A Japanese Christmas

Oh cameron, you speak wise words.

Before my parents came to Tokyo, my host family decided to throw a Christmas party.
The Japanese don't celebrate Christmas, so when I was informed that the 23rd was going to a Christmas party, I was extremely excited.

What is your ideal Christmas?
A roaring fire place, family all snuggled on the couch, christmas carols.
Possibly some form of roast bird as the centerpiece on the dinner table, a huge decorated Christmas tree in the background, hopefully abundant with presents for you at the bottom.

Christmas is of course ideally spent with your family, and then New Years with your friends.
What better way to roll in the New Year absolutely off your face drunk, and worry-free?

However the Japanese would spend Christmas with their friends, and New Year's with the family.
Usually the Japanese also use Christmas as an excuse to spend it with their special someone.

Exhibit A: Minato Mirai in Yokohama.

all the romantic couples that make me want to die.

 If you have just gotten out of a relationship, I strongly suggest to always avoid Yokohama at all costs.
This place is absolutely gorgeous aside from the fact that everywhere you go, you would be slapped in the face by romantic couples that are whispering sweet nothings in each others ears.

If I could somehow dub what they are saying it'd probably go down something like this:

Boy: "hey honey, I got you your Christmas gift."

Girl: "you mean, that huge snoopy that I've always wanted, all this time...?"

Boy: "well. Similar."

Girl: "...."

Boy: "A step machine, baby. It cost me a bomb but anything for my princess. It'll help you tone your thighs more seeing as you've just been scoffing all your Christmas chocolate."

With that conversation in mind; perhaps it's not so terrible to be single and walking in a couple-infested area after all.

On the 23rd of December, my host family made such a huge effort to celebrate Christmas.
So with that image painted in your mind of a typical Christmas, replace it with this:
No huge bird, no tree, and no 'presents'
(the Japanese would give money instead.
This is a common Asian thing, I've noticed. I prefer money too, to be fair.)

My host dad is, one of the BEST cooks. Ever.
My weight gain is all his fault, really.
(Aside from the fact I snack a lot...)

A Japanese Christmas Feast!

We had fried chicken, sashimi, sushi, and bless my dear host dad's heart, he thought it would be ideal if he made a salad that resembled the Christmas colors.

Red- Tomato

Green- Choy Sum

White- Bean Sprouts.

Gold- Fried Chicken. 

It was really sweet to see my host family make such an effort to throw together a dinner like this and make my Christmas special despite the fact that if I wasn't there; they'd go drinking instead. :P

My host mom even bought a cake that had the colors of Christmas too.

strawberry shortcake in Japan is absolutely delightful! :D

All in all, celebrating Christmas with my host family was the perfect send off to my actual parents come Christmas Eve.
My parents and host parents met yesterday for dinner in Ginza too.
It's exhausting keeping up with so many families.
I have a total of three!
(the other one not being the scary sausage loving host mom and her equally crazy daughter and husband, but the family I stayed with for a week prior to moving to my current host family's house.)

Before going to Ginza last night, I took my parents to visit my school, and also around Ueno, Harajuku, and Omotesando yesterday.
The Christmas illuminations in Omotesando were extremely gorgeous, and Ueno during the day was beautiful.
It was a pity because Yoyogi Park was closed due to some random accident, so I would have to take them back there maybe today, or tomorrow.

Ueno before lunch!

You would think that spending 9 months in Tokyo, I'd know that going to Harajuku, or anywhere in Tokyo on a Sunday would be committing suicide.
Guess where I took my family?
Harajuku. On a Sunday. On Boxing Day.
Give me a pat on the back.
Not because I did a good job, but because you feel sorry for silly idiotic ol' me. :P

Takeshita Street

Needless to say the crowd was insane and I got up close and personal with many strangers in shops.
My parents bought me a jacket from the Gap though; so that was the highlight of Harajuku.

 

 My poor parents and brother struggled gallantly through the streets of Harajuku, and by the time we made a loop around Takeshita Street, back up to Omotesando, we hit nightfall.

The Christmas lights however, made up for all the stress you'd get trying to breathe in such a crowd.

