Familiar Faces

I just put Pete on the shinkansen (bullet train) back up to Koriyama. He decided to come visit me this weekend in Utsunomiya, given that I've come up to visit friends up there so often. It was really good to see him!! Utsunomiya is a larger city than Kori, and to be quite honest, the foreigners here are less than friendly. I've been missing my crew up north and have, on several occasions, considered switching jobs *again* to move back. But I won't. I'd rather just come home in July and so that's where my sights are set. Still, it was wonderful to see him. We went out to the Lion's Head and talked to the same drunken blokes I mentioned last time from Honda. Then wandered up to Birdland for a dance (they let us in this time). Today we basked in the autumn sun and up to the shrine. The wind blew. The leaves fell. We talked for hours about traveling, Japan, life, people, love, purpose. It was all good and much needed food for the soul. (No mom, we're not dating. He's 21 and has a japanese girlfriend he is over the moon about.)

Let me know if you'd like to see the most recent photos!