TGIF

Alrighty! My laptop is not feeling any better but I'm gonna try and do this here in the IT lab.
Now, to the point.

J-A-P-A-N! Boo-fucking-yah!
It's been some two weeks here and the honeymoon period is still going strong. I mean, the language barrier (which by now is slowly but surely breaking down) is definately there and the inevitable culture shock is hitting me harder every day, but none of that has stopped me enjoying my time here.

I've met tons of new, amazingly exciting, people and gotten around Akita-shi (oh yes, I said it in japanese) a bit. The uni is very small, rich and located in the middle of nowhere. Somehow, all of these qualities seem to make it so that it feels like we are living in a small village with people who all share the same interests, thirst for knowledge and, especially, dance fever! Haha, that was probably the lamest sentence ever written.

As you can see, my head is quite effed up right now so to save me and you some time and sanity; it's picture time!

First things first; the white supremist club! Eh. Anna, Robert, Chris and Brandon waiting anxiously for the 50cm tall ice cream!

Omagari fireworks festival about to begin. Over a million people gather to see the pretty lights in the sky.

 The lights were real pretty.

 We were pleased with the lights. Or with the sake at this point I guess.

 Aimee looking cute as a cotton ball!

 Akita city park. Awesomeness. Temples, tea ceremony rooms, shrines. Even old asian people doing tai chi.

 Early birds catching the bus to lake Tazawa and the Samurai village of Kakunodate! Yasser and Tasha representing.

 Tazawa, deepest lake in Japan.

They said a little prayer.

 Loan's too cool for that though.

Chilling w/ Ryoko and Andrea after some hard core paddle boating and swimming.

 Samurai mansion's garden. Is this for real? Have I actually been to a Samurai mansion? Oh my.

Let's not get too crazy though. Classes started this week and to succeed being fluent in japanese (and beating Brandon's ass in our little competition), the library has become a friend to be fond of.

TEDDDY! Sitting right next to me, right at this moment is my Mongolian superstar.

































A more comprehensive update is coming, but now I gotta make my way to lunch and to prepare for the dance party tonight. Happy bday mum, I'll dance the night away for your sake!

And yeah, I do miss home. In Finland and in Scotland.

Love, Sonja