VISA

Well bit of drama here the past week!

Found myself stranded in a part of town with NO bank machines and NO money for a train ticket (but luckily the nice ticket man let me through - thank god for having blond hair!) so I could get to a bank at least....or so I thought!

Until the bank machine swallowed my VISA! Eeeek!!

Oh man, thank god by then I was in a part of town by then where I could use my railpass card and I could get home at least. But now I'm totally screwed for money for a wee while till I can getthings sorted as have NO cash whatsoever.

Good lesson for me though as to not leave it till you've ACTUALLY runout of cash before you get more here - they don't have eftpos like we do! So yeah will be bit of rashoning going on with food here!

And after trying to live off what meagre amount of cash I might beable to get hold of for the next month I should be able to save heaps coz I'll know I can survive on that. Just my luck though you know, coz it's Anzac Day holiday in New Zealand on Monday (do you people never work? seems you've had long weekends for the past month! - seriously, I really think I am becoming Japanese far too quickly in terms of the way I veiw work!), so of course nothing will happen till Tuesday and then it takes five (WORKING mind you) days from Wednesday to get here AND then I have to be home to sign for the blimmin package. Oh the drama!

Still I do still have all my arms and legs though and everyone I love is alive and well, so can't complain too much you know - just put it in perspective. Will just be able to go to work and come home and that's about it really.

Kinda stink coz I was just making some new friends and was supposed to go check out a really cool jazz bar but won't be able to do anything for another month or so now. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something though hmmm?

MaybeI'm supposed to be lonely and isolated to get to know myself better? Or maybe I'm just sposed to stay home and write some of those LETTERS Iv'e been meaning to goddamit!

Is also good learning to go through these experiences for future travels I reckon coz it really tests you to keep your cool and your patience and for some strange reason I haven't seem to have been phased by too much as long as I know I can get home to my house.

Funny huh, seems like being in Japan almost teaches you patience by Osmosis or something, but I just don't seem to panic about needing things to be in a hurry anymore and it's getting more like that the longer I'm here.

Maybe it's because you just have to wait for everything here and there's just SO many people that there's absolutely no point in pushing or rushing because you won't get anywhere anyway!

Like a common thing to do in busy shops like vodafone or the post office is to take a ticket from a machine which automatically prints numbers and when you numbers up you get served. Works quite well actually and sure beats standing in line!

And one thing I have noticed here is that Japanese people walk very slow, they kind of amble really, you never see them in a hurry and no one runs, but it's good in a way you know because it's less agressive, except at the train station - trains are a law unto their own - but I will write another BLOG on that!.....

oh P.S. and THEN after all the VISA troubles that day the lid on my vegemite broke! I almost cried I tell you! Still I am not giving up, no I will not! I am here for a year and for a year I will stay dammit. Hope to see some of you in December maybe...did I mention what a lovely country it was? - No really it is, specially at that time of year - just make sure you bring cash! :)

Love and smiles, me.

Letter home

hello again - have to show the new girl around today. she seems really nice. eager to be liked, but not weird at least and she made me laugh a few times too, so think we will all get on well - yay!

but then if Jackie - canadian leaves in June (she and her boyfriend, julian are going to canada to live - oh julian is australian and is also a nova teacher who seems to be camping at our place...oh well only till June (thank the lord as he is a HUGELY pompous annoying know-it-all FIGJAM type) - and it's a bit crowded though might not be if he weren't so incredibly obnoxious - these places really are tiny though!

The new girl is lauren and she is from Ohio - so pretty middle america stuff huh. nowhere exciting like New York, but then maybe that's what makes her nice. There were people from new york at orientation and they were likeSOOOO much more confident than everyone eles! Just like on TheApprentice!

So yeah lots of people from every country to meet here and once things settle in with getting head round job and set up at home then will be able to focus on meeting people. Lots of them are from Canada and say aboot funny :) and A at end of every fricken sentence!

Going out to dinner after work on Sunday with Jackie for her friends b'day so will meet some people then.Think that's why the other girl (stalker one) is annoying me as she is too keen bean and I just want to be able to make up my own mind who I am friends with. Feel like with her I've had no choice! Anyways best get on with day - heaps to do now before new girl wakes up as didn't do it yesterday thinking I'd have today to do it - she arrived 9pm last night!

