unexpected

Yesterday it snowed. In the end of march. In Japan. I don't think that many people actually expected that. And as they say in Japan, "When it snows at a time that no one expected it to, anything can happen". And it sure did, I had one of my weirdest experienses during all of my time here in Japan yesterday.

I was on time for meeting up with Hiro and Ayu but they were not so I decided to just pop in a bookstore with recycled books close by to look for more of Tove Janssons books about Mumin that I'm reading in Japanese right now. I ask a woman behind a big stack of books if they had any and she said no. Thereafter followed the usual conversation you get with Japanese people; oh, your Japanese is so good, how long have you been here? Oh, only one year, that's amazing. Where are you from? Oh, Sweden, I'd really like to go. By this time the only costumer, a short man in a blue suit with slightly curly hair who looked like he read a lot of books, in the store joined in the conversation. He asked a little about Sweden and then he started asking about these books that I was looking for and asked me if I knew where to find them. I answered yes, yes, that wont be a problem, you can find them anywhere at Tsutaya or Book off.

The man then told me to come with him to the nearest Book off and that he would buy them for me because he was rich. (I think that was meant as a joke) I insisted that it wasn't necessary but he insisted back. From now things all happened so fast that I didn't have time to think or really react. He went in a high speed along Sanjo and across the bridge to Sanjo Keihan, I tried to make a comment about how beautiful Kamogawa is when the cherry-blossoms are blooming, he barley answered but asked about Sweden instead. At Book off we found two books which he paid for and then also insisted on giving me the change (which was about 150 kr), I think I blushed like a clown and stuttered 優しい (kind) in lack of anything better to say (I still don't know what is appropriate in this kind of situation..). Well, that's how Japanese guys are, you have a Japanese boyfriend so you should know, is what he answered. I tried to offer him some あげ玉 (used for cooking) that I had just got from a restaurant. He declined and told me to give it to Hiro. Then he rushed of in the same high speed saying something about having to meet someone himself, waving but not looking back.

This is one of the stories I have of kind, kind, kind Japanese who do you favours and never ask anything back. And here I am, one year later, and I still don't even know what to say in return.
<3


Now; preparing for Maycol's welcome back party that also happens to be the first party at Hiro's and my place since I moved in!
M

welcome back

Came back recently after my and Hiro's trip to Yanagawa, his hometown to see his family, dog and just have a little break from city life.
I love Yanagawa, it suits me very well, it reminds me of visiting Dad's summerhouse in Resmo, Öland (Sweden hehe). The city (located in the Japanese countryside) let's me relax like I can't do in Kyoto. Just like Resmo let's me get away from everything in Stockholm. Thank lord for the countryside!
Hiro's family is so wonderful. It is so so so so nice to have a family away from home. It makes it easier to be away from my beloved family at home. And also in a way it makes me miss them more because in a way I realise what I miss. For example like I said earlier we went to a Japanese onsen with his family. We went there by car and when riding in the car I realised I missed something so simple and normal as going somewhere in a car with your family.
Recently I have started to miss Sweden more and more. I miss the beautiful, beautiful nature and the soul, The Swedish Soul, what it means to be Swedish and living in Sweden. The colours of Swedish summer with ice cream, strawberries, sun, the white flowers and the green fields. Faluröfärg med vita knutar och torvtak.
Japan is wonderful, I love so much about it that it has really become my second home but despite of the title of this blog, "I think I'm turning Japanese", Japan is really just my second home, my home away from home, I will never be Japanese fully. I love Sweden. There, I said it! I LOVE SWEDEN!

SWEDEN, I FUCKING LOVE YOU, YOU ARE MY HOME!

One of the things I love about Sweden is that we generally count people as Swedish if they are born in Sweden or lived in Sweden for a while and speak the Swedish language. Here in Japan you will have to fight and fight with blood sweat and tears to at all stay IN the country and as long as you don't have at least one Japanese parent (you are considered Japanese even if you were born abroad with Japanese parents) you will won't be recognised as a Japanese. I feel it has to do with the face. I'm white therefore obviously not Japanese. They are not used to foreigners yet since the country has been closed for foreigner for so long. In Sweden we have so many people from different cultures and countries and they are all Swedish.
I'm also starting to understand why foreigners in Sweden are fighting to be able to perform their own cultural traditions when in the country. Why do I say that? Because my new school will go on until the 26th of December this year. 26th?! What about my CHRISTMAS?! It's insane. Even if I don't consider myself Christian and never have, Christmas means so much to me. It's not about Jesus, it's about being together with my family and showing love and appreciation on this day every year.
(Dear readers, don't fret, I will solve this problem, I am going to fight for my right to be with my family for Christmas, hurray!)

Do not mistake this entry as just a homage to Sweden and a denial of what is actually becoming Japanese inside of me (because there are those parts too, I'm making the perfect person out of myself here with a little bit of Sweden and a little bit of Japan). This is merely thoughts and ramblings from a foreigner with half her heart somewhere where she is not.


So now I will end this rambling and go listen to Kulturnytt från SR.
Good night to you all, with love,
M

春休み, Springbreak, Vårlov

Dear readers, my last tests are finished and since last Saturday I have 春休み, spring break. Even so, I can't relax like you would like to. I even realised the other day when I tried to relax like it was a holiday and do nothing at all really that I can't. I know of all the things I have to do even though it's spring break and I felt reallt bad for not doing it because the things I have to do actually keep me as busy as if it was still school. There is a lot to do but it's all progressing, if not smoothly then at least progressing so I feel ok anyway. Wish me luck everyone!

In less than a month my dear dear Dad and Gudrun comes to visit me! I'm so so happy, and so is Hiro. We are planning what we are gonna do together, where we are gonna go, what they have to try to eat and so on.
Next on the schedule though is to go to Fukuoka to see Hiro's parents and go with them to a onsen, which will be my first time (shame on me for waiting this long with something so crucial to Japanese culture). Fy, fy!


Wells, wells, now to breakfast!
M

it all starts with a lullaby

Soooo. Now I'm in the second day of four of the last tests in school. It feels good and bad. It's been a year and it's all gone so quickly, I don't want it to end just jet. This time, here in this school and in Kyoto has been sooo good and I've met so much lovely people and excperienced so much here. I'm just so happy that I wont have to leave Kyoto at least. These next two years here in Kyoto will be just as awesome, I know it. What I don't know is what people I will meet. I'm looking forward to it!


I'll just continue with what I was doing,
over and out.
M