October 25 , 2003

Last days in Japan and a look back
Well, it has now been over two months since returning home from Japan. I’m definitely glad to be back home in America, but I still miss Japan. The following entry recounts my final days in Japan and my readjustment period.

Tokyo, Fuji, Sayounara
With my four-day trip to Tokyo and Mt. Fuji only hours away, the time came for me to say my goodbyes to my friends and host family. I had a funny experience as I was saying goodbye to my host mother. Feeling that we had grown close over the four months, I decided to hug her and as I leaned in to do so she shrieked in terror! It freaked her out. I had forgotten that hugging is not a Japanese custom; husbands and wives don’t even hug, let alone a host mother and her charge. After chuckling at the situation, I did the proper “Japanese thing” and bowed several times and told her “doumo arigatou gozaimasu,” which translates to “thank you very much.”

After my not so graceful exit, it was off to Ube for my second appearance on FM Kirara. This time I wowed the crowd with my Japanese skills and again I received fan email. I’m moving up in the ranks in Japanese radio.

Once the radio show was finished we caught an airplane to Tokyo. Again I was the only American on the flight, but by now I was used to this feeling. Tokyo was huge, and I do mean huge.