Wrap-up in Japan

I'm planning to write a final post after I get back to the States and have a chance to process everything that's happened this summer, but today is my last chance to update from Japan, since my roommate, Stephanie, is leaving tonight (sad day!) and taking her computer (which I've been using all summer) with her.

Our trip to Shizuoka was a lot of fun, and mostly gave us a chance to relax and hang out with the team there. We went to three different public baths, watched a movie, and played card games and video games. We also climbed Mt. Fuji, but I found that part much less fun. Fuji-san is a dormant volcano, so the path is made up of volcanic rock and is very slippery (also, steep). The rest of the group that went made it to the summit, but I stopped at station 8, a little more than halfway between our starting point at station 5 (halfway up the mountain) and the summit. Thanks to advice from the team leader in Shizuoka, we were all safe and mostly prepared for the climb, but we were very sore for the next few days, and therefore very grateful for the relaxation time we had afterward.

The time since we got back from Shizuoka seems to be wrapping up faster and faster. On the 31st of July, I went to see Harry Potter with a couple of the Japanese girls I've gotten to know this summer. I liked the movie, possibly because my expectations were lowered due to other people's reviews. We had our last staff meeting on Saturday, and our last fellowship meeting last night. Today and tomorrow we have farewell parties with students, we're planning to go to fireworks on Wednesday, and then we leave very early Thursday morning to head back to Tokyo before flying home on Friday.

It's been a full, fun summer. I've really enjoyed starting some friendships here, and I hope that those will continue even when I'm back in Arizona. I am starting to think more and more about home, though, and I know I'll be busy from the moment my plane lands with preparations for school this fall. I'm very thankful for the opportunity I've had to spend this summer in Japan, however, and I want to say thank you once again to everyone who helped to give me this opportunity and to everyone who's read this blog.