F*** You Tokyo.
Honestly, f*** you.
Screw you and your night clubs that charge an average of 4000 Yen ($50 CND) just on cover.
And all your izakaya bars that typically take an additional 4000 yen out of my wallet for each visit.
F*** you and your crowded subways where just when you think the train has reached maximum capacity, men in white gloves somehow manage to shove 20 more passengers right into your face.
Not to mention your hot and humid summers where you all seem to be judging my outfit just because I’m not fully covered up like all your other conservative looking salary men.
Also, why do you have no public garbage cans?!?!
I get it if you want to make your fitness centers unaffordable for the average person, but can you at least let me go for morning runs outside in peace? I’ve been stopped by one of your police officers for: 1) Not running in a “designated running area”. 2) Not running counter-clockwise around the park. 3) Running on the street with my headphones on.
Speaking of police, f*** all your police officers standing on every crosswalk telling me when to go as if I can’t see when the traffic light has turned green.
Also your general social expectations from everyone’s behaviour is just too much. Was I speaking too loudly? Did I not bow low enough? Did I throw my garbage in the right bin? You’re like living with my parents — always monitoring my behaviour and correcting what I do.
Now don’t even let me get started with your “live to work” mentality, because sometimes I really can’t tell if you are going to or from work on the subway.
Another thing… why does half your population seem so shy and socially awkward? If you want to talk to me, come talk to me! I love making friends too you know?
And also… the size of your food portions …. Oh my god. My 3 year old cousin could finish a bowl of your “large” sized ramen.
BUT THEN AGAIN, you do have some pretty damn good ramen… but f*** you once again for setting my expectations so high, because ramen will now no longer taste the same.
In fact, Japanese food back home will never taste good anymore. Nor as convenient.
Because of you, I expect high quality customer service at EVERY store and restaurant I walk into… but that would be asking for too much in other countries.
I now complain if I have to walk more than 2 minutes to find a subway station or convenience store as well. This is completely your fault.
And your washrooms. Why are they so clean and sanitary? I’m in China right now… and walking into a public bathroom here makes me want to puke because of the standard you have set.
F** you and your vending machines too. Taking more than 10 steps to buy a bottle of water is considered far now.
Your extremely low crime rate has made me so careless with my belongings in other countries. Your fault once again when I end up getting something stolen.
Also your bullet train is too fast and convenient. It really puts Canada to shame by not having trains that move at over 300km/hr.
Why do your mountains and surrounding nature have to be so gorgeous? I never want to go for another hike outside of Japan anymore, because I know the view won’t be the same.
And the architecture of your buildings, shrines, and temples … why did you have to make them so beautiful? I’ve been travelling through the rest of Asia, and everything else just doesn’t compare anymore.
Some of the automation at your restaurants are so clever, but now I’ll expect that in Canada too… but quite frankly it’s not.
The plastic replicas of all your food items have made it easy to choose what to eat, but why did you have to tease me like that when you know it doesn’t exist outside of Japan?
And finally, f*** you for all of the endless things to do in your city both day and night .. rain or shine. Montreal is going to feel so small, empty, and boring now… and it’s all your fault!
Three months in Tokyo has really flown by, and it’s shocking to me whenever I reflect back to think about everything I have experienced this summer. There are things that I loved about Tokyo and things that I hated, but overall nothing has been short of exciting. My journey this summer was completely unpredictable, but I sure learned a lot about myself and about all the things that I have yet to experience out there in the world. It’s a summer that I will never forget, but also a summer that I will never be able to fully describe.
Whether it be Tokyo or any other city in Asia, living on the opposite side of the Pacific Ocean is something that I think everyone needs to experience at some point. I’m not going to lie, I was pretty hesitant and scared when deciding to do an internship abroad at a country where I don’t know a single person. But if any of you are debating the same decision, just go for it. You’ll never be able to fully prepare for the culture shock, but you definitely will not regret it.
Finally, thank you Tokyo for the experience. Thank you Flickfit for the internship. And thank you Cansbridge for the opportunity.
#CansbridgeFellowship2017
