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Conveniently, the three days after the Yuki Matsuri in Hokkaido there was a Returner’s Conference in Yokohama. The Returner’s Conference, is an optional conference for those of us who are leaving the JET Programme this year. I’m considering moving to Tokyo this summer for about six months (postponing graduate school until next January) and I’ll be starting a job search soon.

The perks of this trip were numerous. A full week off school! Four days in Yokohama, a beautiful and fun city! Getting to hang out with an old college friend! And the purpose of the conference: getting lots of resources for post-JET life!

I really think Yokohama is a beautiful city—yeah, lots of concrete buildings, but so clean and orderly! One of my favorite places in Japan. This, Yokohama Tower, is the tallest building in Japan.

The world’s largest Ferris wheel. Each car can hold 4-6 people.

This sculpture in Queen’s Square. I LOVE IT! I stood in this exact spot three years ago with my Yokohama host family and watched a foreigner, painted in all blue, mime and entertain a crowd of people. Coming back and standing here again was so …なつかしい。 It brought back wonderful memories!

Hiro, who attended Linfield College for one semester my sophomore year, and I got to spend lots of time together Tuesday night (also Valentine’s Day!). Such a different experience than when I met him in Tokyo 18 months ago. That day he was rushed and stressed with his job. We had only about 30 minutes together and we spent them awkwardly in a small cafeteria. There were so many things about Japanese culture that I didn't understand yet—like why he gave me such an empty hug in the hotel lobby, why he didn’t step a foot into my hotel room even just when I went in to drop off my bag, why he couldn’t spend more than 30 minutes with me even though he traveled 2 hours to come to Tokyo and meet me.

This meeting I understood so much more about Japanese culture so when we met I expected it to be very formal again. Although we had had a very fun and easy-going relationship in Oregon (chatting on my ex-boyfriend’s bed at night was okay) while in Japan he believes it’s not acceptable to even enter a hotel room together or spend too much casual time with a person of the opposite sex. So this time when we met, I just bowed and said, “Hisashiburi” (Long time, no see) and “Osewani narimasu” (kind of means “Thank you for “taking care of” me.”) Of course, my face was elated to see him again, but after living in Japan, I understood he might feel awkward with a hug in public or too much informality.

Ironically, after bowing he asked me, “Can we hug?” It was still a Japanese hug (keep hips as far away as possible and don’t actually grasp the other person, just lightly patting the shoulders is satisfactory), but it surprised me that he wasn't embarrassed to hug in public. That shocked me, actually--it made me feel like the Japanese person. Then we spent the whole evening tramping around Yokohama, which is a "Couples' Town." It has the most romantic night view and EVERY WHERE we went, EVERYONE was in twos, holding hands, kissing and being love-birds. Okay, it was also Valentine's Day, but people say Yokohama is always like that. That Hiro wasn't embarrassed to be with me in that situation (granted we weren't acting like a couple) made me really happy.

Here we are enjoying dinner together. See the Ferris wheel in the back? After dinner we went and had a ride on it.

Night views from the top of the Ferris wheel.

Hiro and me inside the Ferris wheel.

Obviously from his big smiles he is NOT stressed about his job anymore—actually, he quit his job and now works for his father’s stationary/office supply company. Eventually he’ll take over the company, but for now he’s just enjoying life. “Enjoying life” sounds like no big deal, but for the Japanese businessman this is quite rare!! He went to Hawaii twice last year and will be going again this May for his sister’s wedding. I’m so glad to see a happy Hiro who has time for friends and trips abroad. I was really worried about him a year ago.

A crazy night in Yokohama.

I met some other people in Yokohama, too. I roomed with a Canadian who happened to have two beds in her single room. I just paid her half of the room ($35) and saved a lot of money that way. Thanks Curly!!! =)

On Wednesday I took an early flight back to Fukuoka to get back into my boyfriend’s arms as soon as possible. He was waiting for me at the airport in the city and we did some shopping together before riding the Taiko back to Goto. We rented one of the private rooms for the night and it was well-worth it!! Not for the reason you’re thinking—okay, that reason, too—but we could turn off the announcements and lights and there were no disturbances until 15 minutes before we arrived in Aokata when the phone rang and the kind man said “Ohayo gozaimasu! We'll be arriving soon,” I slept like a baby--which was important as I went directly to work the next day!