A whole neeeew wooooorld....

A new fantastic point of view indeed.

It's Friday afternoon, and I've been working as a trainee at Innovation Norway for one week.

On my way to the first day. Slightly nervous. Okay, really really nervous. Piss your pants nervous. Not literally.

On the first day, after starting out as a high-strung bundle of nervous nerviness, I finally fulfilled my long-standing ambition: Once the workday was over, I promptly jumped in the pool.

It's not that easy to take selfies in bright sunlight I'lltellya.

And since it's been crazy hot this week, I've actually used said pool three afternoons out of five.

Second. Best. Perk. Ever.

Second best? Why?

Because grand piano, that's why.

Sjå, pæng!

Yesssssss!

If there's nothing else going on in the so-called Arctic Hall I'm free to use it whenever I want.

I've printed some of my favourite open-access sheet music, and I am so really ready to finally improve my playing after stagnating for literally years.

And seriously. Can you describe "perfection" any better than going in the pool to cool off for an hour of swimming after work, then another hour of piano in "my private" concert hall?

Secret Bathroom Selfie.

The work has been really good so far too. I'm being all adult wearing adult clothes (at the time of writing I am actually wearing a pencil skirt blouse combo). I had a real water-cooler conversation, by the actual water cooler. I make coffee every morning (although there are not so many coffee drinkers here, so it's mostly for myself). And I feel like I'm really being taken seriously - my input on the cases where I feel competent to give it is being listened to, and I feel like its valued.

Even though my job so far mostly has been making PowerPoint presentations for others.

In one of the presentations, to be held by one of the guys at the office on a Norway tour, at NTNU for potential new exchange students, I featured myself as a Case Example. I might even come in on Skype. Fun Times!

I are professional!

I've been so overwhelmed by the newness of everything that I've more or less fallen comatose within minutes of returning home every day.

But now I've got to finish quickly, I'm off to Friday beer. Okay.

I'll leave you with this awsome pizza,

Best way to celebrate a successful first day!

and my emergency helmet.

Safety first!

Pizza out.

Still moving

Boom.

Boom boom boom, come check out my new room.

But there seems to be something missing....

Oh yeah, EVERYTHING.

And where does one go when everything is missing?

BOOM!

Ohyes.

In true IKEA fashion, it is not very centrally located. However, I needed stuff, and I couldn't be bothered looking more than one place. Also, I've been wanting to check out Japanese IKEA just for the lulz.

Turns out that except for a few regional differences, it is exactly identical to every other IKEA in the world.

Seriously. Even the meatballs.

Only difference is the currency.
And the amusing furigana. "Miitobooru"

This Japanese kid in the café line in front of me was literally jumping up and down singing "mi-to-bo-ru! mi-to-bo-ru!". He was very very excited about meatballs.

I went the same day as my moving, so I started with the food. And what lovely food it was.

Polarbrød. For reals.

After that I don't even need to show you pictures. You know what IKEA looks like.

The only thing was the tatami and the futons. They were new.

IKEA tatami room furniture. I don't think they sell the actual flooring though.

IKEA futon.

Plenteous stuff was bought. The really impressive thing is that I didn't even know that plenteous was a word until after I made it up. I surprise myself sometimes!

About thousand NOK of stuff. I was feeling splurgy.

But it was only after I checked out of the main store that I discovered the true treasure hidden away out here in IKEA Funabashi.

The food. Oh my god they have The FOOD!




KNEKKEBRØD!

SILD!

PØLSE!

MED BRØD!

It's way too early for this but when Christmas rolls around you can be damned sure I'll come back out here to buy

And oh my sweet mother of cheezhus

*heavy breathing*

Such familiar. Much home!

Kjöttbullar is the Swedish umeboshi.

Peace out.

I've moved (again again)

HAH! A post!

For the fifth (and, I hope, last) time since coming to Japan, I've moved into a new apartment. And this time I think I've hit... well, not the jackpot. But I'm pretty damn pleased anyway.

It actually happened on Wednesday and Thursday, because I decided a day of overlap would be a good thing. So yup, for 24 hours I actually had two rooms in Tokyo. Pretty cool!

Since I might have indulged in the ocasional stuff-byuing I can no longer carry all my belongings at once, so I knew I'd have to make two trips.

The first round. Pretty much everything I own except some shoes and other misc that
wouldn't fit. In retrospect I probably could have distributed the weight better.
This first load was waaaaaay heavier than the second....
I AM SMART!

It was a very manual kind of moving. As in, I carried all my stuff on the train.

It was a little awkward.

Hello.

Especially when it started raining on my second trip. Thankfully that second load also included my umbrella.

Guess what I don't have any pictures of that. I dare you to try to balance a suitcase, a backpack, a pillow in a plastic bag, an office dustbin that just wouldn't fit in any carrying-aid that at this point you're seriously considering using as a hat and an umbrella that you're holding way far back because your computer is in that backpack and it is more important than your hairstyle or whatever AND THEN take a selfie. Seriously, try it. I didn't, because I'm just lazy that way.

First impression: Wall flowers. Also, the pocket om my bag is strangely adorable
in this picture.

Suffice to say that I was a little relieved (and a lot tired) when I finally finished hauling to my new home. I was also rocking a bit of a throat infection at the time. Add a low fever to the rant above and imagine how you'd feel.

Now I know, I know. I asked for help, and then I never even bothered publicising my choice.

Well, I'm sure everyone has been shitting nails waiting for my big reveal, so here goes:

After more or less unanimous advice, and also after listening to my own gut instinct, I decided to go for Number 1. I'm glad I did. Even though the room is about half the size of my previous crib and yet more expensive. Even though we're six ladies sharing one bathroom and one laundry machine. Even though my air conditioner is a bit leaky (edit: fixed). It's super cosy, and Location. Oh GAWD, the LOCATION!

It's like I'm finally actually living in Tokyo!

Look at that! LOOK!

Nine, NINE, NIIIINE!! train stations within a fifteen minute walk radius, one of which is literally the otaku heart of the world. Direct line to work, no transfers! I can eat at a different cheap joint every night of the week without walking for two minutes. I can run to Ueno park or a riverside park for a free scenic workout on the weekends. When I realized I wanted a new towel I WENT ACROSS THE STREET TO THE TOWEL SHOP AND BOUGHT ONE.

TOWEL SHOP.

PWN.