Some of you already know, but I went back to Japan last month for a ten day visit. I hadn't planned on returning so soon after coming back to California in the spring, but my favorite Japanese band played two live shows in their hometown of Osaka, which is something they rarely do, so I decided to splurge and go for it. And it was totally worth it. They played songs I had never heard live before, and I was closer to the stage than I had ever been in the previous 7 times I had seen them perform.
Of course, I also took the opportunity to see my friends and visit with my relatives. I even made a brief trip to the junior high I taught at, and it was so nice seeing everyone again, even though it took my former students and coworkers a few glances to recognize me, hehe. Guess a hairstyle really can change someone's appearance. In all, it was an amazing but short trip back, and I can't wait to visit again.
I know that many other returnees have a difficult time adjusting to life back in their home countries, but I've been very lucky in that my transition hasn't been very hard at all. I have access to many things Japanese thanks to living in a culturally rich and diverse area. I began working at a Japanese bookstore in June, so I get to use the language with my coworkers and customers. And it's even located in a historically Japanese-American area where my grandmother used to live, which gives me a taste of the life I was used to across the sea.
But above everything, I think it's mostly thanks to the fact that my day-to-day life back here hasn't changed much compared to the life I had over there. Yes, I live with my dad again, and at first, I was afraid that not having a place of my own would drive me crazy. But our schedules are so different that I don't see him as often as I thought I would. I had friends in Japan and of course I have friends here, but my introverted lifestyle makes it so that I don't really feel lonely when I decide to stay home instead of go out (which happens a lot). And when I first got back, there were a few things that irked me about the way things are done in this country, but I think I've gotten used to the differences relatively quickly since I had made several trips back over my four year stint in Japan.
I'm very blessed and thankful that I have two places on opposite sides of the world that I can call home.
