THE MOVE: Love where you are NOW.
5:21 AM
It's been a couple weeks since my last blog post slash illustration. The reason being I recently moved to Tokyo!! Moving was a very exciting experience for me and it taught me a lot (and still is!). My life in Ibaraki was a time I will treasure forever. Now I'm starting a new season of my life.
I spent a while debating whether or not I should talk about the move because most of what moving entailed was busy work and having to go to multiple offices -- ADULT THINGS. Which sound completely boring on paper. However, there were specific things about the process which meant a lot to me and I wanted to take time to share.
One thing which meant a lot to me and something I am proud of, is my language skill level up. Despite being extremely nervous about completing important paperwork by myself without any help from a native Japanese speaker, I was able to successfully talk to government office workers and get everything squared away for my move without any problems. This means a lot to me because I remember thinking I could never get my Japanese level up enough to do this sort of thing. This process proved myself otherwise!!! One of my goals for living in Japan is to become FLUENT in the language. When you live the everyday, talking to people, you don't notice how much you actually LEARN. While the boring adult things were mundane, I can look back at these moments and be PROUD.
Unfortunately a small portion of the move was indeed stressful. When things become too big to think about, or even something I know will force me out of the present moment, I have a bad habit of shutting down completely.
I take up weird hobbies or activities to distract me from the situation I probably need to focus on. For example, I started reading the Harry Potter series and also picking up Pokemon White again. I also slept a lot. In addition, I realized I was starting to look at the calendar much too often and resenting my job. I wanted to just LEAVE already because the process of uprooting again was too much for me. I didn't like this feeling. So I did something about it.
Instead of counting the days of when I would finally be in Tokyo
I took a LONG LOVING LOOK at my surroundings.
My school, my classrooms, my apartment, my friends, my neighborhood, all of these places. I looked around me and thought about how much I really loved where I was. I this everyday until I left, and what once was a place I labeled as "the place I will be until I move to Tokyo," became a place I will treasure forever. A lot can change when you stop and take a long loving look around you.
Now I'm in Tokyo, trying to adjust to my new environment and new job. I'm hustling a lot, and it's not as slow as it was in Ibaraki. Still, I'm learning to love where I am now, just how I learned to love Ibaraki. On my commute I get the privilege to look at Tokyo Tower just a few minutes away from me. When I'm having a busy day and too tired to think, I try and remember to look at the tower and remind myself where I am -- because it's easy to forget. I'm nervous and excited for what's ahead of me, and I'm going to work hard to make Tokyo my new home.
Have you taken sometime to take a long loving look around you?
❤ With love, Mana ❤
2 comments
Once again, you have such a peaceful and positive way of talking about these things. Uprooting can be really difficult and anxiety inducing when you're already ready to move to the next area. But I'm glad that you've made the move, and that you're in a new place you'll love. (Also congrats on that JPN level up! It's always amazing how natural the learning process can be.)
ReplyDeleteI have taken a loving look! I live in an area that reminds me a lot of my childhood home, but at the same time, it has its own appeal. It's wonderful; it has so many positive aspects. I really do like the city I'm in, but I'll be moving pretty soon myself. Move #15 in the past three years. I've learned a lot though, about the places I want to live, about how I function as a person alone and with others, etc.
Omg i cried! this is beautiful
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