Snorkels, Star Wars, and Sayonara: A Farewell to Kyoto

This past semester at Santa Barbara City College has been my greatest experience of school yet. No surprise, as I experienced school abroad, in Kyoto, Japan. As I reflect on this great past semester, it is all a blurr, especially the last month.

Thailand, (Tokyo), and Okinawa

The monkeys at Monkey Beach, Phi Phi Islands were not to be disturbed, as we were warned they bit.

In April, over a long weekend, I traveled to Thailand, experiencing Phuket and the Phi Phi Islands. I saw the south of Thailand, a beautiful landscape of tangled greenery with clear blue waters. The culture was loud and unreserved, a jarring yet refreshing experience after months in reserved Japan. Along with the unforgettable scenery, the pad thai, fruit, and mango sticky rice were equally unforgettable, forever blessing my taste buds.

After Thailand, I got a preview of Tokyo for a weekend. I went to the international Star Wars Celebration with a friend and experienced my first convention. What was overwhelming at first became people-watching paradise. The thousands of fans were decked out in cosplay that rivaled some of Star Wars’ original costumes. Additionally, at the convention, we saw Hayden Christensen and I won an Ewok figurine.

After a little weekend in Tokyo, I packed in a trip to the Hawaii of Japan, Okinawa. I started my trip on the mainland and explored two of the islands, Tokashiki and Zamami. I stayed two nights in a hostel on Zamami Island alone, embracing the island life by renting a bike and snorkel. I saw breathtaking fish the colors of neon highlighters. The fish were colors I did not know could be found in the wild. The coral reefs of Okinawa were more alive than the reefs I snorkeled at in Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands. As I floated over fish and coral, I felt conflicted knowing my presence was causing their destruction. Being alone on Zamami Island left me with no distractions, forcing reflection and contemplation of self.

The Phi Phi Islands was unforgettably beautiful and unforgettably humid.

A glowing Mandalorian and Baby Yoda welcomed in fans to the Star Wars convention.

Alone on an island, solitare and journaling kept me busy.

Goodbye Kyoto, Hello Tokyo

There were a few days after Okinawa and before our group's time in Tokyo that I said goodbye to Kyoto. When I said goodbye to the Kamo River, I realized it had been a place of restoration and healing. My walks along the river were times spent in celebration of being abroad, practicing appreciation of Kyoto. I had a last meal at my favorite restaurant. Somehow, I had found the feeling of home in Kyoto. As I reflect back at home, the moment Kyoto felt like home was a string of memories, sitting at the Kamo River, enjoying dinner at my favorite restaurant, and watching out the window on trains. All these memories hold the same contentment and feeling of belonging that my house has. While my Kyoto apartment was never a real home, the entire city of Kyoto welcomed me in a loving embrace that I only realized in its absence. I hope to return to Kyoto.

With no time to waste, our group was off to Tokyo for our last six days. The biggest city in the world was a blur of colorful lights and speeding trains. I slept the least that week than I had in the whole trip. Tokyo swarmed with people in the sunlight and stayed crowded under the moon. With so many people constantly around me, my mind wandered about the lives taking place around me for six days straight. Everyone told a story through their appearance. The people in Tokyo looked and moved differently than in Kyoto—there was an edgier fashion with a rushed pace.

On our first full day in Tokyo, the group went to the top of Tokyo Skytree. Even from the tallest building in Tokyo, I could not see the end of the city.

Most notably, during that week, I attended a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome. It was the greatest baseball game I have ever seen. The fans practically leaned into the field, watching intently. The love for baseball was palpable. I got to see the Tokyo Giants play the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. The Tokyo Giants won at the bottom of the 12th inning.

The Tokyo Dome was a well organised stadium, seating 55,000 people.

Tokyo at night is hypnotising in all its colors and lights.

Even from the nosebleeds, the stadium felt alive with fans cheering and the live band.

Until the Next Adventure

After our limited time in Tokyo, everyone agreed another week in the city should have been in order. That being said, I was most grateful we lived in Kyoto, as the chaos of Tokyo was draining. Kyoto was restorative and healing. I discovered my capabilities in solo adventuring and the freedom that comes with it. I loved waking up and went to bed excited for my day to come. It was exhilarating to live in a place of endless adventure and discovery. Being home has been hard. I miss the people, the food, the public transportation, and the independence of living alone. I have much to adjust to; fortunately, living abroad has made me a more adjustable person. Traveling is certainly a part of my life now, leaving me eager for another adventure abroad. Until then, thank you for reading these posts and being a part of my journey.

All the best,

Olivia

On my last. night in Japan, friends and I admired the Tokyo Skytree from a hotel rooftop. Ending our trip in Tokyo allowed me to prepare for a faster pace of life and say goodbye to the tranquility of Kyoto. Tokyo, in all its chaos, prepared me for the culture shock of reentering America.