Life Update - One More Year.
This may not come as a surprise to some of you, while others may be a little taken aback (if you haven't picked up to references to changes in the "big plan" already), but I thought I would officially announce that I have decided to spend a third - and final - year in Japan.
When I first arrived two years ago, I clearly remember saying that I would be here for two years and then move on. I might have even said it would be stupid to stay longer than that. You lose touch with the reality of home (or the West), it's a long time to be away from contacts, family & close friends, and - to be honest - I was a little scared of becoming one of those bitter people I had met (mostly female) that I was sure had once been fun, motivated and interesting individuals... but had just stayed here too long.
Then I changed my mind.
I've spent two years in one country before, and weeks or months at a time in other places (Greece, China, etc) but those stays have always only been in intervals, not going more than a year in the longest span. The few months (or really, the first year) living in a new place is always exciting. There is the thrill of the honeymoon stage in a new culture: exploration and discovery; the ups & downs as you learn about cultural differences and about yourself. I've done this before and could relate to these feelings (even, niavely, tried to embrace the waves of emotion that embody culture shock when I came to Japan), but your second consequtive year is different. I left Japan and returned home for three weeks last summer, only to return to a very different place that I now knew and felt strangely comfortable in. Being home again was normal, but I had a community, friends and a life here in Japan, too. I had spent almost every weekend of my first year running around with friends, exploring, trying out new things, traveling and I suddenly found myself in the same old "new" place, but with an entirely different view. I understood certain things (and I'm not just referrng to language). The expat lifestyle can be very transitory, and while some good friends moved away, new ones arrived and I was no longer the newbie, but had sort of a senpai, experienced role to these new guys that were thirsty to find Japan. The first year was all about getting settled. And then it was different.
My second year here - the past year - was a good one. Full of travel (America, Taiwan, India, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & all over southern Japan), but as much as I left the country, I also found myself drawn to the area I live in. And I suppose I expanded the parameters of where I spent most of my time and who I spent that time with. which changed a lot of dynamics. I like being in Kansai (my area of the country has a culture of it's own - sort of like saying you like the US East Coast) and I feel a connection to the people here. So last winter, while I was dealing with the emotions of knowing I was going home soon(ish) and making post-Japan plans, something changed. I continued with my applications, but I started considerig the possibility of staying. I am the type of person that doesn't really vocalize BIG things until I have thought about them a while... and I was definitely thinking. When it came time to start making real decisions, I was still on the fence about whether or not it would be wise to stay, but I decided it was something I wanted to do (and because I hadn't really discussed it with anyone at first, I knew that I was staying for me... really the best reason).
Other big reasons for staying (which I won't expand on, to spare you from length) are being able to witness and experience the entire cycle of the Japanese high school system, that my role here has been changing (not to mention my views) and I'm really enjoying working for a national NPO and staying another year will more than likely benefit me professionally in the long run because it gives me more time to prepare for grad school. It's good to know
OH, and did I mention you are only young once? I am loving my twenties and living them how I want to - growing, learning, enoying & seeing the world - no regrets. I miss people and things, but I am essentially where I want to be & I will really miss people from here, too.
Anyways, I need to get going and write a few speeches for the staff members going to Australia next week (they get to meet with the Premier of Western Australia each year... not bad), but the long and short of it is basically that there is a little more time left in this chapter. While I know the third year (to continue on the above trend) is supposed to be the one where you settle more & maybe learn more patience with things, I am excited to share it with all of you.
It's a little hard saying goodbye to some good friends leaving soon, and I know that will change things here without them, but nothing is permanent in this life and that is what makes the time we have and have had so beautiful. So here's to one more year & everything it has to offer!
When I first arrived two years ago, I clearly remember saying that I would be here for two years and then move on. I might have even said it would be stupid to stay longer than that. You lose touch with the reality of home (or the West), it's a long time to be away from contacts, family & close friends, and - to be honest - I was a little scared of becoming one of those bitter people I had met (mostly female) that I was sure had once been fun, motivated and interesting individuals... but had just stayed here too long.
Then I changed my mind.
I've spent two years in one country before, and weeks or months at a time in other places (Greece, China, etc) but those stays have always only been in intervals, not going more than a year in the longest span. The few months (or really, the first year) living in a new place is always exciting. There is the thrill of the honeymoon stage in a new culture: exploration and discovery; the ups & downs as you learn about cultural differences and about yourself. I've done this before and could relate to these feelings (even, niavely, tried to embrace the waves of emotion that embody culture shock when I came to Japan), but your second consequtive year is different. I left Japan and returned home for three weeks last summer, only to return to a very different place that I now knew and felt strangely comfortable in. Being home again was normal, but I had a community, friends and a life here in Japan, too. I had spent almost every weekend of my first year running around with friends, exploring, trying out new things, traveling and I suddenly found myself in the same old "new" place, but with an entirely different view. I understood certain things (and I'm not just referrng to language). The expat lifestyle can be very transitory, and while some good friends moved away, new ones arrived and I was no longer the newbie, but had sort of a senpai, experienced role to these new guys that were thirsty to find Japan. The first year was all about getting settled. And then it was different.
My second year here - the past year - was a good one. Full of travel (America, Taiwan, India, Nepal, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & all over southern Japan), but as much as I left the country, I also found myself drawn to the area I live in. And I suppose I expanded the parameters of where I spent most of my time and who I spent that time with. which changed a lot of dynamics. I like being in Kansai (my area of the country has a culture of it's own - sort of like saying you like the US East Coast) and I feel a connection to the people here. So last winter, while I was dealing with the emotions of knowing I was going home soon(ish) and making post-Japan plans, something changed. I continued with my applications, but I started considerig the possibility of staying. I am the type of person that doesn't really vocalize BIG things until I have thought about them a while... and I was definitely thinking. When it came time to start making real decisions, I was still on the fence about whether or not it would be wise to stay, but I decided it was something I wanted to do (and because I hadn't really discussed it with anyone at first, I knew that I was staying for me... really the best reason).
Other big reasons for staying (which I won't expand on, to spare you from length) are being able to witness and experience the entire cycle of the Japanese high school system, that my role here has been changing (not to mention my views) and I'm really enjoying working for a national NPO and staying another year will more than likely benefit me professionally in the long run because it gives me more time to prepare for grad school. It's good to know
OH, and did I mention you are only young once? I am loving my twenties and living them how I want to - growing, learning, enoying & seeing the world - no regrets. I miss people and things, but I am essentially where I want to be & I will really miss people from here, too.
Anyways, I need to get going and write a few speeches for the staff members going to Australia next week (they get to meet with the Premier of Western Australia each year... not bad), but the long and short of it is basically that there is a little more time left in this chapter. While I know the third year (to continue on the above trend) is supposed to be the one where you settle more & maybe learn more patience with things, I am excited to share it with all of you.
It's a little hard saying goodbye to some good friends leaving soon, and I know that will change things here without them, but nothing is permanent in this life and that is what makes the time we have and have had so beautiful. So here's to one more year & everything it has to offer!
posted by Brenda Ann Elizabeth McKinney @ 5:18 PM
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