All good things must come to an end, and the TOMODACHI exchange is no exception. Today was our last day in Mihama...

Everyone spent the morning with their families, before meeting up at Chubu Centrair International Airport with final goodbyes. Continuing from last night, tears were shed on both sides, and it was clear that everyone has created some deep friendships.

The adventure was not over, however, for after our plane left Chubu for Narita airport, we found ourselves in the air for much longer than expected. Due to troubles at Narita, our plane was diverted to Haneda International Airport, where we waited for a period before continuing our journey to Narita.

However, when we arrived at Narita, it was too late to catch our plane to Chicago. So, after collecting our luggage, we made our way to a hotel, where our stay was arranged by ANA (All Nippon Airways, our carrier from Chubu to Narita). The airline kindly arranged for not only our rooms for the evening, but also dinner and breakfast during our stay.

While the students were wishing that they didn’t have to go back to the US today, I’m sure that this isn’t what they had in mind. Nevertheless, we’ll enjoy one more night in Japan, relaxing at the hotel and preparing for a day of travel tomorrow.