H-H-HAPPY HALLOWEEN

"I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me..."

- Lady GaGa, "Paparazzi"

Halloween's officially over, both here and in the Western Hemisphere, as is our (the Westerners') Halloween party. More than twenty costumed people crammed into Ash's apartment last night for the Halloween bash the Americans (Ash, Jordan and I) and Australians (Maureen and Jack) co-hosted. With our Japanese classmates and three exchange students from China, it truly was an international affair.

Costume run-down:

AMERICANS:

Lady GaGa (me)

Inspector GAsHit (Ash)

Quail Man from "Doug" (Jordan)

AUSTRALIANS:

Corpse Bride (Maureen)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (Jack)

JAPANESE:

Prisoner (Subaru)

Halloween-themed traditional Chinese woman (Yuki)

High school students (Tomomi and her friend)

Scream (Maki)

Minnie Mouse (Yuuko)

Saw (Tomo)

Spiderman (Yusuke and Tomoya)

Gold Man (Yusuke's friend)

(There were also a few witches, but I don't remember any of their names.)

I will post photos as soon as Blogger starts cooperating.

Anyway, Maureen brought jack o'lantern wall decorations and toffee apples, Ash baked a cookie cake and I made bug-shaped treats with bananas, cucumbers, peanut butter, raisins and potato sticks. (You know, those snacks Mom always put in your lunchbox in elementary school to make you eat healthier?) We had originally planned to make pumpkin pie, but we'll save that for Thanksgiving. Subaru also brought a huge bag of popcorn - I can't describe just how massive it was, so just wait for pictures - which fueled our popcorn food fight at 2 a.m.

For the 9ish hours our party lasted, about 90% of it involved taking photos, speaking in Japanese and meeting everyone. (When there's three native tongues in the room, you have to decide how you're going to communicate, and Japanese always wins, of course.) I especially remember explaining what American proms are like to my new friends, who were incredibly eager to learn about American high schools, dating, Homecoming and popular romantic comedies.

Since I wasn't planning on walking home alone, I fell asleep about 5 a.m. and woke up around noon, wrapped up in blankets on Ash's bed while she lay sleeping on the floor. Such hospitality. :P

Walking home dressed as Lady Gaga, glitter thunderbolt makeup still on my face and in my stilettos, was how I ended my Halloween. Not sure if the stares I got were reactions to my costume or the huge smile on my face.

BLOG SOUNDTRACK: Arashi - "Be With You"