My last days in Japan were busy ones. I flew home the day after graduation, so I spent a few hours eating and saying goodbye to classmates, then went home to pack. Saying goodbye to my girl was hard, but Skype makes parting a lot less sorrowful. Other final memories include:

I will be back. I will study my ass off, and be fluent in Japanese, and pass the 1kyuu, and move back.

The future is so much more interesting when I think a few days ahead, rather than years ahead. The future seems like a big swirling mass of randomness. Like the ocean. When I was a kid I loved getting in the middle of a wave and letting it carry me. I can point myself in a direction and hope for the best, but I am at it's mercy.

I bought my train ticket to Narita airport yesterday, and tonight I will start to pack. Holy crap.

I thought of Old Town in Chicago, and got excited about walking around there. Not sure why, I never spent much time there. It's strange coming from Tokyo to Chicago. I used to think Chicago was a big city. And Tokyo trains run on time. But the burritos and pizza are in Chicago.

Today is my last Kanji test, I think I might blow it. This term went a little quick for me.

I mean the change in my change basket. Aside from that, everything else is changing tremendously. But that's not what I wanted to talk about.

Before I came to Japan, I took 6 coffee cans full of change to the Coinstar at the local supermarket, and ended up with about $250.00. I, like many other men (I hear), accumulate loose change. At stores, I try and fumble in my pockets to give the cashier the extra .02, but there is something embarrassing to me about digging around my pants while I am being watched, so I usually give up after about three seconds.

Ranalli's - Thin crust pepperoni, well done.

The Brauhaus - Saurbraten

Indian Garden - everything

Moody's - Cheeseburger

Then Chinatown and Koreatown and Mexican and Little Vietnam. Maybe a Greek salad at this place I know. More later.

Well, I didn't go to Kamakura last weekend, I ended up having a lovely day with my girlfriend shopping. We bought stuff for Skype and a few presents for friends and family back in the States.  Time spent with her is better than time spent alone, I think. As we were testing Skype, she said that she thinks she will be okay if we can communicate like this. It was good to hear.

Tomorrow, I am going to try to go to my favorite place around Tokyo, Kamakura. If you are ever in Tokyo, I insist you go visit, especially if you won't be going to Kyoto or any of the older-style cities. There are temples everywhere, and it's kind of a sacred spot for me.

I was planning on doing it alone, but I have gotten tired of being such a dramatic, solitary person. Maybe I'll invite a friend. Since I was a kid, I always preferred to do things by myself, and lately I have grown to like others' company.

...in all countdowns. 6 days of school. 2 weeks in Japan (14 days). 3 tests. 3 days of work.

I have all my shippable belongings almost ready to go. My 2 guitars, some clothes, etc. I think I'll be able to make it to Chicago with only a duffle bag, computer bag, and a carry-on. Tomorrow, I will take the boxes to be shipped.

As usual, I feel like my Japanese is about to turn a corner. I guess it's a circular path though. It's always turning a slow curve. But things are getting easier to express, and Japanese people tend to understand me more.

I am substitute teaching 4 more shifts, this week and next. I still have a hard time remembering which class is which. I can't imagine that I will ever be a real teacher, since I have trouble remembering 4 student's names, let alone 25 or 30.

Today I have a class that I taught last week for the first time. The one boy in the class is kind of a smart-ass, until he discovered that I speak Japanese. I have to be careful not to let him know that if he speaks at native speed/vernacular, I probably won't understand him.