My mother is from Tokyo. My sisters and I grew up eating Japanese food, speaking Japanese, and enjoying Japanese books and anime. Because I have family in Japan, I felt excited to live abroad in Japan. I feel grateful to live in Japan because I can connect with my heritage by learning more about Japanese history and culture. Living in Tokyo has required me to learn 'unspoken rules' such as being quiet on the train, standing in line, and sorting my trash properly (Tokyo does not have public trashcans, so everybody has to carry their waste until they get home!). While it took some time to become used to these cultural expectations, I appreciate how they make me aware of how my actions can affect the people around me in public spaces.
