Last Minute Reflections

I’m leaving.

It has finally set in.  I switch through these intense moments of anxiety in which I think I CAN’T POSSIBLY LEAVE!  I STILL HAVE TO DO _____, ______, AND ______!  THERE’S THE KITCHEN FLOOR THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE MOPPED, THE LAST LOAD OF CLOTHES TO BE WASHED, MY BAGS TO DOUBLE CHECK, AND SO MUCH OTHER STUFF THAT I CAN’T POSSIBLY LEAVE UNTIL IT’S DONE!!

Then I switch to these intense moments of pure excitement.  I’m going home!!!!!!!!!!  As I write this, there’s an intense excited sensation in my belly—kind of like when you are at the apex of a roller coaster and waiting for it to plummet down.  Before I get there, I get to have a few more incredible experiences, including climbing Mt. Fuji, visiting Tokyo, and something that I’ve always wanted to do, go to Hawaii!!

I have successfully completed my bucket list of things that I wanted to do before I leave Japan.  I created a list back in May of last little things that I wanted to do, including camping one more time, taking the 219 to Miyazaki, swim one last time in the Yunomae swimming hole, hike at the Mizukami waterfalls, play at the Taragi rocket ship park, and a few other things.

Ian and I have prepped for this day.  We’ve both found jobs, found an apartment, switched the car insurance for my car back into my name, and are looking at health insurances.  For the past week and a half we have deep cleaned our house (even moving the refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, and washing machine away from the wall so that we could clean behind them!).  When my supervisor came over yesterday to check the house, she basically said, “Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!  I don’t have to clean anything in this house after you leave!”  Ha, ha!  I love my supervisor!

This will probably be my last blog written in Japan.  I may be able to squeeze one more out while in Tokyo, but if history is any indicator, I generally don’t blog well while I’m traveling.  As one last Japanese entry, I wanted to mention some of the things that this wonderful, amazing, incredibly enlightening experience has taught me. 

1) You don’t have to speak the same language to communicate.

This one is sooooooooooooooooooooo true.  Today my supervisor took me to the mayor’s office to say goodbye to the mayor and all of the town officials there.  The last time I sat in the mayor’s office was that first day two years ago.  I was offered hot green tea as sweat rolled off my forehead and people chattered away in conversations that I was unable to contribute to.  Today I was able to ask and answer questions and give a short speech in semi-broken Japanese.  I digress—in the past two years, I’ve used more choppy three-word sentences, wild waving hand gestures, and even pictures to get my point across than I ever have in my life.  Most of the time it works!  If it doesn’t work, a simple smile and nervous giggle at least shows that I’m trying!  Body language is also an important factor, and I’ve learned that here.  I’ve heard that 90% of communication is non-verbal, and I completely believe that.  

2) Kids don’t care if someone is “different.”

Kids understand that I’m “different,” but they don’t see that as a bad thing.  (Racism is a learned behavior that if developed is more prevalent in JHS.)  They are curious about me and want to run their fingers through my hair, touch my freckles, pinch my arm fat, or run their fingers over the hairs on my arm just to see what it feels like.  However, they aren’t racist.  They love me regardless of my inability to speak Japanese to them.  They want to see how I react to situations, what I do, how high I can jump, fast I can run, or how many cartwheels I can do in a row.  They are fascinated by the simplest things that I do, like eating with chop sticks or sticking my tongue out at them.    

3) It’s possible to feel like home is in two different places.

Gack!  So true!  I realized this once we got back from our summer vacation in the States last year.  When we were at “home” in the States, things didn’t seem right.  We missed things about Japan, like gas attendants pumping our gas for us or the mountainous scenery that Yunomae provides.  Once we got back to Japan, our lives seemed more settled, but we missed the States.  We missed the friends and family that we had just visited and being able to speak our native language.  Ian and I both feel torn between Yunomae and Paducah.  In both places we simultaneously feel like it’s where we belong and yet……not.

4) Soup can be eaten with chop sticks.

Ha, ha, ha!  This one is definitely a little less heavy-handed.  My first morning in Yunomae my host family prepared traditional Japanese breakfast for me, miso soup along with a few other things.  My host mother sat the miso soup down in front of me with chopsticks.  I had an instant panic moment as my eyes darted around the table in search of a spoon.  There wasn’t one, but I noticed one of the boys pulling the larger chunks of tofu out of the bowl with his chop sticks and then slurping the broth down straight from the side of the bowl.  Ta-da!  This is how soup is eaten with chop sticks.

5) Feeling like an outcast is a ridiculously humbling experience.

I won’t say that I know what it’s like to be a minority because I’ve only had to be one for the past two years, not my entire life.  However, I definitely have a greater appreciation for what it’s like.  When the store clerk follows me around the store because he/she is afraid I might steal something just because I’m “different,” I understand.  When old people and very young children stare at me because I’m the only “different” person for miles, I understand.  When I don’t do things correctly because I don’t know the social norms, I understand.  It’s been an extremely valuable experience, and I wish that more Americans could have it.  I feel like that would cure some of those race issues that we have…..

6) In the age old nature vs. nurture debate, I’m now leaning toward nurture.

I know this is an ongoing debate of whether certain things in life are what we are born with or learn from our care givers and surroundings.  After living here for two years and seeing the difference between American and Japanese students, I feel like nurture is a stronger component of this debate.  Students here are taught morality from a VERY young age and as a result turn into adults who know right from wrong.  They don’t even contemplate stealing things and are constantly watching out for their neighbors.

These are just a few of the lessons that I’ve learned.  This entire experience has been more rewarding and beneficial than I ever could have imagined.  I will miss Japan and my tiny town of Yunomae.

Until next time, Japan.

Thanks for the memories.