A picture of the tree-lined road in Omotesando

My brother and I posing for a photo! Note: Couples in the background, and the sheer crowd on Boxing Day in Harajuku

Taking the subway to Ginza was probably the smartest decision of mine yesterday.

The JR train lines were so full that the trains stopped apparently.

Bless Japanese people and their need to spend money they don't have, on sales that are non-existent! :P

You know when you introduce someone important to your family, 

and the rush of nerves that you'd get?

You worry about absolutely nothing, and the most important thing for you is that your family approve of them.

That was how I felt yesterday introducing my host family to my real family.

It was scary because despite the language barrier, I was afraid that they'd have nothing to talk about.

I was soon reassured once we got to the restaurant in Ginza.

My host family's love of food, combined with my own family's love of food made everyone soon comfortable with each other.

Although the language barrier was present, my host mum can speak a little bit of English, so she understood about half of what my parents would say to her.

I was the translator for most of the night however. It was fun to say the least; translating Japanese greetings into English is rather hilarious at times.

Sashimi =]

Japanese Snow Crab

All in all, I think the dinner went fabulously.

I'm so happy that my host family and real family get along, and to top it all of, my host family told my parents that having me in their lives is a blessing on their part.

<3 oh the joy.

:P

I'm leaving for Hiroshima on the 30th of December, so my parents and brother would get a day in Tokyo all to themselves.

Hopefully they'd be okay without me.

So far it's been challenging to keep them all in check because we all walk at different speeds.

Apparently, I walk way too fast, and I zigzag.

I agree with the latter.

I seem to have a difficulty walking in a straight line.

I guess the model gig wouldn't have gone so well then!

So hopefully today would be just as interesting as it was yesterday. 

Off to shopping in Shibuya on a MONDAY, (yes, I used my brain this time!)

All my love always, 

and Happy Holidays!

April

christmas lights keep shining on

Christmas Night in Minato Mirai

Today was Christmas Day.
Felt more like Boxing Day because of the crazy shopping going around everywhere.
It's crowded even in the countryside of Japan, and although Christmas is meant to be a relaxing day; today was fun but tiring.
I am exhausted, and very full.

It's 11:11PM as I write this blog, and I bet no matter how hard I wish,
even though its both Christmas, and supposedly the magical time in which everything you wish for would come true...it wont. :)

I've been wanting this Snoopy since the start of my exchange! I don't care if I don't have any use for it! :P

Then again, when does anyone get what they want for Christmas? =p
if you've ever had the luxury of doing so, then take note that I probably would light you on fire the next time I see you.
Just putting it out there. :)

On a lighter, and much kinder note (getting into the holiday spirit and all..)
Christmas Day was quite a bit of fun!

I took my family to Asakusa and Shinjuku during the day, and Yokohama during the night to see all the gorgeous Christmas lights that will officially be taken down come midnight tonight.
Tokyo is, and always will be much easier on the eyes during the night.
During the day it resembles a concrete jungle but come nightfall, the lights somehow soften the atmosphere.
The buildings even exude warmth almost.

Asakusa =]

The shops generally open at 11 in Japan, so we all decided to go to Asakusa and walk around snacking and buying unnecessary souvenirs for people back home.

just under a gazillion keychains here in the basket =p

I've been to Asakusa countless times by now, and to be honest, I was getting a bit tired of it.
However, visiting again for the gazillionth time with my family was refreshing because they noticed new things that I didn't bother observing prior my visit today.

I got to try many different snacks that I would avoid normally because I'd think it was a waste of money.
That's one thing good about traveling with your parents by the way; you don't use your own money so you end up doing things you wouldn't be able to afford to do on your own.
However, I'm not too sure if I'm willing to trade my independence and freedom just to try some random local snacks for free.

I never thought I'd like this but my mom bought a piece today and it was really yum! =]

sweet potato and redbean tempura thing

I also didn't notice that there were many goods in reference to the Chinese Zodiac until today, for example..

all twelve zodiac animals! I know people born in the year of all of them apart from the Tiger actually :O

born in the year of the rooster anyone? =]

I also convinced my uncooperative brother to make a fool out of himself with me.

Yesterday I managed to make him take purikura with me, and today; this! 

Enjoy the video by the way- I had to bring my dad into the equation to persuade my brother in the end.

