Leaving Japan
August 01, 2022
I’m not fully processing the fact that, within two weeks time, I’ll be back in the US. It’s a similar feeling to when I was on the precipice of coming to Japan in the first place. I’ve already packed up the bulk of my belongings and just have a small suitcase and backpack as I travel across Japan. I’ve made plans to meet up with a fellow American expat that I met in Osaka. He’s an English teacher in Hirosaki, Aomori. I’m excited because my timing matches up to where I’ll be able to witness several days of Nebuta across Aomori. Nebuta is a summer festival where brilliantly lit up floats are paraded across towns in northern Japan. I’m excited to end my time in Japan with one last wholly unique cultural experience. I also made plans to stay overnight in a Buddhist temple on Mount Osore, located in the caldera of an active volcano. While I am a little nervous regarding the prospect of sleeping above an active volcano, I’m really excited for the opportunity to have a peaceful and reflective experience in a place with striking geography.
Over the past few weeks, I can’t help but think of all the people that I’ve met who I may never meet again. I’ve made some great friends and met some truly unique individuals. While I would love to return to Japan, there are doubts in my mind that spending such an extended time abroad will ever be possible again. While accepting a full-time position in Japan is certainly a way to accomplish this, all I can think about is all the people back home in the US who I’ve been away from. I miss my family and friends. While it’s morbid, I can’t help but think how devastated I would feel if someone close to me passed away while I was on the other side of the world. How many weeks could I have instead spent with them. But, the truth of the matter is that the same thing could happen even if I were back in the US the whole time. I would say that this experience has helped me to truly appreciate my loved ones.
I can’t help but wonder what I’ll miss most about Japan. While terrible for my body, I’m sure that I’ll miss the bowls of salt ramen overflowing with pork belly. It’s going to hurt to go from a country where convenient stores are genuinely convenient to one where convenience store food is certifiably sketchy. Most of all, I think I’ll miss my newfound friends. I’m so incredibly thankful for this experience and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, but I can’t help but think that a slight sadness will tinge my memories as I’m forced to move on.
~ JHE
