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！