here there everywhere

Isn't it true that right now you could be happy living in hundreds of different places? You could be living on the African continent somewhere in one of the thousands of amazing places it hides to most of us. You could be cross-country skiing in Vermont during your afternoons with a deep blue sky above you. You could be by the McKenzie river on your way to Bend. You could be swimming in a fresh water pool under a waterfall on one the Hawaiian islands. All of these locales could offer you meaningful work as well. Or maybe you feel differently, but for me I feel this way.

Alas as I know now that I will become one of Ubuyama's five JET alums I think that I could've been happy here another year, maybe even two. I could've watched the kids growing up, the trees getting taller. I could've learned Kumamoto dialect more thoroughly. But I also know that there are many other things that I would be happy doing. I could be in Europe teaching or learning something. I could be in Kerala or Patagonia doing some sort of project there, maybe even teaching little kids. The great thing about kids around the world is that as vulnerable and little as they are, they are also very resilient. So at least I know that the kids of Ubuyama will be fine without me. They may even be lucky and get another good foreigner living here after me (there were good ones before me so there is no reason to think there won't be good ones after me). It's hard to imagine someone not being a kind person to these kids. Anyone who comes here will, by nature, become incredibly nice just because that's what working with these kids does to someone.

I am also pretty resilient. I manage to be carried around the world and be fine. Saying goodbye is not always the funnest thing but it builds character. And today I learned that my bosses are not that mad at me for leaving after a year. I think they understand that I can only do what I can do and sometimes life pulls you somewhere and you can't really help it.

My journey/quest/chaos will be leading me to many more places. I hope that in the future I will be able to see the enchantment of the world. I think that it is impossible to always experience wonder but still important to remember to try. Sometimes the world may seem like a very dull place indeed. I remember countless hours of dullness in the world around me during my teenage years. But there is nothing as interesting as when you can look around at the plants, animals, and artifices around you and be in awe of them. They truly are bizarre happenstances. This all is. Sometimes it takes a bit of a jolt, a bit of a jaunt, or a bit of world traveling to see this. Sometimes, on the other hand, traveling can take the wonder right out of you. In any case, I recommend not forgetting its possibility in your life. If this makes no sense to you please email me and I will do my best to explain.