The Candy Striped Paper Clip: Like a summer breeze...

Summer came and went with a flurry of activity, fun times and sad goodbyes.

As much as I can't stand the humidity of a Japanese summer, there's something about summer time here that makes me happy - maybe it's all that vitamin d, or the endless summer festivals and festival food (hello toffee strawberries - apples? what?), the free time, visits to the beach at least once a week or wearing sandals and little shorts everyday.

This summer marked my third year in Japan, a country I've grown to love and appreciate more then I ever expected to when I set foot off my Air New Zealand flight those few years ago. I didn't come to Japan to "find" myself, but I have learned so much about myself that I have "found" myself in a way that I would never have, had I never left NZ. In saying that I still have more to learn about myself and more to "find" which is another adventure waiting to be had!

This summer - dancing the night away, not enough trips to the beach, learning how to surf, getting a summer cold, have allergies so bad in both my eyes that I wasn't allowed to wear contacts and had to finally succumb and buy glasses (albeit super fashion forward ones!), training for my first 10km run and learning how to run, going to physio every 2 weeks, going to the gym, playing touch, buying new touch boots, solo-ing it to karaoke, drinking beer, drinking sake, playing kissy face, making new friends, my first attempt at growing anything from seeds - basil, waiting for ever at summer sonic, falling in love with Riri, birthday parties, fireworks, purikura and friend dates.

A few snaps..