Day Off

おはよう！！

This Sunday, as I said, I went to see Mirai's dance show! It was absolutely amazing, I was honestly a little shocked, because I didn't think it would be that good nor that big - but it was! I'm so glad that I actually bought the ticket and went there. Well, Sunday was supposed to be school, I didn't go because of the dance thing and it was just a thing they call 'Summer Seminar'. In this summer seminar there'll be coming a lot of teachers from other Sacred Heart schools around in Japan and they'll teach some classes etc. I wouldn't have to be in these classes, because I wouldn't understand anything, so it didn't matter that I wasn't there. So I woke up around 6 first, which was weird - so early! Then I went back to sleep and slept till 8-9, after that I went up and just made some breakfast, said bye to the family (they were going to some thingy, because one of there colleagues had died). After that I just read books and had fun by myself, it was really nice, I mean, if you know me - then you know how much I need to be alone at least sometimes haha. I had a lot of time, I was going to catch the 14:06 (2:06 PM) bus, so that I could do some shopping before going to the dance thing - I didn't know when school finished anyway, so I don't know if I would have made it back in time! Well, I used a lot of time getting ready, choosing outfits etc. haha, it was a lot if fun, I also ran around singing on the top of my lungs and stuff like that, stuff you can only do when you're alone. My friend had asked me about Coca-Cola prices in Denmark and to take a picture with a Coca-Cola, because she needed it for a school project, so I did as she said - of course haha. So I took three, then she could choose whichever she liked the best haha;

The day's outfit, as well!

I went straight to 4pla when I came to Odori, half because of him and half because I actually needed to buy something, haha. So I went up to the 7th floor he works on the 5th and went in to the jewelry store where I bought the birthday present for Mirai. I bought her a bracelet and a necklace, like she gave me a necklace and some rings - that you can probably see in some of the pictures above - but Mirai always told me she wanted to buy us the same thing, like matching earrings etc. so I went up to the store and bought myself a matching bracelet, half because she said she wanted to buy us matching things, half because I loved it from the moment I bought it from her, so bad, that I wanted it myself haha. So I took the bracelet on right there and went around on the 7th floor on 4pla, there was a CD shop I went in and some clothes shop, mostly just to kill time and avoid going down to him, because apparently he makes me SO nervous - I was legit shocked myself, about how nervous he made me haha. So I went down to the 6th floor and looked around, I also looked down the escalator and could see his legs haha, I really didn't know what to do - I was so nervous that I felt nauseous - which is just stupid, I guess, but typical me haha. I don't even know myself. Finally I went down the last escalator to get to where he was and he stood right in front of the escalator. When he saw me, he gave me a big smile and a wave, which made me super happy - but even more nervous, so I smiled back, waved back and was just about to go over and talk to him, when this other guy we've been talking to comes and says "Oh, hey!" and I was like "Hey ~" he shocked me so much that I just stopped, turned around and almost ran down the escalator in shock hahahaha, mostly because of the nervous part, he shattered it, damn. Running down escalators in heels can NOT be recommended!! So I basically shocked myself, by realizing that I am actually that shy and nervous when it comes to this guy haha, I mean, I ran away?! What the hell. After that I became even stupider, though, because I regretted running away and still wanted to talk to him, so I went up by elevator to the 7th floor and looked in EVERY store, some twice, then I went to the sixth floor and did the same haha, then I jumped on the escalator and when it started moving I regretted not taking the elevator and not see him again, because it is a little embarrassing, when you've been running away from him haha, so I actually considered walking up the moving escalator, but that would have looked even worse, so I just looked to see if he was there, which he wasn't, and then I ran for the next escalator.

After all this I was going to go to Nitori Bunka Hall - I don't know what Nitori means, but bunka means culture and hall - well, means hall - where the dance performance would take place! In the train I took a picture of my new bracelet, still regretting running away from him.

When I arrived at the Nitori Culture Hall, I went to stand in the extremely long line, just baking in the sun. My iPhone weather thingy said it would be raining all day, even thunder, then I came out and there was a sun baking me ALL day, not one damn cloud in the sky. I was a little like, come on!! But oh well, then  finally came in, sweating like a pig, and this girl comes up to me and asks if I'm Erika - which, of course, I say that I is. I still haven't figured out who she was, but I guess she's some family on Mirai's side, maybe a bigger sister or something. She told me that Mirai's mother was just at the toilet, but would be out in a minute - I wouldn't get to see Mirai before the show. So when the mother came she bought me some sandwiches and a nice cold tea. All I really needed at the time, so that was nice!
Then we finally went in and the show started! It was just amazing, legit amazing. I had NO idea that Mirai was that good, but I guess I already told you so. I filmed Mirai's dances and took pictures of some of the other teams, but no other people than me took pictures, so it was a little awkward - don't get why they didn't though. Japanese people are a really bad audience at time, I mean, when the dancers wanted to make us clap in sync, not one person did it - I was extremely surprised!

