May 27

The transition from a trip to Japan to Orono Maine involves much more than dealing with "jet lag", although I find that I now pay a greater toll due to the physical demands of travel than earlier in my life.

For myself, the more serious issues are psychological and emotional.  While both Keiko and I are happy to return to the University of Maine community, we are often conflicted in our feelings as we make the transition.

Perhaps they are stronger in this instance as this was a very different visit for us.  Taking on many of the planning and implementation tasks of the MBA trip and sharing our time with 20 other travelers was both a challenging and rewarding experience.  While we did get to see family and some friends, and enjoy some new experiences we arranged for the trip, the nature of the trip put us in the odd position of being tourists.