Dear Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Review

It has been FAR too long since the last time I have uploaded anything on the internet and quite honestly I have been deprived of that satisfied feeling I get whenever I successfully upload a video and blog post.

So here I am again today with a review on the Dear Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop Serum.  Let me just say ahead of time, yes they did send me this product to review, however, all opinions on the product stated are my own. The first time I bought this product, it was with  my own money, and I had set my own opinion on this product in advance.

For those of you who are looking at this product as a new serum, I would highly suggest you reconsider.  I would not label this product as a serum in any sense of the word.  As a facial oil, however, it does WONDERS for the skin.

Upon receiving this product, I was dumbfounded how so many YouTubers could be raving about it.  I hated the texture, it didn't do anything noticeable to my skin for the first few days, and it is on the slightly more expensive side for the amount of product you get.  Despite this, I gave it a few more weeks to get used to (also because I hate wasting products ... even if they don't work).

After the first week or so, I began noticing that my skin was visibly brighter and more elastic, despite me not having changed anything in my skin care routine besides the Vitamin Drop.  After a few more weeks I noticed my acne scars that had stubbornly stained my skin for years slowly start to brighten, and I was never more thrilled.

*Due to the texture of the product, I would highly suggest using it as more of a facial oil, and mixing it into products such as foundation, and using it as the last step in your skin care routine.*

Just to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating, I gave the product that I received from the company to a good friend of mine who is constantly struggling with acne.  She has very oily skin, with constant breakouts.  This product helped her skin to not only clear up some of the breakouts but also lightened a few of her acne scars.  She was thrilled.

Before pictures:

After Pictures:

As you can see from the pictures, after using the product for two weeks she had a dramatic change in the amount of acne she was getting, as well as the darkness of her acne scars.

I highly recommend this product to anybody looking for a pseudo facial oil (or very heavy serum) to add to their routine who has trouble with acne, acne scars, and want to brighten their skin.  It is now one of my favorite products and I will continue to order it.

RANK:

Product: ★★★★★

Case: ★★★☆☆

Worth: ★★★★★

For those who would like to purchase this product: http://bit.ly/2czT9rI

Review: Missha Magic Cushion

BB and CC cushions are all the hype right now not only in South Korea, where they originated, but the trend is also starting to spread into America as well as many other countries.

This time, I did a first impression and review of the Missha Magic Cushion.

This cushion has been gaining popularity for its claim of:
covering pores
preventing sebum
staying all day

all for the price of $10 or less!

I decided to test this out for myself.

Overall, I was not impressed with this product.

At first, it does all it says it will do, including covering pores and preventing sebum, however throughout the day it sinks into pores emphasizing more, as well as creasing in all the wrong places and caking up in others.

As I have a very oily skin type, within a few hours I already saw the foundation separating on my skin on my upper lip and nose, which just isn't a very attractive look.

The casing itself was also very cheap, and if you look closely the edges of the cushion are actually pure white, holding no foundation at all, and showing that you really do get what you pay for, since it is already really cheap.

I was expecting a lot more from this product considering all the hype, and it saddens me to say that it is honestly not worth the hype.

For more information please refer to the video down below!!

RANK:

Product: ★☆☆☆☆

Case: ★☆☆☆☆

Worth: ★★☆☆☆

3D Latte Art Cafe

For people who are visiting Japan and are looking for a cute cafe to chill at for a few hours as they wait for the crowds to die down, here is an amazing little cafe in Harajuku!

The cafe's name is Reissue Coffee リシュー
and it is located in Harajuku, one of the most popular tourist areas in Japan.

The ambience of the cafe itself was quite nice, however if you plan to go with a large group I would suggest looking elsewhere, as not only is the cafe itself quite small, but it also has a very quiet and calm feel which isn't the best atmosphere for loud talking and laughing.

interior

Once you sit down, there are three options for the latte art.
1. 3D latte art
2. Image
3. お任せ

The 3D latte art and the image (they make a flat image out of cocoa/coffee powder on top of the coffee and usually this is much more detailed than the 3D latte art) options you can request a custom design, from your own face to any creature or character you can imagine.
The 3rd option, pronounced Omakase, means that you leave the latte art up to the designer.

As designing the art takes quite a bit of time (makes sense considering each one is hand-crafted and unique per customer) we decided to order food.

My friend ordered the daily special, and I ordered curry, as well as a small tiramisu dessert, however neither of our foods were that good, so if you go to Reissue I suggest not bothering with the food.

daily special and curry. comes with soup and salad.

tiramisu and cheesecake

When our lattes came it was honestly the cutest thing I have EVER seen <3
My friend got 3D latte art of Totoro, and I requested a unicorn because who doesn't like unicorns?!

GWAAAAAAAAH

I fart rainbows.

Overall it was a very enjoyable experience and although I probably wouldn't eat the food again, I would definitely go for the coffee!

