Final Week! (...sad...)

As of tonight, I officially have one final week left in Japan.

I spent today doing some shopping in Sakae and seeing some more of the city with some friends.  Tomorrow I will try to get some studying and my homework finished, and then spend the night clubbing and drinking one last time.

My upcoming week includes 5 more classes of Grammar, which will all be included on our final exam on Friday, my last Seminar class, a short presentation in Society, some time out with our Society professor at a local izakaya, a Karate final, my last Kanji exam, and an interview.  Then there is also the Going Away/Christmas Party on Friday night.  Afterwards, there is rumor to be a "better" party for those of us in the Seminar House.  I am contemplating staying up all night since I have to check out at 9am on Saturday and catch a cab to the train station that will give me a train to the airport where I have three separate flights before I finally arrive in Portland.

My flight plan is as follows:
1:35pm - Nagoya to Tokyo  (arrive 2:45pm local)
6:25pm - Tokyo to Vancouver, Canada  (arrive 9:55am local)
1pm - Vancouver, Canada to Portland, OR  (arrive 2:25pm local)

The layovers are going to be killer!

"It's All Downhill from Here"

I don't think the original user of this quote quite grasped just how much it encompasses.  Yes, there is the typical feeling of everything becoming easier as the time in question comes to an end.  But I don't think anyone else has realized just how far downhill your brain goes, as well.

There are now 2 weeks left of classes for me.  The last 3 days being made up of a mixture of classes and tests (save the last day which happens to be 2 tests and no lessons).  And here I sit - not at this precise moment - in class failing to pay attention for the entire period.  My mind wanders so easily now; I am either thinking about what I need to do before I leave, what I wish I could have done, the worries that will haunt me until I either receive those emails I have been praying people send me or my return to Iowa for the Spring semester. 

I get out of class and hardly want to look at Japanese anymore.  My brain just wants to shut down and hybernate for a while.  My performance in class is getting worse, and I find myself not understanding questions that I could understand no problem two weeks ago.  The possible explaination is that I am just worn out.  13 classes a 5 days can really wear you down.

My upcoming test dates are as follows:
Wednesday, December 16th =  Karate (4th period)
Thursday, December 17th =  Kanji (1st period)
Friday, December 18th =  Grammar/Listening (2nd period) & Interview (3rd period)

I fly out on December 19th at 1:35pm Japan time and should arrive in Portland at 2:30(ish)pm Pacific Time on the same day.

From there I intend to spend my entire 1 month vacation NOT thinking, working out, and spending my free time either sleeping or hanging out with friends.  Personally, right now the sleep sounds like more fun.*


*It is currently 2:15am for me, and I have been unsuccessful in my attempts at sleep in the past 3 days.  I have a feeling it will only get worse from here...