An important decision has been made
Sometimes life takes an unexpected turn. This is one of those times.
A short while ago Emma told me she was going to Japan for a year to study Japanese. About four or five years earlier I took a short class in Japanese and ever since, I have wanted to go to Japan to study Japanese. As you may know I have been in Japan on two occasions and before both those occasions one alternative was to go there to study over the summer. That alternative was on both occasions dismissed because of various reasons, mostly economic ones.
After (the Swedish equivalent of) High School I took a year off from school. Something I had planned on doing pretty much since the start of High School, but taking two years off was never an alternative in my mind. Going to Japan a year to study was therefore never an alternative even though it was something I really wanted to do.
Since the very moment I decided to go to University it has been my mantra and the code by which I live to put school first, to keep my head down and power through when required and to finish everything as fast as possible. I have in my mind “always” said: “I will finish school in 5 years. Get done as soon as possible and then start my ‘real life’.”
Not once have I ever thought about the possibility to take time off school to pursue any other interests. A big reason for this is of course that I actually kind of like school. I find the majority of the things I study extremely interesting. I like the challenge that school brings and I love to learn new things every day.
Since taking a year off school was never really in my play-book, I always imagined I would go to Japan to study Japanese for a year (or more) after I was done with school. Things never really turn out the way we expect them to though, and this is a good thing. If everything in life was expected and could be planned for; it would be boring.
When Emma told me she was going to Japan, I immediately felt that this is an opportunity of a life-time, this was not going to happen again and was what I had always wanted. I asked Emma if I could join and she shared my opinion that a shared experience is a greater one. There was still the matter of taking a year off school though which was somehow wrong in my mind.
Since I don’t get a bachelor degree at my school we don’t really follow any strict programs or such, we just sign up for courses as they come along and if we wish to take time off we just don’t sign up for any courses at all. It is for everything practical a non-issue. There are no physical restraints on taking a year off school, no disadvantage at all.
The reason I wanted to power through school in one go was because I wanted to start my “real life” as soon as possible. I wanted to have Japan part of the “real life” and not of my school life. I have realized that this imagined sectioning of my life is really only rhetorical, it is not actually how I feel, but how I state the reason for not taking time off school. There is really no difference between doing 3 years science, 1 year Japanese and 2 years science instead of 5 years science and 1 year Japanese.
The only real disadvantage is that I might loose focus on school, might loose the edge-knowledge of how to solve partial differential equations and calculate the wave-functions of electrons in a solid-state crystal of Aluminum-Arsenic. This is actually a real issue, one that I can’t say is utterly meaningless in all senses. This will happen, and it is a sacrifice I have to make. Now I can lessen this disadvantage by bringing some books and reading a little in them once-in-a-while, but ultimately it is a sacrifice. The question here is if it is worth this sacrifice to spend a truly fantastic year with my best friend and gain experiences and moments in life that could not possibly be attained in any other way. The anwer is simple.
There is also the risk of me not returning to school, but becoming caught up in another life entirely and simply quit. I almost forgot to write about this because the risk doesn’t exist in my mind. As I said, I love learning, I love what I study. In my mind there is no way I can exist in my future life without having a masters degree. No, quitting school just isn’t an alternative. No force however strong could ever convince me that taking those two last years would be unnecessary or boring.
It has been hard to overcome my mental image of how life was supposed to be and to accept that taking a year off school will not be a bad thing. Having done it now however, having accepted that it really isn’t a bad thing; I feel like I’m about to live a dream and am on the cusp of something truly amazing, which actually scares me just a little bit.
I am going to live in Tokyo for a year. Can you believe that?
Ha! Totally awesome and definitely the right decision! I’m very happy for you. It’s a free man’s choice, no question about it. I’ll have to come visit this time though…
Skitbra beslut, verkligen rätt gjort! Hoppas allt är bra med dig annars också, long time no see. Sköt om dig och ha det bra. Ingen annan skriver på svenska här så jag kände att jag måste göra det för att det ska bli lite variation =)
@Emanuel Thanks :) Yes you’ll have to!
