Lost in Transition

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I have lotsa pictures!!! http://jetsetseattle.zoto.com/galleries

Ok. That’s that. I’m not gonna pull a bunch of emo bull in my last entry (sorry Jordan) but rather just finish it off. This part of the Toyko trip is over for now. I know I’ll be going back to Japan, so I guess it’s just a matter of when. Japanese is my major, after all.

If there was some super huge life lesson that I am to get out of this whole experience, I haven’t got it yet. Reading the emails from all of the kids struggling to used to life back in the states again makes me feel that I didn’t do something right, or am not doing something right here at home. But fuck that! Really, I did NOTHING by the study abroad handbook and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. Blowing off lame assignments to go hang out with my temple’s taiko group taught me way more than just sitting in my room and filling in worksheets. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change much of anything. And coming home has been surprisingly pleasant, considering I partied it up in a foreign country for four months. I sleep, I read, I watch cartoons, and I eat food that’s bad for me.

So I didn’t do anything wrong. I know that.

It’s really easy to have lived in two different places and criticize the one you’re currently in. There are good things and bad things about both, and that’s that. So I can’t buy a 1 liter can of beer out of a vending machine 100 yards away from my house. Oh well. I couldn’t buy Advil in Japan. So I can’t win panties out of a crane machine in Minnesota. Oh well. I don’t wear panties.

I guess the overwhelming feeling that I have is that it’s over. Sure it’s sad that I may not see a lot of these people ever again, but I knew that going into this, and I knew it coming out of it. I’m actually pretty ok with that. It seems strange to think that I’m not really all that sad coming out of one of the most exciting times of my life and returning home. I’m glad it happened.

Seriously, though. Go to my photo site. You’ll be sorry. I know ninjas now.

http://jetsetseattle.zoto.com/galleries

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Photos

Chu-hi and Sapporo
Ryoko looks like a Geisha and I look awful.

The bar from Lost in Translation
The 42nd floor of the Park Hyatt Shinjuku. Sadly, no Suntory was consumed.

I was accosted
Deer antlers? Hurt.

Another Buddha
Slightly larger and fancies stone flowers.

Comments

[deleted_16075]

I'm really looking forward to going, if I can. It all looks really amazing

[Miranda]

"It’s really easy to have lived in two different places and criticize the one you’re currently in. There are good things and bad things about both, and that’s that. So I can’t buy a 1 liter can of beer out of a vending machine 100 yards away from my house. Oh well. I couldn’t buy Advil in Japan. So I can’t win panties out of a crane machine in Minnesota. Oh well. I don’t wear panties." Alex, I think this may be one of the best quotes I've seen for a long time. Kudos, my friend. And I'd better get a big hug when you get yourself back up to Tacoma : )