貴方たちは友だち

In my first summer as a college student, I met a group of Campus Crusade for Christ people. While I did find them interesting for many reasons, one of the things that struck me was how close they were. These kids were picked from different parts of the country, and had really known each other for a few months before I met them, and yet, they were inseperable, and acted as if they had known each other for years. If Facebook is to be belived, they are still quite close. Maybe not as much as they were when I met them, but they do not treat each other as you would a mere aquaintance. At the time, I assumed this was due to them being Christians. In my experience, many Christians are friendly and open. For us non-religious people, I thought, it takes much longer than a few months to develop such a bond. I think I will be proven wrong on this assumption.

To be honest, I was very pessimistic about making friends here. My biggest fear was actually the other Americans. I was terrified that they would be weaboos, or people who are only interested in the most basic of things Japanese. They're the people that think that by watching hours of anime and clearing Japanese 101 they've become an expert on Japan. To be quite honest, I find these people unbearable, and if the Americans were going to be like that, then I wanted to have nothing to do with them. I was planning to have a bleak and rather lonely year in Japan.

You can imagine my surprise, then, when I made friends here. The Americans are not at all what I thought they would be. True, they have an interest in Japanese pop culture, and possibly pursue hobbies which the average 日本人 would never think about. But their interest has far more depth than anything frivolous. Although a lot of it goes over my head (KPop, JRock, host clubs), it is quite clear that this is not just a passing fancy. And I was also relieved at how they interacted with Japanese culture, something that they may or may not have experienced first hand. What really surprised me was when confronted with foods they had never eaten before, only rarely did they pass on it, or declare that it was inedible. Indeed, with only a few exceptions, they have been most enthusiastic about trying new foods. And it is also worth mentioning that at the ゆかた祭り, they embraced it quite openly. They bought yukata that I felt were worth the money that was spent on them, and had patterns that were very attractive. And none of them fought me when I made it obvious that I did not want to see them wearing shoes, or have their hair down, or something else that would make my ancestors cringe in their graves.

Nine months ago, I can promise you I would not have believed you if you told me how important these people would become to me. How, I would ask, is it possible to become so attached to people you've only known for a few months? How could they become important to you, seeing as they're so unlike you? Why would they be so important to you; you will soon become seperated from them, and in some cases, may never see them ever again? I definitely think that all of us having an interest in Japan has a big thing to do with it. That is one of the common interests we all have. If it wasnt for that, I would have never met these people. And below that, there are the less common, but not less important, similarities, whether it be music, food, or people.

But what really ties us all together is that we've all been there together. We've had to stick together to deal with all the crisises that come with living in unexplored territory. We've cried over relationship problems, and we've laughed at the craziness that comes with mistranslations. We've taken the same ridiculous classes, and also shared countless meals. You know the bond that develops between soldiers on the battlefield? It's a bit of a stretch, but we've been soldiers on this battlefield we call 留学, and we are so very close to victory.

I want to stay in touch with all these amazing kids that I've met here. Facebook and tumblr are poor substitutes for meeting in person, but it's better than nothing. I dont know what the future brings, so I wouldnt rule out that we'll move apart, and on in our lives. But I'm going to try my damndest to keep that from happening. These friendships are so precious to me, and that is something I will always treasure. Thank you, my dear, dear friends.

Making the Best of It

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.