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Yesterday evening I arrived home in Wisconsin.  I had hoped that I could stay in Japan, but on the 17th (the evening of the 16th in the US), the US government advised US citizens living in Japan to consider leaving the country.  Until then, I had decided that I would stay in Japan unless the US government advised otherwise.  After reading the government announcement, I spoke about the situation with a friend of my dad's, who is in the US Navy and stationed in Japan, and then I called my parents.  We agreed that it would be best if I go home right away.  Lex-Japan and Lex-Boston were wonderful, and by the end of the day, the date of my return-ticket had been changed so that I would leave Japan the following evening.

I had never expected that this would happen, but suddenly events were happening very fast.  By the night of the 17th, my bags were packed and I was ready to go.  In the morning, I went to the office one last time. There was a going-away lunch at a nearby restaurant . . . 

. . . and then it was time to head to the airport.  At the airport I was able to meet Nazuki, a former exchange student whom I hosted in 2007.  

(Her mom works at the Lex office and came to the airport to see me off.)  It was great seeing her, even for a short period of time.  

Then, two plane rides and at least 18 hours later, I arrived in Wisconsin.  It was so wonderful to see my family and, after all that has been going on, to be home.  

Even so, I miss Japan, and I'm sorry that I had to leave so suddenly.  I hope to return in the next few months when things have settled down.