With less than one month away from my arrival in Japan, I’m feeling both nervous and excited. I’ve never been out of the country before; in fact, I’ve barely been out of the state! I’ve also never lived alone, which makes this journey both an exhilarating one and a frightening one.
I’ve been looking forward to this moment for years and it hardly feels real. It seemed like such a distant and unattainable dream that I don’t even feel like I’m really going to Japan at all. I imagine it won’t truly hit me until I’ve already been there for a while.
Although I used to dream about this trip as something that I’d experience passively as nothing more than a wandering eye, I read the blog posts of other study abroad students at Kansai Gaidai and found myself looking forward to taking an active, engaged role in my time there to really learn about the culture firsthand. I’ve always been rather shy and kept within my own personal shell, but it was amazing to see what other people had learned while they were there just by striking up conversations and exploring. I came to realize that I want something more out of this experience. I don’t just want to see the pretty sights and practice my Japanese nervously with only one speaking partner. I want to explore the country, meet and learn from new people, attend festivals and ceremonies, learn about traditions, and more.
Although it’s scary, I think this is a wonderful opportunity and I’m so happy to have it. I want to make the most of it. I want to come back from Japan with great memories, new experiences, and incredible knowledge. These are the things that help us open our minds and find greater enjoyment in the world, and I’m going to do just that.
I can’t wait to be there! I’m going to take so many pictures and enjoy every minute of this journey.