OMG! JUST 6 MORE DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are leaving next Thursday! I have my suitcase and have started to pack. I got some new shoes and a watch and a little shoulder bag to put little stuff in... it's so exciting!!! I have been practising my speech which I now know off by heart:
Konnichi wa/Ohayoo gozaimus              Hello/Good morning
Hajimemashite                                       Pleased to meet you
Watashi wa Amber Spicer desu            My name is Amber Spicer
Juni sai desu                                          I am 12
Watashi wa dansu ga suki desu             I like dancing
Watashi wa shifudo ga kirai desu          I don't like sea food
Hokke o shimasu                                    I play hockey
Doozo yoroshiku                                    Thank you
I am also trying to learn some other phrases that might help me over there. I haven't yet got all gifts for my host family, but I will do that this weekend. This time next week I'll be in Japan, and would've just finished the first day of the exchange. The time over there is about 4 hours back from New Zealand time. I looked up Tsumiki's house on google maps and couldn't find it. I might try again tomorrow. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL 6 DAYS IS OVER!!!

9 DAYS LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am also nervous, but happy, but scared at the same time. Tonight we had our last Japan group meeting, and a lady called Laura, who is a travel agent, gave us our tickets. She explained about customs, and taking food on the plane. I hope I can remember it all. We also received our travel uniforms, our backpacks, and the itinary of the trip. We chose what after school club we would be doing in Japan, I'm going to be doing judo. I got an email from my host student this morning, Tsumiki, saying that she can't wait to meet me and stuff like that. I can't wait to meet her either. The things that I am nervous and scared about is the food, getting lost or not being fast enough, and remembering all the rules about manners in the house. But I'm pretty sure nothing bad will happen to me. I HONESTLY CAN'T WAIT!!! I am getting my suitcase soon and I am starting to get clothes and extra stuff ready to pack. I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED!!!!! I HAVE BUTTERFLIES!!!!! This trip has come on so fast, I don't want it end.

17 days to go...........

OMG! There's only 17 days left until we head off to Japan! We have started making paper cranes, hoping to make 1,000 before we go. We have started to practise walking speedily around the block two to three times a week. Also we have made up our speeches and I have almost completely memorised mine off by heart. Almost. Last week we found out who we will be billited with in Japan. My host's name is Tsumiki, she is 13 and lives with her two sisters, her Grandma and her Mum. I takes 45 minutes to get to school from their place on a bus. I can't wait to meet her. :) This is soo EXCITING!