on departures

I am currently sitting in Boston Logan waiting to board the Japan Airlines craft that will whisk me to Japan, where I will promptly forget how to speak and how to person.

Yesterday was a good day, my mom had a little bbq since I'd be missing the holiday; my cousin Niecey (nickname), aunt Kathy, and grandma (nana!!!) came over, and it was quite nice to see them. I felt a twinge of regret for going, because my grandma was sad about me leaving. But what can you do? I suppose I'll find a way to call her without going to the poor house.

My visa and passport came on Thursday. I was so close to panicking, worrying  that I actually mailed my application in too late. My anxious thoughts ran something like this: 'Oh goodness, what if it doesn't come? The people in the visa department, they have to see my departure date, so they'll process it quickly, right?' and 'What if they all think I'm a horrible person for waiting so late to send my app, and decide to punish me by sending me the visa after September 2nd?', except my inner dialogue was much more panickey, made even less sense. My visa thoughts were also narrated in a high, shrill voice. And they were not always PG-13 (note: I've decided to eradicate limit profanity in my blog because, MON DIEU, WILL SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN? Any profanity in previous posts will be edited at my leisure.)

So, for my visa timeline: overnight mailed the application Aug 21st, it arrived at Consulate General of NYC Aug 22nd, I received passport and friends Aug 29, a whole three days before I depart the USA. It was a little horrifying, waiting for it to come, but once I had my passport in my hands, I couldn't help but think, 'Well, that was a little anticlimactic, wasn't it?'

And my mom was right. My visa picture is quite hideous.

At least my passport photo and CoE photo are nice. Not showing anyone my visa picture. Nope.

Also my family is resigned, but think I am quite insane (again). Because, well, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant has been leaking radioactive water. I've been mostly spared from the family lecturing me about 'how I'm making such a stupid decision', how 'disappointed they are that I'm still going [to Japan]', etc. etc. I understand that they do it out of a place of concern, but it's a drag to constantly defend why I would want to go abroad to study a language that's part of my major, reasons why I think I'll be okay because 'everything is not irradiated, really'. But yeah, they're resigned to me doing what I will do, so I'm thankful that they didn't give me as much trouble as I thought. Also, disappointing grandmas is the worst, whether you think they should be disappointed or not : (

Oh, I suppose I should explain the Skyrim portion of my title. Basically, instead of studying for my impending placement tests at Kanda, I jumped headfirst into the Skyrim bandwagon (I know I'm late, I'm a poor student and just saved for a PS3 a few months ago, leave me be) and have been playing Skyrim for 60% of my waking hours the past few days. The other 40% have been devoted to not studying. I guess I'll be utilizing my airport time/ that 13 hour flight... Good thing the tests aren't till next week.

I play a female Redguard named A'tsun, who does not really resemble this random Redguard at all. But,  I am pleased to play a game that lets me create a black character and am surprisingly enjoying killing all the things. Pleased enough to mention the game in a completely unrelated blog.

So, moving on to what I've packed.

List of Important Things I Should Definitely Have:

1. Passport✓
2. Visa ✓
3. Certificate of Eligibility ✓
4. Wallet with Important Things ✓
5. CASH MONEY✓
6. Checked In ✓
7. Printed Itinerary ✓
8. Electronics In Backpack (personal item) ✓
9. Gallon Bag of TSA liquids in case my luggage gets lost so i can bathe ✓
10. Suitcase and all that entails ✓
11. Miscellaneous stuff.... sure, no check for this tho, too irrelevant

Anything else not implicated by this list is probably not that important/I need to get it in Japan anyway so... here's a picture of all my stuff:  EDIT: I didn't take a picture of my stuff.

I was planning on packing light.... yeah, no, didn't work out for me. It was a little difficult, because I was packing for winter too (I've decided to assume it will get colder than I expect), and being as I have to buy food/pay for housing, etc etc, I decided to accept the fact I won't be shopping that much so- no light packing. I mean, I have one checked suitcase and two carry-ons, so it's not to0 bad I guess. I just think my suitcase looks humongous. Curses to winter, always messing stuff up (sorry Isana).

I'll probably update the blog after I've started to take care of things in Japan. Who knows when I'll get a phone, but that'll be a post unto itself, I'm sure...

My mom took this picture. Just thought you should know.

Ittekimasu!