Japan post number...whatever. End of my second year here soon...

It was around Spring Equinox and the florist in my little town made these flower arrangements.
Those are rabbits. Snow rabbits. In Japan sometimes people make little rabbits from snow and give them leaves for ears, usually bamboo leaves. I don't know why, but it's cute.
These rabbits are modeled off that idea.
I had to take a picture!

Anyway just to summarise; I have been living in Japan (in Hokkaido, the coldest part - eek!) for almost two years. I stayed because everyone has been so nice and easygoing. It was hard to adjust and I haven't fully adjusted, maybe never would, even if I married some guy and lived here.
But I don't think that will happen.

Anyway people up here in the frozen north are more relaxed and less traditional and formal than people in the warm south; which is funny because you would think in warmer places, people would have a warmer character. But nope. Southern folks are more traditional and serious about do's and don't's and so on (so everyone up here has told me a few times).
Hokkaido-jin are friendly enough I suppose. I like it here, but if you asked me why, I would have to say that it's hard to explain, it's complicated.
My students in junior high are charming for most part. They are more informal than I realised. Japanese school kids are hard working and study more than kids in New Zealand, (I think) but they are also rowdy like normal teens. A lot of them put their heads on their desks and ignore everyone around them if the class is a subject they don't like (such as English, sadly). They have no punishments for students really, just scolding. I can't talk too much about schools while I am on contract for the local Board of Education. One day I might be able to say more. But frankly there isn't any secret info to give or any bad stuff anyway.

Well, I must do my best to really throw myself into life here for my final year.
I fell in love with Japan when I came here years ago. My love remains.
One reason I love this place is because I was lucky to get a clean, tidy house to live in with real tatami mat floors. So happy.
I love my house.

I haven't had a place to myself in years. I missed it.

One more picture:

I LOVEEEE momiji (maple leaves) and finally have been able to take lotsa pics of real Japanese maples in Autumn, I think I took some pics of green leaves too but I love Autumn colour the most.
I will be sure to put up more pictures here and there if I remember. Possibly after I return to NZ and want to wallow in nostalgia.
People here are just nice. They are usually a bit more 'polite' (keigo, tatemae, look these words up on Google) than in NZ where being a straight-up type of person who is open about their feelings and 'honest' makes them kind of an asshole. Yes, kiwis, be honest, but we all need to think of other people's feelings a WEE bit more, that's all.
But you know, there aren't enough rubbish bins on the streets around here. Nobody really litters much though because eating and drinking in public while walking is considered 'weird'. Of course I do it all the time, mostly because that idea of it being 'weird' rankles a fair bit.
Don't stick out.
If you are careful, you will be ok and not upset anyone.
That's it really.
Listen and learn.

I am doing my best.
Ganbarimasu.

God bless
XXX

Fresh X and Y Review *spoilers but really it's so old now* less complainy

Fresh review of X and Y because after playing it more and more since my 'notes on x and y' complainy review, I realised I grew to like it.

Pros:
I liked the new Pokemon, overall.
I liked very much the chateau where you can battle to increase your rank from whatever to duke or duchess etc. A lot of opportunity for fun easy growth and getting money too.
I spent A LOT of time in that place haha!

I liked a lot of the NPC designs, especially the furisode girls and the waiters and waitresses. It just felt cool to battle them for some reason. And battling elderly NPCs always feels cool too, like it's nice to meet someone old who still likes Pokemon. Even though they aren't real people, ok shut up!

I liked the new Fairy type that was introduced, and the fairy gym and it's town.
I liked some of the music eventually, haha.
I liked the overall aesthetic of the game, mostly.

I liked the map, it was easy to get to where I needed to go. I don't think I ever got lost.
The post-game stuff with the suit and Mimi etc was actually great! I liked the characters and the story.

Cons:
Still thought it was a bit too easy, and the plot was rubbish.
Also the ending with AZ and his Pokemon was underwhelming. I tried to care, but just didn't.
3000 years wandering should have driven him completely mad and he should have forgotten everything. It just didn't make sense.

I still don't like the Professor's Frenchiness, waving his hands, his theme music. It's kinda stupid. Like, foreign ppl's idea of what French ppl are like. Let's move away from stereotypes?
Diantha or whatever her name was, didn't like her dress. It was weird. Also she looked too much like the Professor. She didn't have much charisma, I dunno.
And how they treated crazy Team Flare leader, killing him off? First time to actually kill a baddie. Not sure I like it. Didn't have to kill him. How can he learn there are other ways of thinking if he dies? I mean, the Professor and everyone kept laying that idea on thick all the time (everyone is different, think about other ppl).
And I felt that the 5 friends should have had a little more to do with each other post-game. Or at least be shown doing stuff, like dancing kid should be in a dance studio teaching his team to do the moonwalk or something.

Anyway overall, I did like X and Y. Despite all my nit-picking, I ended up buying the next set of games which turned out to be ORAS (yay). And I have bought Sun and Moon too. Reviews of those to come in the future.

Fave Gym Leader: Ramos. Always Ramos. Dunno why - possibly because he is old, and talks like a fortune cookie and has GIANT shears as a walking stick. Also his badge is cool.

Fave member of Elite Four? Siebold. So handsome. And Drasna. She is so sweet.

I'm actually replaying X while I'm here in Japan. I bought it for my Japanese 2DS (impulse buy, it's lavender-coloured which NZ doesn't have) and I got the Mew from Pokemon Yellow - sorry, Japanese games only. I'm using Mew in X and it's fun. :)
I didn't need to waste money on all those things but it is my main hobby now.
Might as well dive in rather than just dipping my toes.