Home again, home again

Well, it's official, dear readers.  I'm home.  I have to say that making landfall in the states was...a bit less happy than I thought it would be.  If anything, I was a little sick to my stomach, having left the mystic land of Japan and the great friends I made to return to the land of grease and excess.  Granted, I have friends and my family living in the states, but I couldn't shake the sentiment.  Still, I've been here only 1 day and after getting some REAL soda and barbecue in my stomach, I can safely say, it's good to be back.

Perhaps I should explain a bit more about my trip and leading up to departure.  I had my hands full before leaving Japan.  I had to clean up my room, the kitchen, basically get rid of the traces that I had been there...then go.  My flight was in the morning, so I was allowed to stay the night, but it was somber, getting ready to leave.  My friends were very kind though, giving me gifts to send me off and spending as much time with me as they could before I left.  It was sad, parting with these people I had come to know so well.  We stay in touch through skype and facebook but...when I was hugging my close friends at the bus stop, I felt an unbearable desire to just stay...even if that would be impossible.

Once I was on the bus, I had to carry three bags and my laptop all the way to the planes, and beyond.  In total, I was in the air about 18 hours, which in truth spanned almost two days since we crossed the international date line in my flight across the pacific.  I took one bus, three trains, three plains, and a long car ride to get home.  I was tired, broken, and a bit ready to just die by the time my parents found me.  Strangely, my depression had subsided somewhat.  I knew that I'd meet my friends again. I'd make that happen.

Still, the trip gave me a lot to think about.  How Japan was different than the states, how my life had changed in the last few months, how I had changed in the last few months...I intend to do some more reflections on them, but suffice it to say, I've been thinking a great deal in the last day or two.

It feels like I'm battling a lot...Jetlag, this sudden loneliness of being separated from my peers, and the culture shock...it's quite a bit to handle.  Just for an example, today I got my first taste of North Carolinian BBQ in almost 4 months.  I was astonished by the taste, by the amount, the size, and by the soda.  In Japan, soda costs almost as much as beer or wine at restaurants.  And NO refills.  This was a good shock, but...seeing the congested roads, I also had a bad shock, pining for the time when only bikes and scooters really crowded the streets.

I'll recover soon, and when I do I'll post more about my reflections.  Suffice it to say, I miss Japan terribly, but I recognize that the states aren't so bad.  I'm glad to be home.  As for my trip?  Well, it was a struggle at first.  Adjusting to the classes, the pop culture, the customs, and especially the food of Japan was tough.  I had problems making good friends and fell in with a few jerks.  But, I got to see some amazing sights and experience the whole of Japanese culture.  That, on its own, would make the trip worthwhile.  But, I also got to meet a number of wonderful people, both Japanese and from other countries.  I forged some great memories.  Obviously, my reluctance to return home should show how much of an affection I gained for Japan.

On the whole, my trip had a few snags getting started, but about halfway through, it picked up and I found a happiness I'd not experienced in a long time.  Traveling to see the sights with my friends was a wonderful experience.  I would do another trip like this in a split second.  I recommend everyone give it a try, actually.  Japan is a wonderful place to visit, even if I couldn't imagine living there...not that I didn't try.

That's all for now...I'm tired and still trying to adjust, so I'll be absent for a few days.  After Christmas though, I'll wrap up this trip with my reflections on, culture, sights, travel, and Japan as a whole.  I'll also give a brief reflection on my most treasured memories.  Look forward to it, dear readers.