If my sister, the fearless world traveler, could see me now, I’m sure she would be proud. It’s midnight here in my kitchen in Tokushima; the room heater’s gas has long run out and my carton of milk tea quaffed many hours before. My Lonely Planet has been highlighted, dog-eared, and tabbed; a whole notepad of my hosts’ has been abducted, with maps, times, rates, and interesting places filling each page. It’s so hard to believe that I’ll wake up tomorrow and milk the goats—MY goats—for the last time; that this time tomorrow night I’ll be half-way to Tokyo; that by this time in a week, I’ll (if my plans all somehow manage to fit together) be prancing with snow monkeys and soaking in hot springs in Nagano and Gifu.
I can’t really even begin to describe how wonderful this experience has been. As recollected in my prior post, it’s really changed my outlook on Japanese people, and made me realize, in a positive way, mistakes I made while on my exchange two years ago. The life here has just been so wonderful; so full of wonderful conversations, laughter, cake, puppies, and fascinating things. I don’t know where to begin in describing how cool everything has been. I’ve fallen in love with the puppy I named a few days after I first arrived and we sleep together (against Sensei’s will) under my big fluffy futon every night; I know how to take care of 11 goats; I can make a mean (and well decorated!) bowl of ramen and I’ve learned at least the basics of Japanese waitressing. Seeing pilgrims on the side of the road, learning crazy shikoku dialect, playing with frogs and drinking mountain spring water…getting to be a part of this ever-changing family has been more than I could have ever hoped for. Who ever thought, when I first read my host’s description on the WWOOF host site, that it would actually be so great?
I’m sad I wasn’t able to post more because I always have things to say about being in Japan; however, in a way, I am SO thankful that my computer access was limited. It really allowed me to get a good re-grasp on my Japanese, and made me truly enjoy the communication I was able to have. It was just how I wanted it to be!
Like always I feel as though I have so much more to say, but it’s almost one (slightly bad when you’ve gotta get up at 6:30) and I still have so much to do before I can take a long soak in the bath and snuggle under my futon for the last time.
I can’t wait to get to post pictures of my travels! I don’t quite have the time or the energy (I’m so pooped!) to write about my travel plans in detail, but I’ll make a festive post about it in a few days when I stay in Tokyo. On the itinerary thus far is a pilgrimage to the grave of the Ultraman creator’s grave, a wild monkey park, one of Japan’s three Great Castles, and a UNESCO world heritage site…with dreams of conbini lunches, ramen dinners, and milk tea desserts, I’ll leave you goodnight!
Lucy’s WWOOF Adventure, from October 3 to December 4: SUCCESS!
Game on, travel!!!
SAY HI TO THE MONKEYS FOR ME!
Posted by: Nancy | December 12, 2007 at 09:02 AM