Supporting Japan

This past week I've been collecting donations on behalf of the Norwegian Red Cross for Japan, and it's been a true joy.

News on the earthquake and tsunami aftermath, and the nuclear meltdown are in our faces all the time, and heart wrecking photos of the people's dispair in Japan makes those of us at the other side of the world want to do whatever little we can(, other than just be supporting Japan "with a click" on Facebook).

Karoline
Who's currently studying in Japan
But now is on an extended holiday
at home in Norway

Marina
One of the 12 Japanese students in Oslo
who's created the group
"Oslo for Japan"
on Facebook

Marina being interviewed by
the Norwegian radio channel P4

Some other photos from this past week:

Lilly is quick to grab a book
whenever I pull out my camera

Ueh, schmeared lipstick

Asian babies are way cuter
than other babies

I want to have a baby..

.. with an on/off/mute-button

And for a while there we thought spring had finally arrived, and I even got to wear my exclusive 6 dollar sun glasses out for a couple of days:

I'm totally wearing a bra

But today it's been snowing again. Bah!

Stalling

Baah.

I haven't seen my momma in three months - since before I went to Thailand. She's busy, I'm busy, I live in Oslo, and she lives in a God forsaken place where I don't want to go unless it's really necessary.

At work today I got a text message from my mom saying that she wanted to go to Oslo for a quick run for Asian groceries and other sheit, and that she wanted to pick me up from work.

Already I was a bit hesitant, considering that based on previous experience mom always manages to get lost somewhere, and she'll call me one hour after I finished work, all swearing and and being very agitated, yelling about how she hates this "fucking communist country" *insert heavy Thai accent* (aka. Norway, where she's been living the past 23 years), when missing her exit and then being forced to obey traffic rules has somehow caused her to wind up at the total opposite part of town.

She's a feisty ol' Thai lady.

One and a half hour later my colleagues will be like: "What are you still doing here??", and I'm like ".. waiting for my mom..", like a kid waiting forever to get picked up after school.

When she finally finds her way, smoke will be coming out of her nose.

I also worried because my humble crib is a mess, and not in shape for a mom-inspection (like she cares, anyway), but mom was quick to assure me that she was just going to drive me home, then go straight back to her own house.

That's my mom for ya!

I haven't seen her in three months, yet she's willing to just spend the few minutes it takes to drive me home from work. And there's no catching up, or anything - she just "picks up" where she left off; when I get into the car she'll be continuing a conversation (which she has started by herself, I suspect), without any greetings or anything.

But today she was like "I can do it, Kine (Keena)!", so she got there only ten minutes late. Go mom!

So then she drove me home, while yackin' non-stop about her work, and how old people who don't eat their fruit and vegetables are more stupid than those who do, slowly making my headache increase (I've been listening to the news and the latest updates on the earthquake/tsunami-aftermath in Japan all day at work, having suppressed bawling to cause a massive headache).

Then she stopped the car outside my flat, shoved some of todays' catch into my hands, and off I went.

There you have it: 10 minutes spent with my mom in three months.

Which, after further thought, is enough.


And if you don't remember how my mom looks like:



I love my mom.

She's pretty hilarious.

A pomegranate the size of my forhead (!)
(and bigger than my brain, I bet)

Stalling...


... STALLING...



God, I REALLY have to get started on studying for my mid-term exam..

.. which is tomorrow. Iiiik. (Edit: I got a B!)



Hmm.. but it isn't until 2 pm.

I'll get up at six and start reading then.




So much time, so little やる気, tsk tsk