First to last

When I arrived in Japan, almost everything was a first. First time going to a hot spring, first time practicing with the Tokai Judo Women's Team, first time living on my own... everything was new and exciting.

But now, everything I do is "a last". My last time visiting a hot spring, my last time seeing my roommate, my last time drinking Pocari Sweat and Calpis Water (two drinks I've grown fond of). It feels sad but at the same time, I'm really excited to go back home and hug my parents and brother. I even want to hug our cat. : p And of course, I can't really say it's my last time doing all those things because I am 100% sure that I am coming to Japan again in a few years. But it's my last time... for a little while.

I felt a bit sad leaving the L-Kan (the residence where I lived for a year). It was like a second home. I had my favorite shower... and washroom... and washing machine. My roommate and I had decorated our room and made it ours. It was also my first time living on my own, away from my parents. So evidently, I did quite some growing up there, cooking and doing all my laundry on my own. I'll miss my roommate most of all. We had quite a lot of laughs and funny incidents in that room.

But I am also not sad to be leaving the L-Kan... because of the spiders. During my whole year, I only saw a few, but during my last week, I saw as many as four HUGE spiders in the shower room. I swear, they were about the size of my hand. And of course, I had to be the one to find them.... and one of them, on the morning of my last day! I mean, come on! My roommate joked that they came out to say goodbye... : (

My room back to how it was when I first arrived at the residence

My roommate Anzu (left) and I