Hello friends, Dogentricks.com here.

This is the last blog entry I will ever write in the United States of America.

Today, on my way back from the embassy, I swung by my apartment and watched some TV with friends. We sat together on our green leather couch and watched 3 second season episodes of ‘Coupling,’ the same way we did in high school five years ago. We laughed at the same jokes—nearly doubling over at captain subtext. But today, when I stood up from the couch, instead of retreating to my room and throwing a ‘g’night guys’ over my right shoulder, I slowly tied my shoes and walked towards the door. I turned to face my friends, and told them goodbye. “I’m moving to Japan tomorrow; thanks for the times we’ve had.” This is what I said to my best friend Rob, a guy I went to elementary school, middle school, high school, and college with. His house was never more than a few minutes bike ride, and this year, his room never more than a few steps walk. “Thanks for the times we’ve had,” is what I said to him, because I knew if I said, “I’m going to miss you to death—you’ve been the best friend I could ever imagine, and helped me through so much,” that I would have undoubtedly started to cry.

The same events will unfold tomorrow morning when I say goodbye to my parents at Sea-Tac International Airport. I’ll look at both of them, give them both hugs, and say to them, “I’ll talk to you soon. Love you too. Bye.” I’ll say it in the same way I have for 14 years when I woke up and went to school. The only difference this time is that I am moving to Japan, alone.

My friends aren’t moving to Japan, and neither is my family. It hit me hard today on the drive home—I pulled into the parking lot of my elementary school and listened to Supercar’s Karma, trying to wrap myself around the reality of tomorrow. At 2:15 PM I will leave everything I know, all of my friends, and all of my family. Although I love Seattle and its people to death, I was born to do this, and it wouldn’t be right for me to stay. I was meant to go to Japan, to become a teacher and a writer, and to inspire others to study language the same way I did 8 years ago. This is my path and something I’ve known I must do for the past decade.

This is not my dream coming true; this is fate.

Tomorrow will be the most significant day of my life. Thank you for your support.

Train hard.