1 Month Left

Wow.... One month left.

Now that I am nearing the end of the trip (felt even moreso since this is my "finals" week (as in, projects are due, but there are no tests or anything... One big project on my part, but that was it....)), I am sort of looking back at it all and then, looking forward at my time remaining. Just to see if I can still make up for anything I missed.

With only one month left, I can't really say that it came up too quickly, like I most often hear from people who went abroad b/c quite honestly, I'm ready to go back. And I feel like I'm just waiting for August 2 to happen so I can board that airplane and head home.

I know that makes this trip sound awful, but no. It was fun in many ways. I think if anything, I've just drained that feeling of adventure out of me these last couple of months. I didn't really go anywhere on my own this last month (mostly due to homework and busy schedules, but some due to sheer laziness). And things like money and travel costs prevent me from making great ideas happen like touring Nagoya, Osaka, and Kyoto like I wanted to in the beginning.

Moneywise, I need to save a bit to get to San Diego when I get back. Time to start working on that job networking stuff at SIGGRAPH.

Therefore, I might not go to Kyoto like I had hoped. Japan is insanely expensive, especially travel costs. I think I can spend a weekend in Kyoto for $300. Not too bad, but I think I'm lacking that kind of funds.

But it's okay. I went to Kamakura, and that's supposed to be called the "Kyoto of East Japan". Works enough for me.

And when I'm a full-fledged adult I can come back on a tour. Do the tourist things.

I've definitely explored a lot of the city, but I am finding the local life is much more beautiful to look at than the shopping malls and flashing screens. Finding the small hidden temple the locals go to pray to versus taking a trip to the big tourist attraction. The small temple seems a lot more meaningful. I liked going to Saginomiya and walking down the walkway by the canal and watching the locals go back and forth. It's much slower. Gentle. And much friendlier. An old woman started talking to me when i stopped to take a photo. Unfortunately, I had no idea what she said.

Of course, I arrived during a time when all the kids were away in Tokyo or in school.

Not many people are in to nature like that around here, but they live in it. It's probably like someone telling me the life in suburban America is a wonderful thing to watch.

So I think I might do that instead. The next day that is sunny without threat of rain, I will go out with my camera and just ride my time-bomb-of-a-bike around Atsugi's farmland and just take photos. Rice fields, etc. I saw quite a bit that day I got lost, but it was rainy so I didn't stop for photos.

I really need to remember to have my camera on me always. I should go around photographing the school too now that I think about it.