I honestly don't mean to make this seem too dramatic or anything. I'm just gonna tell it like it was. Before we all left for the trip, I was having real difficulty being happy and content with how I was going about my life. A personal situation I had been in had ended badly for me and I was really beat down and depressed. I didn't know what to do, nor did I want any help from anybody in dealing with it.
That's the big reason why this trip meant alot to me. It allowed me to get away from all my troubles for once, and maybe sort things out for myself. I had always thought of Japan as a rather spiritual place, so I thought it would help my mind cope with whatever I was dealing with. Experiencing a whole new culture and people made it so easy for me to clear my head, at least for a little bit. I found the temples and shrines really had an effect on me, though I'm not known to be a particularily religious or spiritual person. As for the less-spiritual areas, I had alotta fun just going around the cities and all that, just taking in the scenes and stuff.
I'm making it a goal of mine to go over there again, hopefully for school. Hopefully I can keep tabs on my Japanese so I don't get rusty.