I’m turning 26 years old as rain falls over Kansai International Airport on a grey day, Chopin’s background music in this lonely lobby (my flight departs in two hours; I was the first time in checking in this morning)… a reflection of my mood when the time to leave Japan has come. A time to take stock. Believe me when I say this year passed really quickly. Not even one year ago I came to this very airport with my head full of thoughts and expectations: What would the future have in store for me in this remote land? The answer is the following: an unbelievably great year. I’m leaving behind a lot of good friends, but I’m taking with me a lot precious memories (I forget about the bad ones immediately) and the hope that I will meet them some day (and that’s something even heavier than my 26,5 checked kilos and the 25 I’m carrying as hand baggage, hehe).

As Disney’s song goes “it’s a small world after all”, right?

Thanks to everyone for this wonderful year abroad!

El mundo es un pañuelo
It’s a small world
Sekai wa semai
Die Welt ist ein Dorf