I have two more days in California, but I feel the real goodbye has already started.  Today, Moe and I made the drive to Stinson Beach for some great food and a fun day in the sun.  I do not think our trip could have gone any better.  The fog loomed ominously all around us, a glowing shroud between the sun and our automobile.  Throughout the drive along Highway 1 the vapor ghosted by as my car lumbered around the guardrail-less turns.  By the time we could actually see the ocean, we were only about five minutes away from our destination.  After a short walk from our parking spot, Moé and I were seated beside a toasty fire within the Parkside Diner eager to dig in to our Niman Ranch Burgers before heading out to the beach for some boogie boarding in the Pacific.  Soon, the sun burst through the fog and revealed the full spectrum of blues in the waves and earthy tones of the California hills.  Another few hours pass, and we meander home away from the sound of the waves; all the trees and foliage celebrate the rays of light nourishing their leaves.  The world is at peace.


The bonds between my home and I will be forever strong, latching my soul to this land of space and life despite the parting that is soon to pass.  I love California.  Having driven away from two of the most beautiful places I know, Stinson and Tahoe, the reality of my 7:30 AM flight is ever more swiftly setting in.  I’ve said before that I am anxious at the thought of losing all the emptiness that makes America great, but I know I am making a trade for a new world and experience that will be with me for the rest of my life.  Tokyo is so different from San Francisco, a metropolis of secrets to be discovered and doors to be unlocked.  Its neon lights illuminate the sky and every street is safe to walk even in the wee hours of the morning.  The language is complex, a phonetic puzzle to work at every day and night.  My host family will be two seventy year olds that live in the heart of the city, close enough for me to walk to my classes.  Moé will be there.  Leaving one of these places behind for the other is the origin of the stress I can feel running through even the tips of my fingers.  I am choosing between my two favorite places, and I know that no matter which one I am enjoying at the moment, the grass will still be green but not greener on the other side of the fence.