me hipsta!

Making full use of the 'in Japan anything is possible' methodology of late, I decided to try a new-old style. If you know me, you know I'm incredibly mainstream. I listen to Lady Gaga, recently Big Bang, and watch Gossip Girl & House. The list goes on. I have no problem with trends, and will only refuse to follow them if they have anything to do with Miley Cyrus or Justin Bieber (recently unfollowed a celebrity on Twitter because he started tweeting too much appraisal for the little Beaver twat). And to be fair, hasn't hating those two particular celebs become sort of mainstream of late?

Anyway.

I'm so mainstream that I've now gone the full circle and become a (wannabe-)hipster. I am, however, the worst (or best, whichever way you view it) hipster ever. Dressed in H&M from top to toe, black Converse shoes, carrying a Longchamp handbag, and a fake designer wallet from some touristy city like Alanya or similar, I literally said the words 'tonight I want to be annoying' and flung on the newly purchased hugely oversized glasses. Rocked it - if I may say so myself.

4 weeks left in Japan. Let's make the most (craziest) of them before heading back to normality (although secretly, I'm considering bringing the crazy back with me - but ssshhh!)

HipsTA!

Jo x

the latest

Here are some photos from the past weeks. To be honest I've mostly been writing waffling essays about pitchers, spent a lot of time exploring the seemingly infinite collection of Big Bang music videos on youtube, and gymming. In other words - not the most exciting life. I can show you the pitcher if you like? No? Why, I wonder. Anyway, as follows:

Geisha banquet food. As part of the geisha class I've been taking, we went to Asakusa for a banquet with proper geisha. No all-you-can-eat this one...but the egg + veggie ball were nice. Donald Duck and Little Chick had to be donated to the carnivores around me.

There was also a bit of performing by the Akasaka geisha. Not really my style, but pretty indeed. Quite an experience, and not one you get every day.

Finally managed to drag myself to Odaiba. Last time I was here there was a huge storm so crazy that they cancelled all the trains going back...! As an island made for leisure and pleasure, that is not quite the optimal conditions. This time around I had better luck and I ventured around with Kana to the Statue of Liberty, puppy rental place (!) - which was unfortunately fully booked - and the wannabe-Italy-looking department store. There we spent an hour listening to Jang Geun Suk's (the celeb we spotted in Harajuku a few weeks back) preview for his new album. The preview was about a minute long so we got quite a few ones in that hour, hour and a half. After about the millionth, 'Crazy' almost begins to sound catchy...

Lego Buzz! Love it!

My master piece in Lego Store! Hire me?

My fantastic new bookmark. Yes, I've been Japanified. Somehow a newly kindled love for Donald has emerged since we went to DisneySea. Just look at that face! If I use this one in the UK or Sweden, people will think I'm mental. Perhaps I am. Perhaps it's just Japan. Ah, I love Japan!

All for now!

Jo x

boom shakalaka!

Sorry for lazy updating lately. I have been somewhat busy with activities, school work, and so on, but got some nice and hopefully interesting stories to share in the near future.

I've also discovered Big Bang, a Korean band! The song above is my favourite so far, and I put it on repeat while running, studying, or just walking to school. Never before has a song motivated me so much in every possible way. Also the guy in blue hair - T.O.P - is so damn hot and cool and brilliant and fantastic that I don't quite know what to do. Turns out he did a solo-ish thing as well so plenty of music where that came from! Europe, I'm bringing Big Bang to you!

It's a tumultous time in JoJo-lands at the moment, and a confusing one as well. Feelings all over the place about leaving etc and with a month left there's only one thing to do: enjoy as much as possible! Soon it'll all seem like a dream and I'll sit in Founders library in Egham and wonder if it happened at all. Of course, then I can hit play and Big Bang will take me back to the splendour that was Japan.

Boom shakalaka!

Jo x

felix felicis

Have you ever had one of those days when everything - literally everything! - seems to go your way? I hope you have. It almost feels as though you've taken a sip of Felix Felicis (Harry Potter potion for good luck) and nothing can possibly interrupt this flow of absolutely silly good fortune! Allow me to explain how it happened for me.

It started as soon as I woke up. For the first time in a while I felt rested and ready to go. A quick check of my e-mails told me I'd been selected top-10 in a short story competition I entered, which means being published on the publishing house's website! To top this little success I had my favourite breakfast before venturing off to the gym. In there I did a full 10 km run without problem, and got some decent strength in as well.

Not even the tedious classes of the day could get me down, and Art History teacher got her behind off Buddha statues and turned the class into a poetry slam! I've been walking on clouds all day, and the Japanese for tomorrow seems easy enough (ha! let's see when we get there), and the weekend promises lots of fun with friends.

It'll turn, of course, but for now I shall enjoy the comfort of my cloud, and sail away into dreamy lands where there is nothing to worry about because nothing can go wrong. Felix Felicis ♥.

Jo x

super kawaii 20-something

I haven't seen my Super Kawaii 20-something student in 2 weeks. And not a single e-mail from him! Now, I have several interests in keeping him as my student, so I thought I'd hassle him a bit, possibly manage to guilt him into seeing me again.

