The last goodbyes. Wow. You don't know how it's going to hit you until you're in that moment. This week I've been oscillating between excitement and nostalgia, with a few ohmigod-this-is-really-happening moments of panic. Now I understand the phrase roller-coaster of emotions.
Here are some moments from my final week "back home" ~
For Easter, Aunt Kathy and I cooked up a Paleo-tastic four-course dinner!! Bask in the beauty of this delicious, heart-healthy ensemble: cauliflower salad, zucchini salad, butternut squash, and spaghetti squash with chicken tikka masala. This was before diving in to the carb-smart vanilla ice cream (yum!).
After dinner, I was surprised with a very special box of hand-picked Easter candies. The holiday was a meaningful celebration because I got to spend it with people I love.
Speaking of people I love...! Julie and I had our last sushi outing. She is very concerned about my safety when I'm in Asia. As a redhead, I'm an easy target as a foreigner. She assured me that if I were smuggled into a trafficking ring, she would buy me in order to save me. I mean, what better token of friendship could you ask for?
Bronzer... you were the best car a girl could have asked for. You never let me down (except that one day when I had senior finals! But, y'know, forgive and forget). I hope your new owner takes good care of you. We've been through many years together. Remember when we celebrated your 175,000 mile-a-versary? That was something. Thank you for taking the hits and keeping me safe on those crazy highways. No, no - don't leak oil, this is hard enough. I love you, man. *sniffle* Goodbye!
Happy Birthday, Chrissy!! I promise to take lots of pictures and go on crazy adventures so you can live vicariously through me until you can visit Japan again in person! I feel prepared for the trip now that I've been fairly warned about the size of hotel bathrooms and the mad origami skills of Japanese three-year-olds, haha.
Hung out "behind the scenes" at the Detroit News office space. You wouldn't guess it takes so many people to keep the place running. It was really cool to be inside the newsroom of a major paper, even on a Saturday when there are just a few people holding down the fort.
Something special I wanted to experience before I left was a classical music concert. Laurén made that wish happen! We spent an evening with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, who performed Mozart's Jupiter and a Violin concerto by the talented Karen Gomyo (who you can listen to here). Hearing their music felt like divinity filling the air and moving through you; it was inspiring.
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That's it, my final week has gone by in a flash! It's time to step off this emotional roller-coaster, keep calm, and carry on.
Japan, here I come!
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