home-coming

This year the rainy season on japans west coast has been accompanied by a hurricane-like atmosphere. Im caught in a whirlwind storm of things related to leaving Japan. Some are fun and uplifting, some are stressful and sad, but all are necessary steps in the process of ending one chapter and beginning another i figure. A couple friends and I threw a sayonara party last Saturday for ourselves [which is so un-japanese-y as they are fiercely humble and uncelebratory, especially for themselves. It appears ive retained some of my former self throughout this experience.] which really concreted the feeling of my imminent return. About 80 people showed up to wish us well and moved me to tears all night long. The actual saying of goodbyes, coming to terms with a whole new life I have fast approaching and dealing with bullshit like an expired visa, the lease on my car and closing bank accounts have my emotions in something of a blender.. albeit on low pulse, just enough to let me know big changes are here but not enough to be debilitating or cause second-guesses.
I spent the last 4 days camping and reveling in live music at japan’s biggest festival, fuji rock.

Now im back in my countryside town for a couple of days to wrap things up before heading south with my friend travis. We are planning to hit hiroshima, nara, perhaps nagoya and tokyo before flying out on august 8th.
It will undoubtedly be with mixed emotions that i touch down in atlanta that evening. The excited threads, the relief, the golden strings tangled up in that mess of emotions will all center on seeing family and friends again. Soon after arriving i’ll attend my 10 year high school reunion in myrtle beach, as if i wont have been emotionally wracked enough at that point. Then it will be on, making the rounds mostly in south carolina, to connect and catch up with the souls i have been virtually out of touch with over the last few years. If you have some time, i’ll have the tiffany. let’s catch up.