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The last blog I posted was actually from May. It's now July. Time be flying!!

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So again, I've managed to become extremely behind in my blog updates, I'm sorry! Things have just been flat out.

Here are some photos from the end of May - I went to a place called Sapporo Factory which is like a shopping centre, but the central part is like a giant glass-house - it has wind turbines and everything (even though it's indoors haha). They even have like an IMAX stuffed in there somewhere. I also watched a Primary School Sports Day - my Australian friend who's here, Drew, is staying with his sister and her family (her son is in Primary School), so they invited me to come and watch with them. And the last few photos are from a meeting we had in Kitahiroshima.

I had two weeks off from school from the beginning of June, because my host club, Eniwa Rotary, were celebrating their 40th Anniversary. They had invited the previous exchange students to come back to attend the big meeting, so I was given the first week off to accompany the Rotarians to the airport nearly every day to pick up a new visitor. So that was good.

On the Friday night we had a welcome meeting, then on the Saturday we had the big, proper party. It was held at the Sapporo Beer Factory, and we had all these tables set up outside, with a stage and food stands and all. There was a Japanese drum (taiko) performance, and of course all the speeches and such. It was such a hot day, there was no shade, and I'm surprised I didn't get sunburnt lol.

The next day we went to Noboribetsu - only 2 of the previous exchange students came though, because the rest of them returned back to Australia or USA the day after the meeting. We drove to Noboribetsu a different way to which we went last time, but it was really pretty. I hadn't been there since it'd been snowing, so now there was just green everywhere lol. We stopped at a lake, called Mysterious Lake Kuttara - it was a perfect circular lake. I think it's either a crater or an old volcano. I'm leaning towards the latter though, because Noboribetsu is famous for its hot springs, which are caused by volcanoes.

At Lake Kuttara we went on a fast boat ride which was good fun, then after having a stop at a lookout and at a natural hot springs (it stank like crap because of all the sulphur), we got to our hotel in Noboribetsu. I didn't go in the onsen at all this time, but we had a traditional Japanese dinner (something like 11 courses) and later went to a karaoke bar, where the Rotarians loosened their yukatas and dressed up, makeup and everything. It was definitely a sight to see. I hope I can party like the Japanese do when in their 50's.

The next day we visited the Bear Park which I didn't really like at all. The bears were all in this concrete enclosure together, no grass or trees or anything natural - it made me sad to see the conditions they now have to live in until they die. And when they die, they get stuffed and placed somewhere within the park. What a life.

We also visited a Ninja Town which was cool, saw a few plays and ate lunch and looked through the "Horror Houses" and things. There was this one cool building that had all the rooms slanted, so it really messed up your balance and perspective. After that we saw the aquarium which was empty of people lol. So I was completely buggered after that day. I got the rest of that week off school too because the students had exams, and I didn't need to be there. Score!

Now I'm back at school which is alright... We are now into our Summer Uniforms (no blazer or tie, and we can unbutton the top button on our blouse) and my seat is conveniently positioned right next to the window that is kept open all day, so aside from the uncomfortable wooden chair and not having anything to do, it's quite pleasant. I think the students are getting more used to me now, because they're talking to me a lot more than they were a few weeks ago. Maybe it's the good weather haha. But it's nice, and I don't fall asleep in class as much either, although my phone always runs out of battery before I get home because I facebook so much. Oops.

Oh, the weekend before I returned to school, I also went camping with the other exchange girls at a place near Sapporo, called Takino Park. I was expecting, well, camping, but I suppose the Japanese version of camping is very different to Australian camping. I much prefer Aussie camping - at Takino park, it was all manicured lawns, electricity, and motion sensor taps/toilets.

We stayed in a cabin which was really nice, but it just didn't feel at all like camping lol. I still had fun though, and it was beautiful weather.

We all went to the Yosakoi, which is traditional Japanese dance. They had a massive festival in the city, they closed the streets and just had all these groups of dancers on the roads. It was really cool to watch, but the temperature got as high as 29 degrees, so I was meeeelting.

I also went to another festival in Sapporo at Nakajima Park - that was really cool, minus the hundreds of people that I battled with to merely try and walk. It was seriously crowded, and my friend and I ended up ditching and going back to the station for dinner. Hopefully the next summer festival I go to isn't so damn crowded.

Since then, I've just been going to school as usual, taking Wednesdays off for Rotary and my Japanese lessons, and that's all, really. Some interesting news though, is that (with the help of my awesome host dad), I've tracked down an old friend of my Grandpas. I'll briefly re-tell the story.

My Grandpa on my Dad's side died a month before I was born, so I've never met him. But I've heard a lot about him. When he was in his 60's, he decided to learn Japanese. He visited Japan (even Hokkaido) and he had a friend named Fujii-san. My grandpa was from Hobart (Tasmania), and Fujii-san, at one stage, was teaching at University of Tasmania, which is where I'm planning to study next year.

Anyway, being in Japan, I wanted to find him - not only to learn more about my grandfather whom I've never met, but so that my family could meet him too when they come to visit. So with the help of my Dad back in Australia we found an address, then my host dad, who's really interested in this whole thing, wrote a letter in Japanese for me. Fujii-san replied, and so... we found him! He now lives in Nagoya, so we'll go and visit in October. It's a small world.

Anyway I shall wrap it up here. And I really will try to keep things up to date... *looks at un-updated YouTube channel*...That too. Forgive me.