But of course Blogger want let me put my damn videos up, so the ones of you who are friends with me on facebook and might want to see them, they're all there. There's also a part of one of the videos on Keek - which you can find a link to on Twitter. Or else my username is; erikarou - of course.

After the dance show I finally got to see Mirai, that was nice! It's been a while, not long, but still a while since I'd seen her the last time. She gave me a hug and I gave her her presents and the letter I wrote. She was super happy and I told her how amazing she was! Then we went to eat at Bikkuri Donkey, me, her mother, the other girl and a man that I'm not sure who is either, maybe her father or something, I don't know. At Bikkuri Donkey they have a lot of meat, which was just what I wanted haha, so we ate a lot and drank a lot, I mean, the Strawberry Milk I ordered was SO big, it was like a big beer cup haha, but damn it tasted good!

After eating and drinking and talking, having fun etc. Mirai and I took a picture together where I don't look good at all, bear with me! And a picture of the bracelets together haha, she was so happy - she loved the gift and that obviously made me super happy as well!!

After that we went home. I wrote my Japanese blog on the way in the subway and bus, because it's so nice and easily done from the phone, while this blog is a little harder from the phone and kind of needs a lot more time.

Yesterday there was school of course and it was still the Summer Seminar. My teacher told me to just go to the library from 1st period to lunch and then I had to participate in 4th period, which was English, and I could use 5th period in the library as well. So I did as she asked me too, I actually slept in the library from 1st period to lunch, that surprised me a little, then I ate lunch with the others and walked in on this when I came back to the classroom, haha.

After that was the English class, which was mostly in Japanese anyway. We had to write this paragraph and understand it. Then answer to questions about the opinions in the text. It was extremely easy for me and when that was done I used the rest of the time doing nothing, so yea, not really the most fun. On normal days I just study Japanese in all my classes, you know. In the 5th period I just sat with my phone in the library and read FML, yes, I actually used a whole period just reading FML, because I'm that kind of a person, haha.

After school my friends and I went to Odori. We were going to central, but turns out that they were closed for the time being or something, so my friend couldn't buy her pen. So instead we went to take purikura and then to find a gift for one of my friends friends, who apparently have her birthday coming up soon!

We saw this car in a store, couldn't help but take a picture of it haha!

Then we went to McDonalds, where we spent almost 2 hours haha. It was super fun, after we were done eating we talked a lot etc. It was super fun.

After that we didn't really know what to do, so the two of them went home and Mikko and I went to 4pla. She knows them all and I know I wouldn't run away with her haha + today was his birthday! He told us that the last time and I though I could just as well go and say happy birthday at least. We went there and talked to one of Mikko's girl friends for a looooong time, it was kind of fun though, because she wanted me to translate what the English writing on their caps and clothes mean in Japanese, because I said that Japanese clothes doesn't always make sense when they have English writing on them, haha. I saw him and waved and smiled, as he did back. Then when we were done talking to her, she started talking with another guy for some time. Finally when she was done I wanted to go wish him Happy Birthday. She almost took the escalator and I was like "WAIT" fun thing is that she knew I wanted to talk to him, but still just wanted to go, oh well, I went and said happy birthday, but didn't get to say more before we left. Sadface. At least I know what to ask him the next time; "How was you birthday?" "What did you get?" etc. That'll do.

Today we have the day off, because we were or were supposed to be in school on Sunday. I don't really know what to do today, so I just wrote my blog obviously and after that I'll read some "the Lying Game" because I absolutely love that series, Sara Shepard writes amazingly and the books and TV series are extremely different! After this I look forward to read her "Pretty Little Liars" series, they might be different as well - and I absolutely love the TV show, so why wouldn't I love the books as well?

I also had a really weird dream, mostly about him. I guess I really though about the whole being nervous thing, because the dream was mostly about him, the 5th floor and the escalators and kind of me avoiding him, because I'm too nervous. Damn, I need to grow some balls and get back in the game, really haha.

Oh, and, Michelle apologized to me. I really didn't expect that, so we're kind of talking again, which is good, but I made it clear, if things go down again then I'm out - just saying - but I like Michelle a lot of course, so I hope we can stay good this time, not so much drama. I don't need all that drama in my life! So I have my fingers crossed.

That's all for now! Thanks for reading,

Take care!!

School, Kanji, Tests & Speeches!

