終わりなんて…無いんだよね。

I have returned home, and then headed back to Brandeis. I'm sitting here in my new room as I type this... my last post of the Study Abroad Chronicle.

帰国して、ブランダイス大学へ帰りました。ブランダイスの寮の部屋でこれを書いている。これは留学クロニクルの最後。

It's been quite a year. From the good times, the friends I made, the things I learned, the places I saw... and the bad with them, the failures, the mistakes. The fun I had going to karaoke with friends, and the shock of seeing news of the earthquake. The excitement with which I set foot on Japanese soil, and the frustration of being forced to return home.

この一年間．．．すごかった。楽しい事とか、新しい友達とか、習ったこととか、見たところとか．．．そして、悪いことも、失敗も、間違いも。友達と一緒にカラオケに行く時の楽しさと地震のニュースをみた時に緊張になる。日本に着いて楽しみにしてたことと強制帰国になって挫折。

I've tried to convey here on this blog what it's been like, and yet I know I've barely scratched the surface. Words aren't enough to truly explain how I've changed, or what studying abroad has been like for me. It's been an irreplaceable experience, that's for sure. I am a different person now than I was last summer, when I wrote my introduction.

このブログで、その気持ちを伝えようとしたけど、あまり出来なかったんだ。僕が変わった事は言葉でうまく言えない。確かに、かけがえの無い経験だった。今の僕は去年の夏の僕と違う。

And yet, what's different...? I'm not sure if I know. I mean, I know more Japanese. I'm more confident using Japanese. That's obvious. I've learned something from the classes that I took.

だけど、違いは．．．？僕も分からないかもしれない。まあ、日本語力はもっと高い。もっと使いやすい。それは明らかだ。授業で何かを習った。

Other than that, though, I don't think I can properly put it into words. All I can say, I guess, is that I'm really glad I was able to go to Japan. I really wish I could have stayed longer. And I know I'll be going back there one day.

でも、その他、うまく言えない。これだけ：日本で留学したチャンスがあって、うれしい。帰りたくなかった。いつか、日本へ帰る。

So then, what happens to this blog? Well, as far as the story is concerned, this is The End. I'm not going to be writing about going to Japanese classes at Brandeis and sending homework to my professors via email. Some of my assignments will show up here in some form (a friend and I are making a video, I'm working on a translation), and I'll probably start another blog at some point (relating to my translations), but that's it.

それでは、このブログは？まあ、物語として．．．これは「おわり」だ。ブランダイスの授業に行ったりメールで宿題を出したりするについて、書きたくない。時々、何かを書くつもり。たとえば、クラスメートと一緒にビデオを作って、僕は翻訳をする。そして、僕は新しいブログを作るかもしれない。でも、それだけ。

Even without that, though... even if this blog's purpose has been fulfilled, to call it the end... And that brings me back to the title of this post, which I left untranslated. Mostly because, as a title, it's hard to translate. But the concept isn't difficult.

それが無くても．．．このブログの目的は達成しても、終わりって言うのは嫌だ。

This isn't the end. I won't ever forget the time I spent in Japan. I'll have this experience for the rest of my life. And even after the last page of the book, the story continues. It won't continue here, no, but somewhere...

終わりではない。日本で留学したとき、いつまでも忘れられない。この経験はいつも覚える。そして、最後のページの後でも、物語は続くよ。ここで続かないけど、どこかで．．．

This isn't anything like The End. Until the next time we meet, everyone...

終わりなんて無いんだよね。みんな、また会える日まで．．．