So, I'm back from Japan · 9:30am Mar 3rd, 2023

Hello, everyone! So, you might be wondering what I mean by the title. If some of you read my recent chapters or my most recent blog, you would have seen in my announcements that I was going on a trip to Japan. It was a student exchange trip that lasted about 10 days, and as much as I am talking about it casually, it may sound like this wasn't a big deal.

It was.

My family doesn't have a lot of money and I went into this trip with the mindset that this would probably be a once-in-a-lifetime type trip. Boy, was I right. I made lots of memories in Japan and I bought lots of souvenirs over there! It was so much fun and I realized crucial differences between Japan and America, but also a lot of similarities. Honestly, the whole trip made me want to write a fic based in Japan, and I might actually do so with another fandom I'm involved in. (If I do, it would be posted on my AO3 account.)

One thing I was not prepared for was how reserved people are in Japan. That is neither a good nor bad thing, but it was surprising. In North America, people are a lot more direct and straight to the point. I live in an individualistic culture, and in a way, Japan is also individualistic, but not to the same extent. There's a lot more emphasis on putting others first, helping out and being generous.

I also realized something from my trip. A lot of people are always looking for answers on what is the "better" culture. For that I say... Neither. The United States of America has its pros and cons. So does Japan. So, don't think I'm trying to say my country is any worse off than Japan with my compliments. In the United States, we do a lot more consideration of sizes. Whether that be overweight people or taller people. I hit my head pretty much every day we went anywhere in Japan due to the small doorframes, tight bathrooms, etc. Seats were also pretty small and I'm not that big all things considering.

Regardless, I'm saying I had a great time in Japan~ I'm not trying to argue which culture is better. Surprisingly, arcades and super malls are still pretty common in Japan. From my experience in the United States, they are dying out. You have to look for an arcade and you'll be lucky to find one around you unless you live in a big city. People just don't play at arcades in the U.S. anymore. I had a lot of fun going shopping, playing at arcades, going to popular sights and getting to stay with a host family. I learned a lot about Japanese culture from them and how family-oriented Japan is. I do think it is a little sad how much families have grown apart in the U.S. and it is seen as normal behavior.

Now that I'm back from Japan, expect me to get back to writing soon~ I have missed doing that over the course of my trip because Japan gave me a lot of inspiration and hope for life in general. In the meantime, have a picture of Tokyo Tower~