Spring...

...is in the air, and has been for the past week. Snowboarding in slush takes a heavy toll on the legs and all I can hope for is lower temperature and heaps of new snow! Sometimes, I can`t help being a little happy about the sun and warmth though...

The school year finishes in a few weeks. Today I had one of my 6th grades for the last time, was a bit sad, really. I will actually miss them!

The past few weeks have been busy. Snowboarding, parties and lunches and who knows what else! It doesn`t seem as if the coming few weeks will be any less busy...And guess what happens after all that? Spring break! Spring break means jumping on a plane and flying to Sweden to see my family, and more specifically, the new addition to the family. The reason you have not yet had an update as to his name is because he doesn`t HAVE one yet! I still have to refer to him as the baby, the little one, skrutten, lillkillen, akachan, lillfjutten etc. Spoke to my brother last Saturday and he said they are most likely down to 2 names. Can`t wait!

Anyway, I hear Sweden and Norway are still getting snow, I`m not jealous...If you tire of it, please send us some, we need it!

Valentine's day...

...was spent in Okaya at a culture festival. I had been bullied into modelling the Swedish outfit in a cultural fashion show.

We went on last, before us there were bands playing, people doing capoeira, a guy playing some weird Chinese instrument and even a group of ladies doing the hula (which I love by the way, it looks so cool!). I think there were 10 countries represented in the fashion show, out of those 10, 7 were Asian. Then there was Australia, South Africa and Sweden. I got to go out last, after a bunch of very confident Philippinas who knew how to work the runway. Was a bit nervewracking, but lots of fun!

Afterwards, a bunch of us went out for coffee. Always nice to meet new people, there are some great people here from all over the world!

My Valentine's day loot included a box of dark chocolate as a thank you for participating (don't know who to give it to) and a pretty red flower from a nice Indian/South African man who thought I needed a flower more than he did.

My knee hurts...

...after I gracefully got off the lift yesterday when nightboarding at Shirakabako Royal Hill, and then not so gracefully tried to turn when I realized I was going in the wrong direction. Ended up in a pile at the top of the slope, hoping nobody had seen my little wipe out...And guess what? I think it was only the lift guy who did, and that was more than I could hope for, really....

I have a season pass to 23 different ski areas, and since it snowed on Monday I figured the slopes would probably be pretty good on Tuesday night, so I hopped into my car and drove the 40 minutes up the mountain to try out Royal Hill for the first time. There were maybe 30 boarders there, and 3(!) skiers...There were also 4 very sweet and very old men working at the lift, smiling and nodding and saying nice things in Japanese, things like; Oh, your hair is so beautiful! and Your Japanese is really good! If I ever have a bad day I'm so going there again for some wind in my face and compliments from the lift ojiisans!

Will try to stay on my feet when getting off the lift next time though...

Skyping with the Gaston and the little guy =)

BFG...

...was on the menu in school last week. First time on Wednesday at one of my school, then again on Friday at another. I'm happy I don't eat meat and pack my own lunch, don't know what I would've done - even if I was a meat eater - if they served me whale. Eat a BFG?

Funny I have lived in 2 of the few countries that actually serve it...

Avatar...

...really surprised me!

When I first heard about it being made I got really excited and put it on my future must-see list. Then it came out, and all I heard was "The effects are great, and 3d is really cool, but the story kind of sucks". So my great expectations flew out the window and it took me a really long time to drag myself to the cinema to watch it. Then I figured, I at least had to experience the 3d.

Then, after getting used to the 3d effect, and the Japanese subtitles, I really got into Avatar! I don't care if the story is predictable, I like knowing what to expect every now and then, and it doesn't make the movie any less awesome! I think I might have to watch it again! I want an avatar! =) I also really liked the many "sea creatures" in the forest (polychaetes, jellyfish etc), made me miss diving!

There is one scene in that movie though, that had me in tears (and now just thinking about it too). The scene when Sully tries out the avatar for the first time. That joy is absolutely heartbreaking when you know it's not real...

Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet, head over to the cinema for a few hours of escapism into a beautiful world!

What a cool kid!

Hope she gets to visit all those places too! =)