Today marks exactly one year since I started I started blogging. Woohoo! From day one, I set out to create a quality blog where I could record my adventures and provide a way for friends and family to see what's going on in my life once in a while. I had previously failed to take advantage of opportunities to record and share my experiences during my first two years in Japan, but I recognized that the opportunity was still right there for me to grasp. So with new determination, I began my blog exactly as the new school year (and more generally work year) began in Japan. I knew this would ensure that I could capture the entire Japanese school year in this blog, as well as all seasons, major holidays and events, and so on. Looking back, I'm pleased with my accomplishment.
If you've ever read my blog before, you'll know that I write about a variety of topics. I've written about various travel experiences, the city and region in Japan where I'm currently living, Japanese culture, work life in Japanese public schools, and more. And surprisingly, I've never been at a point where I didn't have anything to write about. Even still today, there are many topics I want to write about and am planning to publish as soon as possible.
I'll admit, I do not receive many visitors here and I have virtually no subscribers. I think most people, and especially bloggers, would agree that when you put in a substantial amount of time on something, it's nice to get recognized. Well I'm not going to lie, it would be nice to have a bigger readership. But at the same time, this isn't my goal nor has it ever been the reason for doing this.
I feel like keeping this blog has benefited me in a lot of ways throughout the past year. Writing new posts gives me the chance to reflect on my experiences and appreciate them more than I would otherwise. It often encourages me to do further research to get a better understanding of the things I've seen, places I've visited, or people I've met. And I've been able to learn a lot more about Japanese culture, as well as gain new perspectives I probably never would have obtained if I never kept this blog.
Of course I hope my blog has been equally interesting for friends, family, or anyone else that may have come across it in the past 12 months. I understand that the concept of reading is not what it used to be, especially on the internet. We have to be careful about what we choose to spend our time reading, just as we need to be mindful of how we spend our time daily. Thus for those who continue to follow my blog, whether it's for every post or once every few months, thank you for checking it out. Maybe it will inspire your to travel, learn, and try new things. Maybe, it will even inspire you to write a blog someday.
Here's to another year of happy blogging!
- Daniel
