An Introduction: Why Did I Create This Blog?

Only a couple of days ago I left the majority of my friends, family, and life behind to live in Tokyo, Japan for what will be almost a year. I have never done anything this drastic before and I hope it turns out to be a great adventure. I am terribly nervous, but just as excited, and so far the experience had been overwhelming.  I keep wondering if I can possibly get it all together – it just feels like there is so much required of me that the task is insurmountable.

But personally, even if it’s for no one’s interest but my own, I have decided to that I want to keep a blog (or maybe it would be more accurate to call it an online, public journal). But why? I am so sure that I want to maintain one, and that it will somehow be fulfilling for me, but I am less sure as to why the hell I feel so strongly about it.

I guess in truth there are actually quite a few reasons, some of them lofty and special, but most very practical.

First of all I want to be able to share my experience more or less as they happen, and be able to come back to a personal record of them later.  I want to be able to capture these memories and experiences and preserve them.

I also want to redevelop my writing skills. In the past I use to write prolifically, but gave it up when I became too judgmental and critical of my own work. I lost the confidence and motivation I use to have, however, I feel it’s finally time to get over that and to do it anyways. Write for the sake of writing, and not pay attention to what anyone thinks, even me. I feel I will be grateful for such a decision late in life.

I guess another practical reason is that I also want to keep my English writing skills and vocabulary up and polished. It would be a shame to gain more fluency in Japanese over the year just to weaken my fluency in English.

So far in my life I have yet to successfully keep a diary or journal, but I have always thought it was a valuable idea - especially for its reflective qualities. I’d like to try and capture moments in more depth that a photograph – I mean a picture may be worth a thousand words but I’ll happily write a few thousand words in order to gain a better understanding of my own emotional states.

Then one of my loftier goals is to learn and discover more about myself. Yes this will be a blog where I talk about my daily life and occasional adventures in a country that is foreign to me and most of you. But I also plan to write about myself and my more internal experiences – my thoughts, feelings, and insights. If those kinds of posts are boring for you, please feel free to skip them and only read the ones about karaoke, sushi restaurants and hot springs – trust me I won’t be offended nor will my feelings be hurt.

In the end this is me trying to capture my life over the year while I live and study in Tokyo.  I welcome you to read along (^-^)