Jan 23 Today was the last day of the trip. We went shopping and I got a couple of CDs - S club 7 and a Tarzan soundtrack. Yay! Looking forward to listening to them. I wanted to buy some gifts for my friends

Jan 12 I have been enjoying the swimming pool at the hotel since yesterday. Mum was in a bad mood. She kept saying the she is in pain and she cannot handle it. I feel sorry and worried about her. We played

Jan 2 Had a good enough time at a park today. On the way back though I was very disappointed. We went shopping and they would not buy me anything at all! Mum rejected about 16 items that I asked for! Including

Dec 25 This morning I kept deciding if I should go to play bowling with girls from my class or go to some party. Eventually I decided on the bowling. Dad is kind! He gave me 500 yen. I was a little anxious.

Dec 21 Had my swimming class. Had to run all the way to the bus to make it but I was even early. Nothing special during class. I often see people changing without any towel. How are they not embarrassed??

20 Dec There was trouble from early morning. It's my brother Pete again! We both got up at 7 and watched the "Adventures with Kanga Roddy" show but then he started picking his nose and sang those

This is what my home looked like - where I grew up at in Russia, before moving to Japan. It really was stunning. And I could never convey the small of the grass and the soil.. You literally want to dissolve

So here I am! I always wanted to write memoirs (well ever since I was 11 and fell in love with memoir books) and I have kept diaries since I was 12. I planned to start publishing them when I turned 30,