Think it is fear of losing touch that has made me soo homesick partly, coz felt better yesterday reading emails and knowing people were still there and can still keep in touch - felt very far away when first got here.

It sometimes weird coz i'll go out during the day and really like how everything was interesting and different, but get sad at night coz missed home. When I first got here it was terrible and very surreal at first, like I was walking around on a movie set because everything was just so different and I could just open a door and step bacx into home and familiarity again.

And well yeah sometimes I get annoyed if things are hard - like trying to do anything is a challenge when in another language you know, so sometimes I'd get fed up and miss home, but then at the end of the day.....or definitely at the end of the year I knowI'm going to be glad I chose the challenge and did the different culture thing.

Thank you all soooo much for all your support though. Its sooo good to have friends who are there for you and care so much during a time like this. BUT that makes me miss you more knowing you are such good friends!

Thank you for always being there for me. I love you all so much and I'm glad I went away if only to know how much I'd miss you and how much I value your friendship.

Love Always,
Fernleaf.

p.s. oh and I have grand plans to send parcels of nicknacks and paraphenalia home for you soon as I've got organised and settled also. just takes awhile coz everything takes ages in language barrier and can only do shops on days off, so have to wait a week between, but that's also the days I call home, but I will get there.

oh yeah and I looked on http://www.statravel.co.nz/ and flights are bout$1200-1400. You could probably keep eye out for special deals though and cheaper to book direct with airlines though?airlines that seemed to be cheap were china air...um and others that come up when you search on sta travel.

but of course I do understand how expensive it is and well japan is not for everyone. your lives are for you, so if you are to go anywhere in the world you might prefer to spend the money on a countryyou would like to see, especially since I will be home next year-YAY!!

Anyways, will write more again soon keep in touch, love, me.

Home sweet home

Firstly, I must say, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who's made an effort to send a phone call, letter, package, email or text. Thank you so much for all your love and support - it's sooo much appreciated!

And you know what, it's just so great to feel valued and loved by people when it's your first few weeks in Japan and you feel like the most insignificant ant you could ever imagine - I feel so small here!

Honestly man you just don't know how good it was to hear your familiar wee voices on my answer phone for my birthday!

Well that was once I took it to the shop a few days later and got them to change it toEnglish! I didn't know what the woman was on about in Japanese!

So yeah, my flatmates here are cool - which is lucky as there are a lot of geeks here! - but they aren't the same as you guys back home and I miss and think of you often.

I reckon there's two types of people that come to Japan those who come for travel and culture experience (in which I like to group myself!) and those who come becuase they don't fit in anywhere else!

Really, let me explain this theory, which is very materialistically based I must admit, but the very first week I was here I met a girl with some kind of skin disorder wihch made her look like her brown skin was peeling away to reveal white and another whose eye was so deformed and droopy it looked like hunchback of notredame. THEN I saw a man with an electronic hook for a hand!

I know, I know, I am an AWFUL person, but at least I am honest about my first thoughts (I mean they are surely lovely people, it's just that that kind of shocked me in my first day here having seen nothing like that at home - oh god how naive I sound! Well it's just that I felt uncomfortable trying to talk to those people you know becuase I was afraid I would stare and not realise it or something and make them feel uncomfortable!

And EVERYONE says what they think of the guys here - even the guys! They just love the way Japanese girls treat them and NO matter what their looks or personality are like they're MUCH more successful with the girls here than they are back home!

There are quite a few theories on why this is, but one is that Japanese men are ranked number two on the worlds scale for, ahem... 'smallness'!

Annnyway, speaking of staring, it hasn't been quite so bad with people staring at me as I'd bin told, but I wear my hair tied back for work. I have caught them sneaking looks at me on the train though, and they definitely stare on my days off when I'm in casual gear, but i got used to it after the first day coz I realised it wasn't that I had a huge stain on me or anything - just that I looked different fullstop.

Actually it cracks me up, especially when I'm on an escalator or something and you can see people do 360's with their heads as I go past. I think it's funny coz I'm just an ordinary person, so it seems strange.

But then I probably seem strange to them. On the whole though I haven't found anyone to be rude at all, mostly if they look, it's sneaky so as they don't offend me. And to be honest most people are just like they are at home and couldn't give a damn.

They're just everyday people trying to make their way in the world same as we are, so basically it's just like living in any other city in that sense, just the essence of the culture is different, but they still do all the same things we do and its very much like home in respect to work and making a living day to day.

