Locked Out Of Heaven- Bruno Mars ("Can I just stay here... spend the rest of my days here")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rncev51qUEY
Feel Again and Dog Days- Mike Tompkins- OneRepublic- Mashup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qvmi9yL5Fdw
Today has been filled with happy memories, a few tears, and a lot of looking back on the past 7ish months. It's hard to believe that I'll be leaving my family in less than 24 hours. Living with my first host family, the Akegamis, has been such an amazing experience. I couldn't have asked for a better family and they did truly make me feel like part of their family. In a way, leaving this family will be harder than when I left my actual family back in August. At least with my family back in the US I know I will be returning to them. When I leave my first host family that is it... I won't be living with them ever again. But like I said, they are absolutely wonderful and have told me that if my family (including Maggie) and/or I ever come to Japan that we are more than welcome to visit and stay at their house.
The past 24 hours have been pretty busy. Yesterday I packed my last couple of items and skyped my host sister (who is in MN on exchange) with my host family for the last time. Today I got to sleep late, ate cereal for lunch with my host dad, then Okaasan, Otousan, and I went to a Ikemiya Masanobu piano concert. After that we went shopping because Okaasan was going to make my favorite foods for my last dinner at their house. After grocery shopping they dropped me off at aikido and Shiho and Otousan came back to watch me at the end of practice! I am so glad they came to watch because they got to see me doing something I LOVE! After practice we came home and all had dinner together: curry rice, eggplant and cheese, potato salad, and apples.... YUM!!! Then I was completely surprised when Shiho and Okaasan disappeared for a couple of minutes then returned with presents and a very nice card. It was a really early birthday/going away party! I really am going to miss my family.
Looking back on the past 7 months (which is a long time to spend with one family) I realized how much I have learned and accomplished in my time here so far and that moving is just another challenge/part of exchange. I am excited to see what else lies ahead in the future for me.
Sayonara from Osaka, Japan (the last time at this family's house).
