Today was the day I felt like I became a user of Japanese

Today was my last day of my current contract as a teacher in Tokyo. One of my coworkers, who I have been friends with for a few years now, offered to drive me to the airport with all of my luggage for my trip back to Canada as my train station doesn't have an elevator and he was concerned for me lugging all the baggage down the stairs. He has been a really great friend to me and I will miss him. <br><br>While driving my friend talking about my future plans and we were filling in the awkwardness of the drive with "small talk." He asked me if I was planning on coming back to Japan and I told him that I wasn't sure. He said he was sad to see me go and I said that I was sad to be leaving as well and that I felt like I was leaving home. <br><br>I then said to him "I'm not sure but I feel like this may be the last time I'm going to be in Japan for a while." He just nodded and said "Mata ne." I've heard this phrase 1000s of times before but today it hit me. It's "See you," but the word for "you" is different. He used the word for you that is used for friends and for people you are close to. <br><br>I got really, really choked up because of the relationship we have. It's funny how Japanese as a language really does feel like a language of relationships. I've always heard this phrase, but the nuance of the word didn't really hit me until today. <br><br>I'm going to miss Japan and all the friends I've made there. <br><br>&#x200B;