Has been tough at times trying to manage with language barrier though, but I know I wouldn't have it any other way as would be too easy otherwise! Honestly is amazing how fast am adjusting to life here already and only been here four weeks. God they have been long though, took ages to get used to work schedule and was dead tired ALL the time, but NOW never go to sleep before 12 and am up again at 7am - the japanese lifestyle is very different to ours!

Went to dinner and had raw fish the other night - and liked it!! Amazing! Can eat with chopsticks too! Is astounding what necessity will enable I tell you - couldn't eat to save myself with them at home! But would starve if didn't learn to here.

Also been to Hanami (cherry blossom) festival - thought was a fair like gathering in a park where people stood around and admired the cherry blossoms, but nooooo, they all come out and sit in little groups under the cherry trees getting tanked - it's awesome!

Was such a good atmosphere and they have a lovely drink here called Chu Hi which tastes uncannily like apple juice (and not a bit like vodka at all) and yet is alcoholic! - not surprisingly I've taken quite a liking to it!

the shopping here is AMAZING! Ohh must send you pics of shopping - have been busy taking some and planning to go to out on next day off and behave like total tourist so can show you what it's like.

I have little reminders of New Zealand all over my room. Really was VERY homesick for first few weeks here and only just starting to come right now, but still miss home quite a bit, just not so bad now. Am actually starting to think you ALWAYS miss home no matter where you are, it's just always there somewhere in your heart you know - just it becomes a dull ache after awhile rather than a painful missing feeling.

Was VERY hard at the start tho. Awful. Still you know might as well make the most of it as will regret it if I don't and most likely be home in a year or so as have friends weddings to attend and want to catch the last of summer before heading off to the states and then Europe.

Really do think I'll come home to New Zealand at the end of the day tho - you just really don't appreciate the beauty or SPACE until you leave do you. Feels so pathetic telling people here the population of New Zealand is only 4 million (and we have equally as many dairy cows!)

Honestly think I'm gonna suffer from Agrophobia when I get home!

Fliends

Right now, before we move on let me just clarify a few things...

I did feel mean about Sarah, but also I felt that well this is my time here and I'm not going to spend it obligated to spend time with people I don't want to you know since it's only for a short while and well I was just really homesick at the time and really felt pressured into being friends. So I decided it was best to stay true to myself.

And you know what it WAS, because I saw her at follow up training the other day and she has a new best friend who is obviously happy to have someone else to hang with...every waking moment! And well I just wouldn't have been able to do that.

I'm kind enjoying discovering things on my own and...well I kinda like time to myself to be honest, so I don't feel the need to be with people all the time and I am glad not to have to feel guilty for not hanging out with someone to do so.

And I have made some friends of my own, in my own time. Jeannie, American with the wicked sense of humour I was telling you about. She's here with her husband, Sebastian (very never ending storyish name!) who's a musician who spends his days exploring the city, making buddies and writing lyrics while she teaches English - they've travelled to SOO many places and I really like that they are such interesting people. hmmm, maybe intruiging is the word, yes I think I find them intriguing.

And Katie, a TINY blond australian who's got a bit of a raw deal in the flatmate stakes with a girl who leaves VERY strange (alternative) pornography lying around and never cleans the loo after she goes (you have to use the brush everytime here - it's something to do with the way they're made - sorry for those with weak stomachs who read this!). She's also got a degree in Journalism (like me) and has just spent a few months hanging out in South America (a place I'd REALLY love to go!) - and I mean seriously 'just hanging' coz it was so cheap to live! And she has the same views on people here as me and just wanted to take her time getting to know the place before making friends and is homesick AND then she met Jamie who I also know - honestly it's freaky how alike we are!

Oh yes and then there's Jamie who's a fellow Kiwi who's been getting himself into a bit of mischeif already having arrived home after a night out the other day ringing the doorbell and yelling 'fire, fire!' Which caused a bit of a rucus since apartments in Japan are VERY snug in terms of location to each other..hee, hee - naughty kiwis!

THEN he ALMOST missed the last train the other night (leaves Tokyo central at midnight - if you miss it you have to say in town ALL night and sleep on the footpath like the 'salarymen' businessmen who drink so much after a day in the office they don't make it home!) only to find the one he caught only went half way home - bugger (fine kiwi term that one) taxi's are VERY expensive here!

As are watermelon's by the way - $25!!

