At the suggestion of two of my bestest friends (and blogging buddies), I will continue to reflect on my Japan experience and "life after Japan" through this blog. Since I was 10 years old (and besides required journals while studying abroad), I have gotten too lazy to actually write in a diary, so this is the next best thing.
Japan feels like a dream. The sounds, people, scenery, smells, etc. feel like a distant memory. I can't explain it. I have only been home over a month... (But that leads to the question of where is home? Is it Japan where I was born and lived for the past year? Minnesota where I lived for the first 5 years of my life and 5 years including college and my year of student teaching plus this upcoming year? Is it Toledo, Ohio where I grew up from 5-18 years old?) but I have settled right back in to life in the U.S. Maybe I expected a severe case of culture shock, as we were warned about by my program.
I don't want to forget Japan - all the people I met and things I learned. I want to incorporate that experience into my life. But easier said than done. I planned on riding a bike everywhere, like I did in Japan. But I have already gotten lazier with that. I planned on calling my grandmother once a month but that hasn't happened either. I think it's all a matter of incorporating those small things into my daily lifestyle and routine.
One of those blogging buddies I mentioned earlier recently made a list of goals that she wants to accomplish in life...that motivated me. (The thing I especially liked about her list is there was no pressure...it wasn't a frantic to-do list, it was a list that could evolve and change.) So here I will include a list of things I want to take from my year in Japan:
1) ride a bicycle often
2) call my grandmother once a month
3) always take off my shoes when entering my apartment
4) keep in touch with friends from or in Japan
5) take reusable bags to the grocery store
6) continue to study/review Japanese
7) cook Japanese food sometimes
8) stay active, but make time to relax too
I'll keep adding to this list...
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1 comment:
Nice! I was thinking, when we can get people together we should have an "international night" and we can choose if we want to dress for the occassion or not, but each of us can bring a dish from our heritage to share. you can cook japanese food :) let me know what you think!
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