Trip from Hell - Last

So in the Hell Cave we were immersed in the pitch dark, where hundreds died and went step by step into the details of their deaths by pointing our flashlights. This wasn't tourist-attraction paved or what I would consider safe. We had to duck under stalactites, slipping and sliding on the wet rocky floor. The guide dragged out the last moments of the kids' death so that we had the full effect of what it was like. The cave air was hard to breath the constant dripping water reminded me that I had to use the bathroom since I didn't know that we were going to the cave for an hour, so I concentrated on trying to understand and not slipping. We exited the cave and I felt so FREE and HAPPY that I survived it, and we went to the entrance of another cave, where the students fled when they were kicked out of the caves by the Japanese military. We stopped at a memorial stone and all of us bowed deeply and held it for a good 10 seconds. This isn't a dramatic Nutcracker Ballet bow, but a hands at your side, point your head towards the object being respected bow. There is something about bowing your head, the act of lowering yourself, which gives a deep feeling of respect. Try bowing and holding it for a few seconds towards something you want to revere and feel the humbleness sweep over you. So when I say peace, I mean a bow-your-head, atomic-bomb, 33%-wipeout-of-a-population peace that America has never experienced on our own soil. By the way, NONE of the things I read or heard EVER pointed fingers at Americans, but mainly at themselves for not realizing the value of heiwa. It's too bad beauty queens and other airheads overused the word "world peace" because now there isn't a way to describe heiwa without seeming insincere. Anyhow, so we went back to bus, went to the airport where we zipped through without showing so much as an ID. Then, we had our 140-ish member closing ceremony, in the airport, of all places, where airport traffic was walking around us without so much as a look. Of course, it involved goodbye speeches from the principal, travel agent and students. We came back to school and surprise, surprise had yet ONE MORE teacher meeting to talk about the greatness of the trip, before we were allowed to leave at 7ish pm. Apparently, 20% of Okinawa is still controlled by America, on the Okinawan air base, which makes Japan think about peace all the more, and wonder about their country's future. Japan's military was disbanded after WWII and now they only have a defensive military. America is supposed to protect Japan, and now you can understand all the more why the American leader is SO important for Japan, as what we do DIRECTLY affects them. Imagine 20% of valuable land in Hawaii being occupied by another country and you'll understand how they may feel... I got a sense of it when, on a rooftop together with the Japanese students and teachers, we watched an American air base where planes were constantly taking off and landing. They asked me why.... I realized that I don't know. I think it scared me more that it never occurred to me to want to know.