My whiny-ness wasn't enough. =p

(god, you'd think I'm still 12.)

Needless to say; I have missed being an embarrassment. 

(Not that I'm not usually..)

Asakusa was really fun and less stressful than normal.

Thanks mom, thanks dad, and thanks koko for being such a good sport the whole day :P

After lunch, it was already quite late, so we decided to visit Kinokuniya (huge bookstore), and walk around Shinjuku before I took my family to see the lights in Minato Mirai/Chinatown in Yokohama.

waiting for the subway in Yokohama Station

 Despite all the festive decorations, and all the christmas lights- it didn't feel like Christmas at all.

I don't know why it didn't- my family was with me, 

and I was surrounded by what I knew since I was young.

It just didn't feel like Christmas. =/ 

Outside Queens Square in Yokohama

I had to. Just had to. =]

It was freezing cold, and rather difficult to take photos because of the countless couples flooding into Minato Mirai to enjoy the romantic atmosphere.

I seriously just want to light them ALL on fire. :D Who's with me? ;p

To be honest though I am really happy for them.

To be with your significant other on Christmas Day or New Years Eve must be so special. 

Later on we went to Chinatown!

Of course the food was not as good as the food back in Malaysia- but then again, we are in Japan.

I do miss good chinese food quite a bit, because Japanese cuisine tends to lack the intense awesomeness that chinese dishes tend to have. 

Don't get me wrong; I LOVE Japanese food, but I think you'd never stop loving the food that you've been brought up with.

Being brought up in Malaysia, a country best known for it's food really, it's hard and unfair to compare it to any other kind of cuisine because in my mind? 

Malaysian food is always going to be the most delicious and comforting.

I've heard lots of exchange students tell me that Christmas in Japan is quite depressing, and really lonely.

They are definitely not lying, but I don't think it's depressing.

Lonely? Yes, definitely.

But being on exchange in another foreign country you can't help but be lonely I think.

People you love will leave, and you leave people you love.

During the holidays though, all these emotions will come flooding back; and you miss the people that make you who you are even more than usual.

Coldplay recently released a new single called "Christmas Lights".

I heard it in a Mister Donuts shop in Shinjuku a while back, and again today in the Snoopy shop at Minato Mirai.

I decided to look up the lyrics tonight before writing this blog and I realized something.

Although we feel alone; and because it's the holidays, this feeling of solitude would of course be intensified greatly- but somewhere out there, another person(s) is feeling the exact same way you are.

So although I feel lonely today on Christmas, I am surrounded by family.

Perhaps I'm not surrounded by the people that I would want to be with right now, if Santa would just be so kind and grant me my Christmas wish already, but...

That's life.

So 6 more days till the New Year, and 31 more days till I say Sayonara to Japan.

Goals before then?

Blog like crazy, buy souvenirs for friends, spend time with everyone I know here in Tokyo, give my exchange company hell, and do all the things I've yet to do.

So Merry Christmas Everyone!

If you feel absolutely warm and bubbly today; I'm happy for you...really..:P

If you are a bit lonely and nostalgic and need some chocolate cake and ice cream?

Come join me in my hotel room in Ueno! XD

We can all be lonely and pathetic together.

All my love always,

April

christmas eve?

gorgeous christmas tree <3

It scares me that when I woke up today, it was already Christmas Eve.
I got up at 5AM, and walked an hour to my station in the freezing cold to take a train to Narita Airport.
My family came to Japan today, and I'm currently sitting in a small, tiny hotel room somewhere in Ueno, feeling awfully nostalgic about the year's events.
The holidays bring a sense of warmth and comfort but at the same time; I don't know why I feel so lost when my family's just by my side.

So; taking an hour train ride to Narita, I reflect.
I hate the airport. With passion.
If Hell existed; it would be either Namjatown, or the Airport.
Fullstop.
No questions asked.

welcome to Japan!!

My family coming here to Tokyo was, and is quite exciting.
I have a ton of places that I want to take them to; a ton of restaurants to eat at, and I want to show them the life I lead here in Tokyo.
Particularly, how different it is in comparison to my life here back in New Zealand.

I don't remember my life back in New Zealand anymore.
Was there a time where I didn't wake up at 5AM?
Was there a time where I didn't walk at a 'ridiculously fast' speed?

