Life update February 2014!

Hello friends,

How are we all doing?

taken on a recent trip to Tomo no Ura which is a super quaint and cute place in Fukuyama

I thought I should update people on my life cause that is a thing I said I would do and I never really did.
I had a post about working at Amity but I took it down cause after reading it again I didn't like it.  ha.

So.
Still working at Amity.

Things are going good there, I think I have picked up the rhythm of life there pretty well. I like my students and most of my students seem to like to back and I get along well with my manager so things usually run pretty smoothly.

I really enjoy teaching and I feel like it is something that I'm good at, and it's something I am going to continue to do in the future.

Some exciting news, I don't want to post it publicly but if all things continue the way they are right now, and I don't see why they wont, I should be moving to Osaka come September.

It will be really nice to live in Osaka because I think once I finally get there it will be the last time for awhile that I will be planning to move somewhere. When I was in high school I knew I was moving to University, then in University I knew I would be moving to Japan, and now living in Okayama I know I will be moving to Osaka. So I have never really settled in a place and kind of told myself that it was home. So I'm excited for that hopefully coming up in the next year. I have many things I want to buy once I move and I don't have to worry about not being able to bring with me 'when I move', ya know? It will be nice to finally feel settled down, I assume. As I  have never done that before I assume that it will feel nice haha.

I'm in the early stages of studying for my Japanese Language Proficiency test and it will be the first step in hopefully becoming a regular kindergarten teacher sometime in the future.
I will most likely have to take a year of education or something at a university in Japan, before doing so, because I think I might need a teaching certificate. I honestly haven't done extensive research into it but that is the general idea I'm getting. Anyways, it is something that is kind of just in the back of my mind that I thought I might like to do at some point in the future. So there is that.
I also spend a lot of time being annoyed at how shitty I am at a Japanese and how I need to study more so studying for the language test is kind of helping a bit, although my speaking is getting worse, despite living in Japan... that's what happens when you come to teach English! haha.

My mum is comming to visit in August and I'm currently saving up the money to buy the plane ticket for her.
I'm really excited because I love showing Japan to people and my mumma is on the top of my list of people I want to show Japan to so I'm pretty stoked about that.

Other than those things, life is pretty normal around here.
I go to work, I go see my friends, and I spend a lot of time watching TV on the internet.
So basically exactly what I did in Canada except now I have more bills to pay and a bigger paycheque.

:)


That's allllllllllllllllll
love xo
mle

Living. aka a blog that probably does not make a lot of sense.

Unfortunately it seems that sometimes I find myself enjoying being completely miserable. In some ways this has actually turned out to work in my favour. It might be hard for some people to understand, but there is something about being so completely unhappy, that you are able to find happiness. You would be surprised the things that you can learn about yourself when you cannot sleep at night, and the only person you have to talk to is yourself.
This is not the point of this blog though.
Today I want to talk about the good things.
I'm not sure what it was, but this year turned out to be the best year of my life.
It wasn't being I achieved many things, or because a lot of good things happened, but simply because I've never lived like how I lived in the past year of my life.
I'm not just saying 2013, but I mean roughly in the last year (starting last summer).

Following the divorce of my parents, I can't really explain what was left of me, but it felt like I had become nothing. I went through very strange stages of not caring. I guess they weren't strange, rather normal probably, but for me they were strange. I had always allowed myself to feel things so hard, that this numb feeling of just not caring was completely new to me.
That feeling thankfully evolved into something else though. I just stopped caring about things that I didn't deem important anymore. I stopped caring (as much), about what people thought about the strange things I said. I stopped caring, for example, about what someone might think if they found out that I have problems with anxiety, depression, self esteem, etc. I stopped caring about what my friends were fighting about, and stopped taking it upon myself to fix it.

I could fill this blog with complaints and stories of my struggles. What it was, and is like to live with mental disorders. I could tell you all about how I feel alone and misunderstood and how you aren't alone if you feel the same. I don't want to tell you that. I just want to tell you that anything is possible. I don't want people to hear about my life and think "wow I can relate", I want them to think "I can do that too". Don't get me wrong, I had help, from professionals, and no one should ever feel ashamed about that.

