Today is the day when you realize that “gee, it’s just about all over, isn’t it?” All of a sudden you see that there’s not going to be enough time to complete everything in the textbook and there is so much more that needs learning. I really do need to spend the rest of my life learning Japanese.

Classes were, however, pretty much like always—fast paced. The afternoon was spent doing a practice run delivering our speeches in front of the CPs and our classmates. I’d asked to go first so that I could leave early and get to Kyoto Station to book my reservation. The good news: my speech went fine, I thought. The bad news: the overnight train to Hokkaido is all full! I need to figure out what to do next to keep myself occupied for a few days until I report to Tokyo. I’m already staying through the weekend at the dorms. I’ll figure something out, even if it’s to make my way to Hokkaido on daylight trains. My rail pass starts on the 20th (Sunday), so I’ll have to move fast.