This week the office lady has called me in for a couple of meetings to discuss end of contract formalities. Aside from the reminder that I should pay all my bills before I go and cancel any outstanding mobile phone / internet contracts, she also requested a date for my return in August / September. Now she has all the details and a set date, she'll be booking the ticket next week to make sure the prices don't rise any more.
Since then, I've been feeling really sad about it. Now that I know when I'm going home, it all feels a bit more real that my big JET adventure will be over in a few months. There are things about going back to the UK that excite me, but on the whole I've fallen in love with this beautiful country and its amazing people and I don't want to leave.
I've never been much of a tourist. I've been to a fair few places, and of the past six years of my life I have spent three of them abroad. But I'm not into visiting only the tourist spots and taking the photos that everyone takes. It can be fun, and I do it on occasion, though I prefer living in a place and building friendships with the people around me. I like to use the local shops and drink in the local cafes. I get a kick out of learning a new language and picking up local slang. The issue with this is, by the time I have to leave, I have already formed attachments. The culture shock that I went through when I arrived was intense; but it's nothing compared to the reverse culture shock I'm going to experience when I go back.
I'm going to miss the friends I've made, JETs and Japanese alike. I'm going to miss the food. The efficient public transport system. The mannerisms of the people around me. The mountain outside my apartment. The harbour of Kobe. Seeing the whole of Osaka bay stretch out in front of me from the window of my visit school.
Now I have a countdown, I'm having to think realistically about my time left. I've got many things planned, including a trip to the theatre, a baseball game, climbing Mount Fuji and visiting a few other places in Japan. I'll upload as many photos as possible to this blog so you can all see my last few treks out here. I guess Japan will make a tourist out of me yet..
