It's a man's world

First - a few boring facts:

When I started studying Japanese at the university in Oslo two years ago, I knew nothing about Japanese language - other than that it seemed like a difficult language to learn.

My Japanese vocabulary consisted of exactly five words: konnichiwa, arigatoo, sayoonara, oishii and sakura. I'd never watched any Japanese movies or anime, or read any manga.

I didn't know that something called hiragana, katakana and kanji even existed.

When we first started out two years ago, we were more than 70 students in class.

I felt intimidated by the fact that so many were truly passionate fans of Japan, and that so many seemed to have already been studying Japanese for many years.

But I enjoy self-inflicted pain, and two years of hard work and perseverence followed.

In the first semester of the second school year I spent five months in Japan. If you've been reading my blog you'll know that I soon realized Japan wasn't the place for me.

Still I was determined to finish what I had started.

Back in Norway for our last semester of the Japanese study we were less than 50 people left.

Two years of hard work came down to one final six-hour written exam.

Out of the 48 students who ended up taking the final exam after the two years, six people got an A.

I was one of them.

Conclusion:

Hard work pays off.



Moving on.


Summer in Norway, people:


Yep.

My home

My boyfriend - the nerd

Yesterday I went to Sweden with my dad.

That's what stingy Norwegians do when they want to buy cheap tobacco and meat.

Father

Offspring

Sugar High Heaven

Milk chocolate with pieces of candy cane!

So many people shopping

I can't believe we actually eat this shit
Let's take a closer look, shall we

Oh, yummy
Obviously no hair removal laser treatment
for this piggy

Nicotin slave
Tsk, tsk

After our little Sweden stint my dad dropped me off at Anette's house, where she was keeping Daniel busy doing manly stuff.

The audience

Then, I had to do some serious precision work:

On Anette's face

Oh, how I would love to become a makeup artist!

Then.

We all went out.

Photo credit: Silje Kristin

Photo credit: Silje Kristin

Obviously I thought Anette needed some help with the drinking
Still...

*Next morning*

Karma

*Oh God*

I didn't even have any pants.

*Gah*

Anette was already up, cheerful as always, making us breakfast.

I love Anette.

Yay, calories!

Anette has a lot of neat stuff on her walls:

Me standing in a rather suggestive position
Drawn by this illustrator guy

And on the bedroom door?

Me again!
In a sports bra and TaeKwon-Do pants
Hot, hot, hot..

Anette, Linn and Kine
Anno 2005

16/17-year-olds Kine, Linn and Anette
with two
very
blond
Estonian exchange students

Tsk, tsk
Anette even manages
to keep her
orchids alive

Stew!

It's Sunday and I'm hung over
- Whaddaya want from me?

Besides, what do you do
when your hair has been cut so short
you can't even put it up in a
pony tail without
looking like a
total retard?

Hmm

We were going to visit Anette's dad, so I had to slap on a face and try to look presentable.

*Sigh*

Anette got to play with a new toy:



She's like a real life.. :



One of Anette's younger brothers, and also one of her biggest fans:

Here seen with a
flattering spritz
of mud on the face
for the occasion

Certainly a
charming fella

The end.