Today Ms. Todd and Ms. Aubrey came for lunch at my school. It was so nice to talk with them one on one, after we had lunch with Hiratsuka-sensei and Sakurai-sensei. I was really reminded of SSES and everything I left behind, and I heard about school at home and how Josh was doing...so, today, I broke my euphoric streak and I was finally homesick! Yay! It sounds very strange, but it was really nice to really really really miss everyone and everything for the first time since I left. I guess it was just hearing about everything and then watching my teachers leave that spurred it, since I had this feeling of this challenge of Japan really hitting me hard today, and feeling how much there is left...a sort of Audrey vs. the world feeling. Don't get me wrong; at the time, I was really depressed and sad and a nervous wreck that Sakurai-sensei had to deal with while passing students stared. However, afterwards, I really sensed what I have been told on multiple occasions: everyone wants me to succeed here. This may not seem like much, but it was a fantastic feeling to have--surrounded by people who are concerned about you and backing you 24/7 and working for your well-being? Pretty great. I realized that I have had the occasional issue in Japan, but every time it has been something that was ultimately inconsequential--and everything has worked out, if not immediately, ultimately. I have so much to be grateful for--my school, Sakurai-sensei, the girls here who say hi every time I see them, my amazing host family, my track and field team, the school guards who think I'm crazy because one time I showed 2 hours early, Julia Blood being here in Japan, my parents being okay with whatever time I call, the seriously wacky gameshows...okay, okay, I don't want this to turn into an Oscars speech, but you get my point: I have an appreciation for so much that enables me to exist here successfully, and my homesickness only made that more apparent to me.
Before Ms. Todd and Ms. Aubrey left, I wasn't homesick, but I felt it coming like a tidal wave or a bad joke, and I asked them any good coping strategies for November, since I hate it (it's not quite October or December--it's the limbo period that gives you time to mull over things a tad too much.) They gave me some really good advice.
1) Sleep well and stay hydrated. Basic physical health, take care of myself and I will feel better. Naturally. For example...I was a little sad and homesick-y at the end of school. I went to track and field afterwards, and was much happier, due to the magic of endorphins. To quote the movie Legally Blonde, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." Yes.
2) Stay busy. To quote Sarah Todd, who was quoting Josh Ellis, "The busier, the easier it is." I definitely second this, and I think that will be vital to surviving my least favorite month. I am sooo lucky because Julia is here, and I will try to get together with her soon. Also, I think that I am going to go to Tokyo DisneySea after Masai, and then Kyoto and Nara in 3 weeks, so I am really looking forward to those things. And in December, my dad will come! So in a few days, I can say that it will be one month until he comes! I am really really really super looking forward to this.
3) Remember that time here goes so fast. Even now, it seems like last week that I came to Japan. I know that seems cliche "My! How you've grown dearie! Time flies so fast!", but it's so true. I know I will have my not-as-good days, but Sakurai-sensei assured me that of course that's okay, and, in her words, "You are so nice! You are too nice! You need to be not as nice!" {in regards to being homesick-free everyday until now} so I will have to work on that. My dad has his saying that I think of a lot, which is, "Every day won't be a personal best." So, yeah.
So those are my pillars for general peace of mind and happiness, as inspired and documented from Ms. Todd, Ms. Aubrey, Josh, Reese Witherspoon, cliches, Sakurai-sensei, and my dad. I'm sure that this could come off as sentimental and inspired, but for now, that's all I got. No pictures.
PS I'm not homesick right now. Like I mentioned before, it was a short-lived homesickness, but the first real episode here. I have sunken back into life here; bounced back very quickly, due to endorphins and my general feeling that there is so much to enjoy here that I shouldn't spend my precious limited time missing what I will come back to in less than a year. It's just too much fun and I'm too busy right now for that. =)
Before Ms. Todd and Ms. Aubrey left, I wasn't homesick, but I felt it coming like a tidal wave or a bad joke, and I asked them any good coping strategies for November, since I hate it (it's not quite October or December--it's the limbo period that gives you time to mull over things a tad too much.) They gave me some really good advice.
1) Sleep well and stay hydrated. Basic physical health, take care of myself and I will feel better. Naturally. For example...I was a little sad and homesick-y at the end of school. I went to track and field afterwards, and was much happier, due to the magic of endorphins. To quote the movie Legally Blonde, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't." Yes.
2) Stay busy. To quote Sarah Todd, who was quoting Josh Ellis, "The busier, the easier it is." I definitely second this, and I think that will be vital to surviving my least favorite month. I am sooo lucky because Julia is here, and I will try to get together with her soon. Also, I think that I am going to go to Tokyo DisneySea after Masai, and then Kyoto and Nara in 3 weeks, so I am really looking forward to those things. And in December, my dad will come! So in a few days, I can say that it will be one month until he comes! I am really really really super looking forward to this.
3) Remember that time here goes so fast. Even now, it seems like last week that I came to Japan. I know that seems cliche "My! How you've grown dearie! Time flies so fast!", but it's so true. I know I will have my not-as-good days, but Sakurai-sensei assured me that of course that's okay, and, in her words, "You are so nice! You are too nice! You need to be not as nice!" {in regards to being homesick-free everyday until now} so I will have to work on that. My dad has his saying that I think of a lot, which is, "Every day won't be a personal best." So, yeah.
So those are my pillars for general peace of mind and happiness, as inspired and documented from Ms. Todd, Ms. Aubrey, Josh, Reese Witherspoon, cliches, Sakurai-sensei, and my dad. I'm sure that this could come off as sentimental and inspired, but for now, that's all I got. No pictures.
PS I'm not homesick right now. Like I mentioned before, it was a short-lived homesickness, but the first real episode here. I have sunken back into life here; bounced back very quickly, due to endorphins and my general feeling that there is so much to enjoy here that I shouldn't spend my precious limited time missing what I will come back to in less than a year. It's just too much fun and I'm too busy right now for that. =)
2 comments:
That was so inspiring, Audrey! You make me think about things I appreciate in my own life. Funny coincidence that it's November-- Thanksgiving month! But I guess you won't have Thanksgiving over there. And how dare you say that November isn't as good as all the other months. My November is already going fantabulously well. I'm writing a novel this month! Because it's National Novel Writing Month, haven't you heard? Oh wait, what's that? You think I'm crazy to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days? Don't worry, you're not the first. But if you need something to keep you busy this month... nanowrimo.org! That's the website. Okay, I should stop talking about this now. I'm sure you're plenty busy. And by the way, the fun run pictures were amazing!
Helen
that quote from legally blonde is 2 funny!
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