22.11.2012 - 3 months in Japan.

Well,

Today's my 3 month anniversary of living in Tokyo/living on my own.
It's odd, I feel like I've lived here for so goddamn long.
Not in a bad way, but honestly it feels like I've been here for at least 6 months maybe longer.

I didn't go to class this morning because I wanted to try Seki Sensei's class after work.
But then the Oedo Line decided it was an opportune moment to stop for FIFTEEN MINUTES between Higashi-Shinjuku & Wakamatsu-kawada (the stop closest to the dojo, on this line) so I didn't even get to the street Hombu's on until 7, which is the start time for the last classes.
So I walked back via my favourite korean grocery store.

Made myself some gyoza (not the best kind unfortunately) and watched the newest episode of Criminal Minds (not the best one unfortunately). What an evening.

I have tomorrow off and Hombu's closed so I have the entire day free. I have a pretty exiting plan but the weather way mess with it a bit. We shall see.

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I had this long write up planned with things I feel I've learned and blah blah blah, but then I started writing it and it just felt so terribly contrived.

I haven't radically changed, I'm not a different person, my life views haven't undergone some sort of giant upheaval.

I feel like the same person I was before... just a little bit more capable and a little bit more aware and a little bit more knowledgable about myself & who I want to be.

And I know, those are important and big things. But they're hard to explain. I have these crazy moment where I just feel like an adult (in a possitive way) and I've living this life and doing all these adult things like actually doing laundry and commuting to work and it just hits me, that I'm a real grown up now. Or something.
Other times I find myself listening to music that reminds me of hanging out in my living room with my family (Yes, Magnus, I do mean 'winding down music'.) and weeping quietly because mummy & daddy aren't here to hold my hand through a tough moment and I wonder if I'll ever really be ok on my own.

But I think honestly the two biggest things I've learned is that
A) I can do it alone. Not that I have to always or that I can't get help but I am truly capable.
B) mummy and daddy (and Magnus and my close friends) will always be there to hold my hand. Not always literally, but I have an outstanding support network of people who make my life amazing and are always here for me.
It took moving and having a really hard time to see that, and it's invaluable.

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That ended up a bit long and magical in the end, didn't it?
To end off your evening here's a photo that sums up my entire life in Japan.

smug face + koala-tea time in my underwear + gi pants.

22.10.2012 - 2 months in japan.

 Hello all!

let's start off today with one, single, gratuitous self portrait since I felt pretty today.

And now, for something completely different...

the larch.

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I've lived in Japan for 2 months! What!

Madness, honestly, it's mental. I can't even believe it somehow.
Things I've learned
- my family is the best family
- japanese is the hardest language
- I need to own more things with cats on them
- japanese food is amazing
- living on your own is hard as shit
- it's also scary as shit
- I will never live in a house without an oven again as long as I live


yeah, there's more I'm sure but that's what sprung to mind!


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Woke up to go to my Japanese lesson, but when I got there no one was there.
Spoke briefly to a man who spoke no English and although he was clear on the fact that there were no lessons, I have no idea why. It's not a national holiday, no one mentioned anything last week… bit odd.
Also I'm not sure how to go about telling them I can't come on Friday because I won't be here (more on that in a paragraph or so!) which is a shame since I'm meant to inform them. Huh.

I skyped with Magnus for a while, he's the coolest.
Jesus I love my family.

Did some laundry like the grown up I apparently am.

Went to Hiro Station to make sure I could get there, it's where I'm meeting my boss on Wednesday for the demonstration the company's doing.

From there I went to Minato to go to Nissin for some stuff. Successful trip, got everything I needed and even stuck to my list!
I feel so mature when I made a grocery list and then actually pay attention to it.
ha.

I took my camera with me on the aforementioned trip, didn't take anything special until I was literally a block from my house, but here are some photos of some things and... stuff.

shinjuku station

roppongi station

roppongi station

yotsuya station

yotsuya station

anyway, I came back right as the sun was setting over my alley and took a few photos I really like.
I love golden hour/sunset, though I doubt there are many photographers who don't!

Sadly I can't go to the dojo tonight because I washed all my gis this morning because it was sunny and beautiful but apparently while I was out it poured here, briefly, but briefly was enough to soak them through again and they won't be dry until tomorrow midmorning I don't think.
They' certainly won't be dry by 6.20 this evening, which is when I have to leave my house to make the latest class.
Boo.

I'm planning on going to the afternoon class tomorrow, which I haven't been to at all since I got here. I've heard it's often the smallest classes as well, so that'll be nice, if it's true!

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Made vegan cookies using only flour, sugar, applesauce, vegan chocolate chips, an avocado, and a toaster oven. Boom.

Also boiled up a bunch of pumpkin some of which I ate for dinner and some of which I plan on making Black Bean & Pumpkin burgers out of for dinner tomorrow night.





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Now, about not being here.
On Thursday morning I'm going to be taking the train to Nikko, where I will spend the night and then be coming home on Friday evening.
My sort of plan is to spend Thursday in Nikko exploring and looking at the shrines and then on Friday going to the Lake Chūzenji area to hike and see the changing leaves.
People come from all over Japan to see the fall colours there, it's terribly famous.
One of the things I have a really hard time with living in Tokyo is the lack of nature in general. Yes, the parks are lovely here and there are a few where you can really just feel calm but I lived on a farm/in the woods in NS!
I never though I'd think this, let alone write it for all to see, but I miss hiking and being in the forest.
So I'm really really really excited for that!
I'll be taking my camera (of course!) so I will come back with heaps of lovely photos for you.

I hope you all have a good day and a pleasant tomorrow.