I've just said my last goodbye speech. Soon I'll have lunch with the staff here, and then home. And that's it. I have taken the next week off to pack, clean, and sleep in. I've cleaned my desk, written a helpful guide to my schools, and poorly pronounced Japanese words to 300 students. However, I have yet to sit through a staff meeting before lunch happens, which gives me time to come up with a few lists.
I'm going to miss:
-goodbye music (aka auld lang syne) that they play when stores close
-bowing! its great, no touching and spreading of germs, being polite to old people, what's not to love?
-the love of flowers everywhere
-the covered shopping street-- better than a mall, available in nearly every Japanese city
-seasonally flavoured everything. Apple vinegar, sweet potato, cherry etc flavoured Kitkats, never mind the changing flavours of icecream, candies and drinks
-not relying on cars to get places-- just my bike and the trains. (with occasional help from friends with cars)
-the view from my balcony. Setting sun over mountains = pretty excellent
-the view from my mountains. Valley stretching out, nestled between mountains = pretty excellent
-the Japanese love of uniforms. Sometimes it's ridiculous, but it adds a bit of professionalism to jobs, and keeps people modest, which I've come to appreciate
-konbinis, or convince stores. These places are truly convenient. Usually have a nice clean bathroom to use, great selection of snacks and msc items, drinks etc. Also a place to buy concert tickets and pay bills.
I'm looking forward to:
-seeing my family on a regular basis, not through a computer screen
-seeing my niece and nephews grow up
-buying hummus, sharp cheddar, raspberry yogurt, pie...
-coffee time at home, with whipped cream
-ok, food
-driving and singing along to the radio
-not being overly aware of English conversations of strangers. You hear English on a train, and you can't help but listen. It makes things a bit awkward sometimes.
-easy access to English books
-not watching TV or movies via crappy internet streaming sites
-having garbage cans placed in convenient places on streets
2009年7月17日金曜日
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