There was a day four years ago wherein I was in Fukuoka, Japan feeling all happy and thankful for the wonderful and very memorable experience my host family brought me… I was also feeling sad as I bade my goodbyes to the people I considered family for three weeks. I rode a plane that brought me to Haneda then rode the limo bus to Narita International Airport for me and my fellow exchange students’ flight going back to the Philippines. The cold Japan breeze hugged me goodbye as I entered the plane and, 5 hours after, I got greeted by the warm Philippine temperature. I was back home.
February 14, 2006…that was four years ago. I was in three places, was in two countries, rode two planes, experienced all the emotions, felt two extreme temperatures, and all that happened on the same day.
May 1, 2010, this familiar scent greeted my sense of smell…and it brought me back to a place where I once had been four years ago. There were times wherein I chance upon that familiar smell as I go through my day to day life and, for a few seconds, I close my eyes, and I was back in Japan. Last May 1, however, as I filled my lungs with this scent to my heart’s content, I open my eyes, and I was in Japan, I blinked…and now, it was for real.
from L-R (Me, Yelle, Ms. Mitzie) this was outside Kansai Int'l airport already.
We were about to ride the MK shuttle that would take us to Shimogamo Academy.
The sweet floral scent of Japan filled the air…how I wished I could take that scent with me back home so that each time I get a whiff, it’d bring me back to Japan. As I walked through the floors of Kansai, International airport, I still can’t believe that I’m back in Japan. But as we stepped out of the airport, the cold but surprisingly soothing air that welcomed us and the still lingering “Japan” scent were enough to tell me that I was really in Japan. It’s a dream come true! Thank you Ms. Mitzie for making this dream a reality. And I’m happy to spend this dream turned reality with the best Japan travel buddies, Karen and Yelle, and Ms. Mitzie of course! The drive going to our place was rather long but very interesting nonetheless. I kept my eyes open and savored the city lights, and the change of scenery as we pass city after city before finally arriving at Kyoto.
“Shimogamo Academy”… the engraving in the marble in front of the gate read. Of course it’s in Kanji and Katakana…I just guessed that’s what’s put there. Being greeted by very warm Japanese ladies and a very charming Spanish lady all bowing to us and house slippers all prepared for us was so Japanese! The staff of Shimogamo academy was so nice and warm. With all the friendliness they showed, the exhaustion from all that happened in one day, and the very soft futon, we all dozed off to sleep with excitement on what will come tomorrow and the days after.
The following days came surprisingly fast but paradoxically long… This needs explanation. Time flew in Japan. Before we knew it, we were packing our luggage (all worried with the baggage limit with all the stuff we got to buy) for the flight the morning after. Yes, time flew…but we all agreed to feeling that the days felt longer than the one-day-is-twenty-four-hours fact. With all the places we’ve gone, all the things that we did, we still can’t believe that our trip was only six days. It felt like we’ve been in Japan longer than that.
I got surprised realizing that in those six days, I found myself in six temples, five shopping areas, two museums, one university, one palace, having early morning walks, getting lost twice (one was a night out in central Kyoto and the other one was during a morning walk), learning the tea ceremony, biking for three hours around Kyoto, laughing a lot, enjoying the ofuro, and enjoying every minute of my stay in Japan.
I loved being in Japan! The whole experience was definitely the highlight of my summer vacation!
And if you’d ask me, if I would want to go back to Japan again, I’m sure you already know my answer.
L-R Karen, Ms. Mitzie, Seiko-san, Me
