Below the Surface

When I moved to Japan three months ago, I told myself one year. One year to save enough money to get out of here an on to the next country and adventure.

But as the days have passed by, I have fallen more and more in love with my life here.

My job is demanding, but I am obsessed with my kids and I am having more fun than I ever have at work.

I have the perfect flat in the most desirable location.

I'm making more money than I ever have, and my costs of living are lower than they would be at home.

I live in a dream town, and come this winter I will be in the perfect location to snowboard every weekend.

I am meeting new people every week, both foreigners and Japanese.

I am really happy and really comfortable.

Recently I've been asking myself why would I want to leave at the end of the year? If I like this, why not stick it out for a while? Actually commit to something for once in my life....


I thought all these things over in my head as I laid on the sleeping mat, next to one of my students. They were lost in a world of dreams and the classroom was silent for nap time. I thought about how easy life is here and how easy it would be to let the months slip into years.

And then the building began to shake. Hard. The walls rattled and the furniture rumbled against the floor. The earth shook harder than I have ever felt before, and after lasting for a bit, it stopped. I had just experienced my first Japanese earthquake. I felt a little emotionally shaken up, but everyone and everything was fine. And then it started again, and we went through a second round of the earth's plates colliding beneath us.

My own world has recently been hit by an earthquake and I have found myself questioning where I am actually meant to be? Is my comfortable life in Japan as important as my obligations at home? How long am I meant to be away, and is there a day I am going to regret with every inch of my soul that I spent even a minute of my time away from the people I love?