I have been living in Japan for almost two years, and during this time, I have grown a lot as a person. I have noticed that the environment around me has had a big effect on me, which I did not expect. Perhaps after another year, I will reflect again on how much more I have changed due to my current location.
I was born in Philadelphia, PA, a loud and active city. Growing up, I was surrounded by honking cars, people loudly greeting each other from across the street, and explosions of laughter. However, during my time in Japan, I have found myself wondering how I would deal with the noise back home. Here, cars barely honk, and although there are many people rushing on the streets, there is an eerie silence blanketing over everything.
In one of my previous blogs, "Things that concern(ed) me about Japan," I mentioned how the silence was initially bothersome for me. But now, it has essentially become a part of me. My personality remains the same — flamboyant, loud, and demanding — but when I blend in with a sea of people walking across the street or riding the subway, the silence becomes me. A commute to hangout with friends becomes less anxiety inducing and more like therapy on the go.
If I had to guess, stepping off the airplane in New York or Philadelphia would prove much more overwhelming for me now.
Sometimes I miss the food from my hometown, but I can still eat a whole bag of Hot Cheetos by myself from time to time. Japanese food tastes different than what I'm used to. It's more savory. Even before moving to Japan, I thought some things were too salty or too sweet. I've tried many things here, even seafood, and expanded my palate because there's a big variety of food I am not used to still waiting for me. Every time there is an opportunity to try something new, I make sure to try it. Surely, the way I taste food now may make things taste different upon a visit back home.
Growing up, I felt like I had pretty decent manners. I was socialized to give strong handshakes, stare people in their eyes, and hold the door for them. Imagine all of that, but double it (whatever that means). Referring back to quietness, I have been able to utilize it to observe people better. Being able to consistently observe others has allowed me to find small ways to make them feel comfortable and cared for. This goes without saying that there are times when I may not deploy my heart-winning actions towards others for some reason. But Japan has made me think more about others due to its communal-based living in general.
Japan has changed the way that I look at my life. Most likely it wasn’t simply just moving to Japan. It is a mix of experiences that included my move to Japan, along with time. These are only a few very common changes that I ended up experiencing myself. What are some changes that you’ve experienced moving to a new place? Or changes you expect to experience?