Things have changed.
Meeting my family today; I realized I've missed my brother a heck of a lot.
I've missed my dad, and my mom too.
But I realized the one big thing that made my Christmas Eve extremely sad as well.

I've changed...so much.

I used to be able to laugh, at any thing.
I wasn't so serious about life, and about the future.
It's like reality has slapped me in the face.
When ignorance was my best friend, bliss was mine too.

I'm not sure if this is part of growing up.
Maybe it's because 18 is fast and approaching me.
Yet I still feel like the stupid 15 year old girl two years ago that came to Japan and ran up and down the carriages in the train yelling "GAIJIN WHAT UPP!"
At the same time, I look back and I hardly recognize that April anymore.
Where has she gone?
Sometimes I miss her, and sometimes I wanna slap her in the face.

The one thing that probably hasn't, and wont change about me is the fact I whine a lot.
Ironically it is the one thing I've always wanted to change about myself but just never could.

mummy and meeeee :D

sukiyaki

Daddy and Koko

I brought my parents to eat sukiyaki and sushi today.
We explored the markets in Ueno, and walked around electric city town in Akihabara.
I've been to these places a million times and over so it wasn't too exciting for me but my family enjoyed it so much.
I miss that too.
That fascination I initially had with the simple things about Japan.
The crazy fruit prices, the even crazier cosplay costumes, the maids, the lights, the people...
I had that fascination two years ago, and somehow it was gone when I came back here this year.

I have literally 32 more days here in Japan.
I cannot believe I've made it this far.
I think of all the other exchange students I know that have left, or have decided to leave early because of some reason or another; and I am glad to say I am going to make it through the whole 10 months.

Of course I'm not wanting to leave this place.
How can I? When I think of New Zealand, the only thing drawing me home is the idea that it was initially my home, and that I could perhaps study what I want to study. (Law, that is.)
Also, my friends, and my family...
It would be good to catch up with everyone and see how they've maybe changed as well during my absence.

The thing about change is that if you don't change together; you drift apart.
Sure you can be best friends with someone, and you can tell each other everything but distance is an evil bastard and it does something extraordinary yet so horrible at the same time.
It pushes people away; and there's another relationship which you look back on and think, "oh those were brilliant days gone by", and the present just leaves you with this gaping hole.

I am happy my family are here, don't get me wrong.
I can't be happier.
It's just so awful that I realized how much I've changed in the first hour of meeting them for the first time in months; and being unsure if my change was for the better, or for the worse.

However.
In the time that they are here, I hope to bring them to all the places around Tokyo that awed me those two years ago, and take them to eat the best Japanese cuisine around town.
(Thanks to my host family, I have recommendations from Japanese locals;
so crossing my fingers this is the good stuff ;p)

had to drag him all the way into the machine. Check out his enthusiastic faces in all of them. XD

Tomorrow on Christmas Day, my mom turns the big five oh.
I cannot wait; because I'm bringing them to Asakusa and Yokohama for the Christmas illuminations as well.
Going to Chinatown and Minato Mirai at night should ideally be done with your significant other in my opinion but in this case; I have no significant other, so I'll have to baby up to my brother for now :P
He hasn't changed too much; just his hairstyle.
I'm so glad he hasn't though- I love him just the way he is.
It's also comforting to know that he's still the same because he'll always love me despite my many, many flaws.

My parents look well too.
My mom still asks a lot of questions, and my dad is still always concerned over me.

I just hope I didn't give them the impression that I've changed for the worst- because they have forked out a small if not hugiant fortune for me to be here, and thanks to America, the NZD isn't doing too swimmingly at present.

Christmas Eve last year I was traveling around Singapore and Malaysia with my brother,
and surrounded by everything familiar and wonderful.

This year; things have changed.
I'm in Japan.
It's my first time experiencing a cold Christmas, (unfortunately not a white christmas)
Instead of my parents taking me around; I'm taking them around.

eating Doraemon's favourite snack!

I wish time would stop flying by so fast.
It would be nice to enjoy one day at a time instead of feeling like the whole day has just gone by way too fast for comfort.
Does this come with the age thing?
Because if it does then heck; I do not wanna grow old.

