End of the semester boat party view!
The past 4 months in Japan is starting to feel like a dream now that I am back home in the States. Month 4 was filled with balancing the last of classes and finals and having some last adventures with my wonderful friends in places like Odaiba, a port city looking over Tokyo Bay. The last month of course left a feeling at the back of my mind since I knew that only 30 days separated me and the end of my life in Japan. Of course, there was a push and pull of wanting to go back home and staying in Tokyo which I still feel even after coming back. You really do begin to take things for granted when you are away from a certain place and I think I have begun to experience a longing for certain things in Japan that I never really have wished in my city.
Firstly, I really really miss the trains. I don’t think that is a common thing for foreigners to say as the morning commute can be quite rushed and packed, but the convenience and efficiency of it is unbeatable. Being back in my home, it is hard to get anywhere without a car and the nearest bus stop isn’t for miles. In Tokyo, I just had to walk 5 minutes and get on a train to go anywhere in the city. It was also so much easier to meet up with friends and even though Tokyo is a massive city, the JR and Metro make it so much more connected. I still have money on my Suica, so I guess I will have to go back! ๐
Secondly, the food! I have been going through some serious food withdrawal these past few days and luckily got a chance to go to my local Asian food store and raid what they had in the Japanese section. >.< I definitely looked forward to the meals my host moms cooked for me and loved the variety in the dishes. Even outside of the house, my friends and I explored a variety of restaurants and I loved it all! After picking up some things at the store, I am definitely going to try and recreate some of the dishes I had while in Japan. Lastly, I definitely miss my friends I made during the program. We made so many great memories together and going through an experience like studying abroad and having to deal with similar obstacles definitely made us closer. Going from seeing them every day to not seeing them at all is definitely hard, but luckily social media is there to keep us connected and hopefully we can see each other over breaks!
ๅ้ in Odaiba!
Japan has taught me a lot about myself and I don’t think I will ever be able to fully articulate that. I mean just the fact that I can say I lived in Tokyo for 4 months is amazing and I gained so many invaluable experiences. I really hope I can go back soon and visit the city that has made the first half of 2016 amazing. ๐
jochijourneys 