Amanda ...

So three weeks before I left for America I took Amanda to Osaka and put her on a plane back to Alabama ... for good. It was by far one of the saddest days I've ever had in Japan and I will openly admit that I cried for a good half hour on the train. I had this uncontrollable stream of tears and the poor Japanese man sitting next to me had NO idea what to do. He kept looking at me through the corner of his eye and then quickly turning away. Finally after about fifteen minutes of me not being able to control my tears, he reached in his bag and handed me a tissue. So sweet. Made me cry even more.

Amanda and I became very close over the course of a year and there will never be anyone else that understands what the first year was like in Japan quite like Amanda. We did so many first things together, traveled to so many new places, and shared so many hilarious stories. There was some not so hilarious things too, like all of the emotional drama and the ups and downs of being so far away from home and missing out on important stuff 7,000 miles away. We quickly became the only family that we had here (with the exception of our Japanese families, of course) and knowing that she was going home and I was staying broke my heart.

Thinking back on the last year in Japan with Amanda makes me instantly laugh out loud. We had so many good times. When we first got here we were convinced we needed a camera crew following us around to document all of the mayhem we caused ... we might not have any footage, but we have a lot really, really good memories.

Like that time we flew to Tokyo:

Or all those yakiniku nights:

And hanami ... we all remember that night :) :

Or 4 sailors & a santa at Aussie ...

Amanda & I will never forget the Naked Man Festival for as long as we live ...

& remember how we never found the bus again:

Or that time we went to ... wait, where didn't we go is the more appropriate question:

Yakiniku - again!! I'm telling you, we lived there:
Who could ever forget our enkai & Disney karaoke & those violent massages with the damn yukatas & Mayaka's modeling ... oh, good times:
& 7am train rides on the way to Hiroshima:
We rocked this country:

Amanda ...

I miss you everyday but there's no doubt in my mind that I will see you again ... after all, we still have that trip to Saipan we're going to take and I am practicing my Alabama cheer for the football game we're going to next fall, right. Rammer Jammer Hammer? Yellow Jammer Hammer? I swear I'll get it. xx

It's not all tears and sadness though ... There is a newbie that has replaced Amanda, although obviously she is irreplaceable. Daniel is here and he is proving to be awesome. I can only hope we have as much fun together this year and Amanda and I had last year. It will definitely be a challenge.

much love

-tara-

xx