RANK:

Ambience: ★★★★☆

Food:★☆☆☆☆

Drink:★★★★★

Cuteness:★★★★★

INFORMATION:

Ambience: Quiet, Calm

Family Friendly: yes, but be wary of bringing young kids as it might disturb other customers

Outdoor Seating: none

Credit Card: yes

ACCESS:

To get to Reissue, go to Harajuku Station via Yamanote Line.
Once there, go out the Takeshita exit, and head straight ahead into the most crowded street.  You'll know which one it i
Walk all the way through that street until the large street and cross.  Once you get across you will see this large clock made of stuffed animals and candy.

 Quite a strange sight.  Facing the clock head to the right of it onto the small side street and keep walking down that until you find Reissue.  You should be walking for about 5 minutes max unless you walk really slow so make sure to keep an eye out for it, it will be on the left side.

Anskin Revital Vitamin Modeling Mask First Impression and Review

This mask has honestly completely changed my life.
Let me tell you guys why.
Although the overall making of the mask yourself CAN be considered a hassle, if you think about it, it is actually a super quick and easy way of making sure that no bacteria from your hands or any sort of spatula gets into the mask and onto your face to mess up your skin and in turn give you more acne.
Not only this but the results from the mask were honestly unbelievable.  I wasn't able to fully express what I meant in the video (as you can tell I just keep saying wow...wow...my skin is SO soft), but the mask really just did SO much for my skin.
R E S U L T S:
Tightened pores
Better skin elasticity
Softer and smoother skin
Overall brightening
Firming effect

What I did notice while I had the mask on is that although it definitely did not feel as though it was doing much (honestly it just felt like a wet blob on my face... and then a slightly firmer blob on my face), there was an ever so slight cooling effect.

For those of you not as crazed about k-beauty, there are a ton of contradicting articles that say whether you should warm or cool your beauty products in order to get the best effect.
Half of them say to warm the products in order to attain better absorption levels, while the other half say that we should cool the products due to the fact that if our face reaches above certain levels of heat that it is actually bad for the skin cells.

I tend to lean towards the cooler side of products, not for any reason in particular, just a personal preference.
I find that when I use products such as this Anskin Modeling mask, that after I always feel that my skin looks its best, which is where I want it to be 100% of the time.

Conclusion?
10/10 Meowko Points for the ANSKIN REVITAL VITAMIN MODELING MASK

This is not a sponsored post or video, I paid for the product myself as part of a monthly subscription service from beauteque.com

If you guys also want to buy the Anskin Modeling mask, you can get it at beauteque.com and use coupon code MIYAKO for 10% off anything in the store!!

Questions?
Leave a comment below my video and I will be sure to get back to you as soon as I can!!!!

XOXO,

Meowko

2016 April BB Bag and Mask Maven Unboxing!!!

How have y'all been??
I've been great, thanks for asking :)

I'm back with another Beauteque BB Bag and Mask Maven unboxing and for those of you guys who don't know about this amazing subscription service please go check out their website at: 

http://www.beauteque.com/subscriptions/

A quick layout of all the products from this month's BB bag and Mask Maven

You can use coupon code: MIYAKO

to get 10% off anything in their online store as well as off any of their subscription services!!

XOXO,

MEOWKO

2016 Fabulous February BB Bag Unboxing!

I realize that I don't update my blog as much about my 2nd channel and my makeup based videos, but that's because I feel as though the videos are pretty self explanatory, as well as I want you to watch the videos!!!

I apologize, in the video I say that the Anskin Ultimate Solution Modeling Activator is for hair, but I really just messed up haha... it is used as an additive to the Anskin Remodeling Powder Mask to enhance the effects!

This video is simple and sweet, unboxing the February BB Bag from Beauteque!!

Products:
Scinic Honey Banana Cleansing Foam
Beauteque Exfoliating Brush
Lador Sleeping Clinic Ampoule
Anskin Ultimate Solution Modeling Activator
Anskin Remodeling Powder Mask
Skinfood Lip Balm

Make sure to get 10% off anything in the store with coupon code MIYAKO !!!!

XOXO,

Meowko

Nihon Q&A #2

This blog post is coming waaaaay past I posted the video but I came back to Japan and it took me a while to get a post up!

1. How did I learn Japanese?
Although I took 2 years of Japanese in high school, I barely learned anything besides how to read hiragana and katakana and basic kanji.  After coming to Japan and joining a circle, I got more real life experience listening to and speaking Japanese, which helped me tremendously and made me reach the level that I am today.  For those of you who aren't coming to Japan but still want to learn the language, I highly recommend language exchange webites such as HelloTalk or italki to speak to native language speakers!

2. Are you fluent in Japanese?
Not at all.

3. Is living in Japan expensive?
Not only is the transportation expensive as I mentioned in my video, but the overall lifestyle is very expensive.

4. How do I apply to Japanese colleges?
The applications are relatively the same as American college applications, and you can find them all online :)

5. Does a Japanese degree "count"????
Yes! They definitely are real degrees, and depending on what line of work you plan to go into, it could be an advantage or disadvantage just like any other degree!!

