A Dream All Over Again

The whisper of the cool summer's day blows through my brown glowing hair, forcing it to dance in front of my eyes. With a waft, I move it away and could clearly see my beautiful city in its downtown heart. Grand transparent buildings majestically stand over me, and SJSU (San Jose State University) banners on light poles over to my left send me into my own little world--my head.

Flashbacks quickly race through. It was just one year ago--exactly one year ago--when my lifelong dream came true. I was going to Japan, at last. Yes, I've worked so hard for it, was granted a scholarship, and granted a plane ticket over to Tokyo, and began it all at this spot. Now here I am, a year older, a year wiser, a year more mature through love, standing in the exact spot where it all happened. I was back at San Jose State University to feel it all again. I felt sadness that it was now over, but realized that I have finished a dream and must continue on with a new one. I must move on, because time has no intention of waiting.

Stepping in the front doors of the Martin Luther King Jr. Library, it was nothing new. I've been here many times. As big as an airport, the building itself called me to settle in, and I only did so for a while to check last year's orientation schedule so that I can meet this year's Japan-bound students. Sweeny Hall. Japanese High School lecture up to 3:25 PM. Got it! I dash out the back entrance of the library right into the downtown college campus. Upon finding Sweeny Hall, I stand on the base of the large building looking up, trying to remember where I stayed last year. I guess I have no choice but to go room by room, door by door and find out where they are. Moving and stealthily like US Navy Seals, I scan each floor, staring in the windows of the doors of classrooms. At last, I find a tall, white, young man in a bright red shirt with "ORIENTATION STAFF" written all in capital letters. He takes notice, and I duck. I wait until 3:25, where the exchange students were sent out to break.

I step in, and two of us stare dead on. A rush of euphoria pushes me forward, and I step out with my arms wide open. "COLE!"
We hug, two good friends seperated by the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains and a year's worth of time. We chatter in Japanese and English. I was back, I was home. I was where I wanted to be. I felt as if time set the year as 2008 by accident.

It wasn't over. I still had to find two other people. In another building, I rush in a door, all attention on me, take a deep bow and exclaim "Shitsurei shimasu." (Sorry for interrupting/being rude)
From Alabama, Patto-sensei clearly remembers me (see the comments of this post here). Next to Patto-sensei was Anna's face, which lit up as if a spotlight was on it. I hug the two tightly like bears and explain how I got here. I told them everything I could in 5 minutes. I spent the rest of my time with them until 7 o'clock when my cover was blown in the university cafe and was kindly asked to leave by the head coordinators. I had no problems with that, because I wasn't supposed to be there at ALL and it was clearly my wrongdoing. The people in charge gave me dinner, seeing I already have food on my plate and I thank them for their hospitality. I actually didn't mind being kicked out, since I was happy enough to be able to see Cole and Patto-sensei. They were with me when my first real dream set forth.

Anna's dream is just beginning too. The same dream I had, the same placement I stayed in, and the same high school I went to. She's following my footsteps and her blog can be found here. She's just like me, except in my case it was a mirage-like dream all over again. I could see it. But I wasn't going back until 2010.

I step out of the university cafe, back to reality. I'm a high school student, almost a senior, not an exchange student. The only place I'm headed was home in suburban San Jose 5 miles away, not Miyakojima or Tokyo 8,000 miles away. The only thing I'm boarding was a train, not a plane. The things I'm carrying was my backpack and my laptop bag, not my luggage. The only feeling I'm going through was painful melancholy, not joyous excitement.

I sigh deeply. Through those doors I just walked out of, I have awakened from a former dream.
I face out and forward, daring to take on anything that stands in between me and 2010. I had to go back to the person I told "I love you" and "I'll always be here" to. I feel my eyes warming a bit, but I sternly march on towards the eastern sunset.