Friday, August 29, 2008

Time and Time Again

After being in Britain for three weeks now, and having been on holiday here twice (hence the huge gap between posts because I didn't have internet), I've kind of had time to reflect on the whole trip.

I've found that I have certain memories that stick out above all the rest, but mainly I feel happy about the whole thing. When I think about it, the over-riding emotion is happiness. Happiness that I could go, that I had the opportunity to see amazing things and meet amazing people, who I am still in contact with now.

It also seems incredibly short. Seven months is not a long time, even if it felt like it was back in January when the journey was stretching ahead of me. I could have stayed longer in Japan, but I had to come home.

I feel so lucky. Lucky is the word I think. Lucky to be able to do these things. I feel much more mature, and like my life is richer now.

Looking back over my 5,000 photos and videos (yes, I know...), and showing them to my family and friends, is just great. I can open up Japan for people who still confuse it with China, and let them see what a beautiful and interesting country it is.

The word that fits it in Japanese is 懐かしい (natsukashii), which means 'fondly remembered'. And that's definitely what my Japan trip is, fondly remembered.

And now, I have three weeks before University starts in Leeds. I'll be studying English and Japanese so I'm studying Japanese grammar and kanji before I go. My aim is to learn 500 kanji before I start the course. We'll see if it happens! 104 down, just a few more to go...

頑張ります!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

I'm Back Home!

I'm actually back!

Very tired and a little confused, but definitely back in Britain!

I will write about my flight properly soon, but it went without a hitch. It was extremely sad to leave my guesthouse and my housemates, but I knew that it had to happen. I said goodbye to everyone, and everything, and really had to fight myself to stay as composed as possible. I was leaving my home of seven months.

My Chinese housemate, very kindly, came to Tokyo City Air Terminal on Thursday morning to wave me off. It was incredibly sad to say goodbye to him, because he was very kind. I waved until the bus rounded the corner and he was gone.

On the bus to the airport, which cost Y2,900, I was having real flashbacks to various times during my trip. I know it sounds like something you see in a film, with grainy black and white images representing memories, but the journey was actually filled with random images of people, places and emotions.

At the airport, I sent emails to some people from my phone, and told them I was safely ready to go, and thank you for everything.

I couldn't believe I was leaving Japan. The last few days there didn't feel real.

On the plane, I looked through the selection of music you can make your own playlist out of, and I found some songs that meant a lot to me while I was in Japan. I feel I must admit that Touch My Body, by Mariah Carey, was included, but I probably heard that song more than any other over the last seven months.

I only slept for about 90 minutes the night before I left, and had maybe 3 hours of broken, uncomfortable sleep on the plane.

But somehow I stayed awake and alert, probably from adrenaline, until 11pm at home. My mum, brother and cousin met me at Heathrow airport in London, and then we had lunch in a pub (so British) and drove up to Birmingham.

The over-riding feeling was a dream-like state that I found myself in. It felt like I was just in Britain for a little bit, and I'd be returning 'home' to Tokyo soon.

Once I got home, everything felt strange, lovely, but very strange. It didn't quite register that I was at home. My real home, in Birmingham.

I knew that, after a few days, Japan would feel like the dream, but for now, Japan is still my reality.

I can't find the words, and that's not because I lived in a non-English speaking country, to describe how absolutely amazing my trip to Japan was.

The way my personality, outlook, and life has changed as a result is more than I ever expected. I can't recommend doing something like this enough.

Although I was sad to leave, I'd much rather be sad to leave because I enjoyed it, than be happy to go because it was a painful, trying seven months.

And sometimes it was difficult, looking back at it, and I did feel a bit homesick at times, but the memories and experiences I have now make up for it a thousand times.

I have to close that chapter of my life behind me now, and look forward to University in September, where I'll study English & Japanese, and after that, in September 2009, I will return to Japan as an exchange student to study for one year.

An exciting four years lie ahead of me!

And I can't wait.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

All Ready To Go!

Well, I'm sitting down with all my bags around me. It's 3.30am and my flight is at 10.55am from Narita Airport.

I'm all checked out and ready to go.

Today has been so emotional, saying goodbye to my friends, to my room, to the life I've had for the last seven months.

I gave all my housemates presents and we went out for a lovely meal at a nearby restaurant. It was so fun, but I had a nagging sadness that kept telling me I was leaving in a few hours.

And now it's a mere four hours before I have to go to Tokyo City Air Terminal to catch the bus to the airport.

And in less than 24 hours I'll be back at home in Birmingham, England.

How strange.

How wonderful.

My next post will be from home, so wish me luck for the flight!

I can't believe it's over.