Thank you and good bye, Canada!

Hello.
I haven't written for a month...again. Sorry.
I actually came to write 'good-bye' on here.

I'm leaving Canada and going back to Japan in 2 days.
I've been here for about a year and experienced a lot.
Not only my English skill but also myself grew up a lot.
Every single one of my memories and experiences is all unforgettable and my treasure.
I loved my host school, host family, and everyone who helped me.
I will definetely come back and visit my friends and teachers!

Can't describe my huge gratitude toward everyone actually.
All I want to say is just 'thank you so much for everything you've done for me' to everyone.
Hope I can see you guys again.

The exciting thing is, I'm competiting as a cheer leader tonight and tomorrow!
I'm so glad and greateful that I can join my lovely team until the very last moment in Canada.
I will do my personal best and make the greatest memory ever!

My fright to Japan is going to be in the Sunday morning.
Hope we will have a safe trip.

Thank you so much everyone.
I'll miss you a lot.

Love,
Mari

PRIDE

Hello.

February is halfway done and my departure is coming soon.
I'm working hard and trying my best still. (Don't worry.)
Specially I'm working so hard on cheer leading since I'm having some competitions.
On Feb. 8th, I had my very first cheer leading competition.
We had been working so hard and did our best at the competition, so we were all satisfied and also we had so much fun even though we didn't get any prise.
Our second competition was on last Saturday, Feb. 16th.
Last week we practiced so hard again trying our best to improve our performance.
And then we did our best again...more than I expected.
We came into the second place and we are going to provincial competition!!!!
When the announcer called our school name, I couldn't believe it and just got amazed so much.
It was just....'Oh, my gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!'
But that was also amazing and great to share this happiness with members.
It's just....such an unforgettable moment.

Since we are going to provincial, I'm sure we will work so hard again.
But, all we should do is to believe in ourselves and keep working together.
It's going to be busy for me to work on both cheer leading and preparation for departure.
Fortunately I could forward my packing during this long weekend.
I hope everything will be fine and I can have great memories more.

Bye.

Summary of January

Hello there.

I haven't written anything on here ever since Christmas.
I had been kind of busy from the Christmas break actually.
I had my second TOEFL, school work, cheer leading...lots of stuff to do.
I couldn't afford to write anything as my diary, which was pretty sad for me.
Just...too much stressful stuff were going around me.
However, after finishing my TOEFL, I was also all done with the first semester I had from September.
We had final exams weeks until today and I didn't have any exams so just stayed at home.
Those weeks gave me enough time to relax with my host family and get ready for the next semester.
I also used this break for packing in order to go back to Japan.
My stuff has been organized during this break and this will help me a lot eventually.
Can't believe that I'm leaving here in less than 2 months, actually.
All I want to do for now is just to enjoy the rest of my stay in Canada .
I also keep doing my best at every single moment even though I'm done with TOEFL.

These days have been freezing cold.
I'm really trying not to get sick or get injured.
Hope it will get better soon.

Right now I'm just so excited at new semester which is starting tomorrow.
My new time table seems nice and I really hope so.
I will have French, Pottery, Math and Psychology.
French and math might be hard but I will try my best.
Hope I can experience a lot and make nice friends.

Also I'm super excited at cheer leading competitions.
The first one is on next Friday! Yes, it's coming really soon!
I had a practice today and we worked for 5 hours.
But that was actually nice and I'm not that tired.
I will do my personal best at each competition!

These are what I've been working on recently.
I was kind of sad that I missed saying 'happy new year' on my blog.
I will try to keep writing my diary from tomorrow.

Bye.

Very Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I finally had my first Canadian Christmas.

I have had so much fun for Christmas since the end of November.

Our house has been decorated with lots of nice and cute items and filled with lots of Christmas stories and events.

My host brothers have been sooooo excited at Christmas. So have others.

I wish I could write about all of Christmas stuff that I have done but I am just going to write about what I did on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

Last night we went to see a drama called 'Nativity'.

The drama is about the birth of Jesus Christ and played in outside annually.

The church that the drama is played was kind of a long way from our house but I enjoyed the driving as well.

I was impressed with the drama played and organized nicely.

I had learned about the birth of him before but the drama was better to understand.

This morning I got up at 8:00a.m. in order to OPEN PRESENTS!!!!

My host brothers couldn't wait to open them and play with them!!

That was so fun not only to open them but also to see their reactions.

I got such a lot of nice and cute presents**

All of presents, with kindness and love from my host family made me so happy.

I gave presents to each member of my host family too.
Hope they really liked them**

Finally we had Christmas dinner, chicken, potatoes and peas.

I really appreciate all work of my host parents.

I had such a memorable Christmas*

I can't believe that there are only 5 more days until the new year!

This year, 2007 was such a speedy and massive year.

Also, I had tons of memorable stuff.

Everything that I have done in this year will bring a wonderful year apparently.

Hope there will be more precious days and happiness for everyone.

Thank you so much for everything.

Happy new year!

For the first time in a loooooong time

Hello.

Do you guys remember me...? Hello? This is Mari!hahaha
I haven't written anything down for some reason.
However, I'm doing good at everything as always.
I really love my cheer leading practice and all stuff at school.

Guess what I've been so excited at!
..........MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be turning 17 years old!
Who can believe that?! .....nobody!!hahaha
I will have a birthday dinner and my birthday party.
I'm sooooooo excited!

I'm also working hard for TOEFL which is coming really soon as well.
I'm trying not to be nervous. Just...relax!
I just believe myself.

Okay, I get to study from now on.
Bye.

Relax and study

Hello.

This weekend I could relax and took my time for study.

I stayed with my friend, Mai on Friday night.

We talked a lot and enjoyed our night.

On Saturday she came to my house and slept over.

We watched 'Spiderman 3' with my host family first.

We enjoyed it but we weren't satisfied with it, so we watched another movie after that!hahaha

Both of us love movies and we had a lovely night!

Today, after she went back to her home, I took my time for study.

Since my TOEFL is coming in one month, I'm studying harder these days.

However, because I had a stomachache seriously, I couldn't study enough...

I hope I can study enough by my TOEFL.

Look at these photos which I took this morning!

Yes, it was snowing this early morning.

I was a little surprised but also impressed with perfect snow!

The snow season finally came.

I do wish I can survive this winter in Canada.

Bye.

Happy Halloween

Trick or Treat!!

Today was Halloween.
I had been so excited for a long time because we don't celebrate it in Japan.
This Monday I joined my host family's carving pumpkin.
That was my first time so I tried and enjoyed it.
Look at our pumpkin! Isn't that cool?!
Last night there was a Halloween party at church.
Most people dressed up nicely and we had a good time there.
I didn't dress up at all but I enjoyed taking pictures of others.
Today I had a great Halloween at school!
I tried to wear my pajamas and bathrobe to school but that was too cold for me to wear them...
So, I just enjoyed others' costumes and Canadian Halloween.
There was a costume competition at lunch time.
Lots of students dressed up nicely as well and made me excited.

Thank you so much, everyone who made me enjoy my first Halloween!

From tomorrow it's November.
I can't believe it as always but it's true that I'm having great life here.
I have my birthday in November and I'm so excited already.
And also, my TOEFL which is my main purpose to stay here is coming.
I still have one more month to get ready for it so I just keep doing my best without wasting my time and such a good opportunity.

I was so happy that I had the greatest Halloween ever!