4 April is both a memorable date and a reminder of His goodness. It was on this date 10 years ago that I arrived in Japan. Just a month before that, I received the Monbusho scholarship letter from the Japanese embassy, making it then the greatest birthday gift I ever had. (8 March is also very special because of that, but that will be another story!)
I thought I was going to be in Japan for my Masters then return to Malaysia to continue the rest of my life. Little did I know that I would experience some of the highest and lowest points in my life while here, living in different prefectures (Niigata, Tokyo and Kobe), experiencing new cultures (Japan may be Asia but it's so different from most things I know!) and did all sorts of things for the first time (tasting snow, enjoying hanami, dancing in a matsuri, cooking by myself, wearing a yukata, trying natto, learnt skiing, did snow-boarding, harvesting vege, onsen and enjoyed it thoroughly, etc), and meeting all sorts of people that I would never come across otherwise.
Throughout it all, I can only say that He has been a constant Friend and gracious Father.
It doesn't do justice to write a few paragraphs about a decade of living and working in Japan (minus a few while I was back in Malaysia), all the emotions I've had to go through while journeying on the mountains and valleys of life, and His abundant blessings that I sometimes took for granted.
I wish I could have the time to look through all the old posts and photos and make a collage to somehow to summarise that and make a little momento, but maybe the best for now is to thank Him for a journey that's beyond my wildest dreams so far...
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