Hope this video was helpful and if you guys have any more questions please leave comments here or on my video!!!

XOXO,

Meowko

7 in 7: Korean Face Masks

How long has it been since I last posted on my makeup page?! Far, far too long!!!

I apologize for not keeping up with posts on this page as much, I figure as makeup tutorials and such are pretty self explanatory, there is no need for a post, however I will be posting on this page for things such as my 7 in 7 series and future hauls or videos that do need a bit more clarification!

In advance, I also want to apologize for DELETING all of the videos I took of me actually trying on the masks. I know. I was disappointed in myself as well. TT^TT

In this video I talk about 7 masks that I tried on while I was home, and this time the focus was on facial masks from Korea!
Now if you guys have followed my channel thus far, you know I LOVE LOVE LOVE Korean beauty, and facial masks are no exception!

Products:
Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Sheet Mask:
 -clean smell
 -good amount of serum
 -no adjustment cuts
 -cooling effect
 -absorbed quickly

Missha Near Skin Egg Yellow Pack:
 -NO smell
 -foam-like texture
 -very quick
 -very moisturizing
 -shrinks pores
 -helps skin absorb more skin care

Skin Food Black Sesame Hot Mask:
 -gelatinous
 -un-hygenic pot design
 -very strong black sesame smell
 -exfoliates
 -slightly warming
 -very moisturizing
 -shrinks pores
 -brightening
 -helps with swelling

Urban Dollkiss Welcome to Korea Moistfull Mask:
 -stiff material
 -clean smell
 -absorbs well
 -very moisturizing
 -little serum

Esfolio Red Ginseng Essence Mask Sheet:
 -very strong ginseng smell
 -fits well to nose area
 -soft material
 -reduces acne redness

SNP Animal Tiger Wrinkle Mask:
 -unpleasant soapy smell/taste
 -full of serum
 -kind of messy
 -runs on the larger side
 -very, very cute
 -shrinks pores
 -brightening

Mediheal Mask Dress Code Violet:
 -full of serum
 -kind of messy
 -slight soapy scent
 -no adjustment cuts
 -very, very cute
 -lasts a long time
 -absorbs quickly
 -shrinks pores

XOXO,
Meowko

2016 January BB Bag Unboxing!

HELLOOOOOOO!
This is definitely ridiculously late for a January unboxing, but honestly things have just been super hectic and I was finally able to edit a video and get it up for you guys!

This is a pretty self explanatory video so I won't ramble on and on about it, I would say it is easier just to watch the video itself.

Products mentioned:
Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Sleek Mist
Ladykin Affinitic Snail Cream Miniatures
-Blue: Whitening Moisturizer
-Pink: Moisturizer
Eyebrow Clip Tweezers
A'pieu Color Longwear Shadow Stick BE02
Nature Republic By Flower Lip Scrub
Scinic All Day Fine Pore Tone

For 10% off the BB bag and Mask Maven Subscriptions, use the coupon code MIYAKO !!!! This coupon code also applies to everything online at beauteque.com

If you guys have any questions about any of these products or about beauteque.com feel free to leave me a comment down below and I will be happy to answer your questions!

XOXO,
Meowko

7 in 7: Japanese Face Masks

Hey guys!
I thought I would try something new on my channel and start this 7 in 7 series!  This series will be me trying 7 days worth of 7 different products that are part of one category and telling you guys my thoughts on them!
First 7 in 7 is Japanese Face Masks!

A ton of people are super in to these masks because they're cheap and easily accessible at any Donki Hote or online at Japanese skin care stores, so I thought I would buy a few and try them on for you guys!

All of the masks were super cute, but as I was focusing more on the actual skin care benefits, my review might sound a little harsh but definitely said exactly what I thought about each mask.

Masks mentioned in the video:
Pure Smile Geisha Mask Green Tea http://amzn.to/1nRlRtE
Pure Smile Yogrip Strawberry and Mango Mask Pack
Pure Smile Funashi Mask
Pure Smile Samurai Mask Green Tea http://amzn.to/1KHseoi
Pure Smile Snail Essence Mask http://amzn.to/1SlsQX5
Narikiri Doraemon Hello Kitty Face Masks
Pure Smile Choosy Lip Gel Mask http://amzn.to/1nAJWVT

XOXO,
Meowko

My 10 Step Morning Korean Skin Care Routine | Winter

So I finally decided to make a second page on my blog just for my other channel and more information on that!

During the winter, although I have an oily skin type, there are times when it dries out too much from my normal skin care routine to be exposed to the elements outside, so when winter rolls in, I switch up my skin care routine!

