It’s finally the last week of the fall semester at TUJ, which means the end of classes and exams is soon to come, but so is my time here in Japan. I knew this day was inevitable, but just as it was hard to wrap my head around coming to Japan back in August, it’s just as disorienting to think about leaving it. I’ve spent the last 4 months of my life completely wrapped in a blanket of a culture and lifestyle new to what I’ve experienced before, and while it may have felt smothering at times, it has helped me to grow and learn in ways I never imagined. In this final post, I just wanted to try my best to reflect on all the things that made this semester one of the richest journeys of my life.
When entering a new environment, it’s a given that there will be challenges to overcome in the process of adjusting. I’d say that’s amplified by 100 when making the decision to study abroad. There are things like budgeting, figuring out transportation, or what clothes to bring, the basics. But then there are the more complicated ones like the distance from your family and friends back home, how you’ll make new ones, how your identity will play a role in your experience wherever you are. No matter who you are there will be times where you feel overwhelmed. Traversing a brand-new place will push you to adopt an open mind and become more flexible in your endeavors, but it will only work for you If you can accept this reality and actively make the most of your experiences.
That may sound a little bleak, but I wanted to address that part before I get into what made up 90% of my experience: the great friends I’ve made, the life long relationship I’ve forged with my host family, the sights and smells and sounds of places I’d never thought I would see, and hundreds of other things that have matured me into a better version of myself than I was just 4 months ago. Spending at least part of almost every day exploring areas in and around Tokyo, combined with the opportunity I had living with a Japanese family, I was exposed to so many different facets of Japanese culture that gave me a great perspective on understanding those from different backgrounds. Hearing the way people talk, watching how they carry themselves, and learning about about how they connect with others are all examples of things that allow humans to understand one another on a deeper, personal level. Getting to learn about those things from all new people, those from Japan and visiting from other countries alike, is something I’ve been very grateful for.
It’s hard to pick, but one of the most fulfilling parts of being here was the getting to several extremely memorable places, in various regions of Japan. Famous onsen towns, Mt. Fuji and its surrounding mountains, dozens of historical shrines, ice caves, and more. When you come across these things, they really put you in your place in the best way possible. It’s hard to describe them with words, and attempting to would end in nonsensical rambling, but it’s the type of thing where it makes you feel like everything is working out exactly how it’s supposed to. I’ve found that feeling many times in Japan and it may seem that now that I’m leaving, I’m going to be missing out on more of that feeling, but I feel almost nothing but excitement towards the future. Almost.
Going back home has a very bittersweet feeling attached to it. I’ve spent so much time adjusting to life here, developing relationships through that common factor whether I was receiving guidance from my host family or figuring it out together with other students I met. It became such an important part of my life, so letting go of it in a way is going to be difficult. However, the better part of me knows that what was achieved here is not fleeting, and that it will stay with me for as long as I live and continue to explore the world and the people within it. And either way, this won’t be the last time I see Japan. To anyone who’s kept up with my thoughts this semester, I sincerely thank you, and I hope you get to experience this yourself one day.
Check out my very first post and take a look at my peers’ experiences over the semester!