Okayama and Thanksgiving Party

It's been a while since my last post and a few things have happened since then. Let me start from the beginning.
A couple weeks ago, I told my professor that I was going back to the United States for good. He took it extremely well and told my academic advisers for me. So, now I am trying to do as much research as possible before I leave. On that same topic (research), I finally received the sample holder that I needed in order to do the high-k dielectrics sputtering (my main topic), but the sample holder is way too small and almost impossible to use. I have to sputter 4 different samples to do one experiment (as apposed to one sample) which takes 4 times longer (which means close to 6 hours). Therefore, I have to waste a lot of time to do that (and will not be able to make the progress that I thought I would be able to in my research at the end of my stay).
Next, I learned (two day before I had to go there), that I had to go to a particle accelerator facility in Okayama (in a town called Aioi) for a couple days. I was apposed and told my adviser that I didn't want to go because I was busy, but he said that SPring8 (the name of the facility) is a very special place and that I need to go. Well, the scenery was pretty good and everything, but we didn't really do anything while I was there except sit around all day and watch other people. I've posted pictures of the place below:





The last picture is posted on a door at the facility...So, what good is a door that doesn't open? It's kind of like that riddle, "If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a noise?" That's kind of like a car with no gas, isn't it? If the door doesn't open, that sounds like a major problem to me. Somebody should fix that door.

I returned from Okayama around 9pm on the 23rd, which was bad because that means that I only had the rest of that day and the next morning to prepare for the Thanksgiving party (which was scheduled to start at 1pm on the 24th). Did you notice how I said 'was scheduled to start?' Well, once again I underestimated the time that the turkey would take to cook in a Japanese oven. Last year we were only able to find a small turkey, but this year we ordered a large turkey from the United States (at a dramatic increase in price... around $100). I started cooking the turkey (which was WAY too big for the oven...we had to put it in at an angle and hold the oven door shut) at 6am and I finished cooking the turkey around 3pm. When I arrived at Kaikan (the place the party was held and also the place I origionaly lived when I came to Japan), everyone (including my host family from Tsu) was there. They didn't mind my lateness though. Most people arrived around 2pm anyways. There is a video of my friend, Paul from Ecuador, carving the turkey while my friend, Celso from Brazil, makes comments.

All and all, the party was a pretty good success. I there were a few other people that I wanted to come that could not, because of the timing or other reasons. This years party was bigger than last years. There was one difference (other than the turkey was bigger than a chicken this year...22.5 pounds), this year we encouraged foods from different countries, where as last year I banned them. My host family told me that they like trying foods from all over the world when I stayed with them in May, so I thought that since they are coming, I would ask everyone from every country to make something from their country. The Brazilians brought a Brazilian chocolate, my friend from Ecuador made something (but I cannot remember the name...although I should because I thought it was a Mexican dish, but they have something similar in Ecuador...that tastes a lot different), there was food from Palestine, Japan, Texas (of course...Texas Chili), etc... So, I think it went pretty well. There are some pictures below:





After the party, I had to focus on moving out of my apartment (I had to be gone by the 28th). Before you move out of an apartment in Japan, they have a person come in a price any damage to the apartment. Well, it seems that my AC was leaking water under my floor and I didn't know about it. But, opposite from the US where the apartment would fix that (I know, it has happened in my apartment in the US...the water heater instead of the AC), the person staying in the room is at fault for the damages it seems. Therefore I will have to pay around $1,000! I was surprised. I wasn't expecting anything like that. So, instead of going home with some money (like I thought I would be), I won't have any. The contractor wants to replace the entire floor and not just the spot that the water damage is (he explained why, but I didn't catch it all) and he also wants to replace the wall that the AC is on (what bad news). I checked with the insurance and they don't cover such things (what good is the insurance if it does not cover the damages?). I guess there is nothing I can do about it.
Anyways, I have moved into my friends place for the remainder of my stay in Japan. Because I am trying to finish as much research as possible before I go, I doubt I will be able to take the trip to Kyoto as I had planned (also, I don't think I will have the money to do it now).
I'm really looking forward to coming home. I think that Japan is a nice place to visit, but I don't want to live here. More recently, many of my friends have been feeling the same way. In fact, I was surprised to hear it from a few of them...they always seem as though they are having such a good time. But, it seems more of my friends share the same feelings as I have about Japan (I guess it is not as easy for them to leave as it is for me).
Speaking of leaving, in order to withdraw form the Monbukagakusho fellowship, one has to go through a ton of formalities (AGAIN). And there are even meetings. I think I have it all taken care of.
On December 4th, I was asked by my professor to go to the lab 'Year End Party' (it's actually just a drinking party...in Japan, most people attend several of these before the end of the year and they can start as early as mid-November) and announce to the lab that I will be leaving on the 10th (because the students do not know yet). Everytime there is a announcement like this, it must be made at a party it seems...I hate public speaking. I think on the 8th I will stop my research (only to continue the last part in Texas and send the final paper back to the lab for publishing in a physics journal...my second publication, but my first with my name as the main author) and try and enjoy my last day in Japan as much as possible (it is difficult to do with the way everyone stares at me in the streets and the facial expressions I receive sometimes...hopefully I can avoid that on my last day).
There will be one last post before I leave Japan about my final week here. But, unless something big happens, there will not be anything before that. Thanks for reading this far.
Quote of the month:
'I sleep away the years in my puny cosmos, while I should be dusting the stars.'
(I wish I could remember who said that, but I cannot.)
Well, I guess I will see you around.