12 Hours Left
In about 12 hours I will be at the airport, checking my bags in and sleep-walking to the terminal. I’m reminded of the last time I went to Japan, I was in a lonely little terminal in the back of the airport, and I fell asleep, only to be awoken at the last call for boarding my plane. That was kind of scary… so let’s hope that doesn’t happen again.
I’ve sent a letter to my host parents in Kanazawa (finally) and a letter to my branch in Fukui. I’m really excited, but now I’ve got the last-minute-did-I-pack-everything-I-need” jitters. Tonight I’ll be eating my last cheesesteak/hoagie/pizza/taco — whichever I decide upon — in a long time. Wow… I’m gonna miss a lot of things. D&D, American junk food, lounging around and watching DVD’s, LAN parties, wargaming, not to mention being able to speak. Friends too, of course, and my birdies!
The craziest thing is that this is something that I’ve been determined to do for so many years now… since mid-high school when I first picked up a Japanese language book and though, “Hey, this language is really interesting, and actually possible to learn!” Now here I am, 8 years later, actually doing it. 8 years — that’s 1/3 of my life — has been spent waiting for this, and now I’m about to go do it.
What’s left to do today? Panic a little more about packing, dinner with my family, one last card game with my D&D friends, some quality time with my birds, and then maybe finish watching Evangelion! Next time I write here, I will be on the other side of the planet, and a day ahead of the rest of you.
I’m off!