That would be my Christmas wish.
(amongst other things...:D)

All my love always,

April

the one place that sucks in Tokyo.

When you think of Japan, admit it.
You think sushi.
You think sumos, anime, and manga.

To some extent, that is true. But it's definitely not all of the things there are in Japan.
There are a ton of things to do here, and going out with friends can be a pain at times because there are too many things you can choose from.

Karaoke, all night drinking, dancing, taking photos, eating, eating even more, renting a dog, going to a cat cafe, going to a maid bar, love hotels..
The list is endless really.
However- not too sure about the love hotel part.

And the great thing about Japan is that you can have access to these activities at any time of the day.
You can definitely access a love hotel at any time of the night.
Not that I would know.
...seriously, I don't. =p

Tokyo is indeed prettiest at night.
For example; compare these two photos:
The size of Tokyo Tower is clearly different in the two photos, so it may be hard to compare but in my opinion; the night view is somehow more romantic, and ethereal.
The day is still gorgeous, don't get me wrong.
Just takes the magic away a little.

tokyo tower during the day

tokyo tower in the evening

There are so many things to do here in Japan and one of them is definitely, to take purikura.
These photo machines are absolutely everywhere in Japan,
and to experience the high school life of a typical Japanese teenager,
all you need to do is get yourself down to an arcade, and take photos in a photo booth.
That, and karaoke sessions with a free drink bar so that you can sing without going hoarse.

japanese girls going into a photo booth

the endless types of photo booths available in Japan

Upon my arrival to Japan; my company took us on orientation.
We took purikura (sticker photos)
On my first day of school, the girls took me out for a day of fun.
"So that you can experience the Japanese culture!" one of them even said to me.
We went to go take purikura.
Moving into my first host family, the first place that my host mom and sister decided to take me?
TO TAKE PURIKURA.
The Japanese people, -of any age and gender really- generally like taking photos.
Especially in these machines for a total of 400yen per photoshoot.

decorating purikura on a touch screen. 

I've spent so much money on going to these photo booths to capture ridiculous moments.
Lately, we go take purikura if something funny happens in the day.

exhibit A :)

However, if you are ever to come to Tokyo.
DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT GO TO A PLACE CALLED NAMJATOWN.

This is the most evil, and horrible place in Tokyo you could possibly go to.
A love hotel, or a maid bar would actually be more satisfactory than this 'amusement park'.

Two years ago I also was a victim to this little park in Ikebukuro's Sunshine City,
and being forced to go along today was yet another cringe-worthy moment.
To highlight how utterly frustrating this place is, here is a picture of how much 'fun' we had in the rides at Namjabloodytown.

note the anger in my face, and the suicidal look in Olivia's. :P

This ride is voted the best in all of Namjatown, and it literally just takes you around for 5 minutes, asking you to shoot mosquitos.
With a gun that barely works.
But it truly is the best part about Namjatown.

You pay a ton of money for the ticket, because every foreigner is fooled by its exterior.
It looks polished, themed, and just full of surprises.
It also promises references to popular anime series like Bleach, for example.

However, walking into this place, you would only be exposed to things such as GyozaCity, and IceCreamCountry, and the most ridiculous ghost house in which you are required to pay for a cat statue that's supposedly meant to be a 'god that blocks away death'.

In a way, Namjatown is amusing because in every country, there is going to be that exceptional place that ruins absolutely everything.
Tokyo is modern, it's busy, and one of the most convenient places in the world.
Namjatown is old, it's less busier than Abiko (an extremely rural place in Chiba, one of the prefectures near Tokyo), and is so terribly laid out that you'd think a 6 year old was given responsibility for the design of the place.
In fact- the 6 year old would probably do a better job.

So to sum things up; there are lots of cool places to go to in Tokyo, and I'm glad to say that throughout my exchange, I've had the opportunity to do most of these things.
It's just rather disappointing that I was forced to go to Namjatown.
Seeing as it didnt make an impression on me two years ago, the only impression it made on me this year is a bad and awful one.

My parents are coming to Tokyo in a few days, and the one place I would not take them to is Namjatown.
It's a good place to bring people you don't like, I guess.

"HEY, you wanna see Japan? I know this AWESOME place in Ikebukuro called Namjatown..."
:) Waste of money, waste of time.

