December 17, 2015
Laurence's christmas blog post
Laurence here!
One cannot think about December without thinking about the holidays. I have to admit I feel a bit ambivalent about Christmas this year because while I’m enjoying my Japan experience, this is also going to be the first Christmas I spend away from home. It’s also the first Christmas I’ll experience without any snow. While I still don’t know what I’m going to do on that day, I still want to celebrate this time in my own way, through imagery, music and conveying my feelings of love to my friends and family from far away. My family has also been sending me gifts, although my mom could not until Christmas for me to open them. The box I received also doubles as my first care package! 
I am sending my family packages full of Japanese things for them to enjoy. I’ve also been hard at work writing Christmas cards. I don’t know if they’ll receive them in time but I can at least try! 
They also sent me warm clothes to help me deal with the Japanese cold. Even though it is very cold in Canada, the walls of the houses are thicker and most people also have central heating instead of heaters and airconditioning, so the ways to handle the colder months are different.
Fortunately, some things are still like back home! 
Indeed, celebrating Christmas has become more popular in Japan in recent years and Christmas sales, events, decorations and illuminations can be found throughout the city. It’s not snow, but it definitely makes me feel better. I especially like the Ebisu Christmas market. It’s small but very pretty and the lights at night are a beautiful sight (though hard to take a picture of with a phone camera).
This year has been very special for me. I graduated from college, got a new job and moved to another country. It has been difficult and stressful but also an exceptional learning opportunity and I have no doubts that I am a much better and experienced person now than I was a few months ago. I will still work hard to improve myself and become a better teacher!
See you next year!
Laurence