Deer Self(ie),

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your recent successes.

To name a few, you are travelling parts of Japan you had never even heard of until your move here just less than four months ago. You are embracing the culture and studying the language. You challenge and ask questions and sometimes disagree with the way things are done here, but that is ok. After all, that is why you are here right? Internationalisation! You are feeding into the local economy and community and making friends. You are living not just being.

You are studying teaching and continuing your learning. You have taken up writing and exploring more of the world of technology and gaming. You now sleep on a futon and live in a tatami house. You accept the bath the drains through a concrete block directly into the floor and the waste pipe that cuts through your wash sink area. You have come to terms with the unpredictable toilet flush.

I wanted to write this letter to your, my deer selfie, because you are a little hard on yourself sometimes. I mean come on, you moved to Japan right? Most just talk of taking such a bold move! Enjoy it and maybe, without wanting to sound patronising, chill out. Sleep when you need to and try to relax a little in your home. Remember, your Japanese each day is the best it has ever been and you are actually succeeding at living here. Yes, there will be bad days where you fail in the shop and just repeat the same word ten thousand times at work, but overall, you had a goal and you reached out and took it.

Good work. A+