Study In Japan (SIJ) Graduation

For about 4 weeks there has been a group of 14 students from the USA and Australia studying at MWU. Today was their graduation and good-bye party.

They had a completely different schedule and classes than me and stayed with host families, so I didn't get to see too much of them. Yet, saying good-bye was a surprisingly emotional experience for me. There were so many who I wanted to get to know better, and then a few that I really got close with.

But no matter what my emotions are about the　whole issue, the fact remains: in less than 24 hours they will all be sleeping in their own beds... and I will be sleeping in Wakakusa. And in one month's time someone else will be able to say that about me. My life here was only a temporary environment and I'm going to need to say goodbye to everything　I've known from the past several months as I've known it.

Wouldn't trade my trip FOR THE WORLD, but it wasn't easy having the whole "going home issue" surround me all night. Lots of mixing emotions, nostalgia, and "where do I fit in this picture..." And surprisingly, not really any homesickness.

More than anything I felt sorry for these students because they never had the enculturation opportunities I have had which come with allowing the exoticism of something foreign fade into daily life.

I began to stress just a little about going back to the states. I'm really enjoying life here, and I've just finally built an awesomely supportive community - how can I leave here?

Whew! This is a lot of rambling thoughts and I can't seem to coordinate them coherently. So I won't, maybe that will help illustrate just exactly what I'm feeling *right now*