I am currently in transit back to America. The decision to pack up and leave came very suddenly, but was entirely necessary.
My decision to leave was for personal health reasons. While living in Japan was not easy, I was truly enjoying my time working, making friends, and just being there. However, a terrible experience reopened some past trauma from my life, and I need to return home to take some personal time to recollect myself and heal.
I don't regret this choice, and I doubt that I ever will. I wanted to stay for at least a year, but my health, well-being, and safety must come first.
I was fortunate enough to get a very cheap plane ticket leaving the next day, so I threw everything into my bags, bought some last minute gifts for friends back home, and am now writing this from my layover in Toronto.
I will definitely return to Japan in the future, but they will only be short trips, not to live. Two months sounds like such a short time, but it felt like years and I will always consider Tokyo my second home.
