So, I came back to Hofu in order to watch my babies graduate. I love my san-nensei students. They are graduating tomorrow (March 1st) and I just couldn't miss it! I also came back to see my friends, and have a little vacation time in this place that feels so much like my true home.
My plane left LAX about 30 minutes late. In addition to that, strong headwinds caused another 45 minute delay on what was suppose to be an 11 hour 50 min flight. This, while annoying itself could have had dire consequences for me because I only had an hour and a half in-between my flight to Tokyo, and my flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka. So by the time I got out of the first plane, I had about 10 minutes until boarding my FUK flight. And I had to go through customs there at Narita. Oh, it was terrible. Lots of running, and running and running. They held the plane for me. There must have been someone else too, but my bags took forever. I always get my bags last.
Anyways, I made it to Fukuoka, hopped on the Shinkansen to Shin-Yamaguchi (almost sleeping through the stop!) and then planned to walk over to Christina's with all my baggage, because I'm too cheap for a taxi.
But Christina, Yoko and Porschla surprised me at the station. It really really was a complete surprise for me because it was 11 at night! I will put a video of that up later. If you are my Facebook friend, you can see it on my Facebook. I don't know how to download a video though, so I need to get the file from Christina.
I was very touched. I was moved. haha, sounds so Japanese. I was moved. :)
I went to sleep very quickly. I had only eaten part of the first in-flight meal, and then nothing else. They never get my vegetarian request, even though I ALWAYS put the request in properly. Regardless, by lunch the first full day I was here, I was starving. Joyfull time!!! Joyfull is like Japan's Denny's. Kind of cheap but good. Not anywhere you'd want to take a date, but I needed Joyfull right away! I got the Salmon set. (I'm not really vegetarian, I eat seafood!)
After Joyfull, Christina and I went straight to Glebe. Hofu's best cafe, but more expensive than Joyfull, so I saved only my coffee craving for Glebe. We met up with Jennie and Yumi. Jennie knew I was coming, but we were surprising Yumi. 
I stopped by my school after Glebe, surprising most of the teachers that didn't know I was coming back into town. I assume it is rare for a teacher to come all the way back on their own dime, just to watch a graduation. It was nice catching up.
In the evening we played volleyball, which I did about 2 times a month when I was here. It was mostly the same people, although of course all the Mormon Missionaries had been rotated out, so they were new.
People stopped by to say hi, including Lucas and RaiRai! I love these kids. LOVE! :)
After volleyball it was time for dinner. I'm not going to say it was all me....but someone wanted Joyfull again. This time I got Negitoro-don which is translated into "Onion and Raw Tuna Rice-Bowl". Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Yum yum yum.
It was a really great first day. I cried a few times. I proclaimed, and really meant it, that if I had to turn and go home after just this one day, it would have already been worth it. My soul was all charged up by just one day here in Hofu. Love. All love. :)