But I digress, I've also come to like my flatmates a lot more too - Lauren (from Ohio like the Drew Carey show) is particularly funny and eternally optimistic. She and I are hoping we get lucky in the roomate drawcard stakes when Jackie (current roomate) returns home to Canada in June - fingers crossed it's someone cool!

AND I'm very proud of self coz have also made some japanese friends which well it just would be wrong not to since I'm in Japan and all!

Aki, who works for L'Oreal and trained as an interpreter at university so she speaks very good english - lucky for me! and is really into Jazz. She was going to take me out to check out this jazz bar last week but I lost my VISA (story for another BLOG), so I'll have to tell you more about the bar another time, but it sounds VERY cool.

And also Yuzo, who has a business degree and has just come back from living in Germany where he learnt to speak English very well (seems to be a theme with my japanese friends!) as he had an English flatmate. We've a baseball game scheduled as soon as I get this VISA business sorted. So that will be another future BLOG also - baseball is HUGE here would you believe!

So anyway, that's all in the future, back to what I've been up to since I got here.....

p.s. none of my students can understand me when I say 'Friends' - they think I say 'Frinds'. It is very strange not being understood!

And I work with a bunch of aussies too, so they all find it funny whenever I say something...especially the number '6' and 'fish and chups'...honestly, some people!

Stalker

Firstly, let me say I miss everyone at home sooooooo much!!!

Roomates here are o.k. but they're nothing like friends back home - I just don't click with them the same you know. One's canadian and the other american and well they are just so nice! and they draw out their vowels, so theywould say naaacccceee.

Mind you Jamie, (a guy I know from Hamilton) has arrived, so will be good to have another kiwi to catch up with - and someone who can UNDERSTAND ME!.

BUT this is how freaky a small world it is. he lives with a guy that I work with and THEN we were talking the other day and he said I would like this girl here who he just met - who it turns out I already KNEW! Weird huh! It is just too small a world - even in bloody japan!

oh yeah, then I had a stalker too. this girl pratically pounced on me like a leechy barnacle at orientation and another girl who I've since become friends with (Jeannie - American, great sense of humour) said she wanted to talk to me but the stalker (Sarah - kind of obsessive eyes and slightly verging on hysterical laugh) looked at her like 'bug off this is MY friend'. anyways then she watched me like a hawk coz she said we lived by each other and we could take the same train home and kept a sharp eye on me like I was gonna run away or something!

So then she suggested we had coffee and that was o.k. but then she asked when my days off were - different to hers thank god, so THEN she said she was gonna change hers " this is when the warning bells started!".

So she was aksing where I lived, but I said Oh I'll have to catch you tomorrow coz it was late and thankfully she lives at different train stop so she was like o.k. but we should hang out on day off and I said oh o.k. but I REALLY didn't want to!

I mean good god it was my only day off for two weeks - I wanted to SLEEP! But what do you know, she texts me FIRST THINHG on day off asking what I'm up to, then few hours later I get a text saying, she's caught the train to my station and am I home? WTF??!! So I went and locked the frontdoor.

I know it wasn't very friendly of fern, but I didn't really feel like I ever had a choice that we were going to be friends you know and I just wanted some time to come to grips with everything and settle in.

But others here seem REALLY keen to rush in and make friends straight away whereas I am more of the take my time to get to know you and slowly build a friendship school, I'm not in any hurry and was enjoying just taking everything in you know. There's so much to kind of get used to here first and I think if you click with someone you just will, it shouldn't be an effort huh?

Things aren't all bad here though. Just walked home from grocery store and bought a drink called Chu Hi there - I thought it was applejuice (sure tasted like it) but is 6% alcohol! so was nice and relaxed by time I got home! It was FANTASTIC! You wouldn't even know it was beer (well actually someone said it's vodka and apple, but you know i'm not complaining :).

God I miss weekends at the mount - have bought all my photos with me on CD and been getting all nostalgic for summer in NZ.

As for the chocolate here, the most similar I can find to home are Crunky bars (think that's there way of saying 'crunchie' :) Oh things are funny here, like when i was on the running machine at the gym the other night (the rules for the gym are enough for a BLOG of their own!).
So yes was on the runner and reading the instructions I see the word OPELATION. Hmm what does that mean I wonder? Is that something like Oscilation? THEN I realise they mean Operation only it's spelt the way Japanese people pronounce it!

