I am sitting in the study room at Kansai Gaidai University, as I am writing this journal. It’s a Saturday night, so the study room is relatively empty. There are a few video gamers around me. I think this is the perfect space for me to pour out my feelings after a day filled with adventure and gratitude. Today, I went on my first solo trip to a place that’s over an hour away from KGU. I desperately needed to get a pocket wi-fi, which is a wi-fi router that you can carry with you anywhere. I decided not to ask any of my friends to join me since I wanted them to get the rest they deserved, and I also wanted to explore Japan by myself. It was quite the risk since I had no internet connection on my phone during the journey to the wi-fi rental store. I was by myself in a new place for over six hours! The lack of attachment to my phone and slight fear of losing my way, late in the evening, evoked emotions that I haven’t felt for the longest time: gratitude and awareness. This journey has brought me to the realization that I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone countless times just because I wanted to make the most out of my experience abroad.
