Last Times

I wanted to start my last day in the office early to make sure I got everything done before I left the country.  Breakfast was back at the Garden Lounge overlooking the beautiful garden (go figure) and it was overcast out and promising some precipitation.  The walk to work was somber and I purposely wandered through the back streets to impress that upon my mind and not the dull, main traffic street as my last memory.  I pass by Bic Camera knowing that I’ll be here in a few hours to buy a printer and a monitor for one of the users.  I get into work and now know the trick for getting in if I’m the first to arrive.  I apparently am not the first and spend a couple minutes chatting with the one other in the office as I wait for my tea to seep.

Bic Camera is an onslaught to the senses.  I can read about 2% of the displays.  When there with one of the office workers I’m just there to answer the technical questions they may have or I have them translate my questions.  We settle on a printer and a monitor and I carry them out.  They personally strap and create handles for you to carry out your boxed items including wrapping the handle in bubble wrap to make it comfortable to carry.  These people think of everything.

One thing I that sticks out about that store is their very catchy jingle, but if you hangout in the PC department or the TV department for long, you’ll hear the very catchy song from Frozen, “Let It Go”, a few times in English and a version in Japanese which sounds pretty cool.  It’s no AKB48, but it was good.

Getting all the new hardware installed was no problem and I say my goodbyes to some of the office staff that are heading to meetings at the US Embassy and the Japanese Ministry of Defense.  Afterwards, a couple of us head to a shabu-shabu place for my last lunch on this trip.  That was a fun and relatively healthy lunch and even came with a choice of mango pudding or orange sherbet.  That sherbet was perfect for the 85% humidity outside.

The afternoon was filled with last minute emails and minor panic items and me trying to get receipts scanned so I can get my expenses paid.  I say my good-byes and “mata rai nen” (see you next year) and I’m corrected to just “mata ne” (see you later).  That sounds a lot better.  I am looking forward to coming back and helping these people and seeing a bit more of this country.

For the evening, I decide to go back to Akihabara and explore Yodobashi Akiba.  Remember my description of Bic Camera?  Ok,  same number of floors, but the floors are about 8-10 times larger and one floor is dedicated to restaurants.  It was crazy in there.  I wanted to explore a bit more of the Akihabara area after browsing through Yodobashi Akiba but the weather report had lied to me when it said no chance of rain and I didn’t bring my rain jacket with me.  Oh well, there will be a next time.

I take the subway back and as I finish my final trip on the Tokyo Metro, I have ¥75 left on my PASMO card.  Perfect.  I will keep the card and use it when I return.  I didn’t find anything tantalizing on the 8^th floor of Yodobashi Akiba for food so I decided to try one place that I have been passing by practically every night.  It is usually busy and tonight was no exception.  It always smelled awesome, but I had so many other restaurants on my list that I never got to this one until tonight.  This was a great little find as well.  It’s a restaurant where you order meat (or tongue, or inards) that is thinly sliced and you have a small, round grill in front of you and you cook your food to your liking.  It was very cool and very tasty.  There were two native-looking people sitting next to me and they struck up a conversation in perfect English with me as they were leaving and made a suggestion on what to order next time.  This was their first time here as well and they too had passed by it a few times in the past and decided to try it.

On my way back to the hotel, I spot three guys from the office sitting in front of a pub.  I sit and join them for a bit for conversation.  It has been a while since I’ve been able to just listen to a conversation or contribute to one.  It was a nice experience.  All four of us are staying in the same hotel and we talk shop as we head back to our rooms and get ready for tomorrow’s long day.

I now sit relaxing and typing the last entry in this blog for this trip gazing out of my hotel room window at the skyline of east-south-east Chiyoda-ku.  I am amazed at the luck I’ve had getting here, the memories I made, the new friends I’ve met, and the joy of visiting a country I’ve longed dreamed about but never thought I would get to experience.  One week was not enough for me.  Two is just about right.  I’ve seen a lot, experienced a lot but I am ready to come home.  I am looking forward to coming back and it will be even better as I will be able to bring the love of my life here and share what I have found in this beautiful country.

Wrapping up a business trip can be a bit taxing.  Finally finishing jobs, tying up loose ends, saying good-byes to new friends are all part of the experience.  A bitter sweet end to the work here for now.  As the last day of this sojourn completes, I am thankful for the opportunity that got me here and to all of you for allowing me to share my times here.  Relaying my experiences helps me keep a connection to all of you and makes the distance seem not so far after all.