Oh the places you can go

To be honest, originally I had no idea how busy I would become when it came to the month of my leaving. Basically at the month mark I just got a landslide list of to-do's from myself, friends, the Japanese government and the school (both CMU and NUE).

With everything vying for my attentions it was flattering but has also been kind of exhausting. I have definitely had to prioritize on some things.

For example playing badminton with my Hungarian friend in the dark outside our dorms was definitely a priority, but then again so was going to city hall and trying to understand that they had to adjust my insurance (in my favor), and then on the walk back home I saw a cadaver under sheets that was wheeled right in front of me on a side street that I took.

I am absolutely proud of the amazing people I have met here, locals and internationals alike, and the vast variety of experiences I have had in Japan even up until this point; and I'm not even done yet.

I have one more day left in Nara and I am absolutely continuing to make goals and live ichigo ichie style (similar to yolo but it has a much longer history as a phrase in Japanese).

After my day here is up, myself and the lady Hungarian Horntail will be going to Tokyo, we may see some other international students there or we may not, but we are definitely going to have an adventure or two in Tokyo and then I fly out from Nagoya to Detroit. Then I fly from Detroit to Lansing.

Today is Christmas and personally it hit harder than I thought it would. It seems Christmas is more of a cumulative feeling you get after being around family, getting excited about things and the new year, the good food and people, and the crazy music.

We luckily saw snow last week and it helped to raise our (people used to snow at Christmas time) spirits since many of the Europeans and Americans right now don't feel like it is Christmas.

I tried to watch Home Alone, but that helped a little and then it also made me want to be home even more. In Japan it is almost the opposite with Christmas and New Years. 

They tend to celebrate Christmas more as an after thought and as a couples holiday and it isn't that big of a deal, but oh just wait until New Years-that is a very big deal and families celebrate it together.

I will be home for New Years though so maybe I can have a belated Christmas with family and friends but for the others here they are going to have to enjoy our make-shift international Christmas.

Then later on they can enjoy the Japanese style New Years which is really more like our Christmas as far as how Japanese people spend it with their families.

.............................................................................

So this may be my last post until I return home to Michigan, but I would like to post updates and photos and videos after when I have time so there will probably be more to come. 

`Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!