Products in this video:
Lush Ocean Salt Scrub: goo.gl/AAVNFp
Etude House Pure Water Baobab Cleansing Foam: goo.gl/s8Vvh5
Etude House Pure Water Boabab Moist Toner: goo.gl/e5t1PJ
Etude House Moistfull White Mela Perfect Serum
Etude House Moistful Collagen Essence: http://goo.gl/1J69zb
Kracie Emulsion
Clinique All About Eyes: http://goo.gl/Cjxc02
Nature Republic Provence Lip Essence: http://goo.gl/C6HXok
Allie SPF50++ Sunscreen
Jung Saem Mool ER Treatment Oil: http://goo.gl/tPCtfJIf you guys want these products definitely check out these stores:


♥ ♥ Buy Korean makeup and skin care at : http://www.wishtrend.com?a_aid=miyako... ♥ ♥ ○December Promo: NEWCOUPON2016 for 10% off all orders over $50! ○Use the code SKQINSISSIMASK2016 for two free face masks!

♥ ♥ Get 10% off EVERYTHING at beateque.com with coupon code MIYAKO !!! They carry a ton of amazing Korean makeup and skin care so make sure to check them out! http://bit.ly/1STYlIe ♥ ♥ ○Also make sure to check out their montly BB Bag and Mask Haven here: http://bit.ly/1J8KdJ6 ○You get 6-8 full sized products/9-11masks in every bag + a super cute makeup bag per month! Its like presents every month

I have bought many of my products there as well as more and they are always super fast with shipping!!!

XOXO,
Meowko

JAMM Ep. 4: Gaining Weight in Japan!?!

So I feel like I didn't explain this well enough in my video, looking back, so wow all these lucky people who actually read my blog get to check out the better explanation ;)

1. In my video, I mention that Japan has many foods that have starches, but didn't go much in depth about it.  Japan is a country known for sushi, ramen, and mochi, all of which, if you notice, are starch based!  No matter where I go to eat in Japan, I always end up eating at least one bowl of rice with my meal.  Even if I try to avoid it, on mornings I run out of time to make my lunch, I rush to school, and end up either having to eat an obento or onigiri from the school convenience store, both of which are filled with mainly rice.  It is nearly impossible to avoid eating rice or some other starch while in Japan, and as my digestive system is not used to processing so many simple sugars, I put on a lot of weight very quickly.

2. JAPANESE CONVENIENCE STORES ARE MECCAS OF SNACKS. There is every snack imaginable in Japanese supermarkets, and not only that, but they switch out the varieties of snacks they carry every week, so you will never get bored of which snacks they have stocked!  While this is very new and interesting, it also makes me want to try EVERY SINGLE SNACK IN THE STORE, and we can all see where that leads to.

3. I am literally the biggest wuss when it comes to weather. This was probably the best explained point in my video, but in shorter terms, I just cannot bring myself to exercise outside in the blazing hot or freezing cold extremes of Japanese weather.

4. There are no nice gyms around my area, and I refuse to pay for a gym that has barely any exercise equipment besides a treadmill.

5. I live in a student dorm where they provide two meals for us per day, and due to these meals not always being the most balanced meals for my personal metabolism (aka it is another criminal offender of putting way too much starch in one meal. *cough spaghetti filled hot dog buns cough*), I gain weight if I eat the meals, but my money is going to waste if I don't eat the meals.  So I basically live in a rice trap.  Another problem with these meals is that in my mind, because meals are constantly provided for me, my laziness kicks into overdrive and I can't bring myself to put in effort to make healthy food options for myself.

6.  Even if I DO decide to make my own food, as I have very limited options (one electric stove so cannot do anything such as broiling/baking chicken, has several steps or else it would take an eternity before I can eat, or needs any other special pots pans or heating devices), I again decide to opt for cheaper and easier to make options such as pasta, meat with rice, etc.

7. I forgot to mention this in the video, however when I was in America and attempting to diet, one of the main things I turned to as meal replacements were smoothies, because although they were still high in sugar, they tasted good and were better than me eating an entire huge meal that was entirely bad for me, PLUS I could add in things such as kale, fiber, or protein powders to give my diet extra boosts.  As fruit is RIDICULOUSLY expensive in Japan, as I mentioned in other videos, I have been unable to make smoothies, therefore adding another full meal on to my already unhealthy diet in Japan.

These were just a few of the things that affected my weight in Japan, and if you guys have any questions I am always free to answer them :)

XOXO,
Meowko

JAMM Ep. 3: 5 Misconceptions About Japan

There are several misconceptions that people have about people in Japan.  These are just a few of the ones that I had before I went to Japan!

The first one is that EVERYBODY dresses in unique fashion. Although it is true that there are very identifiable fashion styles such as Harajuku or lolita fashions, as well as people who just dress in their own unique fashion, I think that could be said for just about every country in the world as well.  In America, for example, we have people who are really into goth and formal fashions.  However, in your country, does EVERYBODY dress in these specialized fashions? This is definitely not true in America, nor is it true in Japan.  Although these are very widely known fashions, Japanese people as a whole do not dress in this fashion, however I would say they are somewhat more accepting of it and less judgemental than most other countries are just because it is so widely known.

