A month or two ago I wrote about not wanting to get so settled and comfortable here that I forget what an amazing thing it is.
It seems it just couldn't be helped.
I haven't forgotten how extraordinary a semester abroad is. But the thing is, Kyoto is my new normal. So I don't take as many pictures as I should, and I don't write about my experiences enough--because to me, where I buy groceries and what I do at school are pretty uninteresting. In fact, I feel a little ridiculous sometimes, taking pictures in such a "tourist-y" manner. Maybe it's because, when I'm out and about in the city, tourists are easy to spot. It's easy to tell which foreigners are here on vacation and who's in it for the long haul. Tourists gawk at everything and keep their cameras close at hand. They get lost often and can't believe how different this place is. That was me, when I first came to Kyoto. Today I'm more likely to give directions than to ask for them. And while it may be a bit strange, there's a certain pride in moving to a strange city and NOT being (or feeling like) a tourist.
I will try to swallow that pride and become a tourist while I'm on break from school, but I can't make any promises.
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