The Hero’s Journey: A Call To Adventure
How is a person who is striving for adventure sitting inside of an international coffee chain that started 30 miles north of they spent their whole life in?
While going to Japan was something I’ve wanted to do ever since my days in high school, I never thought I’d be living here. Although I haven’t seen this movie, the worlds “If you build it they will come” are still implanted in my brain.
(In terms of my internet business, lets just hope that statement yields true). Because I was so persistent and stubborn my parents were so willing to help support my dream, it was still possible. Life has turned into the adventure I had always wanted it to be. Whether it due to all of the praying my family does, the luck coming from the year of the dog, my mindset has gotten better, or the universe is just being kind is beyond me. Thanks to all the help and support over the years things are going well.
The moment I wanted to live in the land of the sun happened my sophomore year of College, when I saw posters advertising the world renown JET program. Although a seed had been planted in my final year of high school during my first Japanese class, that seed had sprouted through to my conscious mind right after I met a particular quirky professor at Washington State. Kota Inoue opened my eyes to Japanese culture which popped my culture bubble and introduced new ways of thinking. He was the catalyst of the paradigm shift that shifted me outside of my cultural conditioning for the first time in my life.
When Dreams Become Reality
It is a strange feeling to have an idea brought to life. Something I used to illustrate and dream about was about to occur. It was just a thought, but that idea evolved into reality in front of me. The hard work, struggles, and tribulations over four years was beginning to bear fruit. Which encourages me to continue chasing loft dreams. My ambition endlessly churning out bigger and higher plans and aspirations.
Like a cold wind on a summer evening, the sight of twinkling lights over a black glass mirror made this accomplishment bittersweet. The familiar sights which I had taken for granted would be left behind. The dome, trees, restaurants, and most importantly my home would be on the other side of the world. My family wasn’t going to be a part of my daily life anymore.(Despite My Clingy Nanay Calling Me Everyday)
The Emotions Began To Hit Me
Like water during high tide my emotions flooded in. The city was no longer a mass of concrete, vegetation, and wires. It was alive and breathing with all the experiences I’ve been through. My life was linked to the sights I’d been seeing everyday. The roads like veins tying all these places together, I knew where all the shortcuts, potholes, and twisty fun roads were. The cul de sac in Milton where I learned to ride a bike. The pizza place where I had my first kiss. Many other moments and spaces flickered through my mind. Like an old film reel it wasn’t always a pristine clear image. Dust, scratches, and splotches tainted some of the mental images, but they had equal responsibility for forging my personality. I looked at the ceiling and cried a little bit.
This is what made me realize.
courage isn’t the absence of fear. Acting when there is fear is what makes you courageous.
Saying Good Bye
Originally the plan was to have a going away party to thank everyone and say goodbye to dear friends, but unfortunately we were unable to come up with funds for hosting a party. It didn’t stop me from saying good bye to some close friends of mine. Therefore instead of having one big going away party with shallow interactions with my friends, I instead had close intimate good-byes which I think I very much prefer.
I was able to say good bye to my college room mate and best friend Sean, my old school friend from elementary school, my cousin, and some friends from high school before making the journey. There was still one more place I needed to go.
Getting lost in the nostalgia of being there once again felt nice. Sometimes it takes looking back to see how far we’ve come. Much change had happened since then. The school was mostly the same, as a result I slipped into my 16 year old self. I had transformed into a better person too. It’s hard to believe how much I’ve learned about myself after 9 years of life. I took the time to reminisce, explore, and take in just being back there. The reason I came back to the school was to thank my teachers for everything they had done for me. It was nice to be able to have a conversation with my past teachers as a fellow adult. When we spoke, it seemed like we were able to pick up where we left off.
My old homeroom teacher asked me to speak in front of her class. I introduced myself and told them what sports I played in highschool, letting them know how my life experience had changed me. I shared my current hobbies about making music, DJing, illustrating anime, and gaming. (Some students were happy to see platinum League of Legends player surprisingly enough). The final thing I told them was to be themselves. No matter how weird they thought they were, I told them it was always better to be your genuine self. It’s how I have had so many great experiences and friends.
Below is a video about my high school experience.
Here Is The Next Episode!
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