I have decided to try to keep a log over my activities in Japan so that my friends and family can keep track of what is going on in my life. Also it might provide an intresting introduction to Japan and its culture for people who haven't been there. I will try to update once a week and complement the text with pictures taken with my digital camera throughout my intended year-long stay in Japan. 
February 27 2001, Korsbacken, Sweden - ProLog

On March 7th I will go to Japan to study japanese at a language school in Sapporo for a year. Before that I will travel around a bit in Japan for a month and meet some friends. Inspired by my friend and former classmate Hans, who kept an online log while we studied in Sapporo together, I have decided to try to keep a log over my activities in Japan so that friends and family can keep track of what is happening. I hope to be able to update in once a week or something and compement the text with pictures taken with my digital camera, but as for now I donīt know I that will be possible.

There is less than two weeks before I go to Japan. It is still snowy and cold here. This morning it was -23 C! The only good thing about the cold is that it makes the nature beautiful and the air fresh. There is a special light purple pink tone along the horizon at sunrise when it is this cold. It is really beautiful to look out over the lake at times like this. The other day I went out on skates on the lake to take photos of an island called Bockholmen. Actually, I did it twice in a couple of days. The first time there was a kind of fishing contest. I donīt know the english word but it is when you drill a hole in the ice and fish through it. I have never really understood the fun of it but then Iīm not really fond of hunting or fishing for pleasure in any form. Anyway, the other time I went out it had snowed more than 10 cm and it kept on snowing, but it was powder snow and I could skate anyway. I couldnīt see my feet however. 

 And I wore these special long skates that you attach to your regular boots. They are made for long journeys and they are very practical because they are very easy to strap on and take off, but they are wobblier than the regular hockey-skates. So because of the slightly heavier resistance the snow provided, and my wobbly skating, one of my boots slipped out and I tried to maintain balance gliding without a skate on one foot but of course I couldnīt for very long. I didnīt hurt myself or anything, but it must have looked quite funny when I slipped around there. Actually, my parents saw me from the house and they thought I had tripped on one of the holes the fishers made. Refusing to get my butt wet and cold by the snow I tried to strap the skate back on, balancing on the other wobbly skate. The worst thing was that it was quite windy as well. After some minutes of stubborn tries and failures I finally managed to strap it on and continued my quest... After a few more falls I actually got there and took the pictures. Frozen cold but in a good mood I then headed home. After I got back I had a good laugh about my little trip. This is what I will miss most in Japan; enjoying the nature around my parentsī house. I have lived there most part of my life but I am still as amazed over the everchanging beauty of the nature there.

Đ Erik Andersson 2001