So ends the yearlong journey of the EC that began on August 19th of last year in Kyoto. It's difficult to believe that 2 days have already passed since JASC 62 ended at San Francisco International Airport. As everybody adjusts back to life after JASC, the days will probably start passing by even faster as school work, everyday relationships and... just work catch up to us. In reality, within a few months many of us may not even remember how strongly we felt about JASC 62 on August 21st or how close we felt to one another as a delegation. We all have our own lives, and we all have to move on.
But as the ECs already know, this doesn't have to mean the end to the personal relationships we built during the conference. JASC 62 has truly been an amazing ride; even though it might be difficult to remember what JASC meant to us or see exactly how JASC has influenced us, there will likely be times when these things become apparent to us through the friends and connections we made at JASC. So JASCers, live strong and look forward to that day when we'll relive these experiences we shared over this past month!
Please forgive me for moving on to some more personal notes... To the AEC- I still remember that day last August when Naoki drew the "omikuji" for the entire new EC and got us a "daikichi" (great fortune). The fortune could not have been more true. Somehow, through all the groping in the dark over emails and telephone calls and despite all the dropped details and mistakes, we were able to make JASC 62 come together at each of the four sites. Along the way, it has really been a privilege for me to work with you guys. I remember how lucky we were to see each other at fall meeting when the rest of the 61st was still all over the globe; I remember grudgingly attending the 61st hokokukai event at Columbia but leaving feeling really glad that I went; I remember frantically trying to learn about my RT topic from Mike Auslin, Hugh Patrick, and Evans Revere among others at the Japan Society event in New York; I remember cleaning my room but forgetting to arrange for enough bedding for the two guys that stayed over for spring meeting at Princeton (and not reading all of the applications in time...). Despite all of the personal issues I had throughout this year, preparing for JASC 62 has really been the time of my life, and I'm fairly certain that I'm not alone in this respect.
To my fellow Indiana site coordinators Diane, Natsuki and Shuta, thanks for all of your hard work and for putting up with me! Thanks to my liaison comrades Natsuki and Azusa for doing a hell lot more work than me and being a good bridge between the two ECs. Thanks especially to David, Hiroki, Toru, Yuri and Mari for hearing me out when I really needed to speak honestly to somebody. Thanks so much to my RT partner Mari; I know you put in an incredible amount of effort and preparation for Security, and I can't quite express how grateful I am to have had the chance to work with you this past year. Thanks to the entire EC for making this JASC happen; I love all of you guys, and I wish every one of you the best in your remaining years as students and beyond. I hope that one day we'll all be able to see each other face to face again!
Until then, here's the oldest AEC (22) signing out. Thanks for reading.
Yudai Chiba
