The end of an era approaches.
It’s time for everyone to pack up their souvenirs, wrap up their battle scars from fierce club dancing, and kiss goodbye to conbini chicken. I never expected a year to feel like 10, and for relationships to grow so tight and strong so quickly. Sending off my friends from last semester was hard, but nothing compared to this. I’m not simply traveling for a few months of vacation and coming back to my home in Nagoya. I’m actually going to have to leave. No more Ohmeikan. No more Nagoya University. No more last night lobby hang outs with the wonderful people here.
Even in this crazy heat, the magic of Japan isn’t lost on me. There are many more places I still want to go and many more things I want to do. Mainly, I want to do these things with the people here I have come to adore. I’ll miss those surprisingly quiet nights in those first few months here in Japan. Laying in bed, listening to the occasional wail of ambulances passing in the night and fading back into silence, I remember wondering how calm Japan felt. Cooler days came and the leaves changed, my favorite season approached. Coming from a place with such definite seasonal changes, I’m still confounded by the fact that not all the trees turned colors or lost their leaves, a handful of little deciduous trees replacing the pines that I’m used to seeing. In the late autumn, I’d warmed up, grown accustomed to life in Japan, and finally began hanging out with more people (Something I should have done right away!). And by the time so-called “winter” came, and Nagoya saw 3 singular instances of snow, I felt so comfortable. We spent the holidays together, Thanksgiving and Christmas being some of my favorite parties all year. Then bittersweet goodbyes and months of travel.
When we returned for the new semester, and to a new group of study abroad students, I had my doubts that this semester to measure up. Fortunately, I was proved wrong. So many new faces and new personalities just added to my list of friends inexplicably fast. I was comfortable in Japan and it was easier to open up to new people when I already had a good foundation to back me up. Despite less time, I hope that we can still stay in contact and remain friends across seas.
To the Fam, know that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for any of you. If you find yourself in America somewhere along the line, know that my door is always open and cooking is on point. If you find yourself thinking about Japan, about our stitched together groups chilling in the Ohmeikan lobby, know that I’m always available to chat. I’ve laughed with you. I’ve cried with you. I’ve sung some embarrassing karaoke with you. And through all the boring exams, the crazy Nagoya heat, the stifling subway rides in the early morning hours, there’s nothing I wouldn’t give to do it all over again.
In closing, I have to say thank you, all of you. There’s no way I can possible say thank you enough for such an amazing experience. I’ve seen more of the world than the majority of people I know. I have friends on nearly every continent. We met as a ragtag gang of international strangers. We leave as a family. These moments will remain, preserved in photographs, fostered in the warmth of our hearts, eternally.
All my love.
Rae
A Little Slack in Japan 