Ashamedly, lately I have not been forward to going to Japan. I was hit by a wave of dread and fear, I had never given too much thought before about how alone I would be on the other side of the planet, 12-14 hours ahead of my friends and family. What if I offend my coworkers with grammar mishaps? Will I meet females my age to become close friends with? (Thankfully I've been told Honda Research has a fair share of recent PhD and college grads, but I imagine that most of them will be male.) To further this, the one friend I've been counting on to help me get adjusted is planning a trip back the the US for the first 2 months I am there. All these things have made me wonder if I have been silly to insist and plan on this year abroad, which has complicated my life in many ways.

But my dad today, gave me a book that he had seen in a bookstore in Washington, while on a business trip-- a city guide to Tokyo, full of restaurant reviews, lists of must-see spots, a subway guide, and... get this-- a pocket restaurant map. My eyes watered a bit. I remember now why I've been wanting to go to Japan for most of my life, I remember why I've studied Japanese and found an internship, so that I could go there not as a tourist, but truly feel like I was part of this city of crazy fashion and technology. It won't be easy making myself understood and making new friends, it won't be easy living in a coffin sized room, it won't be easy never getting to talk to my friends on the Western hemisphere, but it will be an adventure, and it will be worth it. Thank you, dad, for making me remember.