Lauren Loves Noodles: A Very California Christmas (And Some Big News)

After feeling all the bummed out feelings spending the holidays abroad last year, I decided to go back to California for my winter vacation.

Part of me felt like I was selling out or something, considering that I am a tireless adventurer committed to seeing the world. A bigger part of me wanted to cuddle with my dog.

So back to Huntington Beach I went. Honestly, I think it was the best decision I had made in a long time. It was great to see my family, my parents, old friends. It was weird to see how much my hometown had changed in the six years I had spent living in other places. I ate tacos, I went running with my dog, I drank egg nog with my cousins.

By the time I had to leave, I really wasn't ready to go. Two weeks wasn't long enough. I was already missing everyone by the time I was back on that plane. I even caught a nasty cold, as if my even my body was rebelling against the idea of leaving.

Don't get me wrong, now that I'm back in Kadogawa, it's wonderful. Everything is just as pleasant as it was when I left, and my house is great, and my hamster is cute and the students are hilarious. And it's nice speaking Japanese again, feeling like a smart, adventurous human and whatnot.

But honestly, if I'm thinking seriously about where I want to be in 2017, it's not Japan. I'm ready for something different, a new locale, a new language, even a new job. This visit really brought that to the forefront for me.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is this will be my last year on the JET Program. I'm heading back to the US in August to do something else.

I'm a little nervous, a little excited, but all in all, I'm ready for a new chapter.

After eight months, that is. Kadogawa's not done with me just yet.