My bags are packed, and...

Tonight marks the end of my stay in Tsukuba, Japan. I have now been to Japan four times, beginning with a six week Youth for Understanding trip in 1994. This was my first experience blogging about my adventures, although in 1994 I kept an old-fashioned diary on the advice of my Grandma Bert (my Grandma was not one to give much advice, so when she did give advice, I took it). This evening I was going back and reading some of our old posts, and I am really glad that we have this record of our year.

This was also my first time in Japan when I did not take any classes; instead I was entrusted to carry out my own research. And while I had a supervisory professor in Japan and one back in the US, they almost completely left me alone to do my own thing. This was really nice, but it was also daunting, and a bit overwhelming. So, what did I accomplish academically?

• I wrote two dissertation chapters.
• I conducted 23 research interviews, all but one in Japanese.
• I met with 5 professors and academics at other locations to discuss my research.
• I presented on my research three times, once at my university and twice at conferences.
• I read many secondary sources in English and Japanese.
• I read a large number of Japanese government reports over a period spanning 20 years.
• Japanese newspapers are archived in monthly volumes called "shukusatsuban." I read, or at least scanned, 127 shukusatsuban.

Now I'm ready to finish writing my dissertation and get on with my life!

I am obviously extremely excited to see Kate, since it has been almost five months since we last saw each other. However, leaving has been a bit bittersweet. I have found myself doing a lot of bowing and saying "osewa ni narimashita" which means something like "you have taken care of me" (and implies that I am very indebted for that). Last Sunday I had a potluck party to give away my things, and that was a chance to say goodbye to some of my friends, and on this Saturday night there was a sayonara bowling party for me and two French friends who are also leaving tomorrow. I also had assorted goodbye events with various groups of friends, including a sushi dinner tonight with "the Canadian team," and a Tokyo lunch yesterday with my host sister. I had a goodbye lunch with Nagu and his parents, which was very sad. At the end his dad shook my hand, and then he wanted to shake my hand too. Nagu really likes electronics, and he actually took some photos with my camera. They are pretty funny. I will post them soon, but my camera is now packed.

So, this is the last "fish for breakfast" post from Japan in 2006. I will have to discuss it with my co-blogger, but I have a feeling that "fish for breakfast" will continue indefinitely. And if that is the case, then I also have a feeling that another "fish for breakfast" post will be written in Japan sometime in the not-too-distant future.