I am a unique kind of person, even though I say so myself. On the one hand, I am so extremely lazy, a fact which people closest to me will vouch for in unison; on the other hand, I am the most nomadic person you can find; so much so that it figuratively feels as though I have wheels underneath my feet, with no brakes!
There are times when I would rather sleep on the sofa, because I am too lazy to clear the mess of clothes on my bed, despite it being a Sunday, and there hardly being anything pressing preventing me from organising everything. And yet, there are times when, not only would the whole house be perfectly in sync, spic and span, but my heels would be bursting with energy, just raring to start my next adventure.
My ardour for travel is perhaps the only thing that can counter my (almost) unbeatable lethargy!
The intoxication of my maiden EuroTrip had hardly begun to fade, as I decided to plan my next adventure. I knew I had to go back to Europe, and I had promised my folks I would take them with me next time. But before another Euro Trip could even be contemplated, Japan came a calling.
Japan and I have a special relationship to say the least. And this relationship formally began in the year 2004; while hints of a probable and promising future together had begun a few years prior to that.
In the year 2001, my brother graduated from school, and being the genius that he is, found himself a place in the University of Manchester, studying Physics, and specialising in Astro-Physics. While at University, it was in fact my brother who first sowed the seeds and ignited my tryst with Japan. He was always keen on Japan; starting with Japanese anime like 'Ninku', 'You're Under Arrest' and 'Flame of Recca' (notably, I too was extremely fond of them). This keenness eventually led him to start learning Japanese. Being self taught (remember he is a genius), my brother started listening to Japanese music, watching more Japanese anime, and dramas, and movies.
Knowing my shared tastes in media, my brother happily passed on those anime and dramas and music to me. At first, I was happy reading the subtitles, and just enjoying the tunes, without really caring for whether I understood it or not. But gradually, I was drawn to the language. And so I found myself at the doorstep of one of the best Japanese Language institutes in Delhi, eager to learn this beautifully complex yet effortless language.
Three years of earnest and dedicated classes learning the Japanese Language, finally brought me to the year 2008, to my first trip to Japan. Dealing with Japanese was not my first tryst with a foreign language. It was in fact my second encounter. My maiden encounter was with French, and for that the less said the better. Nothing against the French Language, of course! Just that my experience with learning the language was rather underwhelming, to say the least.
Coming back to Japanese, my journey to learn this beautiful oriental mode of communication was special because I was truly passionate about the language. I had submerged myself completely, not just in the language, but in the Japanese culture as well. In fact, my friends from college during graduation would have plenty a stories of me trying to get everyone to join my Japanese band-wagon (alas to no avail).
My teachers were brilliant. And I am truly grateful for all their time and effort in helping me find my place with the language. They say that to truly master a language, you must learn to think in that language, rather than think in your own native language and then translate. For me, my passion and quite nearly obsession with the Japanese had led me to that crucial point.
Before even I could realise my true potential with the language, one of my teachers thankfully saw the same and recommended me for the 6 week Cultural Exchange Program organised by the Japan Foundation. Interestingly enough, since the program invited applications from across the country, to select only 5 students, I had little faith or hope in actually being selected. But much to my surprise and delight, I found myself standing at the gateway, about to deboard the aircraft at the Kansai International Airport, outside Osaka.
As I laid my eyes on the land of the rising sun for the first time, making my way to my abode for the next 6 weeks, eyes barely blinking, and my heart racing, zipping even, little did I know that this was going to be my first of many... and I mean MANY... trips to this island that would soon become my second home!
When I think about each of my trips to Japan, I find myself discovering something new every time. One would think that having been there 7 times already would have been enough. Somehow, however, I still find myself aching to go back. Of course, having family in Japan now, makes for a greater calling. Nonetheless, it is for the pure love of Japan that I can never seem to get enough.
Japan is an amazing country. It is as modern and technologically advanced as the human race can get. Yet at the same time, the Japanese people have found almost the perfect balance of preserving their exotic traditional past, leaving an outsider like me, insatiable!
And I was just just getting started...
nish ^_^
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