Nostalgia

I long for a trip to Japan again. I miss the surprisingly agrarian countryside and the breathtaking landscape. 

I miss our unique hotels and the culture that they brought. We stayed in huts in a hotel in Fukushima 

Prefecture. There we were accommodated with cultural ceremonies and a truly amazing atmosphere. An early morning walk in the woods is an isolation from Japan. It transports you for a little bit back home. Nothing in the woods except the living is Japanese. There aren't any signs or Japanese characters. It's a relaxing walk that provokes many thoughts. Taking in everything around you is a hard task and I miss those mornings of solitude in the forest.

I miss the food. It was a whole new world of food that I had never explored before. Eel sushi octopus dumplings, and shellfish were among my bravest attempts at living the Japanese culture. Sweet treats, breads, and donuts found their way into my stomach as well. Sometimes the most common thing to the Japanese is so different to us. Melon bread was my favorite treat in Japan. 

I miss the city. Inspiring cityscapes and skyscrapers were plentiful outside of our hotels and in Tokyo. The city was a wonderful place to experience so much Japanese culture in one place. It is truly a one stop shop. Navigating the city was a whole new experience. We walked most places and on one occasion were responsible to get back to our hotel by eleven o'clock one evening in a small group. Remembering buildings and landmarks was key in my groups exploration.

I miss the fear of new adventures. Being in a Japanese home for the first time in my life was a little daunting. I felt very much alone those nights that I spent with my host family. They all spoke this completely different language than I did and had hardly any English knowledge. Sometimes I could catch snippets of what they were saying, but rarely did I understand a full sentence. I had only had one year of language education when they had been speaking it since birth. I did pick up several new vocabulary terms in the home stay. I also learned that absence of family really hurts, but family can be found in many different, unexpected places. Although I towered over my host mom, I felt that she understood my fright at such a new adventure and was very good at comforting me and asking if I needed anything. 

I miss Japan. I'm very glad that such an opportunity was available for me, but I am filled with regrets that I won't be back in the country for some time. Often I wonder when I will return. I wish that I took more pictures because of the 500 that I did take, it wasn't even close to the experience that I had.