In the end however it is up to you to want to change and to want to become a better person. It is really easy when you feel trapt inside of your own head to simply want to stay there in your unhappiness. It's what you know, it's what feels comfortable, and it's what feels safe. You even start to tell yourself that you like the feeling of emptiness. However, you don't like it, and it's not fun, you are just afraid. And why wouldn't you be? How is something like happiness, or living, or enjoying your life, things you haven't fully understood, not scary? of course it's scary, and it feels easier to just live in our bubble of depression and sadness, so we don't have to face this scary thing called "Happiness".

I can't tell you if I've found happiness. I don't think that it is something that can really be found. However I have learned how to live, and through living my life I have found peace within many aspects of my life, which I think is a part of happiness.
For example before I just had my eyes on Japan, I told myself, everything will be better once I move to Japan. I didn't enjoy the things around me and I just spent hours on the internet completely drowning myself in everything Japanese. However I didn't allow myself to enjoy the things happening right here in Canada, and I didn't properly LIVE my life in Canada. It was like the person I wanted to be was waiting for me in Japan and I just needed to get there somehow.

However I was wrong. Not about Japan. As much as people think I'm still in la-la land about it, I'm not. The person I want to be is actually here in Canada though. She's everywhere. A Place never had to dictate my happiness. A circumstance never had to dictate it. These were things that I always told myself and I never really believed or understood until now.

In the last year, only a mere few weeks after hearing that my parents had filed divorce, I fell head first into a serious relationship with someone. I thought this was going to last forever, it didn't. But I wouldn't take any of it back. I have never allowed myself to open up to someone that quickly and that much, and it felt so freeing to finally just let somebody love me, and to love somebody back. In the end breaking up felt just as freeing because of a lot of other reasons that I wont disclose here, but it was just the most amazing experience. With sadness also came so much joy and happiness. This is living.

I didn't have a lot of money, but I managed to save up enough to go visit said ex-boyfriend in Japan. I spent a month there just enjoying myself, seeing my friends, seeing him, spending time with his family. Laughing, enjoying, fighting with him, crying, everything. This is living.

I went and saw my favourite band, Mariana's Trench, twice! This is a big deal for me, as my anxiety even now gets really bad when it comes to things like concerts. I had the best time in Victoria with my friends, and then again for their concert in Vancouver. The Vancouver one, because I got to go stay with Becki who I hasn't seen in a long time, was one of the best experiences. This is living.

I applied and got a job in Japan. no more explanation needed. This is living.

I graduated university. This is living.

I decided to write a novel. That no one is ever allowed to read. By ever I mean a really really really long time. This is living.

I went on a three day trip to Tofino with my friends. I actually got myself to leave my house for longer than a few days to do something like a road trip with my friends. In 22 years this is something I always wanted to do but never had the chance to. There was always things that I felt were standing in my way. I went, and I had an amazing time. I even wore a bikini for the first time in my life ever. I didn't care. This is living.

I went to an anime convention, and hung out with actors and voice actors who had I had grown up listening to. In fact, I walked up to Scott McNeil and asked him to have dinner with me. If I told Emily a year ago that she would do that, she probably would have laughed in my face and then cried about it later haha. I'm not joking. And let's not forget to mention that I sat and talked with Dante Basco for so long that I stopped seeing him as "Dante Basco" and just saw him as a person. Despite the fact he probably just sees me as a fan, as in, it's not like we became best friends, although that would have been awesome! the fact I felt comfortable enough to talk to him that long without saying something completely awkward and embarrassing was unbelievable. I also made a ton of new friends and wasn't completely embarrassing. This is living.

These things might not seem like a big deal to a lot of people, but to me they are. This isn't to say that my social anxiety doesn't act up (as in, it does every single day of my life), or that I don't spend days laying in bed wishing that there was some way for me to just not exist anymore. But these things don't have to be seen as sad, I don't need to be told that it will get better. My mental problems are never going to go away 100%, and I'm okay with that. It was only until I completely embraced them was I finally able to live. They are a part of me, they don't control me alone. I control all of me, the good and the bad and the hard times and the easy times, everything is an equation and it's up to me to decide which variables to insert. The choice and end result is completely up to me. I don't think you can just simply choose happiness, it's not that easy, but I think you can choose to take the steps towards finding a better life, you just have to find your own way to live in this world, and when you find it, go for it. Just LIVE. Don't wait for a man, for a location, for a job, whatever, just live your life in the way that feels comfortable for you.
I don't know if any of this makes sense.
I hope it does.

I never thought i'd feel so happy in my life, while feeling so stressed out at the same time, which is why I wanted to post this.

