Eight months in, these are the kinds of stories that are sticking with me. It’s the reality that I can speak Japanese better than when I first came here. I was able to gain my independence. I built a strong network of friends despite knowing no one when I first came here. It wasn’t the sight of Tokyo Tower or Senso-ji that captured my heart, but things like biking along the Tama River for miles on end that did. Being able to find that kind of happiness here has helped me realize that I can find happiness at home, too. For so long I’d told myself I needed radical change in my life; I bit the bullet and went abroad. Now that I’ve lived here and the novelty’s faded, I’ve learned that the ordinary can also be welcoming and comforting. Rather than being something you can run away from, it’s something you have to face up to and make for yourself.
Studying abroad for a year in Japan taught me that true growth isn't about seeing all the tourist attractions—it's about finding joy in the ordinary, like biking along the Tama River. Beyond improving my Japanese and gaining independence, I learned that happiness isn't found in radical change but in embracing the everyday. It's not about running away; it's about creating your own sense of belonging wherever you are.