[Sangetsu]

You are feeling what a lot of newcomers feel when they experience living in a foreign country for the first time. When I say "foreign", I don't simply mean a different country, but one in which the culture and lifestyle are much different than what we are used to.

One month isn't really much time to form an opinion. Things may not seem so good now, but if you were to stay a few more months, you might find yourself beginning to like your surroundings.

I live and work in a rural area about an hour from Tokyo. It's certainly not a very glamorous place. About one-third of the shops are vacant, the train station is ancient, the greater number of the houses are old and in poor repair. The town is surrounded by rice fields and farms, and most people might find it incredibly boring.

I wasn't very impressed when I first arrived here. But in time I began to meet new people, make a few friends, and explore my surroundings. I found that the beach was close enough to get to on bicycle, and that the small mountains overlooking the town were very scenic, and fun to hike. I began cycling, surfing, and hiking as a way to pass my extra time. I also got back into photography, which is something I hadn't practiced for years.

After 2 years the town appears no different from when I first arrived. But I am comfortable and happy here, and, when an opportunity finally came to move to Tokyo to live and work, I didn't take it.

I find country life much more enjoyable. I like the sounds of the insects, frogs, and birds. I like the smell of the smoke when the farmers are burning weeds. I like the fresh food and vegetables, which are better and less expensive than what's available in Tokyo. Another point is the super-low cost of living. On my teacher's salary, I make enough money that I can afford to live pretty much anywhere in the city that I like.

If I want to see the city, Tokyo is only an hour away by bus, and I usually go to the city every weekend.

For me, things turned out much more differently than I expected. I grew to enjoy living in a place I originally disliked. The town is having it's annual festival on Saturday, and crews have been hanging up lanterns up and down the street. There will be food, games, music, and dancing. After the festival will be a fireworks show. The day after the festival I will go surfing with friends, after which I will take the bus to Tokyo to do some shopping and picture taking. I'm having fun in Japan, and I have no regrets about moving here.