For the last couple months, graduation seemed like a far away dream that would never quite reach me until it did. Much like graduation, going to Japan has been the goal. Having studied the language for four years and immersing myself in the culture, I have carried the hope of going to Japan in me. In my mind, Japan was going to be everything I wanted it to be, the experience to put a bang to four years of being part of the Japanese Language community in Brookline High School. And it was. Filled with traditions that date back centuries, exquisite food, temples, and beauty unlike anything you’ll ever see anywhere else to kind and generous people who made sure to make our stay as comfortable and welcoming as possible, Japan was invaluable experience. It has opened my eyes to the world around me. People, no matter where we are in the world, are just people, but what we can all bring to the table as people from all over is precious and demands special attention. As I am about to embark in my own journey to make my own place in the world, being in Japan has reminded that there is a lot of things that there is so much to learn about the world and living it. And whenever I continue to make that journey through Japanese or any other language, it’s always interesting to see what will come next.