’Travel’ is a vague word.
I travel a lot, in the sense that I often move between cities and countries, flying on planes frequently. Usually, each trip has a purpose.
The landmark Portugal trip that sparked my chain of adventures over the past year and a half was all about self-discovery. I felt too cooped up and isolated in my London apartment and needed a way to prove my independence to myself.
Following that, I visited Scotland for a programming conference, the Netherlands for a trading workshop, Switzerland to meet family friends, Italy for a tech event, and more.
Japan had been on my bucket list for a long time, and before flying in I was adamant to find a purpose for the trip. Something to take back from it other than just the experience of seeing and doing cool things.
One of my goals was to learn Japanese. Before the trip, I signed up for the JLPT — the Japanese Language Proficiency Test — at the N3 level which, given the exam was in just over 2 months and I knew practically no Japanese at the time, was an ambitious goal by any standards. I’ve always been a bit of an overachiever though, and I felt up to the challenge. I was sure I’d learn a ton just being surrounded by the language every day.
I also wanted to grow my travel account on Instagram. My friends tell me I have a knack for storytelling (and I like to believe them), but historically I’ve only posted in the least effort-requiring way possible, i.e. just stories. This is bad for reach, since stories don’t get you discovered by new people. For that, you have to post. And that’s what I resolved to do on this trip.
These were my two main objectives, alongside, of course, learning about Japan’s history and culture and spending some quality girl time with my mom. I also hoped to help her become more comfortable with technology, so she could navigate the country more independently — after all, being tech-savvy is key to getting around a new place on your own.
I rationalized my lack of progress while the family was here by telling myself that, if I wasn’t even getting enough sleep, there was no way I’d have the time to work. But it’s been three days since they left, and despite wanting to get things done, I’ve made no real progress. I can't even explain where the time went. I’d plan to park at a coffee shop but then fail to get in the zone and end up aimlessly wandering around a dollar store. Or I’d tell myself I’d study at night, only to postpone it to the morning because I was sleepy, and then, obviously, not wake up on time.
It’s easy to lose focus amidst the busyness, and that’s okay for a while, especially when you have other priorities (like hosting family or getting some rest). But it’s important not to stay lost for too long. You need to recalibrate every now and then to ensure you’re still moving in the right direction. Life happens whether you’re intentional about it or not, but progress comes from setting goals and making active choices to reach them.
I’m very goal-oriented, if you can’t tell by now, and over the past few months of self- (read: un-) employment, setting personal goals has become crucial. Without external guiding factors like university courses or a job, I’m the only one holding me accountable. I know I’ve fallen off track a bit, but I’m determined to refocus and use the rest of this trip to accomplish the goals I’ve set for myself here.