Why: Blos·som & Japan

I'm sure at least one or two people will scratch their head a moment or two, considering the name chosen for this blog.  The meaning is two-fold and, as many of you know my love for subtlety, has a few underlying messages.

First of all, Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "blossom" initially as:
             1  a : the flower of a seed plant; also : the mass of such flowers on a single plant 
                 b : the state of bearing flowers 

This is the most obvious definition, blossom = flower.  However, it goes on to state "blossom" as: 
            2  a : to come into one's own : develop
                b : a peak period or stage of development

Second, my own name - "heather" - is a type of flower of Scottish origin.   It grows in many hues, but most commonly it is a pretty purple (see above picture) that happens to match my favorite color.  

Going to Japan is a very big life change for me - leaving behind friends, family, job, not to mention a comfortable and known environment.  However, the many experiences (both good and bad) that I'm bound to have in Japan will surely promote change in me.  When I shared my intent to spend a year abroad, many people told me:  it will be a great experience, one you will learn and grow from.  This was a common message in their reactions, that it stuck with me.  I do agree that my time in Japan will allow me to develop in new ways and I am hopeful the ride won't be overly bumpy.

A commonly received question I heard from friends and family was:  why?  Why Japan, why now, and so on. Well, upon recent reflection, I realized that my interest in Japan has been ongoing for almost 10 years now and I have yet to make any motion toward even visiting the country.  Not through lack of interest, of course - more from conflicts of timing (i.e. work).  So, when I started thinking along the lines of... what am I doing with my life and am I really happy what I'm doing... I realized that I still had a strong interest in Japan and needed to do something to address it.  

But, finding a job that either coordinates with Japan, works in Japan, or something similar has one major barrier to entry:  language.  A working knowledge of Japanese, especially business language, is essential.  While I have very good listening comprehension (thanks to years of anime, J-dramas, Arashi, and music), my verbal and reading skills are much less to talk about.  In my opinion, the best way to increase these skills quickly and efficiently is by immersing oneself in the culture - i.e. go live and work in Japan.

Now, bringing these two concepts together - "blossom" and "Japan" - I'm hoping to achieve the following during my time in Japan:

1. Ease in usage of conversational Japanese.
2. Study business terminology and practice usage.
3. Network with businessmen to learn common Japanese business practices.
4. Study kanji - reading and writing - master at least half of the standard Jyoyo kanji (i.e. there are 1,945 in the Jyoyo kanji index).
5. Enjoy daily life in Japan - learn how to cook a few new recipes; visit an onsen; get used to shopping for groceries daily; learn how to stay warm in the winter, to name a few.
6. See the touristy spots and find a few interesting back-alley shops.  Take lots of pictures. 
7. Visit a cat cafe or two.  I'll miss my kitty so much that I need to get my furball-fix somehow.
8. Do one major, can't-believe-I-did-that-but-so-glad-I-did thing - like climb Mt. Fuji, or... any other ideas?

Stick with me over the next year and we'll see how I do.  We all know how goals set at the beginning of the year, or before an adventure, often have a habit of falling to the wayside.  Real life enjoys the unexpected, and all my planning can be for naught.  I'm hoping it will be 50-50 of each.