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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Sumimasen...

I have been here over a month and things have definitely changed since arrival.  I thought I'd give this post, before I paste my journal, just to give you a heads up.  My first weeks were a bit emotional to say the least.  I actually handled them well, keeping my time occupied by newly made friends and organized events.  Though,  I definitely had the 'What the hell did I do?' panic attacks.  They still come from time to time as you may see, but I am not as irrational, and have become a master at calming myself.

Already, I have traveled to the southernmost tip of Kyushu, camped in Miyazaki, and taken the ferry by an extremely active volcano.  These, however, are nothing in comparison to the little stories that have accumulated during my nights with Shibushi, Kanoya, Miyazaki, and countless other JETs and new-found friends.  Each day, and I'm being absolutely serious, I stop to think to myself how lucky I am.  There are hundreds, maybe thousands of us JETs, and we all have the common bond of having people back home telling us how lucky we are.  We even tell each other quite often, how lucky we have become to experience this opportunity.  But for me, I don't wholly understand the degree of insane pleasure I have found, until I find my 'spot.'  In the states, my 'spot' was in the ocean, on a surfboard with no one within 30 feet of me.  It was also flying down the highways on my motorcycle at 1am.  In fact, I even found my 'spot' in the mountains, underwater in a swimming pool, and even wrangling in Wyoming.

The difference, though, is that all the places I had a 'spot,' I also had the knowledge that there was someone readily nearby (family or friend) to help me in a pinch.  In Japan, my spots have become eerily similar, but with a little twist.  I have found one of my spots at a cool little beach in Miyazaki, on a surfboard in the ocean, with not a single soul around.  I have also found it at my home, with a neighbor who speaks no English, but insists on waving to me and literally directing me out of my driveway so I don't hit the hedges.  Also, my office setting has given me numerous places to feel comfortable, with broken English everywhere, and constant gifts of omiyage that let me know I was thought about while someone was on their weekend holiday.  Most of all, my new friends have given me such great strength to function that I would probably have gone insane by now if it wasn't for them.

Instead of listing these people and the things they have done, I will post these entries and you may 'meet' them for yourself.  I honestly plan on keeping this blog active throughout my stay here.  It is the best attempt I have ever had at maintaining a personal journal, ever.  Please comment and share your own thoughts with me.  I have enjoyed writing this and can only hope you will experience 'my Japan.'

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