Junten High School was the school I did a three-week exchange to back in 2008, and when I found out we were going to a themepark for the 'Tokyo-Orientation Day', I can still remember the excitement I felt.
Being taken around by Japanese High School kids? I figured I would have a blast.
But no, I was mistaken.
The same thing happened again this year with the school I'm exchanging with now, Shinagawa Girls High School.

The ironic thing is?
The Japanese people generally have a similar opinion to mine about the 'amusement park'
So explain to me...WHY?
Why, if they feel this way about Namjatown,
would they even consider bringing foreigners to this place?

I just felt my brain explode.

So. I've warned you.
Do not go to Namjatown.

All my love always,

April

so close to christmas

i'm not very proud of my closet; but i had to take a photo to remind myself why I should clean it..later. :P

I opened my closet today, and still the same as it was when I stored them away four  months ago, in that little corner, were my watermelon cardboard boxes. 

my box of books headed for Malaysia.

Searching the house for gum tape, I made a box out of a flat piece of cardboard, and secured it.

I then begun the process of packing.

I have now a huge watermelon box solely just for books.

I haven’t weighed it yet but I feel sorry for my dad or my brother because in a week’s time, my family is visiting me from New Zealand.

They are bringing this box back with them to Malaysia to send to New Zealand because lets face it; if I was to send that box back by ship from Japan to New Zealand it would cost the earth.

And sending anything out from Malaysia would be doing my dad a huge favor financially.

I only have a month left here in Tokyo.

WHY, do I only have a month left?

I feel like time is cheating me.

When I was little back home in Malaysia, I would run to the kitchen and try and find all the sugary cereals that I could snack on while watching Doraemon.

I never knew Doraemon was a Japanese cartoon, by the way. Isn’t that insane?

I thought it was a Malay cartoon because it had all been dubbed into Malay.

So sugary cereals would be; Honey Stars, Coco Pops, Frosties- I was that chubby kid that could eat anything, and would eat everything.

So anyway, here I would be running to the kitchen, and desperately trying to find a stool so that I could reach the higher shelves.

My mom put sweets up on the higher shelves knowing that my brother and I were too short to reach but what kid would be so stupid as to let height or parents restrict them?

Finding the stool like the little genius I am, I then climbed onto it (hoping all the while that my brother doesn’t come along and rock the legs of the stool)

However, always discovering that either A: there are hardly any sugary cereals left to munch on, or B; there weren’t any at all.

It was weird because while packing my books into the box today, I felt that way.

The sugary cereal back then in my childhood is the time I have left in Japan today.

Hardly anything left, if not totally gone already.

By the way, my evil brother was always the one to steal my cereal.

Along with my Mee Goreng.

ahh yes, the student handbook. (threw this crap away obviously)

Being the ‘neat’ girl I am, I found papers wedged in between my books.

They were papers from when I first arrived, little notes I had scribbled to myself.

Letters to people that I wanted to write to, but never finished.

Letters I had finished but ended up not posting.

Blog entries, receipts, doodles, exchange company letters…you get the picture.

I also had my last ever Japanese test on Saturday, in which I didn’t study for at all.

Finishing the proficiency test had somehow wrung me out of any discipline I had left in me.

I didn’t even bother studying, and the day before my exam, I went out drinking.

Did the exam go well? I think it didn’t go too well, but it’s too late to start regretting.

I could have done better, and I should have done better, there’s no doubt about that.

However, I have completed one of the major goals here in Japan- to study, and sit for a proficiency test at either N1, or N2.

So I’m happy.

The night I went out drinking with some friends I ended up losing my commuters pass.

For any exchanger in Japan, losing a commuters pass is pretty much losing your phone, your wallet, or your alien card.

You pay a small fortune for this pass that allows you to travel anywhere in Tokyo via any transport you wanted.

Students would get a discount depending on the route in which they took to and from school each day.

For example, I live in Motoyawata, or Ichikawa.

I then have to go all the way to Shinagawa.

This would, in a week, cost me 7000yen.

However, buying a commuters pass would cost me 8500yen a month; and I could go to and from school (and in and out of all the stations along this route), and it wouldn’t cost me any extra.

To sum up; losing that card is one of the stupidest things you can possibly do.

