It's been a looooong while since I wrote here but I'm currently procrastinating on my Japanese discussion essay and don't really feel like watching a show or playing a game at the moment too, so I figured I'd write a post. At least writing makes me feel like I'm doing something somewhat productive haha.
So if you don't already know from the title, I'm currently living in Tokyo for one year as I study at Waseda University! It's always been a little dream of mine since I was 12 to stay in Japan for an extended duration just to experience and see for myself what it's like to live in the land where so many of my interests hail from. Two months in and I must admit that the reality of living here doesn't quite meet my expectations despite them having been primed and cautioned by the personal experiences of my boyfriend and friends who've spent at least a year here in Japan.
Apart from the first couple of days moving here, I've settled into my new lifestyle in Tokyo pretty well. The first few days came as a little bit of a shock for me due to the sudden change in environment and having to come to terms with being alone and away from friends and family, and consequently dealing with most things on my own. I spent the first night on a really long Skype call with my boyfriend Cam just talking to him because I was still anxious and unable to relax despite being sleep-deprived for more than 12 hours.
But subsequently I got settled in pretty smoothly. The fact Singapore imports so many store chains and products from Japan like Daiso and mirin etc makes shopping less of an intimidating feat for me as compared to my Indian and Serbian dorm mates who've never seen many of the things they sell here before. I became somewhat of a little walking encyclopedia of Japanese products since they'd ask me about what a product was and how it's used etc. Google Maps and the iPhone weather app are now two very well-acquainted friends since I rely on them a lot almost on a daily basis. Trains here are complicated AF and for some reason the rain here is a lot more unpleasant to deal with than in Singapore so I always have to be ready with an umbrella on days it's forecast to rain. I began my first couple of weeks stuttering through conversations in my rusty Japanese with cashiers and store staff, before observing and mimicking how the customer in front of me would interact and answer queries about point cards or whether you need a plastic bag. And because of the way I dress and do my make-up here, I get mistaken a lot for a local Japanese by classmates and store staff - whether or not that works to my advantage it's still too early to judge.
Japan is great but there are many aspects in which I feel lose out to Singapore. Communication and expression feels a lot less restricted and open back home, but this is due to culture and language with their differences in social expectations and implications. Food here is great but lacking in variety, so much so there are times I would actually get sick of rice and noodles and not feel like eating anything (which is unthinkable for a glutton like me). Most things are done in paperwork here which can be quite a chore for someone who's used to things being done online. The list goes on, and I'm not really complaining or ranting about the way things are here (maybe a bit haha) but it does make me appreciate things I might have taken for granted back home.
I miss Mom and Dad, my sisters and of course my loyal companion Skippy (he turns 16 today!), and the weekly skype calls home make me feel a little bittersweet as I look at them through the little screen and think of how drastically infrequent our interactions have become. But I feel like this is part of learning independence, and getting a taste of what it'll be like to move on from my current stage of life to the next in future. It's not 100% pleasant being away from home like this, but I feel like this is a necessary experience to have to prepare me for the future.
I'm also beginning to grow more independently in my thoughts. I see it evidently in my relationship with Cam. Even though we started out as an LDR I was still very much limited in my understanding and patience since I was in Singapore for the most part and couldn't empathize with Cam's experience of living overseas. But now that our roles are switched (I'm staying in Japan now while he's home in Perth) I'm beginning to see how it can't be helped at times we get caught up with things set in a foreign environment and fail to notice the littlest details that might bother us at some point (well it's mostly me always having a bone to pick with him haha). I feel like this relationship isn't as hard to keep up as I previously misunderstood. Of course it helps that we skype almost if not everyday - I don't think a lot of couples out there in LDRs get to or probably want to do that due to busy schedules and time differences. It doesn't change the fact that I miss my man very very much but I will see him in a few months when he flies over, so in the meanwhile this will suffice.
Getting used to life here in Tokyo to the point it becomes "normal" sounds great to most, but a part of me doesn't want that. If things become reduced to a norm - a daily mundane routine - I feel like I would lose that motivation to go out to explore or try new things to grow myself while I can. I only have a year and I don't want it to be the case where I approach the end and regret not doing more with my time here. With that in mind, I want to continue living this Tokyo life with a vibrant outlook - so hopefully I'll fill out the pages of my diary and maybe this blog too with those adventures.
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