Decisions Decisions

This morning I was filling out forms and writing checks for my study abroad program. Pretty big checks, and the mother check of 16,950 USD hadn't even been written yet. And as I was checking the boxes on the appropriate forms and scratch blue ink to match the blue font on the checks, a thought came to me: Could I study abroad for just the fall semester, coming back to do the Winter term here.

Logically, are various, pretty significant advantages to the idea:

PROS:
Save around 10,000 dollars. (That's a lot of money)
Security of graduating on time
More relaxed, enjoyable Senior year.

But even as I weighed the advantages in my mind, my heart sank. While I know that going home would be the smart thing to do, something in me was disappointed. Cherry trees in Japan would be blooming in the spring. And I wouldn't see them.

What's the prince of an experience, what the monetary value can be attached to a memory?

CONS:
Miss potential memories, experiences, i.e. good times. (Winter is depressing)
Miss an opportunity to improve my Japanese...etc.
Be unable to visit Takeshi for months.
(Other various emotional reasons)

Through this debate, I know who the sides are: the Romantic and the Realist. The Romantic knows that when she gets to Japan that she'll probably have some difficulties, or course, but truly enjoy her experience, and not want it to end. Even with the summer program seven months wouldn't be enough.

The Realist knows that the smarter thing would be to go home early, for all of the various reasons above; money, time, etc. "You can't always get what you want"

After I get there and experience life for awhile, the answer will become clear to me, at least I think. But I can feel the two, the Romantic and the Realist, fighting within myself already.

Who should I follow?