Japan 2009

Tomorrow is the day I fly back to the states.  The past two weeks back home had been filled with great food and lots of time with my family and old friends.  My sister's wedding was very heartwarming and I am very fond of Hiroaki, my new brother.  Yesterday, they came back from their honeymoon, and my mom hosted a dinner party here at home.  Her cooking was amazing and we sat around a table chatting and laughing till very late at night.

Tonight, they came back again to see me before I take off.  Hiroaki has to work tomorrow at 5 in the morning, and he probably should have gone to bed early.  They stayed till 11pm - again we gathered around the table for tea and a cake my mom baked.  One new person brings lots of new conversations amongst people you know too well, or should I say people you thought you knew well.  We got to hear stories from our parents that we've never heard before because of him.  My dad didn't seem to like him before they got married.  My sister is a daddy's girl, so it's understandable that he doesn't like a guy who's taking her away from him.  But things seem to be changing quickly even within the past two days.  I strongly believe it's the power of sharing meals together!

I was thinking earlier how much I miss friends back in the states.  It seems as though my life was put on hold when I come back to Japan because I don't have my every day life here.  This trip made me realize that I have to make more effort to stay close to my family.  Usually, my parents say "no news from Hiromi is good news."  I call home about once a month and come back once a year.  I really should work hard to stay close to my family.  This is my new year resolution for 2010, I decided right now.  (as well as wearing more skirts...  I have to keep up with fashion in Japan :P)

I LOVE traveling, and I mean it

I sometimes forget how much I love traveling, but it comes right back to me when I walk out the door.

A taxi picked me up Friday morning.  When I asked the driver to take me to the airport, he asked where I was flying to.
me: "Japan"
driver: "Japan?  Are you Japanese?"
me: "Yes"
driver: "Wow, I've never met a Japanese before.  You are my first Japanese!"
me: "Ha.  Where are you from?"
driver: "I'm from Africa"
me: "That's where I want to go next.  Where in Africa?"
driver: "Eastern Africa."

The conversation didn't end till he pulled over at the airport.

An hour or so later, I was waiting for the first flight to take off, a lady and her son came and sat next to me.
lady: "How are you?  Do you speak English?"
me: "Yes, I'm fine."

She mentioned that her son is going to Tokyo for his business, and he's taking her with him.  She lived in Japan 45 years ago because her husband was in Navy.  We went through the usual questions like what I do for living, where I live, etc.

me: "Where do you live?"
lady: "... well, my husband and I live on a sailboat and it is in Turkey right now"
me: "A sailboat?  How long have you been living on a sailboat?"
lady: "15 years now.  It takes a long time to get to Turkey from the states."
me: "Wow.  You are my dream.  Now you have to tell me all the stories!"

Her name is Bunny and she told me about what it's like to live on a sailboat, places they've visited and places they want to go next, and how incredible it is to see stars at night - you don't even have to look up because you can see them all the way down to the horizon.  I can only imagine what it's like...  When I told her that I have to experience that at least once before I die, she invited me to come spend some time on their sailboat.  I took out my trusty old notebook and a pen I always carry around when I travel to exchange our contact information.  She said "Sounds like you are an adventurous one and you might actually come visit.  Give us a shout, okay?"  and I told her "Oh good, because I definitely will."

I feel alive when I'm traveling. 

Have I ran out of things to say?

I can't believe 3 months just flew by since the last time I wrote...
During that time, I've accidentally walked rim-to-rim in Grand Canyon, visited California for the first time and enjoyed many different wine, and said good bye to my OPI family.  It was the toughest thing I've done in a long time.  Seriously, how many times in your life you get to work at a place where colleagues would look after you, love you, and treat you like you are part of a family?  I've been feeling heart broken for a while now...