Anyways, I'd better go. It's near midnight here - has been tough to get used to, but no one goes to bed till midnight here and then is up early again the next day - they are like robots I tell you!

I'm gonna come home an insomniac exhausted alcoholic I tell you! (the drinking helps me sleep :)

p.s. you didn't hear that grandma and grandpa! ...p.p.s I LOVE YOU :)

Catch up....

Hello again! Bet you didn't think I'd be writing again so quick huh, but realise it is probably time I caught up on what's bin happening since I got here and what the last five weeks have bin like.

My god only five weeks, MAN it feels like a lifetime! But then i guess life has been a little different from the ordinary for the past month - probably should make the most of it or might be complaining I'm bored soon!

Don't think there's too much chance of that happening tho, haven't even cracked the tip of the japanese iceberg yet and there's only 11 months left to do it in! Was talking to someone who's been here for nine years today too and she says that's why she's bin here so long because you're always finding somewhere you haven't been to or something you haven't tried.

AND it's pretty hard to get settled. I mean I know my way around my little beaten path fairly well now, but it doesn't pay to lull yourself into a sense of security, because as soon as you go off that path it's touch and go wether you'll find your way home again.

But you know what, that's what I like about this place and it's why I wanted to come here, for the challenge.

I HATE it too though, but everytime I sort myself out and do overcome the challenge I feel stoked and each time I do I know my way around a little better.

That's the cool thing about being here, it's SO different that I learn something new every single day and even the smallest task can turn into an adventure!

I guess it's hard to describe what I'm talking about without being here (but hey you're all welcome to visit anytime!) and I could waffle on forever so in the interests of keeping this short I've decided to cut and paste some emails to friends into the next few following BLOG entries to give you some idea of what the first month here has been like.

Hopefully once we're all up to speed I can just write small BLOGS when I think of it - like my journey home on the train tonight! - but, back to the beginning first.

Here goes.....

Hello, hello,

I'm so glad to hear you've all been enjoying reading the BLOG and I guess after the train crash yesterday there'll be a few people checking it, so just writing this real quick to say, yes I'm alive, but I am very sorry for the 60 or so people who aren't.

It's funny you know, before when I would see an event like that on TV it would seem a million miles away, but here, knowing I catch these trains, knowing how crowded they are and knowing those people were planning the day ahead of them just moments before...well it just makes it much more real.

And it makes me think I'm glad I came here because now I know what it's like to live here I can empathise with Japanese people. Its horrible to say, but before I came here I used to see them as one group, because the culture was foreign to me, but now living here, I appreciate them as individual people just the same as us, with the same hopes and dreams for their lives.

Anyway, this is turning into a rather morbid post and I certainly don't want it to be.

Was just writing to say hello and that I'm alive.

There's been earthquakes, train crashes (and I hear typhoons are due next month!), since I arrived here, but it makes me even more glad I decided to get out and see the world because if anything events like this remind me to make the most of everyday that's gifted to me and ESPECIALLY the people I share it with because there's no gaurantee to a long life...

I love and miss you all very, very much.

Always,
Fernleaf

important details

oh just thought also, better quickly put some details up as I know some of you have been trying to call and getting fed up with trying to contact me unsuccessfully!

My cellphone number: 0081 9064808550

My Schedule:

Saturday 10.00am - 5.40pm

Sunday 10.00am - 5.20pm

Monday 1.20pm - 9.00pm

Tuesday 11.40am - 7.20pm

Wednesday 11.40am - 7.20pm

Thursday - freeeeeeeeeee!

Friday - frreeeeeeeee!


My Address:

#303 Copo-Nichi Gekyo
3-7-21 Higashi Koigakubo
Kokubunji -Shi
Tokyo To
185-0014

Just in case you were thinking bout sending that chocolate we talked about!

NB: haven't put schedule up sooner coz have been training and has only just got to normal. Had to show new flattie round on last day off also, so didn't get chance for emails, but should be able to get time to self this week.

ummm, oh yeah and we are leaving early this morning so I can show her where to go for orientation and still have time to get to work - you have to get there early to plan lessons - allow 20 mins for train each day and 20 walk to train too.

have been taking lots of pics which will mail soon - they really get into dressing up doggies here! saw one with hoodie this morning! And have a few of people sleep on train too, and don't even get me started on the supermarket.

oh yeah went to cherry blossom festival the other night - was choice! and out in Shibuya last night - who would have thought I could eat with chopsticks! Is amazing what you can acheive out of nescessity :)

Love heaps and write soon,

Fernleaf

shake it baby, shake it

Morning!

