Knowing I was going to Japan always felt surreal, but being in Japan… I think I never felt more present in my life. Speaking with some people as we departed Japan, I know some of us found their home there and I am certain all of us wish to return to this amazing country someday.
There’s something about Japan that just makes you feel like everything makes sense, like everything has its place, like everything is there in all the right amounts and although that thought has been challenged in recent times, I have no doubt Japan and its people will pass through whatever challenge life throws at them. Being there, in that country, the resilience, discipline and organization of the Japanese people hits you right away, alongside their kindness, gentleness and beauty.
Now that I am back in Canada, I’m my trip to Japan feels like a distant dream. I remember each moment vividly, but it feels as if it happened long ago, almost in a different life. Throughout my few years on this planet, I learned that is usually what happens when your brain deems something too good to have been true and that sums my experience in pretty good way.
My trip feels like it was simply something too good to be true, but I am glad to be able to say that every inch of it was real. I may look back on my trip with a hint of bittersweetness, but this same feeling fuels my wish to go back, hopefully for a longer period of time.
Finally, I’d like to offer my thanks to JICE, Asia Pacific Foundation and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for letting us all have this wonderful opportunity and making unforgettable memories in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, Japan.
Once Upon A Bridge 