こんにちは！

As you all know, I've started in school again. It was hard getting started, but nice to be going again! We started out with a tons of tests! I swear that Japanese school students have it hard compared to Danish students, I will not be able to complain as much about school when I come home again haha, everybody hear says that the Danish high school somehow resemble the Japanese university and like that, because of the computers in class and freedom etc. But yea, tests. I started out with a kanji test that had about 40 kanji or something in it. I did well though, I only got about three mistakes and they were very small, something like forgetting one half of a kanji or putting one too many strokes or one too little. So I'm completely satisfied with the result. Then we had a Duo test - we have them every week and I always only know about them on the day, which is fine every other day than this one haha. The duo test is a test were you translate sentences from Japanese into English, we have a book with all the sentences in and she just tells us which one we'll be tested in. What I do is, I remember the sentences by heart. It's pretty easy, I learn them on the same day and it's only 4 sentences, they have some pretty difficult English words as well, but it's nothing I can't overcome. I never got any mistakes in these, until that day. We had about 15-20 sentences and I will have to remember them word for word, some of them a pretty long. So it didn't really go that well haha, I ended up answering half and half on some of them and answered maybe 4 whole sentences, but at least - all the answers I gave were correct haha. That was fun. Then came the Maths test yesterday. Japanese high schoolers level of Maths is just insane, I mean, the things as sin, con & tan etc. that we learn on a calculator - because our teachers says it's too complicated to learn in head - they learn it in head. It's insane, I just took one look at the test and then kind of gave up haha, this resulted in the teacher coming over to me handing me the answers on a paper and saying that it would be good for studying. We simply have the sweetest, but also confused & funny Maths teacher here. So that was nice. I can say as much as I learned NOTHING from him handing it to me though, the answers were nothing like I thought, they way they were written etc. it was amazingly hard. I just wrote some of the answers down and tried to figure out how the hell he got there, with no luck.

Here's some random pictures from school and my kanji studying, because, well, I take waaay too many pictures haha;

This actually means kanji and I wrote it because I apparently can't study if it doesn't have a pretty front page. I think I'm getting more perfectionistic haha.

Me showing of my double chin while wearing my friends glasses and not being able to see a thing haha.

I enjoy doing things like this waaaay too much!

And everybody here loves my sunglasses haha!

I have no idea what I did to her hair, but it does look kind of cool, doesn't it? I like it at least haha! First time, but definitely not the last that I'll do THAT.

I have also been staying late in school these days because of debate preparation. It's interesting, but you really can find close to nothing about the debate about Japanese universities (Todai and some others) who wants to change to fall enrollment, in English. It's just close to impossible to find something really good. I'm trying though and glad that my team mates are extremely good at this whole debating thing haha, because, well, if you know me you could NEVER imagine me going to a debate competition. Just saying, that is SUPER rare and not at all like me haha. My teacher will be so disappointed, but on the other hand - it's good training so I'm kind of looking forward to it.
Same with the speech contest that I HAVE to participate in and win first, second or third place, out of maybe 20 no pressure at all, no no. It's only for foreign people, so they luckily for me put a lot of points in the pronunciation! That's one thing I know I have right, since everybody always says that if they didn't see me, but just heard me - then they would think I was Japanese besides the grammatical mistakes that I make, of course. Now, a lot of people would say that they only say it, because they're that polite, which they are, but I know they don't. My family takes pronunciation seriously and they were the first once to say it haha, I've even seen them giving one of the girls I have to compete against some pronunciation training, so it's really nice to know. As soon as yesterday, someone asked me if I was half - everybody does it because of my name, but now I found out that it's also because I sound like I grew up speaking Japanese apparently, so that makes me super happy. The guy from the store also asked me haha.

Yesterday I went out with Mikko again, after school. We went to Odori and she had to straighten her hair, before going to shop really, so I stood outside the toilet and waited for her. In the meantime I helped a girl with a super heavy package and almost got hit in the head by a door by another girl haha. The first girl was very grateful, as Japanese people is, and said thanks a million times and I was just like, no no, it's okay! I mean, help the people around you, right? It doesn't do any good to just stand there and glance at people struggling. The second girl who almost smashed me in the head with a door, said sorry in English and I answered in Japanese that it was okay, and she was all like OMG are you fluent in Japanese?! All I could say to that was, not really haha, then she said sorry again and went to the toilet. A little while later my friend comes out, I heard her talk a little with the girl who I just talked to, when she came to me she was like, you did just talk to that girl right?! I heard it - you know, she's here for an event, she's famous and in this band!! Then she took me to the CD store next door and showed me the paper where it said that was an event with this band there today and, well, of course she was right there on the picture, haha. That was amazingly cool anyway!

Then we went back to that store and I saw him again haha. He waved in the way I do, which was just amazing. I mean, that he remembered that that is my way of saying hi and bye to people. It's like taking to fingers to your forehead and then out - I guess you know it, I mean, it's not exactly invented by me - I just use it a lot. Another guy we talked to told me that it was fun seeing me do these things, because no one really does them in Japan, apparently, and he liked observing it. Amazing haha. So he waved at me in that way and I did it back, obviously, but I didn't get to do more than that and send him a smile, because the guy Mikko likes a lot was there and she went straight to talk to him. So we talked with him and some girls a little and then she asked if we should go to a book store, because she needed a book for her English writing class and I was just like yea... Sadface. 

