Sickness and the bane of the bowels

No, you're not reading that incorrectly, dear viewers.  Today, I'm here to talk about what few people want to, but something I still feel is important.  Sickness and adjusting to the trials of traveling abroad.

Admittedly, I'm not the best resource on this, as I'm not going to go into things as dangerous as parasites or potential diseases that you should have inoculations for, but there are a few hiccups with settling in that need to be addressed, for friends worried about me and for potential travelers.

First, is jet lag.  No matter how chipper you feel getting off a plane or how great you feel the next day, it WILL take a toll on you.  For me, it's been in the sleep department.  I've gotten great sleep...but that's kind of the problem.  I need a lot more sleep than I ever did back in the states.  I could go on about 4-6 hours max on most nights and still be fine before.  Now, I need at least 8 to function and I'm still dead tired when I'm done with school.  Hopefully, this will change, but people ready to travel abroad need to be aware of how this affects your life.  You need to make the days count more and rest up as much as you can.

Next, is home sickness.  I only realized I had this the day before I resolved it.  But, it turns your stomach into knots, makes you whiny, sleepy, tired, and very unpleasant, even if you don't realize you're missing home.  Eventually, either with help from friends or finding something that you really love, you can resolve this, and appreciate where you are, but it will screw with your life for a few days, to up to two weeks.  I resolved this by finding some personal beauty in Japan, through a few annoying, but good hearted friends, and just having to get over myself.  But, I wasn't prepared for this.  You people need to be!  I loved Japan when I arrived and I still love it, but I didn't realize how much I missed my family, my old apartment, and my friends, even though we talk on skype.  It's trouble.

Also, food.  When I first arrived in Japan, I loved the food and I still love it now.  There is so much to taste, so many wondrous things to discover, my personal favorites being strawberry milk and Calpis white water.  However, I've been having trouble adjusting to this new diet...thus, the bowels in the title.  I really don't know how to handle this, but to just get used to it.  I've had my fair share of unpleasant feelings, especially in the morning.  The only time I really feel content is when my stomach is empty.  This isn't sickness in the usual way or even food poisoning, it's just a shock to my system.  So, those heading abroad, be warned, you will be ill from the new food, no matter how used to it you think you are.

Finally, love sickness.  This, I really can't advise people on how to avoid.  While I've been here, I've met so many amazing women, some of whom I admit to having a little crush on.  It has its charm and is a minor annoyance at first, but believe me, when you're getting over the above diseases, this is hell on earth.  It twists your stomach into knots and makes mild annoyances into crippling diseases that can keep you bedridden a good portion of the time.  I've managed to work through it by just living my life, but I can't really advise on this, since everyone is different.  But, if you do plan on getting smitten, hell, even if you don't, try and avoid it for at least the first month.  After you've overcome the aforementioned traveling ailments, it might not be so bad, but it was nightmarish for me, despite my previously optimistic posts.  Just trying to relax and being friends with people you like instead of trying to woo them seems to be the best medicine.

Alright, now you know.  Behind all the glitz and glamor I paint Japan in, I've been going through some stomach churning annoyances.  I still love this place and the people around me are growing on me, but it makes life a pain, especially after meals and in the mornings.  Fellow travelers, beware of these ailments.  You WILL NOT avoid them, but a little preparation goes a long way.  I wasn't prepared, so now I'm suffering.  Give me a week or two and I should be okay, but for now, I'm still dealing with illness all my own.

I probably ought to mention culture shock but really...haven't had much of a problem with it yet.  Japan is awesome and the service is much better than the US in almost everyway.  Granted, people are much more reserved and you can feel isolated, but people at Kansai and the seminar house are friendly enough so it hasn't bothered me.  Still, something for travelers to keep in mind.

Talk to you later, dear readers.