Goodbye, Headquarters!

May 30, 2014

As I write this, I am on a bus headed from Tochigi to Tokyo! 

I’ve got to tell you, I am so excited for the next five days! Today we’ll be in Tokyo, tomorrow Kamakura, then Kyoto, then Nara, then back to Tokyo, then home! 
Those who know me well know that I love to be busy when I travel; I like to get up early, sight-see, eat, explore, and do until I crash… then repeat. 
My time at Headquarters was a really neat experience, but I wasn’t quite busy enough for my taste! I’m feeling very ready to be back in a big city and back to traveling around! 

Still, I’ll miss HQ and the awesome experience I had there. It really was incredibly eye-opening. I’ve learned so much about the Eastern way of thinking and Japanese culture. It’s incredible how vastly different the mindset here is than the one I’ve had and known all my life. 
I feel that I’ve been challenged to open my eyes to new perspectives, and I’m so glad for that. 

I know that many aikido students will never get to study under sensei as prestigious as the ones I’ve come to know during my time, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity! I would never have known about aikido and what martial arts are really about had I not come on this trip and been to this place. I know now that I have the ability to do incredible things just by changing my attitude and finding the energy in others as well as myself. 

And I found out that I’m really good at forward rolling! I was consistently the worst in the class at everything (including breathing… like. What? How can someone really be that bad at breathing? Especially a singer! Sigh.) except rolling. I can roll like nobody’s business! I was probably among the best rollers and I will totally treasure the memory of out-rolling my peers for the rest of my life.

Well we’ve just arrived in Tokyo! Ah, feels so good to be back!

To end this “Goodbye, HQ” post, I’ve composed a beautiful, thoughtful breakup letter which I think summarizes my feelings on leaving HQ…

Dear Headquarters, 

It’s been a truly special two weeks. I will always treasure our time together. You challenged me, you were always consistent, and I learned so much from you! But you just felt too… safe. I’m looking for something with a little more adventure! More excitement! And well, Headquarters, that’s why Tokyo and I are getting back together. Please don’t take it personally, HQ! It’s not you, it’s me. You really are great. I really do think that! But. It’s time for me to move on. 

Best, 

Lizzie