By: Jessica Kamikaze
So my first article was a massively narcissistic and aggrandizing ode to myself, but I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I’m shallow. In fact, I have a lot of thoughts and feelings! For example, I think that the Kardashian family tv shows are very contrived, but I feel like watching them anyway.
I lived in Osaka, Japan for about two and a half months when I was 21. I had a super unfriendly roommate who I avoided as much as possible, which sucked because I thought my roommate would be the key to discovering my new city. I ventured out on my own a few times with varied success (one time I was reduced to tears when I got lost and couldn’t find anyone who spoke English until I finally wandered into the lost and found office of the subway station), but I was still too nervous to do some of the more culturally unfamiliar things like going to a bath house or tea ceremony. I tried to enlist friends to come on a few little adventures with me. By “friends” I mean work colleagues and acquaintances that I had met once or twice and added to facebook. Most of them had been in Japan a long time and weren’t really down to waste a Saturday doing touristy stuff.
I’d like to say that during my time in Japan I got more independent, grew in maturity and developed a “fuck you, I’m sight-seeing” attitude, but that didn’t happen. I spent most of my nights in bars and my days either teaching or hungover. Or both. I was terrified that if I ever tried a solo adventure I would get lost or offend someone (Japan has so many rules!); I spoke no Japanese so when I inevitably got lost/confused/insulted the traditions of that great nation, there would be no one to help me.
Now, I know what you assholes are thinking. You’re thinking “Jessica, you idiot, you were an adult moving to a new country for your first job and you should have been prepared for the culture shock and uncertainty of your new and independent life!” Yea, well, I wasn’t. I clearly shouldn’t have moved to Japan alone at the age of 21. Two and a half months later, when my company went bankrupt and I went home (that’s another story!), all I had to show for my time in Japan were some pretty adorable outfits and a rampant case of alcoholism.
So what’s my point (other than to cry and complain about how I was too much of a baby to take the Japanese bull by the sightseeing horns)? My point is that every traveller feels some amount of fear and anxiety, whether travelling alone or with others (don’t try to act all tough and worldly with me, I KNOW you’ve been scared!) But there’s no reason that your pussy-ass fears should stop you from doing scary and exciting new things. So, be brave my friends! Get off your bar stools and go see some shit!!
9 Comments
Aw thats too bad! I’m willing to bet it was Nova, right? I also go there at pretty much that exact same time… but I think cause I lived in Tokyo and my branch happened to open back up, I stayed the whole year. I had a lot of friends who didn’t though. It was really tough! One meal a day and people became super bitchy… but then it got awesome.
Damnit now I want to go back – want to go with me? I love the tourist stuff and never got tired of it!
Margyle, stop hitting on me.
Jk, it was totally NOVA and I totally ate one meal a day for a while there. I’m SOOO glad that you had SOOOO many friends in Japan though. It sounds SOOOOO fun.
I would love to go back, actually, especially now that I have a much better idea of the things I’d like to buy! I gueeeess we could go together…
Good… your misery makes me stronger lol. Also, tell Levey she sucks. She knows why.
Goddamnit, Margyle! Eat a dick!
That’s all.
It’s really hard when you’re abroad all by yourself… somehow touring sites and eating alone just aren’t as much fun on your own! I think solo travel, like when you stay in hostels, is great because you tend to meet lots of people. But it’s harder when you’re living abroad solo and you have to make friends who live in the area… I’m going through that problem right now in Paris.
Haha, it’s hard to get out there, especially when you don’t speak the language. I moved to Buenos Aires without speaking any Spanish and for weeks I walked around in terror that I would get lost, or worse yet, that someone would actually speak to me and I wouldn’t understand. Seems silly in retrospect but so real at the time. Forcing yourself is almost always worth it though!
Funny and very true. We have all been there. In fact, I still get into those moods when traveling solo and I need a kick in the ass to realize I don’t need other people to go out and explore with me.
I think it can be pretty tough travelling or living solo. The people you meet really make all the difference. Find a couple of good people and a place becomes awesome, but the reverse sucks…
Hey Jessica,
I work for Matador Network and wanted to chat to you about republishing opportunities. Can you whizz me a email; [email protected].
Regards,
Katie