I’ve done this 3 times already.

I’m happy I’m exchanging in Japan because one thing that amazes me about this country is how ridiculously honest everyone is.

If you’ve lost something, it’s certain that you will find it.

Even if you’ve lost actual cash, people would pick it up in the street, and give it to the station officer or the police.

I guess that’s something admirable about Japan because I’ve lived in, and been to many Asian countries so far in my lifetime and none of them will even begin to compare to how efficient the Japanese people are with the lost-and-found system.

The past two times I lost my card, I’ve received calls from the station office, informing me that they’ve found it.

However, this time was just plain weird.

Guess who found my card?

Of all the people in Japan?

…

You ready for it?

This is so good. You’re literally going to shit your pants.

..no, not literally.

…MY FIRST HOST MOM.

Yes, crazy, wiener-loving, screaming host mom.

She found my ticket, and apparently was squinting at my name.

She then called my exchange company, which then called me, to inform me of what had happened.

My reaction was simply just a, “oh my god.”

What else do I say?

I can’t say, “yokatta!”, or “yappari.”

Those aisatsu are just beyond inappropriate.

So is “usso” or “yabai”, (which somehow portray the image of OMG), but nothing will ever match up to the actual “oh.my….god.”

shibuya on a Sunday night

There are millions of people here in Japan; and in Tokyo? MILLIONS.

Out of all those people; my crazy first host mom was the one to find my card.

Insane.

I’m so happy she didn’t burn it though. Apparently she was extremely confused as to why I’m still in Japan.

She assumed I was sent back to New Zealand.

Bless her soul.

Needless to say, I’m going down to Oji tomorrow after school to retrieve my card.

I used to go there a lot because a certain someone lived there, but going back there now doesn’t comfort me as to haunt me really.

I wasn’t planning to ever set foot in that place after summer vacation had ended but so far that plan hasn’t been effective.

I have a curfew now too, by the way.

I don’t know what to make of it. The hugest emotion that I’m feeling right now?

Confused.

I don’t know why a curfew is suddenly set in place when I only have a month left in Tokyo.

However, sleeping over at people’s houses is okay so, it’s not extremely restricting to my night-life here in Tokyo.

Although I do wonder why my host family suddenly decided that a curfew was necessary.

The trip to Hiroshima is also going to cost me a small fortune of 65000 yen.

I’ve used up a lot of my money for Christmas presents and warm clothing for the holidays, and when my host mom told me how much the trip would cost; I panicked.

Going down to Osaka barely cost me 30,000 yen.

The 65000 yen includes both hotel and transportation, but so did the Osaka trip.

I don’t know where my host family has planned to stay but I never knew that it would cost so much just to go down to Hiroshima for the New Years.

I can’t wait for my family to come to Japan, and show them around Tokyo.

Let’s just hope there are not “hey, can I see your gaijin card” comments that make me feel scared to eat anything remotely resembling food for the rest of the day. ;p

It really doesn’t feel like the holidays.

Although it didn’t snow in New Zealand, come December, the spirit of Christmas would be in the air.

Everyone puts up Christmas illuminations, and there are Christmas carols everywhere.

Tokyo is doing the same although it’s somehow different because Christmas here in Japan just means Boxing Day and New Years.

So although the Japanese kids have to go back to school on Christmas Day, I think we end school on the 22^nd of December.

This is one thing I am definitely not going to miss about Japan.

School in December should be a breach against human rights in my opinion.

And not to mention three-month length summer vacation should be effective internationally- not just Down Under.

All my love always

April

JLPT

It ends today.
All the work I've put into this test is finally finished and I can officially say,
'お疲れ様’ for my year here in Japan.
I do not need to study unless I want to; it's FINALLY over!

I'm so relieved, so happy, and so excited for my remaining two months here in Tokyo.
There are still a bunch of places I have not been to yet; Tokyo Tower, Odaiba, to mention a few.
There are goodbyes to be said; and although I am not looking forward to that, I'm definitely looking forward to see my friends and family again.

Waking up today, I had a little reflection on my year here so far.
All the goals that I've made for myself to accomplish here in Japan have been completed.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I've finished what I've started, and the feeling is amazing.
Sure, I have other things I've accomplished but for some reason, I feel like I've put so much effort into this exam, and sitting it today was quite refreshing because although there were questions which were extremely difficult; there were some areas of the exam that I felt so confident in doing, I knew a 110% that it was the right answer.

