日本頑張れ!

So I've been meaning to update about my lovely trip to Milan sooner but when I returned back to Copenhagen I learned about the earthquake/tsunami/meltdown business in Japan and so it's been a stressful weekend. Everyone I know over there, including a family friend living in Iwate (a Northern prefecture where over 1000 people have been killed by the tsunami) are safe for now. The way the media-- especially the American media-- has been sensationalizing what's supposedly going on in Japan has not only been upsetting, but it's disgusting. It does sound like the nuclear plants are kind of under control for now, but it's hard to hear how scared all of my friends over there are and know that this situation is just up in the air. Pretty much everyone has no idea what's going to happen and it's just... hard. I hope everything starts to get better real soon.

I don't know whether I should feel silly or not for how deeply stressed I've begun to realize this is making me. (Not to mention these next two weeks are when all our major group projects and essays are due. Aaah!!) It's just, Japan was my home and over the past month or so, I've really been noticing how much Japanese culture became a part of me in that short year and still is a part of who I am. I love the simplicity of the little things in Denmark that remind me of the familiarity of Japan. For example, we turn the shower on and off just like Japan to conserve water. It's such a simple little thing, but it's... nice. The other night my host mom brought home sushi and I was SO excited. (And the sushi cost like 200 US dollars!! Wtf!? My God, Denmark is really expensive... My host mom got it again a couple nights later too, I couldn't believe it. Granted we were celebrating my host brother's high grades and my host sister's birthday. But still.) I started rambling about the rice, the miso soup, the amazing meals, helping everyone with their chopsticks and even teaching my host mom some Japanese. Man, I was excited, haha.



As I've been learning Danish I've also found myself thinking in Japanese a lot more. And it's the strangest thing because I haven't been there in two years! All of this linguistic stimulation is confusing my brain, especially now that I have a little Italian rolling around in there too, but I find it facsinating how it all mashes together and I can go from saying "ciao" to "onegaishimasu" to "tak" to "okay". I think I actually had a dream in Japanese the other night...

It seems as though every country I go to becomes a little part of me, making me a more complete human being and more connected with the world. Whether it's the little joys of gift giving, peaceful acceptance and support of all people despite the variation of beliefs, or the sweetness of sipping amaretto after dinner.

Anyways, despite all of the challenges I faced while living in Japan, the ease of living in Copenhagen and being abroad (minus the little bout of homesickenss) gives me a lot of appreciation for the experience I gained. I miss you Japan and you're always in my heart! <3

Stories of Milano soon!

- Jenn