Day 118,119 and 120: Super busy day at work, Package to and from Norway!

Hello!
Wednesday 3th of June
Second period today was Japanese, and we had our first mid-term exam! It went ok ( I hope we get the results on Monday next week), but my brain forgot all my japanese vocabulary xD Haha! Exam is not good for the brain. So it ended up with a very "childish" feeling because I used simple words etc. I really need to step up my game, haha!

This is actually the first time I had a propar bento! I made it yesterday, so I didn't have to get up any earlier than normal. It's vegetables, salmon with a spice rub and grilled corn. It was very good! And all in all it only cost 300 yen (20 kroner). 

 After Uni it was time for work! On wednesday I am at work with Theresa, but she was sick so I had to be alone today. It was kind og crazy because it was packed with students today. I barely had time to give homework before they went home. On wednesdays it's devided into 4 periods, 15:30-16:30, 16:30-17:30, 17:30-18:30 and 18:30-18:55. Different students come to different times and some student are there for more than one period. So it's a lot to have have control of, not only that but theirn name is in kanji that I have to look up in my notes each time, and that's time consuming. I'm slowly starting to learn some of the names, but it takes a long time. When I was done the sunset was very nice:

Thursday 4th of June
My day off <3 It was very nice after the stressfull day at work yesterday~ It's so relaxing to eat a late breakfast and just enjoy the food. 

 I was chilling in the livingroom with my AWESOME watermelon and a cup of tea, when I got a message from Lånekassa that my application for money STILL had not gone through the system. Lånekassa still said that my home University had not given the correct information, even though the University said to me they had done it. Super frustrated I sent an urgent mail to my contact person for my study abroad and asked why Lånekassa agve me this message when it was supposed to be in order. This was suppossed to be fixed for 2 months ago... Then it turned out to be a fault in Lånekassa's online system. Luckly this got fixed and I hope to get my money soon. 

I also got around to send my package to my sister! I bought a lot of different thing and of course some gifts that my nephew wanted ^_^ The lady at my local post office was VERY nice :) She spoke slowly and clearly so I could understand what she said~ 

The rest of the day went to make my presentation for the Social change in Japan-classs. Later I went to Jimmy's place to company him while he was feeling sick. 

Friday 5th of June
I went to school from Jimmy's place and while on the train, Penny called me. My package had come at the door and I needed to sign it in order to get it. I asked if Penny could sign it for me and she told me she would call me back soon. She called back and had signed the package in my name, haha! No problem, right, all white people look the same and have weird names! xD 

At Uni the presentation went well in the Social change in Japan-class and we ended up with some very fun and interesting Gender-discussion. After Uni I was super excited to get my packaged (which was store at the front desk) and my mom had bought me alot of awesome food!

 Lol, julepapir!

 Look at all the stuff! Most important is the cheese slicer for my brown cheese!

THANK YOU MOM!!!

Day 101 and 102: 17. mai! And grøt!

Hello!

I think this will be the most "Norwegian" post so far xD

Sunday 17. of May

Here are some facts why Norway celebrate the 17th of May:

Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holiday observed on May 17 each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to simply as syttende mai (meaning Seventeenth May), Nasjonaldagen (The National Day) or Grunnlovsdagen (The Constitution Day), although the latter is less frequent.

The Constitution of Norway was signed at Eidsvoll on May 17 in the year 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent kingdom in an attempt to avoid being ceded to Sweden after Denmark–Norway's devastating defeat in the Napoleonic Wars.

The celebration of this day began spontaneously among students and others from early on. However, Norway was at that time in a union with Sweden (following the Convention of Moss in August 1814) and for some years the King of Sweden and Norway was reluctant to allow the celebrations. For a few years during the 1820s, King Karl Johan actually banned it, believing that celebrations like this were in fact a kind of protest and disregard — even revolt — against the union.^[1] The king's attitude changed after the Battle of the Square in 1829, an incident which resulted in such a commotion that the king had to allow commemorations on the day. It was, however, not until 1833 that public addresses were held, and official celebration was initiated near the monument of former government minister Christian Krohg, who had spent much of his political life curbing the personal power of the monarch. The address was held byHenrik Wergeland, thoroughly witnessed and accounted for by an informant dispatched by the king himself.

