Studying Abroad Packing up By Kazuya Muto	フレームで見る  英文をプリントする  脚注をプリントする
帰国のための荷造り作業 帰国の前日、ジャックとシュエンが送別会を開いてくれました。彼らは生活共にし、よく一緒に出かけた友達。中華料理店で食事をしながら、武藤さんは二人と別れるのが寂しくて、泣きだしたい気分でした。明け方に部屋に戻ってきた武藤さんは、ぎりぎりまでのばしていた荷造りにとりかかりましたが、整理しようと本や手紙を手にとるたびに思い出がよみがえってきて、なかなか作業がはかどりません…。

The day before I went back to Japan, I had one more farewell party: with Jack and Xuan, the friends I'd lived with and hung out the most with in my time in Sydney.

Jack, Xuan and I, we share a lot of memories. One of the earliest is going to the beach with them. The beach was outside of Sydney and we had to take an 8-hour bus trip to get there. I still remember so clearly what we talked about in that bus trip, and I doubt I'll ever forget.

For my farewell party, Jack and Xuan took me to a Chinese restaurant. We were joined by a girl who was living in the same house as us, Rong.

Before we started eating, Jack said a few words and then we had a toast — our last together. During dinner, we talked and we laughed. We laughed a lot, but inside I felt like I was about to cry. I was missing them already. I wished time would stop right there.

We got home in the early hours of the morning, and then I started packing. Yes, I know I should have started earlier, but I'd left it to the very last moment, and I had only a day to pack everything!

I started with the bookshelf, but I didn't get very far. Every book I took off the shelf had so many memories associated with it. When I picked up my accounting book, I remembered how hard I'd studied, I remembered how much Jack had helped me study (he'd taught me every day).

When packing in a hurry, I recommend not starting with the bookshelf.

There was another problem: I couldn't throw anything out — not even the smallest handout.

And then there were the letters: letters from my friends in Japan, letters from my girlfriend, and even letters from my friends in Australia. There were quite a few of them, and like the books, each came with a flood of memories. Time flew by as I read them all, each as precious as the other, and folded them away in a box to send to Japan.

After that I moved to the kitchen. I had lots of stuff there as well. I'll miss the kitchen. I cooked there every day. It wasn't the best of kitchens. Actually, it was quite difficult to use, but still, this is where I used to prepare my rice with raw egg. It's odd, isn't it, that one of my strongest memories of Sydney is going to be rice with raw egg.

Eventually, I finished packing. In front of me lay seven cardboard boxes, one suitcase and two bags — all of them chock-a-block full of memories. Just think: When I came to Australia, I came with one suitcase and one bag. The others in the house said, "What happened to you in 10 months? Why all the extra stuff?"

After packing, I cleaned my room, and as the room grew cleaner and cleaner I felt it emptying of all my memories. I felt like my memories were going to a place where I couldn't follow, and it was impossible to shake off a feeling of great loss.

Shukan ST: Jan. 26, 2007

(C) All rights reserved