If I can do it so can you.

M

Why do you want to live in Japan?

I decided I wanted to start blogging again.
I always say this but I'm going to try to stick to it this time, mainly because I am going to be leaving to country soon.
Things are looking like I did get a job with Amity (A children's school in Japan for teaching English) and I will write about that probably in a next post. However I think this is the best way to stay in touch with people as I wont have time to talk to everyone all the time.

So on that note, I wanted to answer once and for all the reason I want to live in Japan. I feel like this is always something I have been defending ever since I was young. So, this is me, going on the record and explaining to the world (aka small amount of people who will read this), once and for all the reason I want to go to Japan. I think a lot of people are genuinely curious, and I think some people are skeptical, so here it is.

First of all before you all start getting ready to roll your eyes, I'm not going to give reasons like "I was supposed to be Japanese," or anything like that.

The main reason why, in short - I feel more comfortable there.
Now, this doesn't really explain why I liked it when I was younger/before I had been there.

I am from a small town as many of you reading this might already know, and different cultures were things that I only got to learn about from afar. We were pretty isolated from the rest of the world in my small logging town. When I was in grade 4 or 5, some people might remember there was a Japanese teacher at my school for a short time and she would teach us little things about Japan. At this time I already had some interest in Japan, because of some stuff I had learned in Girl Guides. I don't think that any other country sparked my interest as much as Japan did.

Anyways, I got older and entered high school I got into Japanese pop-culture. You know, Anime, Japanese music, Japanese dramas and Movies, all of that kind of stuff. At this time I can very shamelessly say I was naive to Japanese culture. However, I had a very strong desire to learn more and more. I liked the pop-culture because pop-culture is fun and it's not rare to meet people here in Canada that are into pop-culture. Especially anime. However for me it was always just a small part of Japan to me... it almost felt as if it was detached from the actual culture of Japan itself. Well not the music and TV as much but definitely the Anime aspect. I think it's because of the popularity of it in Canada and other western countries, it has almost become something totally different than what it is in Japan. I think it's really cool, it's become so big and a lot of people love it but don't even have a huge interest in Japan. I think that's really cool, seriously. ANYWAYS.

So. My point is, I had a strive to learn more about just the culture in general. Not just the geisha and the samurai, I wanted to know what everyday people my age did. It was at this time that I made a lot of penpals and spent a number of years writing letters back and forth, exchanging pictures and souvenirs, etc.

Studying about Japan and learning Japanese brought me happiness in my very unhappy life. I wont go into details about that but I think in short form I can say part of the reason I was not happy because I was not totally comfortable in the culture that I live in. I feel awkward and I often don't know how to talk to the people around me. Don't get me wrong. As much as I say I hate Canada, I really don't. I love Canada and I use every opportunity to tell my friends and others I meet in Japan about how wonderful it is and how they should come here because it is so beautiful and amazing. As cliche and cheesy as it sounds though... I just don't belong here.

I got to learn about Japan more in University, and I have now been there 4 times. One of those times was a 4 month long exchange program where I got to live with a host-family. I was going through some really insanely awful things that were happening back home during that time, and I was still able to have the time of my life. Japan brings out the best in me, because I can feel confident in myself.

I am the last person that will talk about how perfect Japan is. It's not. Japan is awful sometimes. There are things about Japanese culture that I think could be different. However, the things that bug me about Japanese culture, are not nearly as bad as the things that bug me about Canadian culture. Japanese culture just makes sense to me, I feel comfortable, and I like their society-based way of thinking.

I'm really tired of people telling me that I'm just in "Honey-moon" phase. That when I live there for a long period of time I will change my mind or something. Like I'm just a dazed fan girl, who thinks Japan is super Kawaii or something like that. No. If you have read this and still think that, then I hope you feel like an idiot when I leave Canada and happily never come back.

Japan is where my life is. My friends, my amazing host-family, the food I like, the shopping I like, the life-style I enjoy, etc etc
What do I have to lose in Canada? All of my friends will be graduating and going their own ways anyway. My brother and sister already live far away and I haven't lived with my parents for 4 years. I don't feel sad thinking about things I'm going to miss back home because I don't get homesick. I never have. Not even when I was like 5 years old and would go to my grandparents house for a week.

