FDTP owari.

I must admit, I had a ton of fun. I can't believe that I ever complained or fussed about going. I met so many cool people , attended so many inspiring and motivating classes, and was able to concentrate on my walk with the Lord. All in all, FDTP was an experience that I wouldn't trade the world for!
But despite all the fun that I had there, when the last day rolled around, I just knew that it was time to go Home. Even the heavens agreed with me and contributed to the occasion with lot's of gloomy clouds and rain--the kind of weather that screams, "good bye". It was sad to say good bye to the people that you've grown to love and respect and who you built special bonds of love with, but strangely enough, I didn't cry. I think I had cried the last storage of tears for the week the night before during the Ending Ceremony.
And I hate packing my bags and cleaning up after the mess that I make at camps. That makes me sound like such a loser, but it's true. After something so dynamic like this FDTP, you just don't want to have to think about packing up and scrubbing anything. You just wanna say good bye, and go home, and get it all over with, with your last memories of the Academy to be your friends teary-eyed face or the feeling of their hugs and kisses as opposed to deep-cleaning Building B, the Jim, classroom, etc.
But pack my bags and deep-cleaning is exactly what I did, and in the RAIN! How sentimental is that, eh?
And gosh, did I crave beer or what? By the night before's ending celebration I was already craving beer like nothing else, but it just got worse and worse until all I could think of was beer in great quantities. As soon as I got home, I ran down to the nearest 99 and bought myself some drinks and celebrated with dear Yuriko till sunrise! It's good to be Home. FDTP was great, but there really is no place like Home. At least for me. I mean, the moment I stepped out of our Home's elevator, and the teens pounded me with hugs and so much love, my camp-blues were just a faint memory of the past. I don't think I even had camp-blues to begin with, and if I did, they probably lasted for, max, 3 minutes. This is probably due to the 2 hour bus ride with Eman and Keigo where we bonded over the memories and coolness of the Academy, which was totally fun, and at Tokyo station, Yuriko picked me up and brought me Home. Yup. No after-camp-blues. Life is so damn good!
And my from tomorrow, my week-long vacation begins, and I'll be going up to Akita to chill with my family. Yasu and Dawn will becoming with us. It's gonna be great! Cya all in a week or so.

Eiko!!

Akari says...
I miss Eiko!! I miss the word times with her most. I don't know if I will be able to stand for another week. She is able to phone us, though. She says that so far, she's doing pretty good and that FDTP is fun and they got to watch a movie, 'Guardian'.
Anyway, the adults are very busy because of the upcoming convention for the Active members. I don't want to go there, but unfortunately, I don't have a choice.
I think you already know about the blog about FDTP, but just in case you don't, I linked up to it, so you can see the pictures.
Please pray for our home, the adults are very busy(as I have mentioned before) because of the convention. Thank you for your prayers.

Count down to FDTP...

Eiko says...
It's 34 minutes into the 31st of August. That leaves me with 3 more days till I head off with Ken and Rica (is that how you spell her name?) and Yasu for the FDTP. What to do? What to say? Not much. For some reason or another, the FDTP isn't my very favorite subject to think about, much less write about, and I just finished writing 4 full pages of why I'm dreading the FDTP, what I'm expecting from it, and how I need to make it my time and money's worth in my diary!
One thing's for sure: it's going to be so darn tiring.
It's also for sure that the classes are going to be awesome. But these awesome classes will also for sure be long. You see, my concentration span is no more than 1 hour and I think this will be a problem, not only for me, but for the staff.
Word Class Staff:"What's that head of hair doing on the table instead of on a sturdy set of shoulders, held high and alert by a sturdy neck? Don't tell me that's Eiko again, dozing off into dream world!" I can see it already. Sigh.
Well, we'll see how this goes once the time comes. I also have a sleeping disorder where sleeping during normal, human hours (which are usually anywhere from 10:30 to 12:30 in my books) is very difficult, so no doubt this will also be a problem which will probably contribute to my being the sleepy head during classes that are anything over an hour. I think it might also affect me during P.E time.
P.E staff: "Eiko, is that the fastest you can run? Holy...!" I dread P.E... so much.
But we'll see how that goes as well.
Oh, and I'm not good in large, human settings. I mean, crowds suffocate me. I tend to feel a bit nauseous and faint when there are over 5 unfamiliar faces in one room. How the heck am I suppse to feel in a room full of over 20? Eeek! This results in a very strange Eiko that acts slightly different..., no, make that very different than the Eiko we are used to being around at Home. I don't like this Eiko very much. It's quite stressful, you know. You see why I'm bound to come back tired and greying?
And of course, this is me being all very negative and whiny. The FDTP will be fine. God bless all the staff that are working so hard to prepare everything so nicely for us. I'm truly thankful. And I also think it'll be a good change for me. Everyone needs change. Change of senery, change of food, change of company, change of weather, change of room mates, change of schedule...and I'm going to get all of this and then some during the 4 weeks at the FDTP! What more could I possibly ask for?
Hmm...let me think.
Pasta! If I get to eat good pasta at least twice over there, I think I'll be fine. Really. ;)
Okay, I ought to try sleeping now.
Nighties.