After a week of being back home, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on how my experienced shaped my identity and how I view the world. Looking at my pre departure post, I definitely think my mindset was pivotal in helping me make the most of my experience in Japan. I wanted to change, I wanted to find new ways to see the world and do things, and by being ready for that I think I was able to truly gain new perspectives.
As I thought, Japanese culture was way different from the US. From the overall functioning of society to everyday interactions, I had to learn how to function in a completely different way. Although I had a very clear definition of my identity when I left, I was happy to see how much I changed and adopted different aspects of the way of life in Japan. Whether its taking off my shoes immediately when I enter my house or even viewing situations with a more cooperative mindset after seeing the positives of a more collectivist way of life, I feel that my identity changed greatly while I was abroad, and this changed my entire experience of the world, even at home now. Its really interesting to think that our culture and identities really do change how we see opportunities, problems, and life in general. This was probably the most valuable thing I learned in Japan by far.
Because of how I changed in Japan, I now see my own normal life so differently. I look to find more opportunities for cooperation after seeing how effective a more collectivist mindset can be, and I even feel like there’s so much more that I can learn about and implement into my life and identity that I experienced in Japan. Especially when you’re young, your identity is always in flux, and it definitely effects everything about how you experience the world. Because of that, I cannot stress how valuable going abroad is. No matter where you go, you learn and change by being immersed in another culture, and this change really impacts your life and perspectives for the better.