After 1864 the day became more established when the first children's parade was launched in Christiania, at first consisting only of boys. This initiative was taken by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, although Wergeland made the first known children's parade at Eidsvoll around 1820. It was only in 1899 that girls were allowed to join in the parade for the first time.

By historical coincidence, the Second World War ended in Norway nine days before that year's Constitution Day, on May 8, 1945, when the occupying German forces surrendered. Even if The Liberation Day is an official flag day in Norway, the day is not an official holiday and is not widely celebrated. Instead, a new and broader meaning has been added to the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17.

Jimmy and I went to the Norwegian cafe "Fuglen" in Shibuya to "celebrate" 17. mai. I also invited my friend Moemi! It wasn't much of a celebration, but it was awesome to eat Norwegian waffles with brown cheese and jam! Yum <3 

 Lemonade and choco milk

 The Norwegian flag! 

 YUMMMM!!!!! DELISH~~

 ~Moemi and I~ Moemi was an exchange student in Norway for about a year ago, so she can speak Norwegian. We had a good time speaking Norwegian, but Jimmy's swedish was a little too difficult, hehe.  Moemi's pronunciation is super good! And I'm very proud that she is still able to speak Nowegian even though it is a long time since she was in Norway ^_^

 The cutest little stand ever!

 After eating and chatting Moemi went home and Jimmy and I went to Omotesando in search for a cheese slicer (for my brunost). On the way we passed the Thai fest we were to yesterday, and it was EVEN MORE PEOPLE today! CRAZYYY!!! This was just on the way, you can think how the fest was!

 We didn't find a cheese slicer, but we went for a long walk in the sun. On the way we stopped at two different cafes to treat ourselves with some good food and drinks <3

 And on the way we saw some pretty things

Before going to bed I skyped with my family. They were in their prettiest dresses celebrating Norway. They ate delish dessert that I couldn't eat...So jelly... I also played with my nephew via skype! So much fun! I'm looking forward to see my family again <3
Monday 18th of May

In about 3 weeks we have our midterm exam in Japanese. And of course: I'm very nervouse about it. I asked and luckily the test is going to be the same as what we've been doing in class. That way I know what to expect and it's something I'm familiar with. But still; I really want to do good! Thats why I today went over all my homework in Japanese! I also need to learn more vocabulary... So much to dooo~ 

When I got home I made grøt! And it truned out very good! 

I'm going to make some for the people at the house tomorrow ^_^

Day 95,96 and 97: Package from Norway, Sumo and Job as a teacher!

Hello!

Monday 11th of May

Today I got my package from my mom in Norway!!!! It fit into the mailbox at home so that was very convenient 

 Top right: "knekkebrød" 

Crispbread^[1] (Swedish: knäckebröd, hårt bröd, hårdbröd, spisbröd, knäcke, Danish: knækbrød, Norwegian: knekkebrød, Finnish: näkkileipä,Estonian: näkileib, Icelandic: hrökkbrauð, Faroese: knekkbreyð, German: Knäckebrot or Knäcke, Dutch: knäckebröd) is a flat and dry type ofbread or cracker, containing mostly rye flour. Crispbreads are light and keep fresh for a very long time. Crispbread is a staple food^[2] and was for a long time considered a poor man's diet.^[3] However, in recent years there has been renewed interest in crispbread in the Nordic countries.

Top left: Taco tubs and taco spice mix! 
Bottom right: Risengrynsgrøt

In the Nordic countries, rice porridge is a common dinner, and sometimes breakfast. It is made as a warm dish from rice cooked in milk. When served, it is commonly sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar and a small knob of butter, and served with milk or fruit juice.

