These are the things that make summer in Japan. Apparently, eel is the choice food for getting re-energized, especially in the tortuous heat. We had eel for dinner last night. I know a lot of people think that sounds gross, but really, it's just like fish. Quite tasty (if you like fish). Watermelons are a popular summer dish here too. We had a dorm farewell party a couple weekends ago and the dorm manager's wife treated us to big watermelon slices. Beer is a big deal here during the summer. There's an abundance of beer commercials featuring people on beaches or having a picnic, and they all are super refreshed. I think it's funny because I think beer tastes gross. Oh well. In Eda, the cicadas are very loud. Since there is a variety of cicadas, there is a variety in their cries. Weirdly, I haven't even seen one yet - only heard them. I'm okay with that though.
My classes ended on Wednesday. My friends and I ended the semester with a bang: went to karaoke for a couple hours, some of us ate out at a yakitori place (grilled chicken, but they serve other meats as well, served on a stick), and then went to listen to my friend's show in a bar. A very good day indeed.
Now I'm wrestling with a number of farewell parties and events. I'm finding people who would like to buy my things (refrigerator, table, cooking wear, television) for cheap. I was going to send two boxes of things home today, but I found out the post office is closed on weekends. I felt bad for asking my friend to help me, only to find that we had to lug my stuff right back to the dorm. My arms sort of feel like jelly right now, so even typing this is proving to be a tad difficult.
I have to cancel my cellphone, close my bank account, cancel my health insurance, buy some souvenirs, (maybe schedule in one last hair appointment, I want to say bye to Ikko!), pay off remaining dorm bills, and PACK! I've got a little bit more than a week. Oh, and I'm going to see if I can get my luggage sent to the airport so I won't have to drag around two monster suitcases around. I'm sure I can, just need to figure out how to go about doing it.
Home is so close and everything feels like it's in slow motion. But at the same time, I can't help but feel like time is racing by even faster. I look around my room and can't believe I'll be leaving all this in such a short time. I feel like I'll be leaving a little piece of me behind. I'm not sure why, but I just do. I'm not excited about the saying good-bye part of all of this. Cat left for home yesterday and I had to keep from crying. When I see people and we part ways, it's hard to believe that all these people who have made my year live all over the place. Not just across the country, like Montana, Arizona, California, Oregon but across the world, like Germany, England, Hong Kong, Korea...I'm so happy that Japan has brought us all together but I'm so sad that I'm leaving. Everyone asks whether I'm happy to come home. Of course, I am, but at the same time, I'm not happy at all. I hate to leave all these people. I hate to leave this country that has meant so much to me for years. I want to come back. I don't know when I will, but I want to come back. I have so many more friends to come back to. I love this place.
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