@Fidde Det är faktiskt skönt att läsa lite svenska för omväxlings skull :D
I’m also too very happy for you, and you will be missed. This is pivotal event in your life and I think your doing the right thing, albeit the downsides. When are you leaving, will there be a chance to see you? I might be able to come and visit, if that is a solution?
Yeah and of course, if karma allows I’ll be joining Emanuel for a visit too.
@David There is plenty of time :) I won’t be leaving until mid-summer.
For me it wasn’t a surprise because I already knew from Emma ^^
I would for sure grab the opportunity too, it all sounds perfect. Reading about others might plan a visit, I wish I could do too but probably can’t even effort the trip… Hope you both have an awesome time and succeed in reaching your goal; write, understand and talk Japanese!
ゴッドスピード !
Hey little brother. This sound like a a great thing for you to do. Life is for living, and you cannot always live by a plan. Doing something that is amazing to you can never be wrong. I’m happy for you! Never be scared of living your dream!
Wow…!! OK, I kinda half expected since I saw Emma’s application form pic a few days ago, but I never imagined this comming so soon! @o@
Are you planning to go same school as Emma??
I have a little obscure thing about your school due to my English reading ability… You said you can return to school after studying Japan, right? The risk you mentioned “not returning to school” is just another possibility of your own decision (You denies those possibility anyway, though), and that doesn’t mean “you CAN’T return to school”, right???
Tbh, I have mixed feelings about this… Of course I’m really excited about it, but I kinda feel nervous when I think whether Japan would disappoint you or not…
It may sound like I’m huge worrier, but I heard Japan is not a very kind country to non-Japanese people living in here. Also, some people who had been to Japan often say they were given discriminatory treatment, or descrive Japan is xenophobic country.
(Have you ever feel those things in Japan, btw??)
Racism exists everywhere I guess, so we certainly have racists in here.
But those people aside, in many cases, these “discriminatory treatment” are caused by our lack of confidence to comunicate with non-Japanese people. Even in the 21st century, Japanese are still suck at English and some people tend to avoid communicating with them.
If you consider this “racism”, then Japan is “racist country”, unfortunately…
But we really don’t hate them. In fact, we love them and thire culture, and that’s why Tokyo offers a wider variety of international cuisines than you can find anywhere else.
Um… so what I really wanted to tell you is, please don’t be offend if you feel you are given “discriminatory treatment”. In many cases, it’s just caused by our fear of English.
Oh, haha, I did it again! I spoke too much even though no one asked…-__-;;;
Well, I just wanted you to have this in the back of your head, in case you experience those things.
Also, sorry for the negative thought. I just couldn’t congratulate you without saying that…+__+#
But I support you no matter what you decide, if that is the path you believed in!! \(^o^)/
Living in here and visiting here as a tourist are two different things, so you’ll definitely see more negative things about Japan in your future.
But I hope you retain an interest in this country, and keep visiting here :)
@Maho I can return to school here any time I want yes :) The “risk” is just from my own decisions as you said.
Regarding discriminatory treatment; I have never felt it personally, but I know of people who have and I am well aware that it exists, but I do believe it is as you say much about the language. I don’t like Germans and French people coming to Sweden and expecting that they can speak German to everyone (even though that doesn’t happen often, it does happen). But this is why I want to learn the language :)
I think the Japanese as any other people will accept foreigners if they show intent to learn the language and the culture and assimilate into society. I realize I would always be considered an outsider in Japan but that is not necessarily something bad.
Of course I will have bad experiences in Japan, bad experiences are part of life, but I think the good experiences will far, far outweigh the bad ones!
Plus, I’m a pretty rough-skinned guy, there’s not much anyone can do to actually offend me.
Jag måste ju hålla med om att det är ett bra beslut!