One day to Departure

My soon-to-be home

For a long time (at least for the past four years), I've dreamed of going overseas to Japan. There has never been a really concrete reason beyond 'I want to go,' and looking back it is unbelievable that the day of my departure is fast approaching.

With that in mind you'd think my excitement would be peaking, and it is, but it's funny how nervous you get going somewhere foreign, some place you've never known and where you'll be 6,706 miles away from home. I know what you're all probably thinking; first, it's kind of sad that I googled that number knowing that it would make my nerves worse; and second, wow, that's so far from home! Every time I've tried to focus on packing, I get a bit distracted by the sheer amount of stuff that will soon lie between me and everything I'm familiar with.

But the same reason for my discomfort and uncertainty is what drives me onward, burning away my insecurities and letting me know this experience will be unforgettable. 6,706 miles. In my mind, that number is much more than just an abstract or even a fixed amount of distance. To me, the number symbolizes the unknown, the lure of another culture, and the certainty of my experience abroad. Knowing the specific distance from Boston to Kanazawa doesn't make me any less anxious, but it does make me excited for the journey to come, and on my last night at home I suppose it's the finality of that distance that has me in awe. To most Americans, myself included, Japan is unfathomably foreign, and it's something I've really only been able to think about with regards to my studies of the language at best, and in the abstract at worst. With a number attached to it, the trip becomes real, and the physicality of travelling that far makes it all the more exciting.

Of course, I'm still terrified. I haven't picked classes yet, and I feel as though I'm missing a dozen different things as I scramble to get under the weight limit of 50 pounds for my bag. But my nerves will not win, not this time. I'm finally getting ready to leave for my trip, to leave for something I've dreamed for a long time about, and despite the inevitable hardships of adapting to another culture, I cannot wait to experience the beauty of Japan.

I'll end this with a picture of Kanazawa Station, renowned for it's artfulness and hospitality, because just like knowing a number, there's something comforting about sight. It brings a certain permanence that reminds me I'll be okay moving halfway around the world. Hopefully, it also helps introduce anyone reading this to what will be my new home for a while. There will be more pictures to come, and I don't have much time to get into the symbolism of the station gates, but I feel it's fitting to show you one of the entrances into the city. This first post is a bit short, but there will be more to come int the future, and I'm excited to use my own pictures as I start taking them, too! Nonetheless, this is as good an introduction as any, and I have packing to finish. Until next time, readers!

The station's gate is called "Tsuzumi-mon" and represents "Tsuzumi," a traditional Japanese drum