Celebrating Christmas in Japan

My Christmas

.. in Japan, December 24th 2009

Good morning, clothes that I've forgotten to take inside

Hello, neighbor across the street
Hope I haven't unintentionally flashed you too many times lately

Up bright and early on Christmas Eve. But no excitement, no snow, no family..

.. just school

.. and good friends <3

Hello, Cat and cat

This poor kitty has been hanging around our apartment building this past couple of days. I don't know if it's lost or doesn't have a owner, or what. It has a broken leg, but it seemed to have healed by itself.

I wish I could give him food and water, shelter and love, but I don't think it's right for any of us to make it depend on us when we're going back to Norway soon.

I asked Supermario Sensee at school today if he knew about an animal shelter or something in Togane, and he said he'd check, so we'll see.

Hello, Petter

Petter is a good friend and one of my classmates. But since he's a genius when it comes to learning languages he got to study at a university for smart people in Osaka this semester. Now his semester is over, and he has stopped buy godforsaken Togane for a few days before he goes home.

Hello, giant forhead

Hello, poor Kitty.
No one loves you
Tsk, tsk

Hello, citrus tree on the way to school
And hello big truck racing pass me inches away
please don't kill me
I'm too pretty to die

Hello, unhealthy breakfast
Anything goes today
It's Christmas

Hello, Hershey ice cream

Cat

We all had to drag our asses to school for first period with Supermario Sensee.

.. and we watched a documentary from early 90's about comic book writing.

I tell ya, Josai University are out to punish us.

Hello, Benedicte
Heidi
Lotte
and random guy

Then people, after school we went to Jonathan's to eat an unhealthy lunch.

Oh, I'm just going to have myself some water

Ehr.. Maybe not
Grose!

Still, we eat.

We're like a stupid loyal dog that keeps coming back to it's owner even though it gets kicked.

Oh well, no food poisoning yet.

Look at my ear thingies that I got in Harajuku the other day
I feel so themed

No snow in Togane

We were all invited to Cat's house for a makeshift feast made by Jaqcueline.

Kjøttkaker in the making

Hey, people actually get sent stuff from Norway
Where's the love, ey
Mom?
Dad?
I guess I haven't been particulary good this year
Tsk, tsk

Then we made a makeshift Christmas tree

Benedicte and Petter even made cake!

Petter.. posing (?)
Please notice
Benedicte
in the mirror

Look!
Or "rook!"
in Japanese

Cat & Jaqcue enjoying our Christmas feast

We watched "Tre nøtter til Askepott" ("Three hazelnuts for Cinderella"), which Benedicte had brought on DVD. This is a Czechian movie which is broadcasted on a Norwegian TV channel every Christmas eve. Most Norwegians grow up watching this movie at Christmas, so no Christmas without it.

Mesmerized Benedicte
Excuse my feet

Then Cat passed out
and it was time to go home
.. across the hall

Harajuku Backstreets

Argh. Being a total dimwit I realized waaay too late that I'd been taking pictures all day with the ISO on way too high.

So most of the pictures' quality is s h i t e.

Anyway:

Benedicte

Early Sunday morning Benedicte, Wictoria and I went to Harajuku, where we met up with Yoshi.

We went to look at a shrine nearby and pretend like we're sophisticated, young Norwegians. There I managed to hunt down a big group of Thai tourists and scare them by wishing them "welcome!" and enthusiastically exclaim "next station; Asoke, interchange station with MRT". But in a much more long, complicated and polite way. In Thai, of course.

Oh, I miss living in Bangkok and taking the skytrain every day to school.

It certainly made them turn their heads. And then there was a third degree questioning and everyone wanted a picture taken with me. I'm so cool. *Sigh*

Doh.

Wictoria "cleansing" herself with ice cold water.
I decided I didn't need any cleansing today.

Here comes the bride!

Here's where I finally realized my ISO-crisis. *Insert: a lot of swearing*


Theeen, we strolled around in Harajuku.

<3

An efficent way to prevent your bike from getting stolen?

Making New Year Cards & School Light Festival

The other day I justified buying a can of Pringles for the sake of taking a picture of it and show it to you guys. Yeah. So here it is:

"White cream cheese"

I don't even like Pringles
It's like eating seasoned and crispy
cardboard

Oh, yah - and the teacher made us write God damn Haiku-poems in class yesterday. I haven't written a poem since 8th grade, so..

書けませんや
俳句がきらいかな
もう帰りたい

I can't write
I don't like Haiku
I wan't to go home

I don't think Kosuka Sensee was too thrilled.

Heidi's Nintendo-thingy is invaded!

Hmm..

You like my nail polish? I like my nail polish *Ooo, sparkly*

Hello, Lotte

After school, Benedicte, Wictoria and I gathered at Benedicte's place for some arts and crafts. The other day Fujihiro Sensee taught us have to make Japanese New Year cards, so I wanted to make one for her, because she is so sweet.

My craft station on Benedicte's floor

Look what you're getting, momma
You're one lucky lady

Benedicte's view from the balcony. SO much more interesting than mine.
I'd spy on my neighbors all day long

The card for Fujihiro Sensee
YES I have noticed the spelling mistake and corrected it,
even tough correction pen is a big no-no.
I'm doomed

I'm so glad I have creative friends
Then I can copy their creativeness

Later in the evening the school was hosting a light festival, so we went there to look at.. trees with lights in 'em.

Yes, I get to leave this God forsaken place soon!

Lotte

The past week winter has arrived. It is super cold, yet it is mostly sunny and no snow. The past couple of days there's been a few minor earthquakes too.

So if I die in one in the near future - it was nice knowing ya.