Travelbliss

Attendance

At this point I’m 11 weeks into my life in Japan.

My life seems like a never ending rollercoaster of ups and downs lately.  One minute, I’m flying high, the next minute I’m in the low of lows… places in my soul and mind I’ve never entered and never knew existed.  This travelling bit truly makes you look at yourself in perspectives that before, I never could have.

Currently, I live in the middle of nowhere Japan.  My apartment is in the middle of two rice fields.  I ride through many a dirt path, vegetable field, and rice field on my way to work.  oh what a drastic change from big city life in Korea.  I miss the hustle and bustle, the loud cars and scooters.  Here, it’s so quiet.  I can hear frogs at night time singing melodies of love.

But it’s not all bad.  I have had so much time to think.  My job is really amazing.  I feel like I’m actually making a difference out here.  My students are adorable andsmart.  So smart.  They are 2 years old and they understand my English so well.  It feels great because, I know all that they know, I taught them.  It’s a great feeling, but I know it’s not my forever.  I never wanted to be a teacher, but its a nice way to escape from a life I was running from, helping to get my mind on the right track, and getting paid a decent wage to travel.

I’ve met so many who say they’ll never go back home.  That now, this is their life, and I just can’t imagine it.  I couldn’t imagine leaving everything behind and living here.  Honestly… there’s no life for a lost black girl in Japan (at least not this one).  I’m eager to get back home, once I have finished this traveling bit.

I know that most of my friends have moved on with their lives, are married, and have children, but I still want to get home.  I hope I can still have a place in their lives.  I mostly miss my moms and my family.  I want to live closer to them when I get back.  Having family only a phone call away is a luxury I took for granted.

I won’t be back for quite some time I think, I anticipate being gone at least for another year.  I am sure I’ll run out of money by then and I’ll need to come home.  I have an epic trip planned after my last day here.

Well I know I didn’t have anything amazing to say, but I hope to get back into the blogging world soon.  This was a stepping stone.  Basically, I’m a lil homesick and bored in countrybumpkinville.

I’m working 12 hours a day, I’ve never worked this hard in my life nor have I felt this much stress and pressure.  I love my job, but it’s really stressful.  I have a lot of pressure to be perfect and help my boss’ new business suceed.  In a way, it’s really eye opening for me, because I get to see what it takes to open a new business and help it survive.  I want to own a business one day.  At the same time, this wasn’t what I signed up for.  I wanted a chill relaxed year abroad while traveling, and this job has left me unable to do that on the weekends.

I work incredible amounts of unpaid overtime, but I just hope in the end it will make me a better person.  I work hard to have a good classroom for my students.  They mean a lot to me so I work hard not only for my boss, but for them too.  And honestly, for myself.  I want to be a good teacher.  I want to be the teacher that I always wanted to have when I was a kid.  The teacher that truly cares and makes learning fun for kids.  I’m trying to be really creative in the classroom to give these kids the experiences that I never had and experiences they probably wont’ have again.  But like the saying goes… all work and no play makes Nichole  a dull girl. I really want to get out to travel and see this great country.

I’ve travelled Japan a little bit.  I’ve seen a historic castle “Himeji” and I’ve beenpartying like a rockstar in Osaka.  Ironically, my favorite place in Osaka is a place called “Amerika-mura”.  It’s kind of like Chinatown back home, but it’s Little America.  They have a mini statue of liberty on top of one building, that’s how you know what district you’re in.  They have American food and American style clothing.  It’s where all the “cool kids” hang out.  I love it!

I want to see more.  In August I have a vacation, so I’m going to go travel and see some things then.   I’ll keep you updated.  Thanks for reading  I’m going to try and stay in touch more often.  I’m beginning to find the girl I have been searching for.

First few weeks in Japan

First adventure to see Japan – amazing castle, amazing food, amazing city (Kobe)

Kimonos and amazing homemade Japanese dinners