#jlsp

[bedainty-blog1]

We're set up here at #shopstpete today and tomorrow!! 🙌🏼 stop by and shop 👛🛍😊 #jlsp #shopsmall #shoplocal #bedainty #bedaintyboutique (at St Petersburg Coliseum)

[leraine]

I’m going to TOKYO 2.0!

It didn’t work out the first time around, but this time I’m gonna indulge myself. 

[lifeofteejay]

Tonight's education symposium with #jlsp at #spc! (at St. Petersburg College Seminole Campus)

[bootica]

TL;DR: LOLIHADABLASTSUCKITJapanisgreat

So when I went to Japan my father thought that I was going to get a rude awakening about the world and lose something of what he sees as naivete. I think this stems from my idealism - despite my anger and emotional frustration on a personal level I still try to see the good in people. I do this despite many let downs and I try not to judge people on their origins or cultural background.

Well, sir, I'm here to say it had the opposite effect, let me tell you. There are some brilliant people in Japan. Good, kind-hearted, genuinely interested in the world kind of people. Not only that, but the people I met from other parts of the world - Finland, Sweden, Germany, China, Australia, hell even other parts of America were fantastic and earnest.

He kept telling me I had some fairy tale version of the Japanese and that I was going to get reality's cold slap in the face. Are there equality issues in Japan? Short answer: Yes. Was that the overarching theme of my three months there? No, not by any means.

He had it right that Japan is vastly different from what I had imagined. What he wasn't expecting was for me to be enamored by how much more amazing I found this country to be. He's flustered that I literally couldn't get enough of it and am scrambling to get back.

None of this is meant to be a slight on my father. He was, after all, terrified of having his only child thousands of miles away possibly (yeah, mostly) drunk and hanging out with God knows who.

I went to a place that helped me reaffirm some small measure of my faith in humanity. That may be why it is so hard for me adjust back into my old routine, because I want to rage against it and go back to that feeling of accomplishment and belonging and just all around general goodness and fun. So basically, holy fuck I miss all my friends and can't wait to go back someday.

[bootica]

mushy feels and gross sobbing

I've been home for almost a month and I still find myself wishing my friends from my JLSP group were around. Like, "Oh if so-and-so was here they'd love that."

I seriously think I'm going to love and respect you guys for the rest of my life.