LJ Entry II

"June 15th, 2007

Today, after my final interview (in which I officially secured my job as a teacher) I took a stroll down a couple of sidestreets.
The flowers here are beautiful, & on one particular plant that I stopped at to admire I noticed that the ladybugs on this side of the pacific must be male.
They are all black with two equal-sized red dots on either side.
Herein I found my first true connection with a japanese hexapod, for it too must cross an ocean to be with what it's heart wants most.
After reaffirming that my best understanding of things is when in nature, I found myself on a subway train to the Higayashima Botanical Gardens.
I got off a stop too early (unaware at the time) & aimlessly wandered in the direction I thought it to be.
I didn't find it.
What I did find was a sidestreet that led to what appeared to be private property.
I wandered to a beautiful area of nature that was closed off in a half-assed way.
Trusting my prowess & viable excuse in the event of being caught that I cannot (yet) read the language, I ventured.
It was humid & breathtaking.
I silently, slowly walked up a broken stone stairway, complete with odd insects & botany.
I found a wondrously peaceful part of myself while standing in such silence.
I felt a connection with myself & where I was that I've known to be within me since first learning of Nihon.
This part of me can only grow & get more realized in my time here.
It's indescribable for me to be able to finally breathe in my surroundings & know that right where I am is right where I need to be.
This is the first time I've felt this, & yet somehow it's all familiar.

I safely made it back to civilization."