Introduction

Besides a visit to South Korea - which I don't remember at all because I was just two years old - studying in Japan this summer will be my first visit to East Asia. But going to Japan, of all places, feels like a mixed bag. On one side, I am thankful for the Light Fellowship and for the opportunity to study abroad with all expenses paid. On the other, I realize that my Japanese skills might finally surpass my Korean skills (which are poor enough as it is) this summer, and I'm not sure if that makes me less of a Korean than I already am.

Yet I've decided to get rid of this hesitation before I go. As the title of this blog implies, "Don't hold back." Usually, the Japanese use this phrase for guests when inviting them to eat, but I've adopted it as a reminder to immerse myself in Japan as much as possible this summer. Whatever happens as a result, I can regret later, but the opportunity is there, so why not take it?

Since I will be in Hokkaido (the northernmost island of Japan) for most of my stay, I've also set aside almost two weeks post-program to see the rest of the country. Still not sure at this point where I want to go, and I'm already getting squeamish at how expensive everything is, but hopefully things will work out...

The background of this blog, by the way, is a scene from Shinkai's 秒速５センチメートル, "5 Centimeters Per Second". Watching the animated movie last summer left me with such a beautiful impression of Japan's countryside!
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