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DEVIN BOND
Thoughts of a wanna-be author and student.


November 22, 2014

Feelin' Lonely

I should be starting my essay for my politics class but it's proving to be a bit difficult so here I am procrastinating. As the end of the semester draws closer and my return visit home (for the first time in over a year!) comes closer too, I often end up thinking about family and friends and all that good stuff. I try not to though, because often it ends up with me realizing how lonely it can be to live away from home. Sometimes that loneliness just strikes hard.

Having lived with my parents until my move to Japan for practical reasons, I previously thought I'd enjoy the solitude. After all, when my family wasn't home was when I enjoyed things the most. But even introverts get lonely. Hopefully this isn't new to anyone. As the days go by, often times with the only interaction I have being the few minutes here and there in classes and then maybe on the ride home with my friend who lives nearby. Once a week I get a 20 or so minute skype session with my parents, depending on how my shoddy internet wants to behave of course. And sometimes I'll get to chat with friends through skype when schedules allow it. It's hard to believe I ever disliked having all that interaction with people in my house.

It might be even harder to imagine just how someone can feel so lonely when they're living within one of the most densely populated cities in the world. But in a place like Tokyo, it's everyone for themselves and if you're lucky you'll get a whispered "excuse me" when someone steps on your foot on the train.

Days when friends send me lots of text messages always ease it, but on days like today where I haven't spoken to anyone except the cashier at 7-11 when paying bills... that's when I feel it the most.


Also, for anyone reading, if there are any questions about living in Tokyo or things like that, feel free to! It really is a lovely place, even if sometimes it gets me down.

November 10, 2014

It's Aliiiiiiiive! Hi again...

It's been officially two years since I've last been here. Boy have things changed! But, I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging. It's a bit of a half-hearted return for now, but hopes it'll become like normal again. For those interested--which I can honestly assume isn't many after this long!--here's a bit of an update.

Biggest change of all: I up and moved to Tokyo to finish my bachelors degree. Let's just say it's a bit of an adjustment to move out for the first time and doing it across the ocean from home. Probably one of the biggest learning curves I've ever had. Probably would've helped if I'd improved my Japanese skill more before arriving, but alas.

So that happened roughly a year ago. Since then I've experienced many firsts that all people have to accomplish to become proper adults like the horror of discovering your milk sat too long and decided to start making cheese without your permission... Or learning how to do refrigerator tetris with your groceries because it's about the size of a five year old child... 

And then there are the other sorts of firsts like learning truly what humidity is. Nothing can compare to the Japanese summer at its height. It's the truth. I think the most disgusting day was about 98 (F) with 92% humidity. Which for those who are humidity virgins like I once was... it feels like it's about 105 (F) and you sweat from just standing outside.  Even more disgusting than the heat is the new set of life it brings about. The bugs.

Now, being a bit of a country girl back in the states, I'm confident in saying that most insects don't really bug me! But being from the nice and cool Pacific Northwest, I'd never had to deal with certain species of them. For anyone into anime, you know the cliche of the Japanese summer filled with the cicadas (semi in Japanese) chirping one loud chorus. It's true. Even if it's hot as the devil's balls, it isn't summer here until all you here 23/7 (they sleep about an hour a day it seems--I'm a light sleeper) are those dang cicadas going wee-wee-wee. If you want to hear for yourself, click here. Besides being slightly annoying they're mostly harmless, though I seem to attract them. Just a little shocking to have one swoop and land on your shoulder then scream in your ear. I just wanted to walk outside, Japan!

No. The one thing that really gets to me are the goddamned srgsnrungjserkfef ROACHES. 

Not only are they blasted fast, they're so disgusting. I shudder just thinking about it.

It hasn't been all bad, thankfully, despite the major adjustments. I've made a bunch of friends and grown into a person that I can be proud of even if the road to it was a bit bumpy. Japan got way more tears than I ever thought it would receive, that's for sure. 

I haven't been able to write much for anything, even though I wish I could. But I know my stories will be there for me when I'm ready to devote my attention to them properly. First things first; pass classes and graduate ASAP! 

I feel like I could blather on about a lot of probably useless things, so I'll leave it here for now. Hope to see you all soon!