As we enter the month of June, it is with a heavy heart that I begin to look towards the end of the dream. Classes will end in nine weeks, and I will soon have to return home to Hawaii. I honestly cant believe that so much time has passed, and that my time here will be over soon. Dont get me wrong, I want to go home, and I miss Hawaii so much, and yet, this school, this city, the people, it's all become important to me. But since I cant stop from marching on, I need to make the best of the situation. I need to do what I need to do, experience what I still have not, and crystalize these memories into something much more tangible than the electrical wisps that spark in my brain.
It is surprising and unfortunate, but I still have not spent much time in the city in the nine months I've been here. Besides the shopping district of 本通, I havent really been to the 原爆ドーム Atomic Dome, which was something I really feel like I should visit. I also hear that there's a really good art museum in the city, and while I'm not an art buff, it should still be interesting to visit. And finally, there are several big department stores, like Tokyu Hands, which I havent been to yet.
In the prefecture, there are also places I should really visit. Onomichi is in the eastern part of the prefecture, and has a lot of temples. In fact, most of these temples belong to a pilgrimage route, although I'm not sure I'm willing to do that. And according to my friends that have gone there already, there's a really good ramen shop, run by a Japanese guy that lived in Miami for the last ten years. Also in the east is Fukuyama City. My reason for going there is quite personal: the Matsuo family originated there, back when it was called 沼隈郡, in the village of 千年村. While I dont know where exactly that village was, or where I would look for it, I would like to at least visit the area. If I dont, I will feel that I wasted my time here in Hiroshima prefecture.
To say that I've made friends here in Hiroshima would be a bit of an understatement. I wont deny that we've had our differences, and that under different circumstances we would never have been friends. But we've laughed together, cried together, and had amazing adventures together. Because we'll be going to different places (some to different countries), I want some kind of physical reminder of our time here. The easiest would of course be pictures. We all have digi cams, and I plan on trying to carry mine with me as often as possible. Whether they're of unusual occurences, or simply us hanging out, I want to remember these times. I also want プリクラ with as many people as I can, particularly the Japanese people. Basically the same reasons as the photographs, but because プリクラ are made specifically for friends, there is an added nuance to them.
I havent made my plans to leave Japan just yet, so I dont know exactly how much time I have left. But that's no excuse for being lazy about things. I will use what time I have remaining to make my time in Japan memorable. I dont know when I'll be back in Hiroshima, so I need to do all the things I need to do. And especially for Fukuyama, there is a bit of a personal imperative. And finally, I want physical proof of the friendships I've made here. To that end, I want to take lots of pictures with my digicam, as well as tons of プリクラ. I've got a fun two months ahead of me, I think.
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