Hofu+Kitakyushu+randomness

So, the American exchange students left. The Fall semester is soon over, and the rest of the Finns (except for me of course) will leave in February&March. It's going to be rather lonely here, but I hope we will get some nice, new exchange students in April :)

Being in contact with different nationalities every day has been rather interesting, and there is always some reflection on how things work in different countries almost in every conversation. Even though I usually don't really like to stereotype cultures, but here I have found myself agreeing on many things. "The Asians are like this, the American as different from the Europeans like this" etc...it's like everyone has to have a place and a role. I had never really identified myself as "European" before coming here, I was just "Finnish", because the countries and cultures in Europe are so different from each other! But, there are some great differences between us and Americans, too.

Even though I have been exposed to American culture ever since I was a child, I still learned a lot from our American friends during these four monhts.

Tässä kuvakokoelma satunnaisista asioista!

Hofu

Incence

Omikuji

Hofu Tenmangu. Just look at that line...! And this was taken a week after New Year...

I met some Japanese Jehovah's Witnesses in Hofu by the way. It was very confusing.

Kitakyushu

These things always get stuck in my clothes...

Riverside shopping center. I like the architecture...

I guess I am using these wrong, but I was able to take some potentially creepy but cool pictures!

This is quite disturbing

Kokura castle

Look at his expression...!

Normal day in Japan

There was something oddly retro in this city

Creepy

Oops this one is from my jogging route...

I suddenly felt like I was in Finland again

This is what we did in class...yes I am a university student. His name is Apollo. He's a Frog Prince.

Everyone's creations

Soy bean candies an an oni mask for Setsubun festival

No ninjas allowed