Week 29: Six Months and Winter Recap

What's Niigata Sign Outside of Niigata Station

Happy Winter Everyone! The snow is continually falling, my fingers are constantly numb, yet I couldn't have had a better month and a half. I've officially been in Japan for over six months. Now, those horrible humid days filled with complaints and negativity seem like they were ages ago. It's funny how fast time zips by you. I credit the fast progression of 2015 to sheer motivation to stay busy and continually push myself to accomplish my new year's goals. Specifically focusing on surrounding myself with caring individuals, traveling and truly enjoying Japan. 

Talia and I Freezing on the Slopes

I've gone skiing about seven times since 2015 started and I love it! Although I've had my moments where I seemingly get stuck half way down a run, or just want to give up, I'm grateful for my Yukiguni crew's patience and encouragement every time I hit the slopes. I've wiped out several times, lost a ski (temporarily), and even have had awesome friends crawl back up the mountain to help me, but it's been a blast and I can say I can successfully go down a run without looking like a squashed purple eggplant rolling down the mountain (my snow gear is all shades of purple). 

Visiting Brian and Niigata-Shi Game Night

The second week of January was spent visiting Brian and hanging out with other ALTs in Niigata City. I hadn't seen Brain in nearly two months, and had not seen many of these ALTs since I first got to Japan, so it was incredibly nice to catch up and mingle with different faces. In turn, the weather is drastically different in the city and along the coast. There is nearly no snow! So my marshmallow snow booties were basically pointless during this trip. Regardless, it was an incredibly relaxing trip, filled with lots of meaningful conversations and not to mention great food! 

My 23rd Birthday 

In other news, I turned 23! It was my first birthday spent outside of California and it far exceeded my expectations. Not only did I wake up to a plethora of loving and thoughtful messages, I was extremely touched by the efforts and excitement people had for my birthday. 

The weekend comprised a trip to Niigata City where several of us stayed at a hotel, dined on (surprisingly) delicious Mexican food, and danced the night away amongst awkward Japanese people at a club in the city. I'll be frank and say the style of "Japanese Clubbing," is a cultural experience in itself and nothing like I've experienced in the states. Regardless, it made for a hilarious and fun night! 

I'm incredibly thankful for all my friends and family back Stateside and around the world who made me feel so loved and thought of during my birthday weekend. The only great thing about the time difference is my birthday felt like it spanned over a couple of days. Not to mention the cards and generous gifts I've received in the mail :) All in all, I am continually touched and appreciative for the strong relationships I've cultivated and maintained throughout this experience and over the years. 

Singapore with Mac!

The highlight of January was going to Singapore to visit one of my best friends and former Italy roommate: Mac! This amazing woman recently moved to Singapore through her job at LinkedIn, and of course I had to jet over there ASAP. This trip is going to get its own blog post very soon (GoPro movie is also in the making!), but in summary it was AMAZING. Not only was I giddy to wear dresses the entire weekend, but we dined like queens and saw so much of this diverse country. I truly cannot emphasize how well planned out, and fun it was thanks to Mac's research and sheer enthusiasm for being abroad. There's a reason we clicked and traveled so well back in 2012, and I'm very grateful to have another friend and travel buddy in Asia. We're in the works of planning our next adventure together. More about this trip will be on the blog shortly!

My Post-Singapore Arm Workout

Jigokudani, Nagano - A.K.A. Monkey Park!

The weeks post-Singapore have picked up in snow, and I seemingly have a morning arm workout every other day. However, the luxury of having a car presents the opportunity to travel locally! For the first weekend in February I went to Nagano for the weekend with Brian and Alicia. Again, another blog post will be dedicated to this great trip. The highlight was going to Jigokudani, which is a Monkey Onsen Park. These wild snow monkeys are everywhere, and are so fun to watch and take pictures of. It was fantastic seeing another prefecture and part of Japan. Surprisingly, although Nagano was great to visit I like Niigata more. It's funny how much more I've grown to appreciate my snowy prefecture in this new year!

Moreover, the past month and a half has been a blast! I'm exhausted from traveling, but also extremely energized and happy I've seen so much in such a short period of time. In this new year back, I've learned a lot about myself and what gives me enjoyment. I continue to put myself first and feed my personal desires. As always, I have been keeping in touch with my large network of friends and family. It's the daily messages that constantly help me through those bad days at work or moments when my mood completely flips un-expectantly. As always, I'm ever thankful. 

Expect at least two more blog posts, hopefully coupled with GoPro videos (I'm still a newbie, so it's taking me a while) and other exciting updates in the near future. 

Always,

Adrienne