Just writing a quick wee note before I go to work just in case any of you are worried bout the earthquake as have been getting a few texts - jeez sounds like you know more about it than me - was life as normal here this morning!

Seems earthquakes don't really phase them here and well I can't read the news anyway so had to look up news online for details.

did feel it though, woke up at 7.30am and after a wee while I realised why, coz the building was shaking. well nah not really just kind of swaying, but didn't freak me out too much coz well was half asleep really - bin having some late ones!

so yeah, no dramatic damage here and it was in the East of Tokyo down by Chiba and I'm up on the West side in Kokubunji. I have been told that Japan is overdue for a REALLY big quake by about 8 years or so though....and Mt Fuji is still active too, so could make for interesting place to be living huh!

Doesn't seem to phase the locals though, apparently they get earthquakes all the time and just carry on working as normal - even during it! Just bin down to shops also and life is as normal, went to pick up drycleaning which was bit of a mission since nothing opens here till 10am.....seems they do things back to front here coz shops are open till 11.30pm at night which is taking some getting used to for me coz I'd rather get up early and get things done.

I have heaps more to write, but have to get ready for work again, but I do promise to make more of an effort to fill you in on everything. And thank you, thank you, thank you, to everyone who's been writing me emails! I'm sorry I haven't had time to reply yet - as you can imagine everything is new and taking a bit to settle in to.

BUT I HAVE been reading them - and I LOVE hearing news from home. I know it might not seem exciting to you, but I just can't tell you how much I love hearing about it so please do keep writing coz I can't get enough of hearing from home and I'm still homesick as hell so getting emails that make me laugh really helps brighten my day.

I love all of you heaps and heaps and HEAPS - oh there are so many people I want to write to!

Fingers crossed for thursday - that's my day off :)

Love Fernleaf :)

working 9-5 what a way to make a living!

well I wish it was 9-5! nothing like that here - trainings bin a killer - then was first day on the job today - they don't muck around cracking that whip here :) working downtown Shinjuku across the road from Gucci and Tiffanys - it's like 5th ave New York only Tokyo style so pretty cool - but BIG! and BUSY!

Feel like such an ant trying to find way in MASSIVE multi tunnelled train station and when you come out on the street theres masses of cars, people and REALLY big buildings with neon signs and giant television screens - feel so far from home!

Actually, don't know if it's sunk in yet, kinda feels like am living in a movie or something coz everythings so different from home. Really like that it's different though. I've so many topics to write blogs on once i finally get a spare minute - everythings bin a bit of a blur so apologies for lack of communication, but I will get there!

Oh yeah, went to supermarket the other day - I love going to supermarket! (yet another topic for future blogs) anyhow, there I was getting my fruit and veg and what should I see, but FERN'S for sale!! The bloody cannibals! hee, hee :) There in a little packet were some fernfronds waiting to be fried up or whatever they do with them! So of course I whipped out my digital camera and took some pics - they probably thought "bloody tourists" :) or Gaijin as foreigners are called.

Anyways, I got to get to bed but I promise to write more once things have settled down. Took a few days to get a laptop and phone and what have you as everythings in japanese and takes twice as long to figure than back home. Oh plus you can't just buy a phone - you have to register as an alien first - nice.

Ive finally figured out how to text vodafone in NZ tho, but if you're with telecom then I can't text you which explains why some of you have heard from me and others haven't. It also costs a PACKET too, so looks like emails will have to be the go.

Gran and Pa thanks so much for the birthday card - it arrived today - you've no idea how great it is to get mail - thank you soooo much! I love you :)

Anne - thanks also for your card - same goes for the mail thing - I was sooo stoked to hear from home! I'm so lucky to have friends who are so thoughtful :) p.s. its bin really useful to explain my name and where I come from to my students too!

Elena, Nomes, Kara, thank you so much for all your emails and support - it's been really hard being homesick, but I'm so damn lucky to have such great people for you as friends - makes me miss you more! I love you guys soooo much!

Everyone else, thanks for your texts and emails, I miss everyone like you wouldn't believe, but hopefully it will get better once settled in.

Love Always,
Fernleaf