feeling good

I can only begin to describe how wonderful my experience in Japan is by saying, space.  I have found space here.  Space to breath.  Space to think and learn and grow and hide and come and go as I please.  Tonight I am watching the Fifth Element as I am stretching in my living room.  My "extra" tatami mat room where only a coffee table resides and some pillows to sit on.  It is simple.  I have room to stretch.  I have always wanted an empty room to just have space.  I have that here.  It inspires me to stretch.  It gives me room to breath as I let the oxygen fill my muscles and room to exhale as I stretch a little more.   It is quiet here.  

I am definitely feeling at home.  I am settling into my job and love my town.  I am getting the jist on how to handle my students and looking forward to my weekends to go crazy.  My Japanese is kicking in...sorta.  I find myself using some sentences when having conversations with my coworkers.  

The other day I thought, 'when would I come back and visit Japan' after I return home, and realized it wouldn't be for a long time.  I started to miss Japan as I sat at my desk in school.  I missed Japan and I haven't even left yet.  I still don't know exactly how long I will be here, 1 year is what I am thinking...but it is so wonderful here.  The culture is smooth, the traditions are grounding the honorific systems they use are endearing and motivating.  It is easy to want to work somewhere where we are all working with and for each other.  Everyone wants to help each other and are grateful to have you with them.  Grateful.

Maybe I'm just grateful.  Grateful that I haven't keeled over and died since I got here, grateful that everyone has helped me so much and have made me feel at home.  I'm grateful that I have this amazing apartment and great friends to explore with.  I'm grateful for the room to breath and grateful that I have amazing friends back home to lift me up when I'm feeling down.  I really threw myself into this experience, just fell backwards and everyone has put their arms out to catch me.  So, thanks.

It feels good to be alive.  This world is a trip.  yay me.

loves.