Last entry.

Festus Missouri Panera Bread. I write this at the local Bread Co. b/c they have free wifi. I arrived back home late the 22nd. The five hour layover at LAX was boring. I couldn't use the internet. However there were some staff singing carols in my terminal which was very merry indeed.

Well I have come to the end of this travel log blog. Now that my adventure in Japan is over so too is this blog. I am glad I kept a record of my time abroad. I plan to return to Japan as soon as I can.

departure imminent

Narita airport terminal gate 46. It was overcast but then sunny in Tokyo today. The sun was down by 4:50 pm which was so cool. I got up today at 5:30, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and went and had breakfast. My host mom took me to the train station. I caught the train to Nagoya station and got on my shinkansen. The bullet trains are really cool. The ride is so smooth and quiet. I arrived in Tokyo in about an hour and 45 minutes. I met with my friend and he showed me around the Ginza area near the station. Tokyo is huge and sprawling. The buildings are really tall. We ate lunch and he treated me! At 2:30 pm I caught the Narita Express train direct to Narita airport. I got here at 3:30 pm and sat down at my gate at around 4:30. All the airport personal are wearing Santa hats which is pretty festive. Now I am killing time until my flight starts boarding at around 6 pm.

Departure day

host mom's house my room 6:20 am. Yesterday I finished all preparations and got to bed at 8 o'clock. I got up at 5:15 this morning. In about 10 minutes my host mom will take me to the train station. The long trek home begins. Is it weird that I'm nervous?

one more day

host mom's house, my room - Rainy and cool weather. On thursday I prepared for my Friday final and began packing. On Friday I had my final and then canceled my insurance at the ward office. Then I went to my politics class where we had a party. All the study abroad students got nice cards with signatures from everyone on them. Then we all went together to the goodbye party held by Nanzan for the study abroad students. I ate a lot of free food and said bye to a lot of friends. I also got some email addresses. Unfortunately I couldn't go to my dorm's goodbye party b/c I had to go to work that evening and make lasagna.

MER (My English Room's) Christmas party was really fun. I got up early on Saturday and went in to help with the preparations. After a long day of preparing and talking to customers the party was about to begin at 7pm. My friend and coworker is a kimono fanatic and knows a lot about them. She lent me a graduation kimono ensemble and helped me put it on for the party. Since I completed my time at Nanzan University it was fitting for me to wear a graduation kimono we thought. Then the party began. All the food was great. My lasagna turned out pretty good I think. The turkey (made by the friend who lent me the kimono) was amazing. Everyone complimented me on my outfit and was saying goodbye to me. Many customers attended. There were probably about 45 people there. We sang a few songs and then one staff member put on a santa suit and passed out presents. I got some chocolates which I gave to a friend later. I didn't need them since I would be leaving soon and already had too much stuff to pack.

However at one pint during the party, I was called up in front and my boss and coworkers presented me with several gifts including a bullet train ticket to Tokyo. Now I wouldn't have to buy it myself!! The ticket was the most thoughtful gift I thought. They also gave me a bouquet of flowers which I gave to a friend later as well. (What could I do with them? I was leaving in three days!) I took many pictures and said goodbye to a lot of customers during the party. Some customers gave me presents too!! The party ended at 9pm. My friend released me from the kimono and we started the clean-up. At around 10 some of us went to an end-of-the-year karaoke party. I could only stay for a half hour b/c I had to get back to my dorm to finish packing. However everyone told me not to pay my share b/c they would cover it for me. I really like THOSE kinds of presents! :D Once I got back to my dorm I stayed up until 2am packing.

The next day (Sunday) I checked out of the dorm and took my luggage with me to MER. I got there at 9:30am. The staff and I cleaned (it was our end-of-the-year cleaning day) and then ate lunch together. After that I worked my usual shift. Another customer came by who wasn't able to come to the party and gave me some gifts as going away presents! I was touched that so many people were giving me things and I understand that it is a part of Japanese culture BUT I was really starting to get worried (HOW WAS I GETTING ALL THIS STUFF IN MY SUITCASE???) I thanked the customer though and smiled. After our shift ended our boss drove a coworker and myself to another coworker's dinner party at her house. Dinner was very nice. This was the same coworker who lent me the kimono. I stayed the night at her house. I was able to reorganize my bags and get everything in but everything was starting to get really, really heavy. I hadn't planned on receiving so many presents!

Early Monday morning my friend and her husband took me to the train station. My friend's husband and I were taking the train and my friend would drive their car back home. He was very kind and helped me carry my stuff to the train. We rode together to one station and then we had to switch trains. He walked with me all the way to my train and passed me my suitcase and bags. I waved goodbye to him as he went to catch his own train. Off I went to my host mom's house. She picked me up at the station. We ate breakfast and then went back to her house. We watched figure skating on TV. That night she took me to look at x-mas lights on some houses.

That night she showed me some fruit. I think they are called "citron" in English. They are common in Japan at this time of year and they are used to season food. One other special thing you can do with them is put them in the bath water and it makes the water (and you) smell really nice. For my bath that night my host mom put some in the water for me. It was like spa treatment! It was quite a nice bath indeed. I went to bed early; I was beat.

Today I went with my host mom to her English lesson. They were all having a party at one of their houses. We played games and talked and... I received many more presents. When we said goodbye and got home I told my host mom I was really worried about getting all my stuff to the airport. I asked if I could go to the post office and send a box of stuff back home. She gave me a large box, tape, string, and a ride to the post office!!!! :D She helped me pack. My box was stuffed full of presents I had received in the past week alone! On the way to the post office we discussed the best way to send it: air or sea. By boat is cheaper (way cheaper) but it takes way longer. When we got to the post office counter I asked how long sending by boat would take. I was told about 3 months. Well that wouldn't do so I had to send the box by plane and pay the extra money. After we sent the box we went and got a drink at a cafe. Once we got back to her house I packed and took stock. I now will have a much easier time getting to the airport. As long as I can avoid being given more presents between now and the time I take off. Tonight I will get to bed as early as possible and tomorrow is an early, early start. Tomorrow it's off to Tokyo.

6 more days

Weather is getting cooler. On Monday I got many things done such as mailing some boxes home, skyping with my parents, and printing some stuff out on campus and then faxing it to the UR. I also went to Kakuozan with two of my coworkers and then we went to dinner.

Tuesday I took my translation final which went well. Then I went shopping with a coworker to get lasagna ingredients for the party Saturday. My boss wants me to make lasagna.

Today I took my kanji writing final which went pretty well. I talked to my parents on skype again. I also talked to my sister this time who has arrived back home for her winter break from the academy. Now I have many more errands to run today.

8 more days

So yesterday on Sunday I went to work and helped train the new employee we hired. He is from New Zealand and is very nice. After work I went to dinner with two coworkers and one of them's husband. It was supposed to be a going away party for me but only 4 of us were able to show up. Oh well it was still good food and afterwards we went and got ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Today I am trying to get a bunch of things done. Tomorrow I have my first final.

9 days left

cool days Friday was the last day of classes and I had a tough exam in language class. In the afternoon I went to politics class and then went to work. After work my coworker and I went to eat dinner.

Saturday I went to an IES re-entry session. It was to help us prepare for going back home. After the session we all had lunch at a really great restaurant. At the session I got my fan back that I designed in Kyoto and a CD on which the program director's assistant had put all the pictures she had taken on all our IES trips.

After the lunch was over I went to the international center library and returned my membership card. Then I returned to campus and worked out at the gym.

Today I will go to work and my coworkers are having a going away party for me.