closing credits...

2 days and counting until I leave Japan. The anxiety and stress of moving is settling in. The sadness of goodbyes is in the air. I'm sitting in my apartment, surrounded by a pile of clothing waiting to be put in suitcases, gifts from students, my camera, a photo album and other bits an pieces.

The last few weeks in Japan have been so meaningful. Travelling around Japan, spending time with the people I love here, numerous lunches and dinners spent together and alot of special moments that I want to keep in my pocket. Among the most special moments this year have been recieving an antique kimono from a student; standing on Mt. Fuji; witnessing a wedding march in Kyoto; seeing a geisha for the first time; partaking in a tea ceremony; being alone in an onsen, at night, in the rain; feeling leaves crunch under my feet in Kyoto; being treated for a beautiful meal by a stranger in Shirahama; sitting next to my friend Emi at the Yodogawa fireworks in Osaka; wearing kimono; talking with all ages of Japanese people; saying goodbye to a student and hearing her say "I enjoyed learning English because of you". These moments have been beyond me.

Everything just feels like its coming to an end so quickly. Its overwhelming. The something that I have found in Japan...is now being uprooted. All of Japan - its people, places, quirks, quiet moments, busy moments, and mysterious moments. Everything has made an impression on me. A part of me will always be here.

I guess this is just all apart of life. Things change, surprise you, encourage you, frustrate you, make you cry, make you laugh, give you courage, sober you, and inspire you. My experience in Japan has made me realize one of my new found passions is working abroad. This passion will now take me to China, starting in January.

As I'm wiping the tears from my eyes now, I think of what has been, what is, and what will be to come in the future.