Next, in my video I talked about how, as an anime lover, I thought people would speak at least SOMEWHAT like in anime.  While this is TECHNICALLY true to some extent, I feel that this is more because while I was living in America, my only exposure to 'native' Japanese speaking was through anime, and that is how I learned a lot of basic Japanese and slang.  Especially when I first came to Japan, I thought that my preconceived notion was true due to me being exposed to so much more Japanese than I was originally used to.  Despite this, once I came to Japan and learned a lot more of the culture and language, I slowly got more used to hearing the language, and now when I watch anime, I realize how unrealistic the voice-actors can sound in some anime.  I still love anime, but now it is something that I notice.

3rd is a bit inappropriate, but SEVERAL of my friends have at some point or another brought up the subject of whether or not Japanese people are super pure or crazy concerning their sex lives.  FIRST OFF, let me just clarify that I have no first-hand experience regarding this subject, however through my friend's stories, I have come to the opinion that they are no more crazy or innocent than the average human being.  Besides that, if anything I would say that due to anime and the overall culture, Japanese peoples' expectations of love are so high that they just fail to find a relationship that meets their expectations, which in turn leads to them not getting intimate with a partner. Another thing that I have heard is that because Japanese high schools are so intense with studying and cram schools, that students really have no time for relationships, and therefore, once they enter college where they have a bit more free time, they are much more open to exploring their options, and therefore experiment a bit more.  Despite this, due to their culture being very conservative in terms of sexuality and private matters, no matter what the subject, they are very on the down low about what they do.

One of the misconceptions that I had before I came to Japan and even after my first visit ever to Japan which was only for two weeks, is currently the misconception that continually haunts me to this day.  People who come to visit Japan for any period shorter than about a year (sometimes even more than that), will always tell me how amazingly nice Japanese people are.  Although I do agree that Japanese people are more considerate as a whole than most countries, due to that overall consideration as a country, I believe they are more compelled as a people to hide what they truly think and want to say behind that mask of consideration.  This is not to say that they are a bad people by doing this, and this is also not saying that all Japanese people are like this.  However, I have had incidences where I meet people and I find it really hard to gage what their true personality is until about a year later or even longer.  Just like any other population, Japan has a society full of people with different and unique personalities and I recommend you get to know them as a regular friend instead of labeling them as a "Japanese friend" and distinguishing them like that or treating them different than you would any other person.

The last and most interesting misconception that I currently think of is the fact that Japanese people usually cannot tell the difference between good Japanese accents or not.  I have a ton of examples of this, but because my video was already ridiculously long, I cut all of those out.That is besides the point, however.  The point is, if you guys are super worried about whether Japanese people won't understand you or will make fun of you due to your bad accent, 99.9% of the time that will not be true.  So just have fun when you go to Japan and practice Japanese with natives to your heart's content :)

XOXO,
Meowko

8 Things You NEED In Japan

If you guys are planning on coming to japan any time soon, there are some things that you should definitely bring with you!
These are just a few of the things that I didn't realize were really hard to come by in Japan, and I highly suggest that you guys bring them with you!!!

1. Imiwa application : http://apple.co/1df2zrV
    This application not only translates Japanese to English and vice versa, but it also will
    give sample sentences and phrases as examples to help you understand the meaning
    of the word!  This application has saved me so many times in everyday life and in
    studying Japanese, and I suggest you guys download it too!
2. Deodorant
    The thing with deodorant is that you CAN find it in Japan, but it is either super
    expensive for not that much product, or it comes in not very effective formulas.  If you
    are attached to a favorite brand, bring a few sticks with you so you don't have to deal
    with searching for an equivalent in Japan!
3. Above 7 size shoes
    For me, this wasn't a huge problem, but for many of my friends who come to Japan
    and are super psyched about buying Japanese shoes and clothing, it is really hard to
    find shoes above size 7 or clothes larger than an American size medium.  This is
    simply because there is no market for them in Japan due to the overall smaller size
    of the general population there.  Be aware and bring your own size with you if you
    are larger than these sizes.
4. Medicine/Bug spray
    Anything having to do with chemicals or medicines, I would say buy it where you
    fully understand the language so there will be no misunderstandings or mistaken
    dosages, because things can get harmful.  If it is allowed in customs, bring your bug
    spray or allergy medicines with you, because it is hard to find or describe what you are
    looking for if you are not proficient at the language.
5. Hand towel
    Japanese bathrooms rarely have paper towels, and if they have any form of hand-
    drying contraption it is usually a dryer, which people have to wait in line for.  I
    recommend bringing a washable hand towel so you don't have to deal with wet hands
    or long lines.
6. Tampons/Lady products
    I'm not sure why, but Japan is not a huge producer or consumer of tampons, so I have
    heard that these products are not of the best quality if you buy them in Japan, so bring
    your own!
7. Setting spray
    To this day, I have not found any other products that help me keep my makeup on
    in the Japanese humidity besides a really good setting spray.  I know there are a ton
    of brands out there, but the one that I found works the best for me is the Urban Decay
    De-slick Makeup Setting Spray.
8. Pocket Wi-fi
    When I was in South Korea, there was so much free wi-fi everywhere, it was amazing,
    and I was surprised to see that this was not the same in Japan.  Besides 7-eleven and
    Starbucks, there is a lack of wi-fi that you can connect to without having to sign in to
    random websites or paying.  If you are like me and tend to get lost a ton, or are
    planning on visiting some out-of-the-way areas, set up an international data plan with
    your phone company, or buy a pocket wi-fi so that you won't run in to any situations
    where you are stranded and have no idea where to go.

