This is gonna be the post about the last days I had in Tokyo, Japan. Yeah, sad! Good thing I didn’t cry, I might, but I held myself.
Day 42, I took a chance to go for last minute sightseeing, this time again I went with the two Indian guys, Mangboi and Lama. I spent so much time with them the past few days that they started forgetting that I’m a girl and start calling me “little brother”. Anyway, we went to the aqua stadium in Shinagawa and enjoyed some water creatures. Here are the pictures!

The entrance to the aqua stadium

fish!

me and fish!

me and fish again!

Me with some Indonesian celebrity, Ari Wibowo. Can’t believe of all the places in the world I got to meet him in some aquarium in Japan!

Sea lion performance

dolphin performance
In the evening of the same day, the Japan Foundation held the farewell party for all the participants. At this occasion, we were allowed to invite whoever we met during our stay in Japan. Our host family were also invited. So I got the chance to meet Hiroshi-san and Kimiko-san again. At the farewell all the participants were also given 2 minutes each to give speech about the program. However, my battery was ran out at the aquarium, and I totally forgot to charge it until the last minute before going to the farewell party. So my camera went dead half of the party. But I managed to get (almost) all the photos of the participants during the speech. There are three persons that I didn’t get the pictures. The first is Saren (Cambodia), he went first for the speech so when he spoke I was still eating my dinner. The second person that I didn’t get is Hanif (Indonesia), he was the third person to speak, after me (yes I was the second), and I didn’t get his picture because I was still recovering from the embarrassment of my speech. The third was Toun (Laos), she was the fifth person to give the speech, and I think I didn’t get her picture because I was talking to someone or what. Oh well, here are the rest of the photos.

With Kimiko-san (center), the host family of me and Nisa (right). Hiroshi-san hadn’t come yet by that time because he was still at work. By the time he arrived, my camera’s battery already ran out. Too bad I couldn’t get the photo with him in my camera. 

Me, delivering the speech. My face was weird! My speech was weird too, because they called me to the stage when I was chewing my food, and I talked too fast and people laughed at me. Haha, quite embarrassing.

Helen (Indonesia). I didn’t get the photo of Hanif, the other Indonesian, because his turn was right after me and I was still recovering from the embarrassment. But when it’s Helen’s turn, I’m already alright.

Timothy (Malaysia). His speech was pretty funny, he asked the Japan Foundation to extend our stay so we can hang out a little more.

Nisa (Malaysia)

Zura (Malaysia)

Jojo (Myanmar)

Margaret (Myanmar). She’s still ill and still under treatment in the hospital. However, as the farewell is the special occasion, the hospital allowed her to come and join the event, along with her parents. And that day was also her birthday! All prayed for her recovery.

Jaja (the Philippines). The kid on the stage is the guest star. He’s the son of one of the host families who came to the party. Kinda distracting people from Jaja’s speech but still really cute!

Roxy (the Philippines). The kid was still on the stage.

Golf (Thailand). His speech was also interesting. Telling stories about sukebe things.

Hanh (Vietnam)

Hiu (Vietnam)

Mangboi (India)

Lama (India)

Shweta (India)

Luke (Australia)

Hana (Australia)

Akane Matsumoto (tutor, Japan)

Ken Shoda (tutor, Japan)

Hiroshi Kamitsuji, the official from Japan Foundation who has been assisting us even before we came to Japan
As the farewell party ended pretty early (8 PM), we decided to continue the party in the hotel. Golf was the initiator and offered his room for the party. I packed my stuff for a few hours then joined them around 11 PM. I ended staying up pretty late despite my early flight the following morning. Anyway, I managed to take some photos during the after-party. Forgive me if they’re not in the best quality.

The booze (alcohol) they prepared for the party. Of course none of those I can drink. Doesn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy, though.

(left-right) Timothy, Jaja, Hanh

People chatting

Duo sukebe (Golf & Hanif) were talking about some sukebe stuff

Golf getting sleepy

Managed to get a photo with Golf sleeping as the background

When woke up, Golf did weird stuff to Lama.

The last people who stayed that night. Me, Lama, Golf, Jaja, and Ken-san. Me, Lama, and Golf went to bed at 3.30 AM. While Jaja had to stay up because she has to go to airport at 5 AM, and Ken-san stayed up to give her company.
In the morning, which is Day 43, I only managed to take a few photos because we were too hectic checking out, having breakfast, and taking care of the luggage. I went to the airport together with the other Indonesian, Hanif and Helen, the Indian, Lama, Mangboi, and Shweta, and Golf, Saren, and Jojo. These are the last photos I took before leaving Japan.

Lama and I were the first ones who finished settling our luggage while waiting for the bus to the airport, the rest were still busy with their stuff. So we sat there and we asked Ken-san to take our picture.

In the bus while going to the airport. The photo is kinda blurry because the bus was moving.

Waving our final goodbye from the bus window to Mangboi, Shweta, and Lama who had to go from different terminal to fly to India. I didn’t get the photo of the group who head to Thailand (Golf, Saren, and Jojo) because I was sitting in the other side of the bus. This photo is the last photo I took before officially leaving Japan.
Whoa.
That was quite a long journey, wasn’t it?
43 days have passed, and now I’m again sitting in front of my laptop somewhere in Jogja, Indonesia. The experience, the trip, the culture and academic exchange, and most of important of all, the people I met there, will never be forgotten until the day I die. This program was one-time and life-changing experience that will be part of what will shape who I am in the future.
What I had during the 43 days might only be a vague memory one day, maybe years from now I barely remember what I said that night in the farewell, or even that day when I did my presentation in front of the participants. But it is definitely one of the best moments I have ever had in my life.
So, that’s it for today. Good night, everyone!
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