(I've actually been home for a few days, but between getting back on a solid sleep schedule and meeting friends and family nonstop, I haven't had time to blog.)
The morning I left for the airport, Maki and Tomoya dropped by Riverside to bring me natto sushi (sushi with fermented soybeans) for breakfast and to say an official goodbye. After making fun of Jordan for trying to cram his guitar case into the back of Yusuke's van, we took a group photo (which Maki hasn't yet posted on facebook) and packed Yusuke, Maureen, Set-chan, Jordan and me inside.
Did I mention it was freezing? And snowing?
On the way to the airport, Ichikawa-sensei called my cell and we had a "final" three-way conversation with her, Jordan and me. I would've cried from saying goodbye to her if we hadn't been running so late; the fear of missing our flight to Narita was my strongest feeling at the time.
That feeling didn't last long, because after Yusuke hugged us goodbye at the airport parking lot and both Set-chan and Maureen gave us hugs at the airport check-in, I couldn't hold the tears back anymore. Not my finest hour, but leaving Sapporo, my second home after almost eight months, had still seemed surreal until that moment.
The plane ride from Chitose to Narita was more like an hour and a half of reminiscing about Sapporo and wondering about our return to American life. Jordan and I sat together (because the check-in attendant assumed we were a couple when she chose our seats) and discussed how we could best reassimilate into American society and not speak in Japanese every time we open our mouths. (I'm still having trouble with this.)
Parting from Jordan at Narita - he flew into Seattle for a layover and I flew straight into Chicago - was difficult for both of us. He was the last living piece of my experiences in Sapporo, and once he walked through the other flight gate I would be alone for the last 15ish hours of my journey home.
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FINAL VIEW OF SAPPORO FROM PLANE
BLOG SOUNDTRACK: Remioromen, "Motto Tooku e"
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