BONUS #1: Respect for the culture
    This is pretty self explanatory, but make sure to respect the people and the culture in
    any country that you go to.  These people are living their lives and do not enjoy having
    random photos or videos shot of them.  If you do want footage or photos with a
    Japanese person, please be sure to ask them for their permission first.  Going along
    with that, remember that this is a different culture, so if you see something that they
    do that is different with your own culture, don't just deem it as 'weird' automatically,
    give it a shot and you might actually learn to love it!

BONUS #2: Have fun!!!!

XOXO,
Meowko

JAMM Ep. 2: Things I Didn't Know Before Coming to Japan

Time for JAMM Episode 2!
This time, let's talk about things that weren't really shocking enough to be culture shock to me, but that definitely piqued my interest.

First, lets talk about gender equality in Japan. 
As an American-born woman, I was definitely used to woman being treated equally as human beings, and not only that, but women being considered even stronger than men in certain situations.  Coming to Japan really reminded me how that is not true everywhere in the world.  It isn't that they are extremely sexist or anything like that, but there is definitely the prejudice that women are supposed to be weak, quiet, cute and helpless. As I really do not fit that stereotype, I often get comments such as, "Oh Miyako, you should leave that to the guys," or, "That's not womanly."  In the video I mentioned this as guys being misogynistic, however it is not only guys who force that stereotype on women, but also the women themselves here who reinforce the stereotype.  It isn't a bad thing, however I do hope in the future that women will come to be seen in a more equal light.

As you guys might have seen on my other channel, on my face is Igari face makeup (although I kept saying Agari in the video ._. )... But this makeup style is super popular in Japan, and a lot of times, more so than shown in my video, the cheeks are even BRIGHTER exactly like a cartoon character, which surprised me when I first came here because in America it is definitely all about blended contouring and natural blushes and highlighters.  In terms of fashion in general, guys wear purses here, which is something new to me.  Women also dress like they're stuck in the 60s with long skirts past their ankles and scrunchies in their hair.  It's cute but definitely not what I'm used to seeing in the US.

In my video, I talked about several new vocabulary words that I learned about through experiences while in Japan with Japanese friends.  The first one is people who are ura ga aru 裏がある, which in other words means that they have two sides to their personality.  Due to the Japanese society really encouraging politeness and consideration, people are also encouraged to hold back their true feelings so as not to be rude or hurt others' feelings.  In turn, it makes it so it is really hard to gage what exactly their opinion is towards you.
Next is burikko 振りっ子, which is basically a girl who acts cute by pretending to be innocent or weak.  Usually this is done in front of guys.  I have definitely seen this in America as well, however it is much MUCH more exaggerated in Japan, and I took notice of it.

Another trend that I noticed was that words that are used a ton in anime as a joking insult, can actually be taken super seriously if used in real life.  
Prime example of this is the word baka バカ which means stupid.  I don't want to say you CANNOT use this word jokingly, because you can if you are with super good friends.  HOWEVER, I would still be very careful when using this word, because it is basically the equivalent of telling somebody with confidence issues, or a mental health problem, that they are stupid or retarded.  It just isn't the nicest thing to say.  Along with that are words such as shine 死ね, which means go die.  It is basically the equivalent of telling somebody who is depressed and suicidal to go die.  There are tons of other words like these, but I would say as a basic rule if you learn an insulting or cuss word in Japanese, do not use it until you ask a Japanese person on whether it is a bad word or not, or until you know the true meaning of the word.  These words have a lot of weight, and I definitely would not recommend for anybody to use them unless you know for sure that you are best friends with this person and they aren't the type to get mad easily.

Moving on to more positive things, another thing I noticed is that EVERYBODY DRESSES UP HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! When I was applying for college one of the things I was looking forward to was lazing around all day in sweats with no makeup on.  I'm not joking that was actually one of the things I was anticipating.  Unfortunately, coming to a Japanese college, that is considered strange, and people will stare at you if you aren't wearing nice clothes.  Or makeup, for that matter.  Most girls will come wearing facial masks and glasses if they don't have makeup on, which I definitely laughed at when I first came here.

