The Last Post

Hello.

Yes, it's September and no, I'm not still in Japan. I left August 2 but haven't tried to write in here until now (really, this is an excuse to not do homework and prolong my work-inflicted insomnia).

I still remember my last week in Japan b/c honestly, it was during the last week that I started to feel like I didn't want to go home. It's a strange mix of feelings, partly you want to go back to your own world but the other part of you thinks you haven't finished here.

A friend of mine, Rahad, took me up to a lake in the mountains on his motorbike (more like a scooter I think) during one of my last days there.

2 of the freshmen I ate okonomiyaki with took me out to a final night of izakaya drinking and karaoke.

The international student Japanese class went out to an izakaya as well and paid my fee since I was leaving (they also paid for Hong, the Korean guy also heading back home (he graduated)).

There was also a dinner party at Yoshino-san's house, which was really awkward but incredibly delicious food (imagine going to a dinner party where all those who attended are your superiors (student affairs staff) and then only 2 of which could actually speak to you b/c one knows English and the other knows Chinese).

There was also a lot of presents. Everyone likes giving farewell gifts and I feel slightly guilty for not preparing any myself. But perhaps it is not tradition for the departing person to do so. It's not in American culture. The gifts were sweet, but I had such difficulty finding place in my suitcase for them. I had one suitcase overweight but the check in desk clerk let it go b/c the computer was freezing on him.

And finally, there was the trip to the Studio Ghibli Museum. It was absolutely wonderful, but they don't let you take photos. However, it was less awesome than the hype about it was. The place itself was really amazing and sculpted down to the littlest detail to be a Ghibli haven but for the amount of effort it took to get the tickets, I sort of wished it was bigger. And not full of running kids (I also managed to pull my shoulder muscle that morning but still forced myself onto the packed train to meet Midori. I wasn't going to miss it).

Thinking about the trip at the very end, I have to say it was all well worth it. The initial frustrations with the isolation and the culture shock fade away and without even noticing it, it becomes a part of you. Coming home was jarring. The first things I noticed was the intense amount of white people. And overweight people. At least they all seemed overweight with their thicker thighs and very casual dress. But it's just different culture.

There was also the blaring "we are now at code orange" in the airports. You don't hear a thing about this in Japan.

The next thing I noticed was that the flight attendants were ruder. If they are annoyed, they let you know. It's less about the job and more about the individual doing the job.

The last thing I noticed was how badly my English vocabulary and ability to speak quickly dropped. A great thing since going back home meant starting to prepare for the GRE.

But I can definitely say my self-confidence level had a major boost while I was there. Being able to just say "screw it" to the feeling of not fitting b/c hey, in Japan you never will, was a good way for me to just be more comfortable with myself in general. It was a good thing.

I'd go back. Maybe not to Tokyo, but I'd love to see the rest of the country. There is a richness to their culture and history which, although I don't ever want to live there, is fascinating to study from a distance.

And finally, the last 2 pictures.

The robot from Laputa, the only thing we were allowed to photograph.

My last night in Japan.

Thank you for reading this blog. For those of you planning to go in the future, may my trip serve as a guide to yours. Or just a simple comfort if you run along any problems that I did.

Or a good laugh and fun read. I hope I'm a fun read. I can definitely say I enjoyed writing this.

Onwards to new adventures. Starting with my senior year of college.

Goodbye!