Taking on One Day at a Time

Well, just past two weeks since my tumble and I am healing up steadily. Its been a real rollercoaster of emotions and feelings, dealing with my injury, being stuck in my room and unable to get out, but I just want to take a moment to thank the people who have been so supportive of me.

There is my dorm "mom" who stayed with me the five hours it took to see a doctor and get a proper diagnosis. She checked on me every weekday for the past two weeks, slipping mail under my door and talking with me. And during rough days during that first week, she would buy me sushi, bring trays of food, buns and soup to me.

Despite my many attempts to cloister myself away, she would keep my spirits up, and when I tried to push going to school, she would remind me that I have a years time in Japan and what is most important is to rest as much as possible so that I don't reinjure myself and take longer to get better.


And then my dorm mates, T, who would grocery shop for me, bring me my homework and genuinely ask about my wellbeing, Y, who lent me money until I was able to take a taxi to a seven eleven to take money out to pay for my hospital bills and would pick up odds and ends for me, and F and S, who both brought me home-made treats to cheer me up. Even though I have only known these women for a few months, they have all been so caring and kind.

Margie, my mom's friend from long ago sent me a box full of easily prepared foods from Costco, with everything from Swiss Miss hot cocoa to ramen to a massive jar of peanut butter.

And lastly, today, a bunch of my friends lured me up onto the roof of another dorm, where they had prepared a "cheer up" party for me with lots of food and drinks and they bought me a Totoros to make me feel better.

All of these photos are of the gifts given to me during my recovery, but more precious than any object is the genuine caring and kindness behind these gifts. Being on exchange in a country where you can't properly communicate, nor understand what people may say to you makes for a very lonely experience, but people have adamantly found ways to show me that they care about my wellbeing. And then there are my friends and family back home who have been so supportive, listening to my anger and frustration without judgment and with wide open hearts. I am so grateful, and so fortunate and I only hope that I can make my loved ones proud and find some way to repay my friends.

It's really hard to keep things in perspective when you're injured and depressed. It can feel like the world is caving in on you and you're all alone in your suffering, but it seems like, if you can get past that tunnel vision, then the world just opens right up and things don't seem so impossible anymore. I'm not through the woods yet by a long shot, but I am not going to let what is going on for me right now, stop me from experiencing Japan as best I can.


<3
Rocketfrog