A week until Christmas, and school is still in session for me--quite the difference from being free after Thanksgiving as I have been the past couple years. But I already finished all my finals but my Japanese test tomorrow, which hopefully will go smoothly.
All the IES trips are done, so I haven't done much travelling. Mostly I've just been moseying around Nagoya trying to get a fill of my favorite things before I leave. This includes delicious Japanese food, shopping at Oosu Kannon market, going to en-nichi (or good day, a farmer's market-like affair) at the local Buddhist temple Koshoji, and haunting my favorite izakaya with good friends. The other day, since I had free time I rode my bike down to Heiwa Koen, a huge park full of walking trails with a gorgeous view of the Japanese Alps, next to a rolling cemetery. It was a beautiful, clear and sunny day, absolutely perfect for a long bike ride. I enjoy those peaceful times by myself to see the beauty of the place where I am living.
Soon it will be Christmas, and I feel it will be a warm one since the weather is so mild that the leaves are still turning. I'm planning on having a small Christmas with a couple friends from America, my German friend Maria, and Maria's German friends. We're going to make Christmas cookies and eggnog and celebrate until I leave Christmas evening for a night bus to Tokyo where I'll meet my parents.
When my parents come we'll spend two weeks traveling around Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Okinawa. We'll be spending the New Year celebrating in Kyoto! And in Kobe and Okinawa we'll be visiting our past exchange students Miki and Hiro, so we're all really excited to see these old friends! It should be a great way to enjoy Japan as much as possible before returning home in January.
Jaa Mata!