The last thing that surprised me when I came to Japan is that some things that happen in anime are actually true!  Being honest, although I do love anime, I am a hard-core advocator against people believing that everything that happens in anime is exactly how Japan is, because it is not true.  HOWEVER, when I actually came to Japan I was very surprised to see that somethings in anime are, in fact, true!  The example that I love to tell people is that the first time that I came to Japan for a trip, I got off the airplane and at the same airport as us was a high school group that had just come back from a trip.  All of the 'popular' girls had their skirts rolled up super high, dyed, curled hair, a ton of accessories and blinged out phones, while all the 'not popular' girls had large glasses, long skirts, and braids.  It was definitely the biggest shock when I came to Japan.

Thanks for reading this super long post guys! Until the next one!

XOXO,

Meowko

Why I Transferred Colleges

This is probably the most asked question that I have had so far since starting my YouTube channel!

Disclaimer: everything in my YouTube video and blog post are purely my own opinion and by no means represent the college or the people who attend each college.

Now on to the reasons I transferred!

1. I explained this pretty thoroughly in the video, but there are 2 Kasumigaseki cities and the one that TIU is in is located in Saitama. Saitama is the prefecture above Tokyo, and to get from TIU to the closest city in Tokyo, Ikebukuro, took around 45 minutes and ¥480 one way! That for me is just way too expensive and a waste of time. On the other hand, my current college Waseda is in the middle of Tokyo, Takadanobaba, and places like Shinjuku are only one stop away which is absolutely amazing! I have absolutely fallen in love with the convenience of living in the city.

2. Living in Japan in general is just really expensive, however for me even if I transferred colleges, I would have roughly the same college tuition+living expenses. Therefore, cost was not a super big concern to me when transferring.

3. I didn't do much research into Japanese universities before I applied, let alone go and visit them! Even in the US, it is always better to visit a college first just to see if you like the atmosphere there. When I arrived at TIU, the overall atmosphere of the school itself was just not what I was looking for in a college and I could not see myself being there for 4 years.

4. I just had way too much free time! As TIU has a more relaxed and less pressured feeling academic-wise, I felt as though I was being unproductive all day, and that just made me very uncomfortable personally. Of course we all like to have our R&R days but all day every day is honestly just too much for anybody.

5. Waseda and TIU have very different class structures, and for me personally I found that the style at Waseda suited me better as a student. This is completely an individual thing as a student.

6. Although TIU is truly like a family in terms of friends, I just felt like I didn't fit in a lot of the time and I couldn't really find a lot of people that I enjoyed the company of. We just had different values and priorities which can sometimes make large gaps in relationships.

7. Waseda just has so many international students that I could talk to and make friendships with. Everybody definitely finds their own niche within the school. On the other hand TIU has fewer international students and the atmosphere is more like one large family.

8. When you find a group of friends at TIU or decide to join a club, most if not all of your activities regarding friends will be with that group or club. This is not necessarily a bad thing but for me in general I really hate being limited to what activities I am invited to or able to do just because of which group I associate with.

9. It is definitely harder to meet up with friends at Waseda compared to TIU just because there are so many people at Waseda that unlike at TIU, they can't just got in 2-3 international dorms, so everybody is spread out throughout Tokyo. 

If you guys have any other questions definitely leave a comment below and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!!!

XOXO,

Meowko

Kiddy Land!!!

I actually heard of Kiddy Land for the first time from my best friend's little sister and have thus done research on it and fell in love and wanted to go there myself.

Here is the video of me going there myself.

How to get to Kiddy Land:
JR Yamanote Line go to Harajuku
go out to Takeshita Street exit, and walk down the huge street with all of the crazy shops and stuff, it is literally straight outside of the exit.
Walk all the way through, turn right until you reach the street lights, turn left and cross the street, then turn right and cross the street again.  Kiddy Land should be on your left.

What is Kiddy Land?
Paradise.
Of stuffed animals.
You can literally buy anything you want related to your favorite character here, and it is amazing.

XOXO,

Meowko

50 Facts About Me

Just because this video is super super self explanatory, just watch the video below :)

As always, leave some comments if you also have the same aspects about you/your life and if you like the video like and subscribe!! <3

XOXO,

Meowko

JAMM Ep 1: Pt 2 Pros of Japanese International Colleges

Hey guys! It has been a while (I know I always say this) but honestly it has been so hectic not only with the holidays coming up but FINALS!

Pros:
Learning a New Language: 
Now this one might seem ridiculously obvious for those who apply/are looking at applying to International colleges, as it is most likely one of the main goals of going to a foreign country.  It is a lot easier to learn a language when you are constantly surrounded by it IF you put the effort into it.

International Student Life:
One pro that I definitely did not even think of when I applied for international colleges is the OTHER kids who also decided on my same path and applied for international colleges.  There are kids from all around the world, even from countries that I had never even heard of before that come to my school, and they have taught me so mucha bout their countries and cultures.  Have you hear of Zimbabwe?  Because I hadn't, but now I have two friends from there, how cool is that?!  It is definitely one of my favorite perks of going to an international school, and if I ever visit any of their countries, I know I'll have somebody to show me all the local specialties!