Reitaku University

My test was held in Reitaku University. It was a b*tch, to say the least to get there.
However, I didn't find myself getting too lost because there were a bunch of foreigners that were planning to sit for the exam that were also taking this obscure route.
I was surprised that I was the only person sitting N2 that was a teenager.
Everyone else is in their early, or late 20's.
Needless to say, everyone's reactions were similar when I told them I'm still 17.

"...and you're doing N2?"

XD

getting ready for my test...

Arriving an hour early to the exam...

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test was divided into two sections. 

One being Reading Comprehension/Kanji/Vocabulary/Grammar, and the other being Listening.

Thanks to my being here in Japan, Listening was the easiest and the most do-able. 

Although my concentration span betrayed me a couple of times, I managed to answer each of the questions rather confidently.

The hardest part of the test was comprehension and grammar. 

My head hasn't stopped pounding since the test; I am that exhausted from trying to decipher newspaper articles.

The thing about the test which I hated was that it was so goddamn long.

12:30-4:15? Not to mention because I took N2, we didn't really have a break at all.

The lower levels have a break in between reading, comprehension, and so forth.

However, the higher levels are expected to complete a whole test in one sitting.

My brain has never hurt to much.
I don't know what it is; but writing 5 essays in 3 hours is a walk in the park compared to doing a test in a language different to that of your own. 

The characters would start to blur into one another after a while because I was so tired from re-arranging the sentences into English when I couldn't grasp the idea of it in Japanese.

There are moments in the exam where you drift off and think of really inappropriate things.

I even thought about kiwi birds today.

Kiwi Birds.

As I was reading a sentence about some random car sales advertisement, all I could think about was, "why can't they fly? They should be able to fly. It's so weird why they don't fly."

There was also another time in the Listening exam where I thought, "huh, weird is so weird. Weird. We-ird? Weeee...erd...weeeeee....ehd....weeeeee..."

When I finally snapped out of it, the squeaky annoying Japanese voice had already begin to talk about something else.

That resulted in a whole question going unanswered.

So when in doubt, always circle C. :P 

I'm not sure if I'm able to pass, because there were some questions I know for sure I got wrong, but let's hope that I did get above the 60% mark.

We'll find out in February.

Holy Crap. I'm back in New Zealand come February.

Time goes by so fast even when you are not having fun, I realize.

I think it's the age thing.

The older you get, the faster time just slips away and you realize the important things in life do not lie in the big things anymore, but in the little memories you make along the way that make you smile like an idiot to yourself in the train :D

I met lots of amazing people at the test.

It's so nice meeting other foreigners here in Japan, because everyone has a story.

A story about how they decided to come to Japan, and their reasons for staying.

It's nice because you're already connected to one another without realizing it- and that's the beauty of being in a country other than your own.

However, you do meet those people that just make you wonder why you even bother talking to them in the first place.

Prime example being this one American boy that was sitting beside me on the train ride home, and halfway through the conversation, he asks to see my gaijin card.

(this is the card that officially certifies my alien-ness, by the way)

So, I show it to him, and he compares my photo to my current face and says, "man, you've gained a bit of weight since you've registered for this card, huh?"

WHO SAYS THAT!

Boys.

And he had the nerve to ask for my phone number later on.

I'm not sure if he was trying to further lower my self esteem or something, but seriously? 

WHO SAYS THAT.

Just reminds me of the times I would get out from the airport and my relatives would glance at me from head to toe and say, "why did you gain weight again?" before saying, "It's so nice to see you again!"

愛梨　と　エイプリル！

天ぷら食べ放題　＜３

旨かった！

My host family decided to take me out after my exam to celebrate.

We went to go have tempura in Tokyo, and I got a giraffe pencil case as a present! :D

Its so sweet of them to take me out for all these お疲れ様 dinners.

The time I have with them is limited too, so I'm hoping that I'll make more amazing memories with everyone before I leave for New Zealand in January.

cawan mushiiiiiii <3 超大好き！

my giraffe pencil case!!

All my love always,

April