It feels as though I've been in The Land of the Rising Sun for much longer than two weeks. Life here has become the norm for me and America is merely a distant memory. I still cannot grasp the fact that I am on the complete opposite side of the world from my home. It feels like Japan is only a short drive away and I can visit whenever I please. Sadly though, this is not the case. I am using my final moments here to reflect upon everything I have seen and done in this country. Everyday felt like a week and if I were to recount each thing I learned here you, reader, would be sitting at your computer for a very long time. I will miss many things about Japan; the food, our sister school and all of the wonderful friends I made there, my amazing host family, the fact that you can set your valuables down in a public place, walk away, and they will remain untouched, and, of course, Japan's unique sense of style, just to name a few. I am never going to forget how welcoming the teachers and students at KJ were. They made each of us feel very at home and never hesitated to include us in with their friends and classmates. And, of course, I will always remember my host family, the Oguras, who gave hospitality an entirely new meaning. It is safe to say that Japan will always hold a special place in my heart. It opened my mind to things I never dreamed existed and has shown me ways and customs completely different from my own. I am so grateful to have received the opportunity to travel to this one of a kind country and I am very much looking forward to returning. I would not trade the memories I made here for anything. Dear reader, if an opportunity for you to go to Japan comes along I strongly urge you to take it. I am sure yours will be, as mine has been, the experience of a lifetime.
Laura
Today we are going home. I am very grateful to be able to have an experience such as this. Memories like this will never go away. These past 2 weeks went by really fast. I wish I could stay here longer. i'm going to miss so many things in Japan. I love it here. i promised the family that I would come back to see them. Everyone was crying, including me when we were about to leave the train station. I saw one of my old friends, and she was crying and she gave me a very big hug. I also promised her that I would come back. It's gonna be really weird coming back home, getting used to the American custom. But I am very happy that I was chosen to go on this trip, and I will come back here again.
- Danielle Woods
Today, though we are on the train to the airport, I have no concept of how much time is left. We leave Japan and return to Chicago on the same day, seemingly travelling backwards in time by two hours. This strange warped time has followed me throughout our trip. The only way I can be sure that I haven't been dreaming is the length of my fingernails, which I haven't cut since before we left. Then, my nails would not have made a tapping noise against this keyboard.
To my host family too, time seems to have passed differently than usual. Kouki, Kasumi's younger brother, didn't say goodbye to me, because he was on his way to school. "Jikan ga nai!" he said. "I have no time!" Will he be surprised when Kasumi returns from school without me?
His mother and sister gave me very tender goodbyes, with some candy to eat on the plane and a photo album from our time together. When I hugged Kasumi's mother goodbye, she looked like she might cry, but said "It was fun," affirming that we are both more glad to have met each other than sad. Even seeing others crying at the train station, because of that sentiment, I could not be sad.
-Emma Fujii
Every night at dinner my host student's father would "challenge" me to eat hot foods or to put spices on my dinner. One night we were all sitting around the dinner table, we were eating a soup-like noodle dish. Before my host students father had a chance to take the spice I grabbed the spice and poured it onto my meal. The family stared at me in amazement they seemed unable to understand that I actually enjoyed spicy foods. I then casually handed the spice to my host student's father. He looked at me for awhile and then said something along the lines of "you man now, give challenge to me." We started laughing, it was a great night.
-Gabe
I feel like these past two weeks have been a dream. I love my KJ friends and my random train buddies, the delicious food, the night excursions, the couture fashion (I have so much clothes I may need a new closet!!) My lovely Japan with the bustling streets, the ramen stands, and oh the beautiful moments. I am counting the days until I can return. Cheers, Jenny.
Below is a "left half" "right half" of the group before we left our sister school. Also included are a few images of that farewell.
No comments:
Post a Comment