Stressful week

This week I have two mid-terms and many other engagements. I already had a mid-term in one of the classes but so many people (not me) failed the test so the teacher had to re-do it. I don’t have to do it but I’m to Asian not to. You have to try, you can always do better.
This weekend I went to Ageha, it was fun. Very big, an old warehouse that has
been remade to a club. They had half-naked girls in boxes and bar dancing girls that showed very much of their skin. It can understand how people like it. But I’m glad we don’t have as much of it in Sweden. It just makes you more conscious that it’s a meat market and not a club. That your body is just an object to please other people. And that was the mentality of the club, you weren’t left alone, loads of (gajin = foreigners) guys hanging around you, staring. But it was worth the experience.
Ohh, it’s late, I have to sleep. Sorry I’ll write more some other day.

Wannabe Japanese

At one of the places I worked at this summer I met a girl who told me about a girl she had lived with who was such a Japanese wannabe. She wanted everything to be Japanese, always talked about Japan and she even got a picture of herself done where she had Japanese features. When I heard that I though that it must have been a crazy person or a person who’s not really…normal. But now I get her, I really do. I’m probably going to be like her after a year here. I totally understand how you can see Japanese people and just envy them for being them. This culture is something I didn’t know existed, the culture and this city is one of a kind. I’m afraid that Tokyo will leave a hole in my heart when I leave. But I still have lots of time left here so maybe I shouldn’t worry about that. Of course there are things I don’t like about Japanese society but that’s what’s so great being abroad, if you don‘t like something you really don‘t have to deal with it as you would have to back home.
It’s strange how you can feel so at home in a place that is so totally different from what you’re used to. Maybe that’s one of the advantages I have, I don’t fit in anywhere so you can turn that around and say that I fit in everywhere. If I wasn’t “rootless” maybe I wouldn’t have bothered coming here in the first place. Ohh, I’m sorry, I’m not rootless just that I have roots everywhere so I can’t really keep track of them… And I really love Sweden, just that sometimes it’s good to be apart from the one you love so you don‘t take it for granted. The grass is always greener on the other side, but I haven’t really seen any grass in Tokyo.
I’m looking for an internship here but it seems to be hard to find if you don’t speak Japanese. So I’ll just have to keep on trying and I have to remember that nothing that’s worth having comes easily. And working at a company would be a great way to learn Japanese…
I got a job teaching though, one of my friends here passed me one of his students because he didn’t have enough time. I haven’t met my student yet but soon I’ll start teaching her Spanish. Tokyo is one of those cities that are most fun when you can enjoy it fully, and that means having money.
Soon my birthday is coming up and already some of my friends gave me a cake (pics are posted in my photo album) and yesterday Kai brought me flowers, chocolate and a pair of super nice gloves. I’ very touched by their kindness. Thank you guys!!!!
Next time I write I’ll probably be 23, what a huge change!

Warmth is out, cold is in

Tokyo is getting really cold by now, not as Sweden but still cold. I’m glad that it doesn’t reach below zero degrees here though. I’ve been very tired this week and it might be because of the cold.
Last week I met a new friend, Taku, who is really nice. He has lived in Mexico and wants to practice his Spanish and as you know I want to learn Japanese… Today he gave me a lot of Japanese music and I’m listening to it now, it’s great! It’s a Japanese band called Mr. Children, his favorite band, and I like it too.
Tomorrow I’m going to the movies with Izumi and we’re going to see “The devil wears Prada” and have dinner.
Pia and I went to Swedish Style this week. It was held at a club called “Velour” and it was quite good. But it was a school night so I couldn’t stay very late. We got the chance to say goodbye to the friends we made at the last Swedish Style event we went to since they were leaving Tokyo and going back to Sweden. Pia and I have decided that we are going to go out more because as it is right now we hardly ever go clubbing. But that’s going to change…soon.
Next weekend we (Pia, Enrica, Jenny and me) are going to a club called Ageha and it’s a super big club that even has a pool. I’m looking forward to it.
Maybe I’ll try shopping tomorrow again I might have more luck this time…

Money changes everything

This weekend has been very calm and the past school week was quite effective. I got many things done and I feel as if I’m progressing when it comes to Japanese.
I spent Friday night with Pia and her friends at a restaurant on the 49:th floor in Shibuya. The view was amazing and the food was very expensive since it was a quite exclusive restaurant. But I think that the experience was worth the money. Someday maybe I’ll be having dinner at restaurants like that one everyday…but then it would become boring, wouldn’t it?
Saturday I spent with Ayumi in Shinjuku trying to find something to buy but there are so many things to choose from so I couldn’t find anything. Weird…
Japan and specially Tokyo is a consumer society, there isn’t anything you can’t find here. Sometimes I get tired by just entering the stores. Music is so loud and there are people and things everywhere. But other times I love it. I don’t think I’ve understood how big this city is. The distances are amazingly big and it’s more than I can understand. My brother told me about this future urban project in Tokyo called “Sky city”. In Sky city there is room for 35 000 full-time residents and 100 000 workers…huge…

Collagen

As you might know Japan is number one in skincare, that might be one of the reasons Japanese women stay very young for a very long time. And collagen is one of the reasons! Collagen is a protein that exists in our skin, bones etc. and actually one third of the proteins in our body is collagen. Collagen binds water and keeps the skin young, in Japan it‘s everywhere, in skin products and even food. When I came to Japan my skin started going crazy because of all the pollution and the lack of water so Pia told me to try collagen and so I did and it really helps, my skin is becoming beautiful! Pia also told me that believing in it is half the thing…I believe in it and I‘m wearing a collagen mask right now!
My four day weekend has been busy and fun. Yesterday I went to Swedish Style and met many Swedes and their Japanese fans. Swedish style is on for about three weeks so we’ll be joining them soon again. It’s very strange how I in Sweden sometimes feel that I’m not Swedish but when I’m here I’m representing Sweden, I feel more Swedish here than I do in Sweden. Pia and me are representing Sweden: Blatte-power! But we are the new generation of Swedes, aren’t we?
Today I went to the Waseda sai (festival) and it was fun. Kai took me to watch some guys dressed as sumo and they put on a great show. Japanese people are great at entertainment. The festival had everything from male cheerleaders to porn stars. Crazy.
Right now I’m watching a show about a Japanese guy in Scandinavia, he’s in Norrland visiting the Swedish samer. They’re speaking Swedish and Japanese, cool.
Now, I’m going to bed. Oyasuminasai!

Swedish Style

This was written the 4:th of november 2006 (but I couldn't post it then):
I’m on my way to Shibuya to join the Swedish Style events that are happening right now in Tokyo. I really don’t know what it is but soon I will.
Yesterday I spent my whole day at the Sofia festival with Izumi, Rei, Morinau and David. It was awesome, I was so impressed by the dance performances! The students performing were as good as professional dancers. Incredible. After the dance performance we went to Rei and Morinaus’ house and they made us some food, or actually it was Izumi and Ayumi that cooked. Very good food. David and my birthday is coming up soon so they had bought us a birthday cake, so sweet. And they sang for us! I love cake and singing so the combinatio was great!
I’ve posted some video clips from the festival and more photos are coming up soon! But the dance clips are very short because you weren’t allowed to take photos at all, so I had to be sneaky!
Tomorrow I’m meeting Kai to visit the Waseda festival, I hope it’s just as great as the Sofia one…
Bye, bye, ttyl!