busy as a beeeeeeee

放課後でマキと桃子をプリ撮りに行った！

I don’t know how I’m even finding time to write this blog.

Nearing the end of one’s exchange there is probably one word that would describe your every single waking moment as chaotic.

My lovely exchange company is of course making this more difficult in the long run.

Disallowing me to end school early is but one of the many things they have managed to stir up come the start of this week, from phone bills to little things such as alien registration confirmations.

Lovely.

The time to ask whether or not I have my visa is not prior to the departure date of the country.

God. I would rather work with monkeys than co-operate with these bunch of idiots that call themselves ‘counselors’. 

Packing is indeed going along very distressingly.

I’m starting to realize the gravity of how much shit I’ve purchased in my exchange but have no need for.

I have to cardigans that only differ in one shade of grey.

One shade. I swear, even in certain lights, they look the same.

You wonder what went through my head when I decided to buy the second cardigan.

You really do; and let me tell you a secret.

Nothing did.

I just saw it, liked it, and to relieve some stress in late September,

I handed over a ton of clothing to the happy person over the register, and cringed at the total but paid anyway.

I was in Harajuku today shopping for presents for friends back home when I saw the foreigner holding the sign, “free hugs”

I’ve seen that guy multiple times in Harajuku and today, being stressed and very exhausted from all that has happened,

It took all my strength left in me to not shout in his face.

I badly wanted to tell him to help me pack, since he had so much free time to give out free hugs every day in the streets of Harajuku, when here I am feeling like time is being stolen away from me each and every passing day.

starting to slowly pack...

low and behold: the 30kg's worth of clothes.

Packing.

How do you do yours?

Some people just chuck everything into their luggage, sit on it, and then zip it up.

I tried this method today, because I was that tired; and I couldn’t even manage to get the lid over the clothes.

So sitting on it proved moot. 

Then there’s the wise, and rather tedious way of packing.

Where one actually folds their clothes into neat little squares or rectangles, and then proceed to roll them up into little norimaki –like shapes.

That’s what I did, and my suitcase is now jam-packed to the brim.

Zipped up barely, but still an improvement from what I managed earlier.

I’m sending back all my boots(why did I buy so many), and bags(WHY did I find the need to BRING so many…), winter jackets(yeah these are really heavy) back to New Zealand by ship.

Although my parents helped me take 65kg worth of my crap back to New Zealand when they came for the Christmas holidays,

I am finding myself still overweight (both in shape and in luggage weight), and I have to somehow not leave anything behind.

Just had a thought.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could send all the weight you were overweight by out to sea?

Haha.

Oh that was terrible.

Don’t judge me. I’m so tired I feel like I’m somehow floating above my laptop screen.

It’s already midnight here in cold, cold Tokyo.

Speaking of which; it snowed.

It snowed in Tokyo and actually accumulated to around 2cm I think.

Impressive, but clearly nothing in comparison to the winter wonderland I was vacationing at during New Years.

I’m also spending more money now on presents, and wondering what to get each and every one of my friends back home proves to be a very challenging and tedious task.

Don’t get me wrong; I love you guys back home really.

But I wish you were right here next to me, pointing at which character you’d prefer.

The kitty cat with a bow, Mickey and his gang, or Totoro?

It’s difficult; and if you don’t like what you end up getting when I’m home?

Screw. You. =]

Rainbow Bridge in Odaiba

My friend pointed it out to me that at the start of your exchange you have firsts, and at the end of your exchange you have lasts.

I’m noticing this too, as I pointed out in my blog entry titled, “last first day of high school” written about a week and a half back this month.

For one, I’m noticing that I have to say farewell to everyone around me.

It’s when I said goodbye to New Zealand, and all my friends and family bidding me good luck for a whole 10 months of solitude here in the land of Japan.

I’m buying presents for people, because I’m thanking them for the time they’ve spent with me.

Back in March 2010, I was packing New Zealand souvenirs for the friends that I’d potentially make here in Japan.