In the middle: tortilla
Bottom right: Melkesjokolade = milk chocolate

Freia Melkesjokolade is a Milk Chocolate from the Norwegian chocolate brand Freia and has been the most sold chocolate in Norway since the 1960s. The chocolate was launched in 1906 after a Swiss recipe, originally called 'Freia Melkechokolade'. In the 1920s it was considered ”Europas bedste spisechokolade” (Europe's best edible chocolate), and people would often add that it was Norwegian, to underline that it was not imported. It was only after the chocolate again became available after World War II, that the name was changed to "Melkesjokolade" (Milk Chocolate) due to the spelling reform of 1939.

Fox and Nox:
Fox is lemon caramel and nox is liqorice  

I also got BRUNOST! But I had to put it in the fridge right away because it was a little melted xD

Brunost, also called raudost ^[1] or mysost (Norwegian), or mesost (Swedish), meesjuusto (Finnish), mysuostur (Icelandic), myseost(Danish) or Braunkäse (German) is a caramelised brown Scandinavian whey cheese. The main Norwegian and the German names mean brown cheese, and the others mean simply whey cheese

Brunost is made by boiling a mixture of milk, cream, and whey carefully for several hours so that the water evaporates. The heat turns the milk sugar into caramel, which gives the cheese its characteristic brown colour and sweet taste.^[3] It is ready for consumption as soon as it is packed in suitable sized blocks. 

Thank you mom! You're the best <3 
I made a baby taco! The taco tubs were in one piece! 

 Later that day I met Jimmy in Shinjuku to buy myself a Japanese phone!  It's just a simple one with buttons :P But this way I can call home for example! Which is good in case something happens. We went to the SoftBank in Omotesando, because they speak English there. It all went very fast! And the salesman was very nice :) After the purchase, we ate at the Freshness burger, yum!!

Tuesday 12th of May

Today I went to watch sumo for the first time!

Sumo (相撲 sumō^?) is a competitive full-contact wrestling sport where a rikishi (wrestler) attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring (dohyō) or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The characters 相撲 literally mean "striking one another".

This is at the Ryougaku station 

This is at the Ryōgoku Station (両国駅) 

 Trying to find his dad and Amanda, but Jimmy messed it up by giving wrong info, haha!

 My new phone! Now I have a japanese number, so I can actually call people in Japan and Norway!

 This is the agenda and ticket

 Jimmy, Roger and Amanda. 

 I'm dying!!!!

 So many old people fangirling over their favourite sumo wrestler! Shouting their name and stuff xD

 The inside of the arena

 This is the inside

 At first it wasnt that many, but by the end it was almost full!

 We got hungry so we bought some food! My favourite "takoyaki"

Takoyaki (たこ焼き or 蛸焼^?) is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion.^[1][2] Takoyaki are brushed with takoyaki sauce, similar to Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise. The takoyaki is then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of driedbonito (katsuobushi). 

 This is pastry filled with custard cream!

 It was insanely rich in flavor!

 The matches are over!

 Then we all went out to eat~

Wednesday 13th of May

So today I had my first interview in Japan! I cant tell you how nervous I was for this intervew... Before taking the bus to Uni I had to take my picture in a photo boot. The picture had to be taken with the job "uniform" so I got that done. I then went to Uni in my new uniform :P  During lunch at Uni I got my awesome mentor Nobuyuki to write the kanji for me on my Japanese resume. That way it look very cool! Hehe. That was after my two classes of Japanese. Beforehand I had practiced what to say and different Japanese vocabulary. But of course I messed it up on the interview due to being so nervous, but I could speak in English so it went fine. I tried to sneak in Japanese where it seemed natural, just to show him I can speak a little Japanese, hehe :P But the interview went great, it wasn't as formal as I thought it would be; we laughed and joked. He then showed me around the floor and we talked about working hours and pay. If you didn't realize it, I got the job ^_^ I'm so happy!!! I'm going to start from week 22 (Monday 25th) I'm going to work every Monday and Wednesday, for 3 and 4 hours, and the pay is 1000 yen/hour. Of course the pay can't be compared to my teacher job in Norway, but then again, this is quite different. If I want to keep living in Japan after Uni, which I want to, it's very important to have working experience :) So I'll do my best!