One of the hardest things about the year abroad is saying goodbye. You meet so many wonderful people from all over the world, you click, you have a great time together and then reality hits you at their farewell party. As you take another sip of your drink, the music’s load, everyone’s dancing and you realise you are probably never going to see them again.
The world is simply too big.
On Tuesday 4 of my Japanese friends returned home. They were only here for 3.5 months, and god have they flown by. Saying goodbye was so difficult because it felt like I’d only just said hello. I still remember the first day I met all of them, the first conversations we had, the first time we laughed together, the first party we went to…. And now they’re gone. I’d love to visit them in the future, in fact my plan is to save up money and take a trip to Asia after I graduate in 2012, but things and priorities change. I’m going to have this same dilemma when I leave in February with the American, Taiwanese, South Korean, and the remaining Japanese friends. They were some of the first people I met here, and the most welcoming. I hate the thought of our friendship being cut so short.
I’m happy to hear that my friends arrived safely home. I’m happy that they enjoyed their farewell party on Sunday night, it sure was…eventful. I cried as we said farewell in the snow. I continued to cry in my room and on the bus the next morning. Going through something as stressful as a year abroad, you can’t help but get attached to people. I know life will move on and I hope that we will meet again, but for now Marburg seems very empty without them.
Hey, I have read some of your entries. They are really interesting and helpful. I am 20 year old American college student. I just started a blog. It actually has nothing in it so far. I have study abroad in Japan and hope to study abroad in Morocco this summer and Europe probably in Grad School. I didn't have help or blogs to read before I went to Japan and as a result I didn't have the best experience.
ReplyDeleteHope you are able to make it home for the holidays!
Thank you for your comment. It is always nice to know that people appreciate what you are writing. I'm sorry to here that you didn't have the best experience. I hope that my blog can help prevent that from happening to others. Sometimes we expect to much from our destinations and end up either disappointed or fail to adapt to the culture. I hope you have more success in Morocco. Good luck :) x
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