Eternal Swan

"To those who knew him, he was the beacon of laughter and genuine thought; he was the measure of a man. Through videos and personal relationships, he illuminated the lives of many, at home and abroad, never failing to pass on his charisma and courage to anyone who crossed his path. It has now been nearly one year since the world has lost one of its most charming, inspirational, and brilliant people. A year that has had many of us longing and confused. But in his departure, we find new perspectives, new confidence, and new life. His name was Rodger Swan, and he was truly an idol.

As a tribute to Rodger and all of the happiness he brought to us, I have decided to release a few of the songs his fans may remember from the video series. The first and second are versions of the original Tokyo Swan and Iwate Swan themes, respectively, while the third is a track that had remained unfinished for a year, tentatively planned for what is now known as Iwate Swan 23, renamed "Eternal Swan." You may download the songs free of charge, either individually or as an album called "Eternal Swan," based on the new track. All that I ask is this: if Rodger has inspired you in any way, please consider donating to the Rodger Swan Memorial Fund for Japanese Studies. All of the money donated to this fund will go toward helping students study abroad in Japan, just as Rodger had. It is one way you can become an active part in securing his legacy as a teacher, a student, and an amazing friend.

Remember to cherish those you love, and never take a friendship for granted. Life can be stripped away as easily as it was given, so for those of us who have nothing left to fear, we must make them sure that it was worth it. Love to you all, and Rodger: we will meet again soon.

I'm blessed, I know / Heaven sent, and Heaven stole"

-K

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Eternal Swan Album Contents:

-Tokyo Swan (Remastered)
-Iwate Swan
-Eternal Swan

To download the Eternal Swan album, click here.
To download the album artwork, click the picture above.

Click here to donate to the Rodger Swan Memorial Fund.

Iwate Swan 19: Christmas 2009

(Iwate Swan 19: Christmas 2009)

Enjoy the last episode of Iwate Swan this year! I will return in January after a lovely visit home to continue the series. It has been a fun ride thus far, and I am looking forward to more adventures in the new year. I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season, and I wish all my viewers nothing but the best.

The long distance count down is now a mere 6 days. This time next week I will be with my girlfriend and I could not be happier. We've really made it darling :)

rodg

Iwate Swan 18: Autumn Reflections

(Iwate Swan 18: Autumn Reflections)

Super sized episode that features everything from christmas card shopping to bathroom construction. A lot of these were nice moments, but not enough for a whole video. Plus, though I like my shorter videos better, I think it is good to release a longer one every once in a while too.

Got one more episode coming out next week and then I will be going on break as I return to the US for a few weeks.

Only 13 days to go until I am home and with my girlfriend! That is only 1 week and 6 days!!! I am so excited!!!

Iwate Swan 17: Marukan Department Store

(Iwate Swan 17: Marukan Department Store)

So I am back to finish off November with another Christmas Shopping episode. This time I went to the famous Marukan Department Store and I had some incredible ice cream there. Apologies for this video being half a day late haha, we had a staff party last night so I was quite busy.

Only 19 days to go until I'm back home for break and I can be with my girlfriend! Less than 3 weeks to go! I'm getting really antsy now, but I don't have too much longer to wait....

see you next time!
rodger

Iwate Swan 16: Book Market

(Iwate Swan 16: Book Market)

Wow, so it is already Friday night here again in Iwate so that means it is time to release a new Iwate Swan video. This is my first of two Christmas shopping videos, with next week showcasing a larger store in town. Still, I think this is a neat look into a very common, everyday sort of shop found all throughout Japan. Currently working on the first episode to come out in December (it is being shot like the Halloween one, so the footage comes from several different days), and then I have one more video to shoot before heading home for a few weeks.

My long distance relationship countdown is now down to just 27 days! That is less than 4 weeks to go! I have my night bus ticket to get into Tokyo, and so I am all set for my flight home. It will be amazing to see my girlfriend again, and I am sure winter break will be nothing short of spectacular.

Ok, well hope everyone is doing well! See you next week for another shopping episode....

rodg

Iwate Swan 15: Agricultural School Festival

(Iwate Swan 15: Agricultural School Festival)
I was sad to see another one of my schools cancel their school festival, but the agricultural school decided to soldier on despite everyone getting sick with the flu. It was a really fun time and I hope you guys enjoy the inside look at this school festival!

The long distance count down until I can see my girlfriend again is now down to only 34 days! Monday I have a seminar in the capital and I will be purchasing my night bus ticket to get to Narita Airport next month. I think when I return in January I will be in Tokyo for a few days to meet up with some Japanese friends which should be nice. Everything is coming together!
rodger

Iwate Swan 14: Sports Park

Iwate Swan 14: Sports Park

So I found a giant park behind my house and it is great for taking a walk haha. The seasons are changing and I am gearing up for a cold winter here in Iwate. I've actually been a bit sick lately, but my trip to the local doctor's office got me some medicine to take and I am hoping that I will be 100% recovered soon, as right now all the icky cold symptoms seem to be coming and going by the hour.

Well, life is never boring here that's for sure. In long distance news, the countdown is now at 41 short days before I see my lady friend again. Getting closer...

rodger