Well.

Seeing as he speaks extremely little English, I decided to hit two birds with one stone (gosh, how brutal and anti-JoJo philosophical!) and write in Japanese. On the train. Without supervision. While so tired I could barely stand up. All the ingredients for a right out disaster, ne?

Well.

I can't quite understand his reply (in English) but if I haven't got it completely wrong, I might just have written to him that I dislike him! Not quite the sentiment I wanted to send across but as he also included a bunch of crying smileys (Oh, Japan...) and promised to e-mail me and book a lesson - or at least I think that's what he said... - I can't be dissatisfied.

SK20 - we shall meet again!

Jo x

bye bye birdy

Had my last day at the Tokyo Swedish School, where I've been working as a TA, yesterday. This final ceremony took place at the Swedish Embassy in Roppongi (fancy-schmancy ne?!) and basically consisted of speeches, gifts to the students, singing (of various quality), hot dogs, and coffee.

If you know me, you might already know this fact about me, but if you don't, here you go - a slice of my lesser known personality - I absolutely hate goodbyes. I'm rubbish with them, and even the slightest least insignificant farewell will cause me to crumble like a little girl who's lost her favourite teddy bear down a hole in the rocks (happened to me once with hedgehod Pigge, but enough about that) and submerge into melancholy. Ok, not quite that bad, but I goodbyes are not my cup of tea (almost wrote 'piece of cake' - sugar craving much?).

Because I'm soon leaving Japan, they are sort of lined up whether I like it or not.

Even as I stood there in the lounge, handing out hot dogs, I thought to myself: "Here's about 80 people I'll probably never ever see again." Not that I was that close to my students (2 months away and they forgot my name..pfft!) or that I recognised more than a handful parents even after a year - but still! Sometimes even the briefest encounters can have a great effect. 

I know I'm happy I've been working at the Swedish school this year, for many reasons. It has been a great experience, I've met some rather wonderful people, and above all else it has taught me a valuable lesson: never ever ever become a teacher! 

They gave me flowers as a 'thank you' for this year, and as the poor student I am, and still quite living a temporarily furnished life in Hiyoshi, the grande Starbucks coffee mug had to step in and save the day. Staying classy, as always.

Jo x

kana!

Finally got to see my lovely friend Kana today! We played basketball together at Holloway and I simply haven't seen enough of her in Tokyo. Today, however, we got together in Harajuku, took some obligatory (and successful, if I may say so myself) purikura after a long coffee at Starbucks and spotting of no less than TWO celebs! Priscilla the make-up artist and some Korean singer person for whom the girls went c-razy!

Joined by Kent, a mutual friend, we then had omuraisu & ventured to my first izakaya experience. 10 months on, it was about time. Love it.

I don't ever want to leave this town.

Jo x

how wrong is it...

...that I find this guy extremely cute?

His name is Kento Nakajima and he is a member of the boyband SexyZone. Now, I had a minor panic attack when I realised that the cute co-host on tv whom I spent my run glaring at was a member of this band, as they are notoriously young and I've been dismissing their whole image as somewhat pedophilic. 

As I scurried home and googled to see which one of them it was I had seen - and liked - I saw birthyears such as 1997 and 2000 flash before me, and the Wikipedia page told me as much. Thankfully this particular individual was born in 1994 - a fact which still makes me feel slightly unclean, but at least I'm not engaging in any illegal business. 

He is 18, people, we're all good. Japan, you crazy...

Jo x

tokyo disneysea

Also known as the Happiest Place on Earth! Not joking. On the way there you're inside a Mickey Mouse train with plush seats and Mickey's silhouette everywhere you look. You get excited.  

The first thing that greets you inside the gates is a huge globe fountain, Disney characters running around, and a marching band playing and dancing. Your excitement rises.

All of a sudden you're in Ariel's town and it's like someone has taken your childhood, sewn the most beautiful dress out of it, and presented it to you along with a ticket to Paradise Ball.

 Fire mountain and the Mediterranean Harbour. 

 DisneySea was also celebrating our Eurovision win! Swedish flag in the Italian gondola district.

 Cute Japanese "Italian" punters punting us around "Venice".

 Mickey churro! Delicious and happiness-generating in one - win!

 It's not the Titanic. 

Tower of Terror. Inside that scary house you'll find the most amazing ride. Without giving too much away, all I'll say is that if you have a fright of elevators, do not for the love of god go in!

Crappy photo of an amazing show. Fantasmic is a tribute to Imagination through a medley of several Disney moments, and a little story in itself. In the end, Fantasia-Mickey defeated the evil stepmother, Ursula, and the dragon, and restored joy in Disney World. 30 minutes of pure joy, heart ache, and memories in an impressive flood of lights, music, and special effects. Wow, that sounds a lot like an ad for it...

Honestly though - if you've never been to Disneyland, go, as soon as you can. It's such a happy place where you know it'll end well, and the worries of the outside world (which is not visible from even the highest point here!) seem distant and insignificant. My only regret is not buying the Donald Duck hat. Next time, Disney, next time.

Jo x