On a Journey

My mother once told me that there is truth to be found in clichés. I didn’t quite understand what she meant at the time. But as I grew older, I understood. A cliché becomes a cliché because of shared experience. It is an act or experience that has happened or been proven enough times, to be practically accepted as fact. There are many clichés that have proven to be true in my life. Today, I will mention only one, 'Life is a journey': And life has indeed been a journey for me. A journey from place to place, to the place I am now.

I’m not sure at what age I first caught the travel bug, but when I did, it felt like a need that had to be fulfilled. At first, travel for me consisted of only short trips to the US with my family for vacation, and family time with my aunts and uncles who were living there. I always found it very exciting to be somewhere other than home. Even though I loved my home immensely.

Then, as I got older, I was lucky enough to travel as a part of my job. Initially it was focused on exploring my birth country, Jamaica. I got a chance to see places in Jamaica I wouldn’t have normally visited on my own time. I saw beautiful beaches, waterfalls, and caves that I never knew existed in Jamaica, and protected plant and wildlife hidden deep in Jamaica’s rain-forest. My island Jamaica is simply exquisite.

Somerset Falls, Jamaica

Beaches and Waterfalls in Jamaica - Source NEPA Jamaica.

I therefore never felt the need to travel internationally. Then one day, my job sent me to China, and that’s when I discovered Asia…

Well, of course, I didn’t discover it. It was always there. But you get the idea. China was a shock to my system at first, because it was so different from what I was used to. There were the obvious differences, like the language, the people and the food. But there were also more subtle differences, like the scents. It was a change from the fresh air and natural smells of the sea and nature in Jamaica, to the heaviness of the air in China and it's strong sense of industry. It was a big change, but it was one that I didn’t mind. China, however, though beautiful and exotic did not make me feel quite at home. But it sparked my interest in Asia. So next I applied for a job in Japan. Once I got there, it felt immediately like a new home for me and I have been living there for almost a decade. I guess when you know you just know…

Join me as I share my experiences living in Japan and show you the different sides of the country through my travels. I’m on a journey of discovery, not only of Japan but also other parts of the world. Come with me as I learn about these places and hopefully, we can learn something new about ourselves along the way. Life is a journey; let’s share this journey together.