These 2 months in Japan has been life changing moments for me. Within 2 months I have experienced more things than I ever did in my entire life until to this point, the kind of things that I can hold close to my heart and remember for years to come. Also the kind of things, which will build a future for me and has given me the knowledge and skill to pursue my dreams which are now much larger than ever before - and with inspiration and motivation my will to fight for them has become rock solid.
Japan has changed me in so many ways, that I find it hard to look myself in a mirror and see the person I was when I first came here, that person is now gone. Learning about the rich culture of Japan in person has given me so much to appreciate in life. The work culture might be a bit insane in my taste, for it seems to not leave much time to enjoy the life itself for those who work from morning till the late night, but experiencing that for 2 months has also made me appreciate the little time I have on this Earth - I don't want to waste it in office working late each day and watch as the opportunities to become master of my own life pass me by. It's an eye opening experience to say the least, and definitely the kind of thing that motivates me to fight for my dreams, so that I will not end up slaved to this system.
What can I say about Japan, it's a beautiful country. Everything it has built by nature or men reflects beauty in form of an art. The trees, rivers, bridges, buildings, forests, etc - all become a massive painting for people to appreciate. For me it feels like living inside an artbook that expands itself as far as I go.
But not everything is perfect, there are things to mention about Japan (like any country) that breaks the perfect utopia image and brings it back to reality with the rest of the world's problems. But those things are few in number and so small, that compared to the rest of the things Japan has to offer, one would never let them weigh in decision between coming here or not. I just wanted to point out, that even Japan is not perfect, but for me, that's okay, I never expected it to be.
Left with so much to appreciate in life, I believe coming to Japan was the best decision I have ever made this far, but that's nothing new to you, for I have said it before. But now that it's time to head back home soon, it's much easier to say it, for nothing has shattered that image. There's aboslutely nothing stopping me from coming here again in the future, and that's exactly what I am going to do, this will not be the last I hear of Japan.
Japanese language is one of the hardest things I have ever tackled in my life, sometimes overwhelming even. Seeing Japan in person has wiped away all the blood and sweat I have shed in past of studying the language, for the hard work has paid off and I was able to communicate with lots of Japanese people on their native language and learn more things because of it. Japan has a lot to offer for those who dare to master its language, and I want to see that life, so I will learn it no matter how hard it is or how many years it may take.
I have learned to love networking and approaching strangers, no longer am I afraid of awkward or embarrassing situations. Each stranger holds potential to become a life long good friend or to be a person who holds the key to bring fortune to my life in form of knowledge or work opportunity.
I have learned to appreciate the things I have in a greater level, and to not waste my money and resources on things that I really do not need or can not afford. Money is not the only kind of resource I have, time is far more valuable to me and I need to learn to protect it by not wasting even a minute on something or someone which can not lift me up and make me stronger and a better person. For this very reason I know there are tough decisions and sacrifices to be made back in Finland, people I have to say goodbye to in order to advance in life and make a leap for the better future for myself. I know it may sound selfish, but we all have only one life on this Earth and wasting it with people who are negative and have no positive impact to once's life is simply stupid - something that many of us are stuck with and are too weak minded to do anything about.
I have learned to hold more value to myself and not undervalue my beliefs and dreams just because someone else does not believe in them. I have learned to protect my mind and will to do the things I want to do in life, and not let people's opinion affect them. This particular thing I have been chasing for years through meditation, but only by coming to Japan I was able to break through the bubble that was my prison and become free by mind and soul. There's so many things that we let other people dictate over us every single day that if we were to closely inspect it, we might come to realize that the life we are living is not ours at all. That is why it is cruical to our success and freedom to learn to protect our mind and will to not let anyone influence the things we really want to say and do.
Everything is much bigger than I ever thought. From buildings to vehicles, and from forests to mountains and lakes, everything is much larger than I ever could have imagined looking through a picture online. Seeing how big the world really is has given me a new perspective in life. Even this fighter plane is massive, while in picture it appears not that big. Same goes for many things in life, like Mount-Fuji for example. To realize all this expands my mind and allows me to vision things more clearly. It has helped me with my art and creative side, and perhaps it will prove useful in other parts in life.
I could go on about the amazing things I have experienced in Japan and how it has changed me, but I do not want to drag you for too long with this post. If there was a lesson to be learned from all this, it would be: Traveling changes a person and learning a new language opens up the world for new possibilities. Take those words to heart and change your life, do not hold yourself a prisoner to a country you are born in, for it might be comfortable, but it might not be the life you wanted. Know what's out there, explore the world, meet as many people as you can, live to extreme and let nothing stand in your way.
I will soon return to Finland with all this inside me, and I will never let go of what I have become, for I love the new me. I also will never let go of my goals and dreams, and I will work hard to fight for the future I want to experience and live, no matter what it takes. I want to take the opportunity to thank my school, for if it wasn't for them, I would not have had the chance to experience all this. I also want to thank my parents who have been a massive support throughout my life in everything I have wanted to do.
Thank you all for following and reading my blog, I hope it has been an interesting one. I hope you will also realize your own dreams and chase them beyond fires of hell to the land of glory and sunshine. My story was and will be in Japan, but yours might be elsewhere. Wherever it might be, just know two things: Dreams can come true, and it's all behind a wall of patience and hard work. Go live your dream!