A New Year means New Year Resolutions

It's been a long time since I've made any New Year's Resolutions. But I had a rubbish start to today (nothing major and it's all OK now) and so I went on a trip to a nearby temple to re-zen myself! While I was there I got a little philosophical, and when lovely Stacey told me she has just made some New Year's Resolutions, I thought it sounded like a good idea!

1. To re-find myself.
       Don't worry, I'm not turning that Buddhist just yet, it's just that the two years haven't been great. There's been lots of amazing times, but apart from when I was travelling last year, I haven't really felt like I've had many interests or exciting things that I do or I like. I want to re-find all the things that I used to enjoy, and hopefully find some things ones too. I want to make the most of doing the things I enjoy!

2. To continue studying Japanese.
       It's going slowly but I want to improve my Japanese as much as possible this year. I don't want to be like lots of people and get here and just give up because I can manage. I want to be able to understand what's going on and to really try to improve as much as I can.

3. To make the most of all the opportunities that come up, and make opportunities for myself too.
       I'm very good at sitting on facebook, looking at other people's photos and being jealous of what they're doing. What I'm not very good at doing is realising that if I'm sitting on facebook, I'm not going to be doing exciting things! I'm in a new, amazing country and I'm determined to make the most of it this year. They'll still be lots of chilled out internet time I'm sure, but hopefully only when I want there to be, not because I'm turning down opportunities.

4. To make new friends, but keep the old.
         As well as being a cheesy Guiding song, I want this to be true for me this year. I'm really looking forward to meeting people and making friends in Japan, but nobody can ever replace all my fantastic friends from England, and I want to be sure I don't forget that!

4 simple resolutions. I'm sure even I can manage that :D 

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a lovely New Year and a great start to 2012!

We spent New Year, like most 20-somethings do all over the world, by getting very drunk and dancing! There was lots of alcohol, lots of crazy drunk Japanese people wanting to dance with us, and it was a lot of fun! The hangover the next day wasn't as fun, and unfortunately unlike most New Years I didn't have the winning combination of pancakes, walk, chilli to cure it! Instead, I spent the 1st January being very lazy!

Our New Year got more traditional once we'd slept off the hangovers, and on the 2nd January (our last day in Sapporo :( ) We visited the Hokkaido-jingo Buddhist shrine in Maruyama park again. It's traditional in Japan to visit the shrine in the first few days of the New Year, for luck for the year, and to get a new fortune (as they all run out at the end of the year!). My fortune is good, and, while I think it's all rubbish really, it's nice to be told I'm going to have a very lucky year! 

It was still really busy! 

New Year's decorations

This was so pretty!

A lovely start to the year, and a lovely end to our holiday in Sapporo!