I went home to Texas

It's not like me to write an article out of order, but today I am going to talk about leaving Japan before I write about the Kyoto trip (that my friends sent me on...which I will likely write about in a few days). Where should I begin? My stay in Japan has finally ended. I was happy to come to Japan in April 2006 to do graduate studies at Nagoya University, but after being in Japan for a long while my opinions started to slowly change. There are things that are difficult for me to accept (not about the culture, but rather about the way that people who are not Japanese are treated and the difference in education...no specific examples). Eventually, I decided that it would be better for me to return home and continue my education in the US. Fortunately, during my stay in Japan, I made many friends from all over the world (well, from a lot of contries anyways) which made my time in Japan better. Of course while I was in Japan I missed some people back home, but now I'm going to miss having good times with my friends in Japan. So, instead of making this a really really long post talking about all of the things that I liked and disliked in Japan I decided just to post a lot of my favorite pictures (but not all of them because that would take a VERY long time).

























I still have yet to read over every article I wrote for my blog (something I ment to do on the plane). My last few days in Japan were hectic. I was trying to finish as much of my research as possible before I left and could not make much progress because the people who made the sample holder I needed for the experiments took too long to make it and when I did finally receive it, it was too small and I therefore had to make a lot more samples and spend 4 times longer than what it should have taken me (that drained most of my time). On Saturday (the 8th) some friends and I went to Kyoto (article coming in a few days). It was rather interesting. On the 9th I had to go to the lab and try and finish up my research until around 3pm. Later that night we had a 'going away' party for me (article will be with the Kyoto article in a few days). It was rather fun. I ate a lot of tebasaki (like spicy chicken wings...famous Nagoya food). When I returned back to the apartment, I had to start packing (nothing like waiting until the last minute). It's a shame that one cannot have it both ways. Out side of the people that I know, I don't think there are too many things about Japan I will miss (it would be great if my friends in Japan were to live around here, but that doesn't seem possible). I have a language exchange friend that I would talk with once a week, but there is a good chance I will never see her again. My friends from other countries still have some years in Japan. But, slowly they too will start disappearing from Japan (maybe a few will choose to stay there for good). I was not the first to go (I guess that would be Flavia), but it feels different when you are the one who is leaving as compared to saying goodbye to somebody else who is leaving. Maybe I will go back to Japan for a couple months over the summer (if I can). Now I will have to re-name my blog (of course Texas will be in the title) and find a new theme. But, I guess my friends and I can keep contact with each other threw the internet. Don't know when I will get to see them again. Anyways, Flavia is returning to Japan to visit them pretty soon. That should be interesting (unfortunately I won't be there). And, if any of my friends are reading, I want you to know that I had a great time when y'all were around.
Adios
-Ben
(Kyoto trip and goodbye party will be posted in a couple days, then an article about looking for an apartment and a car, and then a Christmas article...if everything goes as planned.)