I like to do things in Japan that everyday Japanese people like to do. I'm not excited to go there because life is going to all of a sudden get better, my depression will magically disappear and the sun shine coming out of my ass, no, that's not what I think!
I'm going to go to Japan and live my life in a way that I feel is comfortable. I will finally be able to feel like I am at home. I won't miss Canada because Canada has never been my home. I'll miss my friends and my family, but no more then I normally would, and with social media, it is so easy to stay in-contact, and I will be coming back for visits.

I'm going to have hard days, but not because I am in Japan. I'm going to have hard days because sometimes life sucks!

Everything I have done in my life up until now was to get to this point.
I don't want to be a silly, ignorant foreigner in Japan, who goes there in hopes of having all their dreams come true and find true happiness, for the soul reason that, It's Japan and that's what Japan is supposed to do because it's so exotic and amazing and unique and better. No. That is not what this is about.
I don't need Japan to be happy, and I don't think Japan is the best country on this planet.
I feel like it's my home, and I'd like to finally go home.

Thank you if you read all of this.

Love xo
M

Giving back; Questions I receive about Child Sponsorship!

So,

I'm going to try to start writing in my blog again. I'm not sure what I'm going to write about because my life is pretty repeative these days, and people don't want to read a blog about how I went to work, and them went to school, and then studied. So, for now I have a few topics that should keep me occupied until I think of what else I'm going to blog about... either that or I'll blog about those topics and then I will let my blog die for a year again. We'll see. :)

Today, I'm going to talk about sponsoring a child!

I get a lot of questions about this; and in the past week I've had three people ask me a lot about it so I thought this was a good way to collectively give information to everyone at the same time.I want to stress, I am not trying to pressure or guilt anyone into doing this.. This is just my personal opinion about it. 

So,

Since I was able to comprehend world poverty and then effect that it has on people living in 3-rd world countries, I have been very intrigued. I've always been very sensitive when it comes to children; Things like rape cases, children being killed or just dying because of disease, anything like that really pulls on my heart strings. Most of all when I read about children suffering because of poverty I really am moved, definitely one of my dreams to go to Africa and build a well or a school or something.

Anyways, so one day when i was lost in my own little world, just sitting on my bed listening to music or something I started thinking about how selfish humans are, and all that stuff, and then I was thinking about how I'm ready to stop being selfish, or at least try right.So I went to my computer and I went to three different sites! Save the Children, Compassion, and World Vision. I spent a few hours looking at their sponsorship programs and also their travel programs. Came to the conclusion I defiantly cannot afford the traveling programs right now but that I could definitely afford sponsorship! So I read all of them and decided to go with World Vision. I highly recommend looking at lots of different sites and picking which one you think works the best for you.

So that is my little story. I now have a sponsor child from the Philippines, her name is Rynmay. She is very unhealthy and lives in a very poor community where her father can't even grow enough to feed them. My Sponsorship will enable her to go to school, have food, water, clothes, etc. This is why I do this; my measly 30$ a month. 30. is changing her life completely. 

My 3 most asked Questions!

You're a student, how do you afford it?

It's usually around 30$ a month. Think of all the times you go out for coffee, lunch, dinner. If you cut the little things out of you life, you could completely change a child's life. I can definitively understand that a lot people can't afford it, but you would probably be surprised. 

How do you know that the child is actually getting your money?

Most of the programs actually work so that your money is going to the child and then going to the community. For example, them money goes to her family, and then her father can grow food, so that he can then sell it and make a income for their family and also help the communities economy!

How did you know what organization to choose?

This is really important. You have to do your research and actually give it a lot of thought. I liked the idea of the World vision program that would give back to the entire community. A lot of other organizations have a different way of doing things so you should read all of their policies and decide what one is best for you.

Bascially, it has to be your own choice, I hope anyone who does this is going to do it for the right reasons. I think if you do it for the right reasons; because you WANT to it can be really rewarding.

I'm not going to lie and say I don't care about the money because sometimes I've second guessed my decision because yeah I'm a student and I don't have a lot of money. However, when I get a letter for my sponsor child, or a card, my entire heart just melts. I always think, wow this is actually reality, a little girl, half way around the world, is actually writing me this letter of thanks. It's now on my bucket list to go on a trip with World Vision to go to her community to meet her. 

Even if you can't sponsor a child there are tons of other programs and small things to get involved!

Here are some links;

Save the Children

World Vision

Compassion 

Operation Christmas Child

30 hour famine

World Center of Compassion for Children

Maybe I will just make another post about all the different organizations that I like...

