It still feels incredibly surreal to be back in the United States. Two days ago I was still in Japan spending time with my friends there. Now I am back in Delaware where nothing seems to have changed. I think it's going to take a bit of getting used to...
08.15 (月)
Monday morning I woke up early to start packing my room. It was strange to see it so bare since I had decorated it pretty excessively throughout the semester. The process of packing fully exhausted me, so I ended up taking a four hour "nap" later in the afternoon. I didn't do much after that except wait excitedly for Yoonkyung to arrive in Nara. She got back around 6 PM and started to unpack her things. We were supposed to meet up with Masami and Bea around 7 PM to go view the "burning of the mountain" in Nara along with some lantern displays, but we ended up being late (of course). I met up with Yoonkyung at her dorm a little before seven. It was great to see her after over a week and a half! Once she was ready, we set out into Nara to go to Todaiji and Kasuga taisha with Bea and Masami. Again, the city looked like something out of a fairly-- so beautiful that it could only be described as magical. I was happy that I got to share the experience with Yoonkyung and Bea, my two closest friends in Japan. After we had seen everything there was to see, Yoonkyung, Bea, and I went back to her dorm and talked until early in the morning. 久しぶり！
08.16 (火)
I filled my last full day in Japan with precious memories that I will cherish forever.
The morning was fairly normal. I finished packing the rest of my stuff and spent time relaxing in my room. Bea and I went to the post office so I could send some things that I couldn't fit in my suitcase. After that, I was supposed to meet up with Maki, but ended up not needing to. Later on, Yoonkyung, Hana chan and I made a last trip to Nara Family at Saidaiji in order to have lunch and look around the department store. This too felt surreal for me, knowing that it would be the last time that we would be able to hang out like this.
(As a side note, I think I cried more times during this one day than I have in my entire life.)
We had to go back early to start preparing for my goodbye party, which was originally scheduled to start at six, but was pushed back to seven. When we got back to Nara, Hana chan came over to help me clean my room while Yoonkyung got started on cooking. At seven-ish Hana chan and I went back to her dorm. I began to prepare my last batch of muffins while Hana chan got ready to go to work. Slowly but surely, people began to trickle into the kitchen to make their own preparations. Bea, Raphael, Masami, and Maki san all came over, and we had a fun time cooking together, and an even better time eating together.
Everyone forced me to give a speech, and then everyone responded with last words of their own. It was an extremely emotional time for me, but I don't think I was the only one who was feeling a bit emotional. I also got the change to give Bea and Yoonkyung their goodbye presents (they liked them!), along with Hana chan when she returned from her part time job. Once everyone was stuffed with good food and outpouring with emotion, we banded together to go to my last round of karaoke. We sang from around 11 PM until 3 AM. I laughed, I cried, and enjoyed myself to the fullest. How could I not when I was surrounded by my best friends? Afterwards, Bea, Yoonkyung, and Hana chan came over to my dorm and we spent my last night together sleeping in the guest room they have there. Of course, I had to cry again-- quite hysterically, I might add-- because it hit me that I wasn't sure when I would see them again.
I've never been good at goodbyes.
08.17 (水)
My last day in Japan went by in a blur. I got up early than everyone else to finish cleaning my room. Then, Maki san came over to help me get my room checked, pay my bills, throw my trash out, and other miscellaneous things like that. I also had to go to the International office to return my bike, say goodbye-- all that good stuff. Once everything had been taken care of, we all convened in Yoonkyung's office. Me, Bea, Hana chan, Maki san, Ena, and Yoonkyung all met for one final time and went out to lunch. My last meal in Japan had to consist of traditional Japanese food, of course. So we went to the restaurant that I had gone to with Bea, Hana chan, and Yoonkyung before we left for Korea. From there, Tokunaga san came to pick me up so we could go to the airport. Hana chan, Yoonkyung, and Bea all accompanied me, of course. I was glad that I didn't have to go alone.
I cried again in the airport when I said goodbye. I will never forget the image of my friends waving to me as I entered the security area at KIX. I am incredibly blessed to have met such amazing people during my short time in Japan.
And that's it. The end. I'm back in the United States and on my way back to school this morning.
But it doesn't feel that way. In fact, I know it is not the end. I plan on returning to Japan in the future, hopefully the near future. Whether it be for visiting, further study, or to apply for a job, I know that it isn't the last time I will be in the Land of the Rising Sun. So until then, I will continue to study hard and keep in touch with the people who have been so good to me.
I have grown up a lot as a result of this trip. My views of the world have changed, I've become a bit more independent, and I've come to appreciate different cultures and peoples even more than I did before.
Of course, I've also made friendships that will last a lifetime. Being in the United States just doesn't feel the same anymore. There is a whole other world out there that holds part of my heart. I will never, ever forget that people who I met while studying at Nara Women's University, and I hope that they won't forget me.
I won't say that this is the end of a journey, because it feels like it is only the beginning. I will close this chapter and start a new, better one-- so keep your eyes peeled for the next big blog update!
For now I would like to say: "thanks for the memories." My trip to Japan has truly been the greatest time in my life to date, and I have you to thank for that. "You" know who you are. <3
またね！
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