Today is Under Construction: Back to Zamami

Goodbye, but not for long...

Zamami is the kind of place that is only possible to leave willingly if plans to return have already been made. I considered my options: I could either book a ticket back for my upcoming Golden Week Vacation (Japanese Spring Break) and spend a little more money than would be financially responsible (taking two tropical island vacations in the span of three weeks), or I could revert to 4 year-old tactics where I go limp on the floor and force someone to drag my dead weight up the ferry ramp. Had I still been 29, I would have gone with option B and let the chips fall where they may, but you just can't get away with that kind of thing in your thirties, so I threw a credit card at my dilemma.

My friends at Akabana made room for me during the busy vacation week, after some initial confusion. As we were saying our goodbyes, I promised to come back next year and then three hours later I called and said "I'm coming back next week!" The staff at Akabana understandably thought I had confused the Japanese words for year and week and so it took several reiterations to make my intentions clear (In Japanese)
First: I'm coming back next week!
Second: From now, in 8 days, I will come back!
Third: I will come back on May 2nd 2009, this year, very soon!
When they finally understood my point there were some shrieks on the other end of the phone and then, "We are full next week, but don't worry, we will make room for you. Is it ok if you sleep in the staff room with us?"

Before I could get back to my island, I had to say goodbye to my Dad and Cheryl. I really enjoyed having them in town, and not just for the entertaining mishaps I mentioned before. I loved coming home to find my Dad sprawled out on my tiny Japanese floor chairs reading a book, or waking them up by frying onions and bacon, or having them tag along with me to my local haunts for drinks after work. During the weeks they were in town, I had it all: my adventure and family, the new and the familiar, it was my adult life with childhood subtitles. They were leaving Japan the day before I returned to Zamami, and the thought of the island kept me from getting too upset on the morning they left.

I walked them to the train station and directed them to the platform, but then had to run down the street to school and check in before I could go to work. I ran back to the train station hoping to get one more hug from my Dad, but as I passed through the ticket gate I saw my Dad's trademark shiny dome through the window of the train as the doors closed and it started towards the airport. The near miss brought on some tears, but luckily I had the next day's trip back to Zamami to look forward to and I got through my classes walking a tightrope between bummed and excited.

This was my first vacation on my own, and I found such benefits in traveling alone that I may never bring anyone on vacation with me again. In 8 days, I met so many new friends from all over Japan, whose friendships lead to both a boyfriend and a new career in a new city for my second year in Japan (more on those later). I knew I loved this island, and now it loved me back. The vacation also did wonders for my Japanese since I was the only English speaker for the majority of the time. Two bi-lingual guests crossed my path during the eight day trip, and needless to say I was happy to see them. Both Midori and Kumiko have turned into life-long friends and they will be my new roommates and coworkers in Osaka, starting in October.

Midori and Emma

Guess which one is me.

Me, Kumiko, Ota, Yukari

I spent my eight days snorkeling and sleeping on the beach by day, beach bonfires and bar hopping by night and all was right with the world with only one major catastrophe, when on the last night I left my camera somewhere on the island and can't even narrow down its location to under water or on dry land. The camera is easily replaced, but the real loss is a week's worth of pictures and video, including an underwater video of me swimming with an octopus while it was flashing different colors. Devastating.

Upon returning to Tokyo on a rainy Tuesday afternoon, I had the double blues to deal with. Dad's gone and vacation is over. I sent an email to all my new friends asking them to email me some of their pictures and what you see here is a sampling. If my camera ever finds its way back to me (and it might, it's Japan) I'll post the octopus video tout suite. Until then, scenes from the Kerama islands: