さよなら、私の名古屋

March the 22nd, 23rd and 24th were my last days in Japan (at least this time around), but before I start on how I filled them, pray allow me to wax philosophical for just a moment. A friend of mine who left before me posted many photo's on Facebook during his last few days, claiming that the knowledge he was leaving made everything seem more significant. That sent me thinking along similar lines - I wasn't just leaving Japan, mysterious oriental island nation, nor just Nagoya, home of Atsuta shrine and birthplace of pachinko. I was leaving the place where I'd lived, laughed, cried, loved and lost; everything that had happened in the past seven months could be connected to this city. Furthermore I was reminded of the point put forward by Stephen Fry (and probably others, too) that a University is not a place, but a time - everything is always changing, so if ever I go back to Nanzan I will find it completely different from the school I attended. Although I was still set on leaving I determined to cram as much as pos. into my last days to help the memories stick.

You may recall that I was never too fond of Tuesday mornings, but this one fair trumped them all - a gloomy affair as I plodded toward the CJS office (newly relocated to the newly opened R Building) and filled out the forms for withdrawl from the programme. Admittedly the process was fairly quick and painless, the staff were really nice about it, and even gave me a bag with the school crest on it as a parting gift. I didn't manage to properly say goodbye to my classmates or teachers, though. My excuse was that I was too busy with all my last minute preparations, but the truth is that I was too scared. Scared of them being disappointed in me and scared to admit that I'd become closer to them than I'd first expected I would.

After confirming my withdrawl there was more to do elsewhere - the first stop being the bank to close my account. Again, it seemed so bizarre to think that I'd once spent a deal of time getting lost and navigating with map and compass just to find this building, which was now so familiar. Strange, also, after all the time I'd spent worrying about money and doing my best to live frugally, to be handed ¥340,008 in cash! The envelope containing this wad went into the inside pocket of my coat, and I wouldn't be surprised if I patted it to make sure it was still there once for every yen over the coming days!

Eventually I found a safe place to keep the money

Next was the Ward Office to cancel my Health Insurance and get a little refund for what I'd already payed up to this point. These bits of official business concluded I made my way to my favourite old haunts (taking pictures all along the route) and splashed out on some souvenirs and various things I'd seen in shops and thought of buying "sometime." This burst of retail therapy made me feel much better, and provided a bit of closure, too, for all I know. That evening I went to the supermarket, bought catfood and took away some empty cardboard boxes. I can only imagine what the staff may have thought I was up to.

Good times.