This post is going to be weird. I adore my host family’s bathrooms! Their toilet seat is heated! The toilet has an entire control panel on the wall with three different bidet settings, all with different strengths. You can also adjust the heat of the bidet water and toilet seat. I also have enjoyed the Japanese style of bathing. They have a shower room with a tub. Unlike American bathrooms where you stand in the tub with the shower head above you, Japanese shower rooms have two-level hooks for the shower head next to the tub with a mirror. They let the tub fill and heat up while doing other tasks. You know when the tub is ready because a panel in the kitchen plays a cute song to alert you the tub is full and ready at 40 degrees Celsius. They keep the tub covered during the shower so nothing gets in. You shower first and ensure you are squeaky clean, and once you are clean you soak in the bath. Because the water heats itself and continues to heat up so that it doesn’t get cold, and everybody gets in clean, a single bathtub of water is shared between the entire family. It is very relaxing, like a hot tub but without the chlorine. I greatly enjoy this arrangement, but I know some Americans feel uncomfortable sharing bathwater with others. If you are an American who is uncomfortable sharing bathwater, do not go to an onsen/the hot springs if you visit Japan.

After over 24 hours of traveling, I was exhausted, to say the least. I started strong because I do genuinely enjoy flying and traveling. However, things got more difficult after my second flight. Out of my four total flights, my third one was the one that left the United States and landed in Tokyo. I had called ahead to get a window seat, but unfortunately, I ended up in the aisle in the middle column of seats. Thankfully, nobody was in the middle seat next to me, so that was nice. Although I slept for 8 hours on the 14-hour flight, it was not consecutive, so I felt delirious at the end of the flight. Once I was in Japan, I felt gross and just wanted to freshen up, but I had to brave customs. Customs was overwhelming and confusing. I got through it, and thankfully, the TSA after customs was very cheerful and kind. Once I found my gate, I could freshen up in the bathroom and get some Japanese 7-Eleven before boarding my final flight. 

After finishing my fourth and final flight, I was able to drag my two suitcases, guitar, and backpack to the start of my life in Japan. I took the train from the airport to Higashi Okazaki, where I met with my program director, Naoko. On my way there I struggled with all my luggage during a train change; a nice boy helped me and even spoke English. He was shocked to hear that I was going to be living in Toyohashi for 6 months since it’s such a “small town.” 

After lunch, I was finally able to meet my host family. My hosts are the sweetest people and have made the transition to living here so much easier. They gave me my own bedroom with a traditional-style sleeping mat on the floor. It was a tad hard at first, but I have become accustomed to it, and now I enjoy the comfort of my bed.  I brought gifts from the United States for my host family, and they loved them. They put their “Nashville” magnet on their fridge, Hinata wore her crocheted bag I gave her, Souta loved learning how to shuffle and play “Spit” with the card deck I gave him, and the goo-goo clusters were gone so quickly. Hinata has become a great friend. She has been helping me with my Japanese while I help her with her English, and we have become close as we do so many things together. 

The town I am living in is small compared to the surrounding cities in Aichi. This area is not used to Americans, so I have received mixed reactions from locals. When I am alone, I tend to see more confusion because of my presence and difficulties since I am still learning how to communicate in Japanese. However, when I go out with my host family, and they can help me and explain to people what I am doing in Toyohashi, I usually receive praise and excitement. One of my first meals at a restaurant here I had ordered chicken and was eating it with my hands. I was not supposed to do that because a waitress rushed over, waving her hands signaling me to stop, pointed to the chopsticks, and asked“Fork? Fork?” I apologized, grabbed some chopsticks, and showed her that I knew how to use them before she walked away. It had me a bit overwhelmed, but my program director told me it was nothing to worry about. Now I know! It was difficult my first week to settle into the culture, but now that I am in week 2 and have a rhythm, it has become much more comfortable. One thing Kelly told me when she was helping me find a country to go to was how important it is to go to a country you are excited about even if you are passionate about your project because if your project has challenges, being in a country you love can help balance that out. She was so right! I am so thankful she helped me come to the country I am excited about because I have already felt that to be true with small challenges like buying groceries alone and having trouble communicating at the register. 

After a week to settle in, I started my volunteer work. The first two days were challenging because of the language barrier. I just wanted them to know that I am trying my best to learn Japanese and that I care about their language, but I was unsure if that came across. By day three, I was feeling much better. The kids are so much fun and seem to like me. Right now, I am acclimating to the nursery school and getting to know each classroom. Music therapy starts on Friday!

During my second weekend here, I took a trip out to Okazaki to give a presentation on music therapy at Naoko’s Global Cafe. The turnout was great, and my presentation went very well. I was able to go in-depth about what music therapy is, and with Naoko to help translate and the effort I put into making sure I had both English and Japanese on my presentation slides, the message was able to get across to everyone in attendance. I received so many questions and lots of excitement about music therapy. It was great to be able to talk to everybody about it. 

All this does not even scratch the surface of all the experiences I have had so far, but I am getting exhausted from writing about all this. I am sure my next blog posts will be a bit lighter. I just needed to pack a lot into my initial experience getting here and being here. If you read the whole thing, thank you for making it here!

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” Proverbs 19:21 ESV

I am so excited to be in Japan! I have been making the preparations since my internship ended right before Christmas. There was a lot to do and it kept me busy until now, and I am so relieved that it is done! There were so many moving parts. Nothing difficult per se, just detail-oriented. I needed to make sure I got each detail correct. I also took my music therapist board certification exam. I passed! Now I am an official music therapist! Packing gave me some perspective I was not expecting. I realized how much I need to get by and what I use daily. It helped me see how many luxuries I have in my life. In a way it has made me very grateful for the few items I am bringing that have deep importance to me. I still have a lot of stuff though because I had to bring all my music therapy resources. I did my best to also make sure I dedicated plenty of time to my family and friends before I left. Saying goodbye is hard, but everybody around me has been so supportive and I will see them all again! I made sure to get my fill of dirty bird fries from Hattie B’s since I won’t be able to eat them for a while. The First Art Museum in Nashville had an exhibit all about Japan in January and I went with my friends to get a taste of what is to come. I made sure to savor the comforts of familiarity before it got lost in a new environment. I love change and thrive when I get to experience everything fresh and new, but I wanted to make sure I did not forget to appreciate the luxuries of being home before letting my excitement run wild. 

I am looking forward to a gentle start to my project. Since I will be in Japan for 6 months, my program director decided to let me have the first week to acclimate to Japan, get to know my host family, and set up meetings with the school teachers I will be working with to find a plan for my schedule and the use of music therapy. I appreciate Naoko allowing me that time to adjust. Everybody I have talked to while preparing for this trip has been so kind! I am excited to meet them and work with them in person. As nervous as I am about my Japanese skills, I am very excited to be immersed in the language and learn it better! I am excited to meet my host family and get to know them better. They have a boston terrier! I love dogs so that makes me excited. I do have one friend who is working in Japan as a missionary. I am excited to see her and have somebody who can support me spiritually and as a friend. I can’t wait to walk around Toyohashi and go to seven eleven! I hear the seven elevens in Japan are way better than the US! I am excited to try the ramen and Wagyu beef and enjoy all the food and drinks I will have in Japan!

Here’s to a safe flight and happy travels! “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord…” Joshua 29:11