I discovered Japan with people that are no longer here because they’ve all left come the end of summer vacation.

I am experiencing my lasts with people that have known me since September.

For them, it’d be the same.

They discovered Japan with me, and I left Japan with them in my memory.

Thank you, to all of you.

From the exchange and Japanese girls at Shinagawa, friends back 2 years ago,  friends made in the worst circumstances,  a certain very annoying past English volunteer teacher, to all the friends now, (especially to the best Canadian ever)

If it hasn’t been for you; I probably wouldn’t be where I am now.

Literally speaking; in a pile of clothes on the floor and surrendering to my overwhelming things that have yet to be done.

Figuratively speaking though; I have become the person I am today because of your influence and role you’ve played in each and every one of my lives.

I hope we never lose contact.

Because it’d be super cool to see you all again someday, be it the near future or in tens of years time.

I’m slowly starting to come terms with the idea of returning back to New Zealand.

My family has already planned things to do with me, and my brother has even sent me several websites to choose restaurants from.

It’s quite intimidating because I’ll be seeing everyone again.

I’ve changed so much, so much bad and good has happened that has affected me in ways I cannot possibly begin to describe.

Things back home are the same.

All my friends are preparing for uni, and enjoying what is left of their summer.

My family is preparing for my coming home, and booking holidays for the year ahead in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

It’s all so strange.

It’s like I’m packing my bags to do another exchange in New Zealand before I’m off for somewhere different come next year in 2012.

I’m re-entering my country but am prepared for major re-entry culture shock.

I know I’ll get it because when my family came to visit me in Japan; I already experienced a bit of it.

Family-reunion-shock?

I guess? Is there such a thing?

I have no idea but; I definitely know that it’ll take a whole load of adjustment yet again.

There is so much to do, and so little time left.

I don’t know how I’m going to manage to actually make it for the airport in time but I definitely know that if I take one day at a time and just breathe; maybe I won’t die.

I am making a scrapbook for my host family.

Hopefully they’ll like it- I’ve only made a scrapbook for one other person during that exchange, and that exhausted tears out of me like a faucet.

I tend to weep and mope when I see pictures.

These pictures I’ve taken since last April always make me smile initially of course, but when the thought of never seeing the people in those photos again pops into my head, it’s like a pipe has blown and I’m leaking everywhere.

This week has been emotionally draining.

Last week too, and I am slowly trying to be myself again.

I don’t think it’ll happen all too soon, but perhaps going home to my piano, the green grass, a proper sofa, and lots of sleep and sunshine would do this exhausted kiwi girl some good.

note: bags under eyes, tired smiles, and unbrushed hair.

 I took some photos with Olivia today at Harajuku whilst shopping for friends, and we both look like death itself.

She’s going back two days before me, and I’m going to see her off at her bus stop to Narita.

That’s definitely not a good idea- but since when do I learn from my experiences?

Seeing someone off at the airport, or seeing someone for the very last time is needless to say torture.

You can feel your heart race as time creeps nearer to the other’s departure, and you being to bargain ridiculous things inside your head in order to just be in their presence for a couple of minutes longer.

Last time I sent a certain person off at the airport I even considered the idea of sneaking into the luggage cabin on the plane.

I’m sure they had enough oxygen down there anyway.

=p

Knowing how painful it is to see someone leave through those boarding gates, I told my host mom not to come to the airport.

In fact, I’m leaving on the 25^th for the airport and staying in a hotel room alone for my last night in Japan.

It’s unavoidable because there are no trains that run at 5 in the morning around the area in which I live.

My flight is at 9:15, and transferring at Hong Kong, I depart for Auckland around 1PM.

I’ll step on kiwi ground come the morning of 26^th… (I think…..)

Let’s hope I don’t look like shit when my family comes to pick me up at the airport.

Freaked out, emotionally drained,

And really, really sleepy,

I’m going to end this blog in the most captivating and surprising way.

Not repetitive at all and ultimately the best way anyone can possibly imagine ending their own blogs.

All my love always,

April.