That is all for now

xo

M

You're unique, just like everybody else!

Okay so this is rant time, because this is something that has always always bothered me.

Dear world, Just because you are not part of the "popular" crowed, you don't fit the "Social Norm" or  you simply just feel different, it doesn't make you a better person then the people that who don't feel that way !
As many of you know I was badly bullied in high school and the way that I got through it was to tell myself I was better then them. Looking back I cannot even express how messed up and mentally unhealthy that is.

I know so many people that are "Nerdy" or they are interested in things that aren't what people feel are "typical" such as ya know clubbing, drinking, partying, whatever. So, instead of just being like, oh it's not my thing, so many of these people are like "omg look at those stupid people they are so lame and their life style is stupid bleh bleh bleh".

Honestly, just because you don't do the things that we are constantly being pressured to do, or the things that we are seeing in magazines or whatever, doesn't mean you are any more different or unique then anyone else.

Every single person in this world is unique

Also, news flash, every single person is influenced by the people around them. Even if someone has a "leader" personality type, they are still going to find influences from the things around them.
How is a person being obsessively into top 40 music any better or worse then someone who is obsessively into indie or something? They are still both being influenced by a form of social media, am I wrong?

I know that this point has been stressed to death. We are all different, and all special, blah blah.
That isn't really what I'm trying to say (although I don't think i'm doing a good job of that)
Basically I'm saying, just because you don't consider yourself "Mainstream" or just if you are the kind of person that is always thinking they are different or an outsider., does not make you any better or any more unique than anyone else! I know for a fact that in My high school the "Unpopular" or "Non-mainstream" kids, were just as, if not meaner, then the so called "Bitchy popular" kids. Seriously.

If you are happy with the way that your life is, you are happy with yourself, then that is all that should matter.
Why spend your time looking down your nose at those who don't like the same things as you. This goes beyond aggressor and victim. This is aggressor to aggressor. Seriously, Example;

Person 1: Oh my god look at that drunk person, they are going no where in life, always drunk and partying and their job isn't that good either. What a loser.


Seemingly drunk person: That guy is such a loser, why can't he just loosen up and enjoy life and have a drink? he's soooo weird.


Okay maybe that was a bad example, but do you get what I'm sayin?
(note; this isn't a rant about people who drink vs people who don't, it's just an example haha)

I mainly just wish everyone would stop concerning themselves with the people around them. I know that is impossible but everyone should be able to do whatever the hell they want to do without people bringing them down for it.

Everyday i have people scoff at my way of life. The way i talk, the way i dress, my insane and totally misunderstood by the way, love for japan (See; Do you like anime? post - long story short, NO)
But from now on I am going to do my best to not look down on their way of life either. No matter what kind of life style that may be!
The only life you have control over is your own, are you that insecure in it that you have to bring down others lives to make yours seem more valid?

Ok that is all
Love you
M

Goodbye to my teenage years; FINALE! 19 years.

So this is the last one! (obviously)
I turn 20 years old tomorrow and this is the last post I will be making! :D

Me on my 19th birthday, not very sober, but pretty damn happy :D

So 19 was probably theeeee best year of my life! It was by far the hardest year, but I learned SO MUCH. I  learned about who I was, a lot about relationships, and I matured and learned to get over things that I would of obsessed over for months before hand!

HIGHLIGHTS

• I had a fanastic final summer in Pmac
• I spent the best 4 months of my life in JAPAN

So after spending a really awesome birthday celebration with my friends in Vancouver I returned for the summer to Port McNeill.

At first I was super bummed about having to go back but I ended up having a great summer at work and I spent the whole summer almost with Becki <3 

BECKI IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITEST PEOPLE EVER :) 

and I was really glad we had the summer to spend together ~ She lived in my basement so we saw eachother almost everyday and we never even really fought (that much LOL), and we got so much closer. She has always always always been one of my best friends, even when we didn't talk for like months we just hang out and do crazy shit and act like idiots as if we never missed a beat

I miss you so much babe!!! I will never forget our romantic summer together <3

So after my wonderful summer at home I was off to Japan for 4 months!

if you want to read in detail about my trip check out my other blog that I dedicated to japan! mapletreesandsakurablossoms.blogspot.com! :)

It was a huge huuuge life changing experiance, I made so many amazing friends and made a home for myself in the one place that has always felt like home :)

my host family was amazing and I learned so much from them. Living amongst another culture really teaches you a lot about people and relationships, I would never change that trip for the WORLD.

