I am currently in Sapporo, Hokkaido, a city on the northern-most island of Japan. I am around 200 miles away from Russia, which is like the distance from New York to Boston. Before leaving Japan in July, I intend to go to Okinawa (the southern-most island of Japan), Taiwan and Mt. Fuji (the tallest mountain in Japan). When I return to the U.S., even though I’ll be going home to California and then to graduate school in Seattle, I also intend to explore those areas by going hiking, watching plays, visiting museums and more. This is just to say that the journey never ends. It lives on, in you, in me and in how we lead our lives.
I have learned so much on this trip. I’ve learned that it is okay to travel by myself and that I can find enjoyable activities wherever I am. I’ve learned that to make friends I have to be proactive, putting time into meeting as many people as possible and continuing to meet those who I want to become better friends with. I’ve learned how to balance my time between research, cultural immersion, traveling, other activities I enjoy and relaxation. I’ve learned that there are some benefits to America’s focus on the individual, but also some benefits to Japan’s focus on the community. For example, America’s individualism encourages people to come up with creative, unconventional and innovative ideas.
