starry skies and goodbyes

We got home yesterday evening from Tanegashima, a beautiful island that is famous for good surf and beautiful beaches.  It was our first time there, and we absolutely loved it.  Of the 11 friends we traveled with, only two will be continuing on with us in Kagoshima after July.  The rest are returning to their home countries to start grad school programs, new jobs, or just, something else...  So it was kind of a send off for those who we've gotten to know over the past couple of years.  bittersweet.

we snorkeled in turquoise water and spotted lion fish, angelfish, stingrays, and fugu!, bbq'ed, ultimate frisbee'ed, ate Mexican and Thai food (both are nearly impossible to locate in Japan,) swam in a waterfall, drank delicious fresh passion fruit juice, lit fireworks, and the number one coolest thing I've ever done --> swam under a fully starry sky in bio luminescent water (it was like swimming with underwater fireflies!!)