As much as I’m going to miss Japan, there are things I’ve been looking forward to.
Most importantly, I’ve missed my community. I’ve made a couple of wonderful friends here, but building a social circle in Japan has been difficult.
I’ve also missed so many moments back home, like my little brother’s first day of high school. Texting and FaceTiming help, but nothing compares to sitting around a table with my family, and I can’t wait to have a holiday dinner with everyone again.
I’m also looking forward to being a tourist in my own country. Back when I lived in Ottawa, I wanted to get away so badly. Now, I’ll see photos or videos of Canada on my feed and catch myself thinking, “How have I never seen this?”
Ironically, living abroad has shown me that I’ve barely scratched the surface of my own country. After spending almost a year traveling around Japan, I’m excited to change that.
So, as bittersweet as it is to leave Japan, I’m trying not to think of going home as just returning to the life I left. I’m bringing a lot of new experiences, confidence, and curiosity with me, and hopefully, I’ll use them all to see more of everything Canada has to offer.