Rewards

Being an exchange student is immensely rewarding.  The ironic thing is that it is very difficult for me to pin-point exactly why. Certainly, I was able to meet a whole new circle of friends (and family) that I would have never been in contact with before.  The relationships I formed with these people transcends any other bonds I could have made under more casual circumstances.  But while I can no longer imagine being an only child without my two sisters, three mothers, and two fathers, I don't think it was these relationships that truly made my experience so great.  Don't get me wrong, I would not trade these relationships for anything and it did make my time in Japan that much more special.  I just don't think it was the defining reason why Japan holds such an important place in my heart.

Certainly, I gained a lot of knowledge in Japan.  Not just about the Japanese way of life, but about myself.  I learned about my strengths and weaknesses and became a stronger person.  I did a lot of maturing during that one year.  And learned that I had a lot more to do.  I can hardly think of all the different lessons I learned, but I know I learned them.  I read back on my journal entries and realized how much I had changed by the end of my year.  But changes happen to everyone, whether or not they live in a foreign country.  So what did I learn there that was so important?

If I had to name the single most important thing I learned in Japan, it would be this: to be silly.  Now, that doesn't sound like a particularly difficult or important lesson to learn.  But I think it is.  When I first started at my Japanese high school, I was only one year older than most of the students I came in contact with, but I felt I was loads more mature.  I didn't giggle and act silly like they did.  I was much to serious to be so frivolous.  

But life taken seriously just isn't any fun...  By the end of my year, I had gained an appreciation for the sillier side of myself.  Sure, I could still put on my grown up face and play with the adults, but I also felt free to be a little nutty.  Sometimes I think that I am sillier now than I was in high school.  I certainly know I let it show more.  

That lesson was something I don't think I realized I learned until several years later, but as the years go on, that single message keeps being reinforced.  

Life is a serious matter.  But that doesn't mean you can't have fun.  

On to Fitting in... or Not

Back to Japan '96 - '97

Last updated 18-Sept-03