Alot of crappy thigns happened when I got home from Japan, mainly because I was depressed about being home and a few other things that, out of respect for the other people involved, I will not talk about here. Even though I doubt they would do the same :D (ya that is me being slightly petty and immature lawl)

Anyways so ya, I had a good second semester for the most part, it was stress ful because of school but I had fun with my friends on the weekend! it was my first time being in victoria while being 19 so I took full advantage and I went clubbing almost every weekend with my ladies <3

90s night <3

oh! I forgot, another awsome thing that happened when I was 19!

YUI CAME TO VISIT ME FROM JAPAN

love her <3

so yes. 

I also got my first job in Victoria, at ABC country restaurnt! stop by sometime, have lunch :D hahahaha

okay well this was short, it was really more of a learning year, and since I already blogged to death about my Japan trp over at my other blog, I dn't have many other experiances that I am willing to openly share :D haha

IN THREE HOURS I WILL BE 20.

:D

and I can't wait

love ya

M

Goodbye to my teenage years; A very fast look at 18!

So it's midnight and I TOTALLY forgot, I don't know how, but I'm bloggin now and that is the important thing right?
Actually I know how I forgot... Allyssa and Kristy know why too... HUHUHU.
Okay, annnnyways

18! with  the love of my life <3

my baby Coco

So 18 was another really awesome year for me!

• I graduated
• Started university
• Went to Japan for the first time!

So about a month and a half after my 18th birthday, I graduated!

walking over the bridge with diploma + Scholerships :)

Grad was really fun, I didn't pay a ton on a dress (in fact my shoes cost more then my dress), and I wasn't really involved or anything, but I had so much fun! The ceremony didn't seem to take as long when you're one of the ones sitting up there, and our after grad was a complete gong show - but so much fun. Totally expected as my grad class was definitely one of the craziest and weirdest group of people :P

It felt weird to grad, and then afterwards move out of port mcneill and go to university. I had spent my entire life in McNeill with the same people, doing the same thing everyday, and not gunna lie I was terrified but SO EXCITED to leave, because Pmac sucks after 17 years ! haha.

It's funny looking back and thinking I'm only really friends with a very small handful of people from high school! I have nothing against the people I went to school with but even with facebook and everything we just don't talk anymore. I'm really happy to of stayed in contact with the ones that I did though, Dane, Becki and Shenaya really stand out in my mind as close close friends, you guys are the best, thanks for always being my friends, and staying close despite the distance <3. And close friends I mean still talk all the time and know whats up in my life and I know what is up in theirs haha. Sorry if you are reading this and thinking WHAT ABOUT ME?! haha. I still love you, but we probs don't talk much, so send me a message! haha. (really hope I didn't just hurt anyones feelings lmao)

So yes! after grad a spent a lovely summer working at the VIC, and then I was off to victoria to start my life as a first year student! |I had a great first semester! I made lots of new friends, learned so much japanese in such a short time, and over all just loved being independent. I mean now I would love nothing more then to have my parents worry about things like rent and food, but at the time it was AMAZING and so much freedom! My grades weren't the greatest (much better this year haha) but I was able to have a much better social experiance, seriously to anyone thinking about or going to university, don't even worry about grades, I mean, don't just slack off because you're lazy or whatever, but get involved in clubs, go to the free shows, and just enjoy university life! esspically in first year, because with starting 3rd year next year, things slowly get less and less honey-moon ish haha.

I also, in this fantastic year, got to go to Japan for the first time!!

I miss you guys ):

This was the most fanastic trip of my life. I mean the 2nd trip definitly comes in an extremely close second, but this time was like, my dream comming true! I had wanted this for so long and it finally happened!

I stayed with my friend Yui, in Akashi, which is in Hyogo, which is...right next to Osaka. (google map it)

I had so much fun going to Universal Studios, Shopping, and seeing the traditional stuff too!

Also her family was awesome! They were so funny and welcoming and I really love and miss them! It was great to also get to know yui better and after seeing her again the 2nd time and then again when she came to visit me, she has definitly become a very very special and dear friend to me

I LOVE YA <3

So  yes, that was 18.

19 was the biggest, best, and craziest year of my life, so YAY fun post tomorrow.

Love you all

M