My Last Night in Japan...

...is actually much like my first night in Japan.  The skies are mostly clear, the moon is a little more than half full... the difference being that instead of sitting on the Officers Club patio with throngs of other air-wing officers drinking the night away as I did that first night, I quietly walk back to my BOQ room from seeing a long time friend here in Japan off for the last time.  The O-Club patio was silent, all the air-wing officers are in some exotic port of call, and the base in general is silent.   It was sad, as I considered the closing of this chapter in my life.  And somewhat fitting at the same time... interestingly enough, on the way back in, I ran into 'Maki-san' the landmark bartender at the Officers Club Bar walking his bike out the front gate... it's funny how you get to know so many people through your normal life over here.  Maki-san was a great fella- my girlfriend always liked him... it was strange though, because that was the first time I'd ever seen him out of his Bar Room garb... he had a close-fitting helmet on, shorts and a t-shirt... instead of the usual tux shirt, bow-tie and jacket with so many pins and wings on it.  I told him farewell, and said this would be the last time I'd see him before I departed Japan.  We exchanged our pleasantries and went on our way, and I reflected back on my first night here as I walked the 300 yards back to my room.  That first night, I had tried to get some sleep because I was exhausted from a 14 hour flight, but was awoken by one particularly memorable member of my squadron who basically told me I didn't have a choice but to come to the Officers Club.  From there it was drinks and cigars and Karaoke galore... from the O-Club to the Pine Tree... huddled in a 7x7' bar (really) with about 10 other people or so staring at a big screen and singing their lungs out... passing around cordless mics and plates of Yakisoba... I think the esprit' de corps is not nearly what it is today that it was then.  Of course... all those guys are long gone, and to a man, everyone of them that I partied with that first night had been over Baghdad that fateful night in March of 2003 to kick off OIF (while I was watching it in a T-2 simulator building in flight school in Pensacola).  That would do something to a group of warriors I'd imagine.  Fortunately, we where much less restrained by rules in those days as well.  Due to a number of high-profile drinking incidents involving US service members here in Japan, the authoritarian hammer has crushed more than one mans career here, and more than one party's moxie.

From midnight curfews to a moratorium on driving, to 'khaki patrols'... all has been done in the interest of reducing alcoholic incidents.  Has it helped?  None of it.  Just today I found out that a sailor from a boat in Yokosuka attempted to kill two Japanese girls with a knife.  Sadly, some things just won't change.

But I digress... walking home this fine evening here in Japan, I realized that I am indeed a changed man from the man who first showed up here three years and five days ago.  If anything that three years in a squadron full of men equal your wit, candor and intellect.  (well most of them anyway... :)  I've learned that I'm not as smart as I thought I was.  I've learned that putting others first will get you a lot farther in life than trying to make yourself look better than others... I've learned that making people feel like a million bucks is much more productive in relationships than making them feel like an ass... especially when they've done something stupid.  I've learned that deep down, no matter how much I dislike someone, at the end of the day, I can still be a professional and get done what needs to get done.  And really, if you stick with it long enough, most any relationship schism can be resolved.  And this last one really goes without saying, but I've really learned that I'm not perfect.  And I'm OK with that.  I guess most of all, just accepting myself for who I really am is probably the most important lesson I've learned from these three years.  Not trying to put on a front, just being me.  And being happy with me.  Probably a little more psycho-babble than you where expecting when you started reading this post, but bear with me- I'm alone, the TV is off, my bags are packed, and I'm reflecting on the longest chapter of my life thus far... but anyway- I'm really going to miss this place.  I may bitch and moan and complain about this, that and the other, but I'm going to miss it.  Although the 20 pounds I've picked up here are welcome to stay behind.

They say when you leave here you have culture shock going back to the states.  I'm interested to see if that happens to me.  It took me about a year to accept the fact fully that I had to deal with Japan, so I wonder how long it will take for me align myself with the culture and ways of the west.  It's funny, but I was thinking tonight about how I read somewhere that when you live in a foreign country, a part of it stays with you forever when you leave.  I'm happy to take a part of Japan with me... I'm just interested to see how it will fit in back in the states.  Farewell Japan.  Farewell.