Nostalgia

One of my favorite things about visiting Korea two years ago was visiting my best friend. Our meeting in 2012 was almost like an anniversary for us, because it had been years since we had last seen each other. On that day, we went shopping together and ate しゃぶしゃぶ。Of course, we also took lots of sticker pictures（プリクラ）together！

We both agreed that the にほんのプリクラbooths were the best! The backgrounds were really pretty and you could add really interesting effects. We had a time limit because there were a few people waiting to use the machine after us, but if you happen to have unlimited time, you're able to spend as much time as you want editing hair, eye color, and decorations. Once you take them, they're printed out for you as stickers, and if you choose, you could get them laminated. If you use them as stickers, you could stick them onto your books or folders, but I always keep mine laminated because I treasure them as rare memories. With recent technological developments, they now make it so that you can send your pictures straight to your phone. Technology はほんとにすぎおですね。

My friend, Ayoung, managed to 'dye' her hair green/black for this picture.

The pictures are taken on a green screen, so you can super impose yourself onto a patterned background, or outline yourself with a a wallpaper! You can also draw onto the photo, add frames, and add stickers/accessories.

I think this is one of my favorites... I love the background and it really makes me miss my best friend...! Naturally, there's something very silly and whimsical about プリクラ, but when I look at the プリクラ on my wall, I become reminded me of my treasured best friend, which makes me look forward to spending more moments with her, even if they are in the non-immediate future.

My best friend currently live in Korea, so we haven't lived in the same country for the past four or five years. She has been studying Japanese since her freshman year of high school (approximately six years ago), so she is so knows a lot more Japanese than I do at the moment. I really wish to catch up to her though! Sometimes she practices with me.

We talk a lot about visiting Japan together. いつかいしょににほんへいきます。それから、とうきょうやきょとへいきます。I suppose we can also visit many プリクラ when we go to Japan! そしてwe really want to visit おおきなわ together, because we've heard that the sea/beach areas are really beautiful. I personally want to visit あきた！さむいですが、きれいです。These plans aren't quite concrete yet, but surely we'll make it a reality.