Hey everyone! It’s been over half a year now since I’ve started to blog my journey through Japan. During this time, I’ve been able to travel to all of the places I’ve wanted to visit since I was a child and I’ve met some amazing people along the way. With each of these experiences, I’ve tried my best to condense them into the blogs I write. I think it’s important to notice that I say condense as I truly believe that there is no way to fit your entire life, your story, and your experiences into 500 words each week.
I’ve come to the realization that my blogs are just a glimpse into my life, and it’s not an accurate depiction of the everyday. There are so many things that aren’t truly representative of me in my blogs. These posts don’t show my late night walks to the conbini with my friends. It doesn’t show me frantically working late at night to finish final reports. Through blogging, I’m able to create this kind of persona that is solely influenced by the topics I chose to write about.
If I’m being perfectly candid, I think that is fine. Digital records aren’t meant as platforms to overshare and brag about your accomplishments. (Unless you want to!) It’s about being able to allow someone, anyone, to see a snippet of your life, no matter how boring or mundane it may seem to you. My blogs have allowed my loved ones who are thousands of miles away to see what I’m up to. It creates conversations that are more than just, “Yeah, Mom. My classes are going fine.”
I’d never think that five years ago, I would be in Japan, sharing my experiences with the internet. I grew up reading “Tokyo in Texan”, a website that was written by one of my favorite bloggers, Grace Mineta. I loved the fact that she could write about the most seemingly boring thing like “How to go grape hunting in Japan” to “How to take the Kichijoji airport bus to Narita Airport”. To me, her blogs allowed me to gain a first hand look of life in Japan, despite being so far away. Through words and pictures only, it sparked my interests for Japan and has led me on almost a half decade journey to pursue my passions.
As bold of a statement this may seem, I think my blog will serve someone the same purpose. Through blogging, I’m able to focus someone’s attention onto a particular subject. A subject that ordinary, one that you may not pay that much attention to. We take things for granted each day, but by sitting down and reflecting on your experiences, you are able to appreciate the little things so much more.