Tomorrow I'll be seeing my super sweet friend from Asahikawa again, Mirai. She loves dancing, like super much, and will have a dance performance here in Sapporo, which I have tickets to, tomorrow. I can't wait, it'll be super fun!! I will go to the CD store as well, because I really want an UVERworld CD, I have no money though, so I will just look at the prices until next month, oh well. It'll be fun!

UVERworld - LOVE THEM <3 <3 <3

And here is a picture of a package of some meat we ate some time ago, it's cool because it's says that the meat is from Denmark! Oh yea, I actually ate Danish meat in Japan! When they told me I was like OMFG! Haha, I overreact waaay too much all the time!

Today I've just been relaxing and then my sweet host father brought me some hot cakes, wuuhuu! Super nice, they tasted amaaaaazing!

I'm sorry that my post might be a little booooring lately, I'll try and keep them more... Interesting and fun haha. Thanks for reading!!

Take care!

Bye Bye Summer Vacation

こんばんは！！

So the summer vacation is now over. I've been in school for two days and they've been the two most humid, hot and a little rainy days I've ever in my life experienced!! I really hope tomorrow isn't as damn humid and hot - I mean, I can barely sleep as it is. It's like the summer just came back for round two. Beside from that, it's been amazing seeing all my school friends again and actually do some studying again, because, how am I kidding, I didn't do much studying in my vacation, haha.

Well, the weekend that have just been here was, obviously, my last days of the summer holiday. Saturday I met with Mirai, Hinata (from the Fuji school in Asahikawa) Tyler, Noah, Eden, Museon and Emma (all from AFS, obviously). It was super nice seeing them all again!! Michelle didn't come, she told me she was sick, but I later found out that it was because she didn't want to see me. I can't see why she couldn't just say that to my face, I mean, come on. I know we aren't really talking at the moment, but you can just as well tell the truth then, since Mirai really wanted to see her etc. but I told her sorry that it was my fault she didn't come, when I finally found out. So yea, it was amazingly fun anyway - so her loss. Now you know why I haven't been talking about her lately, as well. We met up at 9:30 at Sapporo station, where we then did a lot of shopping, legit hours of shopping haha. People came one after one, we didn't all meet at the same time, so we had to stay at Sapporo station until all was there - luckily it's an amazingly big station, I would call it a big mall, so that was fun. At lunch time we decided to eat some super cheap Italian food, which turned out to taste AMAZING. I was literally surprised, didn't expect anything that cheap to taste that good! After that we went back to doing some shopping, which again, was super fun!! Emma and I bought similar dresses the one I'm wearing in the purikura with Mikko below I bought it in white and she in an pretty blue. Then we went to karaoke, that was also amazing. It was the most fun I've had at karaoke yet!! When we sang songs everybody new, everybody just sang and enjoyed themselves. It was absolutely AMAZING! I really want to go with these guys to karaoke again, definitely worth it!! After that Mirai, Hinata and most of the others went home. Emma, Eden, Tyler and I went to eat dinner at McDonalds though - it was nice and we talked a lot. After that Tyler went home and we ran around with Eden a little. It was fun, but then Eden had to run for his bus and Emma and I decided to do some window shopping. It was nice, much fun! I'm glad I got some one on one time with Emma - I mean, we haven't talked that much and I regret that, we have SO much in common and I can't wait for us to hang out again!! Then the two of us went home and I went straight to bed. I had to meet with Mikko the next day and the day after... School start!!

We also took A LOT of purikura!! Here you have it all haha, just so you can see how much fun we had - just with the pictures! (Eden looks kind of creepy in some of them, because we went in the one that makes your legs longer and, well, he already have long enough legs - so he look like a giant haha!) After the pictures there's more to read btw!!

 I GOT CUT IN HALF HAHA.

Sunday I went out with Mikko. It was SO much fun and really a long time since I've last seen her, so I really did miss her - A LOT. We met at Odori and went straight to 4pla - which is a kind of mall thingy. There's a men's section where Mikko knows everybody there, so I got to talk to some really funny, nice guys. Apparently, they really do come when you don't look for them, haha. Well, we spent 3 hours talking with different people, there was this one guy. He was just exactly my type of guy, with same things we like etc. but I don't think I can get him, so I think I've probably already given up, so oh well, but I can still talk with him, so that's good! He really is nice! We're going back on Friday, so I'm actually looking forward haha. We took purikura after, for a store called Wild Party in there, then we went to McDonalds and ate and went back to give the pictures. It was super fun! Everybody in the men's section was amazingly sweet. Girls worked there too.

Well, take care!! I better go to sleep haha. Thanks for reading!