I'm almost done packing. Basically the only thing between me and Japan is getting on the plane. Now that sounds like it would be no big deal, and I thought it would be no big deal, but it's sort of a big deal. It's traveling to the other side of the planet. It's going to a place where everything is different (I think). So yes, I'm nervous. And probably more than a little. But I think that's completely normal. I'm embracing my nervousness as a healthy part of embarking on an adventure.
Not that I would put myself in their league or even close, but I sometimes think about the great explorers of history, from Marco Polo all the way through Neil Armstrong. Especially those pre-colonial guys, imagine how they felt. Looking across the horizon and seeing nothing but a hostile and seemingly infinite ocean. And then looking down at his ship and although it's state of the art, it's still just a wooden ship built by human hands, maybe even his own. There are certain risks inherent and inevitable in his voyage, one of which was plummeting off the edge of a world that was most certainly flat, if you were able to survive the sea monsters and other mythical creatures before the brink. And despite all that they pressed forward into the unknown. Who knows why, maybe a lust for gold, a lust for blood or maybe just a lust for life. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make (to myself) is that venturing out into the dark is a scary proposition, but if you do it right it can be incredibly worthwhile. Plus my way is lit not only by what I've learned about Tokyo before going, but more importantly by the support and encouragement of my family and friends. As cliché as it might sound, there's no way I would be able to be doing this without them. I have no idea what's waiting for me in Tokyo, but that's exactly the point, and that's exactly what makes it so exciting and so unnerving to be going.
Is that all too serious for a blog? I have no idea, I've never even read one before. Is anybody even reading this? If you are then I'll see you in Tokyo.
1 comment:
Not everything is different, they use the same plugs. Which is great because you can use everything normally.
The thing you should be scared about is the whole toilet situation. It may be like being in Andrew's old apartment all over again (just smaller).
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