The Cast

The list of people I would like to visit while in Japan is growing -- and it's certainly not all inclusive. I've worked for two years in a row with programs that have had about 40 students each from Meijo University. There will be no way that I can see all of them ... and I'm already struggling with some of the names I had down just a few months ago when they were here and I lived with them in CAuthorn Hall.

But the list, in no particular order, follows:

Mari Kato - she was at OSU for one year as an exchange student. She ended up working at the Barometer, writing a couple of well-done stories, including one about student who is currently serving in Iraq. She lives in Tokyo and we plan to meet at some point.

Shiho Kobayashi - A student from Bunkyo University near Tokyo who came to OSU with a special program last year. She and another student became my conversation partners. We met weekly to talk about whatever, grab coffee (lots of that) and just hang out. Shiho has graciously offered up her apartment as a place of lodging for the Tokyo leg of the trip.

Yusuke - He was my other conversant from the Bunkyo program last year. I cannot find his family name for some reason. He was a very quiet kid, but he definitely changed after being at OSU for a term. He seemed more open and more talkative toward the end of his time in Corvallis. I hope that can extend to my visit.

Mikako and Daichi - She and he were my Bunkyo conversants from the year before Shiho and Yusuke. I hope to find some time to see them soo. They were a very fun group, both outgoing, and I'm glad to have a chance to meet them again.

Yuka - She studied at OSU's English Language Institute, where I work as a writing and pronunciation assistant, for a term before moving on to grad school at Texas A&M. She will get to Tokyo for her vacation on the 17th, so I'm going to have to be creative if I want to have a chance to see her.

Koji - He is my current conversation partner. But we were very bad at actually meeting up. I guess we were both busy and sort of drifted into a habit of just not meeting. But I'll get his contact info and hopefully we can meet up in Tokyo.

Kazushi - He was another ELI student from a few terms ago. He moved on to California and then back to Japan. I beleive he's living in Osaka now, where I'll go on the later part of my trip.

Miyuki -- She was good friends with Kazushi and I had a lot of fun joking around with her. She is now in Osaka or Kobe or something and I'm excited to see her.

Taiichi - I met him during my first term at OSU when I lived in West Hall. I stayed in touch with him over the terms, and he's now a grad student, married, and in Japan for a while. He's also in Osaka. He has offered to host me in Osaka and take me to his current job at an elementary school for a visit.

Kaori - She was another ELI student ... she lives somewhere past Fukuoka, far off to the south in Japan, and I'm not sure if i'll make it that far, to be honest. But i'd love to see her and see a new place. This trip just might be a candidate for my last discount-ticket trip.

Maki - This brings us back to Tokyo - Maki is a Toyo University student (maybe graduated) she was on an OSU program when I was working with the 2004 Meijo group. She and I were conversants for a couple weeks because I filled in for somebody. She's a wonderful friend and very smart. I have not been able to get ahold of her yet, but I'm gonna try my best to reach her so I can see her in Tokyo.

Yuki Nakagawa and family - And this takes us back to the beginning, sort of. I met Yuki in high school and became good friends. I went to visit her and family twice, but of late, we havn't remained in very close contact. Still, I plan to visit the family for a day or two. (Yuki is in the photo above, on the right, eating something involving seaweed and rice.)

And don't forget the 40 Meijo students from the 2005 program, and the 40 students from the 2004 program. We'll see how many of them I can track down.

This should be interesting.

Timeline: Final exams on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday -- travel to Eastern Oregon, be in friend's wedding on Saturday, buy gifts on Sunday, and on Monday, fly to Japan.