Exploration:
This one is pretty self explanatory.

Open Mindedness:
I've talked to so many study abroad students about this and we all say the same things where even when we go back to the States or wherever we came from, we're able to deal with a ton of different situations and people with a more level-headed mindset than we were able to before just because while we were in an international college we were exposed to so many different ways of thinking and living.  Of course this isn't a benefit JUST from attending international colleges but I do believe that doing so definitely expedites the process :)

XOXO,

Meowko

JAMM Ep 1: Cons of Japanese International Colleges

So alot of you guys may be wondering what JAMM is...
if you didn't already read it in my video description box, it stands for Japanese/American Major and Minor (differences).
It's a new series on my channel in which I'll be having chats with you guys about differences in Japanese and American culture, clothing, etc.!  Hope you guys like episode one!

This episode, which was supposed to be Pros and Cons, got a bit long so I split it up into 2 episodes, so if you want to know exactly what you'll be facing when you come to a Japanese college, you can just watch the Cons, if you want to know all the amazing things about going to an international college, you can just watch the Pros, it's really up to you!

In terms of the video, I filmed it while I was still in America and just never got around to editing it so sorry about the time difference and mistakes in my wording, as I have already gotten into my new choice college and am back in Japan!

Now onto the Cons of going to a Japanese International College:

1. Living Expenses: I talk way too much about this in the video but that's because it STRESSES ME OUT. Japanese colleges are so much cheaper than American colleges, but we basically even out the playing field through the amount of money that we have to pay for everyday life.  My dorm itself provides me with two meals a day (besides on Sundays), but for people who have to pay for or make themselves all three meals a day, here are some major negatives.      a) fruits and veggies are SO EXPENSIVE. as in RIDICULOUS.  A box of grapes about the size of my hand can be around $8, an apple $5, and the list goes on.  In general it's actually really expensive to eat healthy here.      b) If you are incapable of cooking like I am, eating out is another option, however if you happen to crave food that is not traditionally Japanese, such as udon, ramen, tenpura, etc., you could possibly spend up to around $45 or more per meal per day (assuming you are eating decently sized meals from mediocre restaurants or fast food places).  If you eat exclusively at the convenience stores, you could get away with about $12~$30 per day depending on how much you eat and what you want to eat, but quite honestly $12 is like one onigiri per meal with a drink. If that. 2. Homesickness: This one is pretty much self explanatory, but if you're the kind of person who wants Chipotle all the time, is almost with family or friends constantly, and/or likes driving around with your window down and music blasting (among various other things), you will most likely experience this. (There ain't no Chipotle in Japan, let alone good Mexican food in general).  Of course there are many ways to overcome this and still enjoy living in Japan, but just be aware that this homesickness isn't easy to heal when you're 6,303 miles away from your family. 3. No Family: Again, pretty self explanatory, but if you're usually always with/talking to/asking for help from/spending time with your family, being so far away can be really hard, and plane tickets don't come cheap and you can't make it home in one weekend, so make sure you're ready to take the plunge if you apply for foreign schools. 4. Keeping up with Friends: This is actually getting more complicated than homesickness and family because this delves deeper into the fact that your world is expanding and changing in so many unique ways during your stay in Japan.  For me personally, I came back and was absolutely SHOCKED at some of the clothes that girls wore around America, even though I had grown up seeing it my entire life.  This is because coming to Japan, it being a super conservative country, you literally see no skin here even in the summer unless you're at the beach.  Even then, their bikinis are like covered in frills and hide all the important parts.  It's super little things like this, even if it's just tiny changes on your outlook on life or how you view things that can somehow drive wedges into your friendships.  Of course, this does not apply to everybody, but definitely make sure to watch certain things you say around your friends.  (AKA DON'T be that person who says "NO, you WOULDN'T understand unless you've been to Japan) *cough*amguiltyofthatsometimes*cough* Just because they haven't had the same experience as you, doesn't mean they're ignorant of the culture, and in the end the important thing is that you guys are FRIENDS, so enjoy each other's company while you're back on vacation! 5. Life Goes On Yes, this sounds COMPLETELY opposite of how you may feel when coming back from a foreign country.  So many things are happening around you, so many exciting events, you're meeting so many new people and learning about a new language and culture, that when you go back to visit your home country, it seems that absolutely NOTHING has changed whatsoever.  BUT THIS ISN'T TRUE.  Make sure you check yourself, ask your family and friends how they've been doing, what's been going on in their lives, even if they want to know all about YOUR adventures and you are DYING to tell them, make sure to also ask about how their lives have been going.  Did you know your cousin got engaged? Or that your mom just got a new job?  How about your best friend's new glasses, they're so cute, where did she get them!  There are so many things that you miss out on while you're in another country, so make sure that you keep up with your loved ones lives as well as enjoying your own. As always thanks for watching and reading my ridiculously long blog posts! ​ XOXO, MEOWKO