After three years of painfully waiting I went home during the holidays. It was the first time in my life I was away from Japan for this long, and in many ways I was starting to feel a sense of nervousness about going home. But as soon as I landed I was giddy. First things first, I took a bath (Japanese bath tubs are the BEST, hands down!) From experience, I know being home for 2 weeks sounds long, but it always flies by. I tried my best to use my time wisely. The first 2 days I dedicated to rereading old comic books (all 30 of them). I went to the supermarket with my mother, and bought practically everything I saw. I met up with old friends, and picked up conversations right where we left off years ago without missing a beat. Every day at 5pm, the chimes went off, playing one of my favorite Japanese songs "Hometown". As I listened, I reflected in contentment on the beautiful childhood I was given. As I feel every time I am home, I felt fulfilled. In the end, home is my favorite place.
3年ぶりの日本。久しぶりすぎてちょっとドキドキする気持ちで無事到着。まず、爽健美茶を飲んで一人でニヤニヤしながら駅弁を食べ落ち着く私。無事に実家着いたらまずお風呂。二週間の滞在なんてすぐに終わっちゃうから毎日どう過ごすかがとても大切！今回は久しぶりにときめきトゥナイト全巻を読むことに決めて二日間それだけに集中した。お母さんと買い物に行くときは興奮状態で見るもの全て買う自分。久しぶりに友達と会って3年ぶりのギャップを感じないほど昔の話で盛り上がった。毎日午後５時にチャイムから聞こえる『故郷』を聴きながら自分のふるさとの心地よさに感激。日本で生まれ育って本当に私は幸せものだな。今回も幸せを満喫できる滞在でした。やっぱり阿多 古が一番。