don't get me wrong though, I not like a typical Japanese where they stress a lot on junior-senior relationship.

Anyway, welcome to Japan fellas!! Now suffer the culture differences!!!....haha..