Japan - thoughts after 5 years

I hate to start out every post with 'time is flying'. But it is. August 2007 is almost over. August is the anniversary of our leaving Japan. August 4th 2002, we spent wrapping up our life in Japan. We paid and disconnected our utilities, dropped of our futons and blankets to be cleaned for the new teacher, and spent our last night in Nippon with a dear Japanese couple - the Yusas. We savored the our last bites of Japanese food, the smells of Japan and fellowship with these sweet people.

August 5th - our seven month wedding anniversary - was our departure day. Even after five years, recalling the faces of the people we farewelled that day and the many experiences we had in Japan, is emotional for me. Our last-this-and-that began at least a month before our departure, making for an emotionally draining time. Last day of school, last AET meeting, last worship service, last festival, last time to pay high toll roads (no tears on that one!), last time with so-and-so. Last English Bible Class. And so on. On that final Sunday - we said our last goodbyes to the AIM girls, surrendered our gaijin cards to the customs officials and before we knew it were taxiing away from the Narita terminal, bound for Sydney, Australia and later the USA. As the plane lifted off that night, there was no way for me to grasp all that had transpired from February of 1999 through August of 2002. Let alone comprehend the fact that these were now just 'memories' and not daily life. Our time in Japan was done.

My years in Japan were very formative and a time of challenges and growth. I experienced many of my 'firsts' as an adult. First job. First car. First time to live alone - just to name a few. Had the difficulties been laid out before me, I never would have accepted the challenge to live in Japan for three and a half years. Had the blessings and joys been laid out before me, I would never have believed they would be mine! What was difficult? Language learning and cross cultural communication. Lesson planning. Being homesick. Being sick in another country and culture. Being misunderstood. Making mistakes. Eating things I thought shouldn't be eaten! Leaving. What was a joy? Making progress in language learning. Success in cross cultural communications. Friends. Worshipping in another language or in two languages at one time. Being told I looked like Meg Ryan. :-) Friends. Dating and later marrying my husband. Friends. The relationship with my Japanese family from high school. Having Japanese food whenever I wanted it . . . I could go on all night.

I had hoped to visit Japan again before this long. But I will continue to wait patiently for that opportunity. I expect to feel some 'completeness' when that time comes. I hope that my Japanese skills can hold up until that time!

'O sewa ni narimashita' to all who were, and still are, a part of that wonderful chapter of my life!


(Nicole with Okaasan, Otoosan, and Tomomi. Tomomi stayed with my family in the 10th grade. I stayed with them in the 11th grade for one month. This family lived about 4 hours away by bullet train. But we visited them and they visited us. They constantly took care of me while I lived in Japan).

Early dating days - Kairakuen, Mito.

Hiking

Our kids

The Sasaki family - we used to babysit Seiya and Tomoya

Jason and his friend, Jun

Need I say more? :)