Dreaming of the Toya Sun

Liem Doan
Sep 29, 2016
4 min read

Its been 30 days since I left the concrete metropolis of Birmingham. As I look back at a time where it doesn't even seem like a week or so ago. My last few days in England were sentimental at best, I remember shopping and meeting with my co-workers for the last time at Selfridges's finest, Paperchase the fabulous stationary store, where after 8 months of grinding the hours of selling pens and nick nacks, I had dropped the mantle of retailing behind for a year. I also remember vividly journeying the No.9 Bus routes in one last night drive with my close friends as we aimlessly listened to songs of our teenage hood. Whilst stomaching down on what would be my last beautifully trashy Quinton's McDonalds for a while.

My final year of sixth form was an overwhelming and certainly a pinnacle time of my life thus far, it is without a doubt the fastest and hardest year in various ways from student woes, responsibilities and employment. Duties to family, social lives and all of it. I have no doubt I would of lasted very long without the support and comfort of normality through my wondrous co-workers. Or without a group of friends who'd I have unconditional love and wishing all the best for. With no exception of course, that I'd be nothing without my fortune of being a relative, brother and son of an adoring family.

I remember when I received my email on my placement and where I was engulfed by the sheer beauty of the description of the place alone. Thus onwards I had dreamed of the Toya sun, dreaming of being in a blissful solitude away from my troubles and convoluted routines and constant cycles of travelling to school and work. So I wished of an escape from everything when things got too much. Much like everyone doing A-Levels it seems. Now after a year of hardship,of feeling enormously guilty sometimes because talking about my year out has always feel uncomfortably pretentious and I still feel undoubtedly unworthy to be graced with actually being here, to actually complain about my privilege. Mainly because it frankly is and for me to have honour of this opportunity to be breathing in the lakeside air and feeling the sun without a care in the world, in Japan.

So I understand the lateness of this, I guess it was mainly because I couldn't really conjure up a good enough way to say thank you to everyone who had supported and donated to me. I hope the things that you will receive during the following weeks will somewhat suffice for the lack of gratitude because no matter what I do or what I say, I cannot stress the fact any further that you will never know how truly thankful I am.

Tokyo

City of Lights.

After flying for 11 hours or 2 movies and 10 playlists, we arrived in the city of lights, Tokyo. We stayed in the Olympic volunteering residential for 2 days as we swallowed up the scenery, got a hang of Japanese cuisines and under the scorching red sun, we redefined what it is like to be burnt alive.

Toya Village

A village located in the Hokkaido region of Japan. A truly northern Japanese gem that holds a massive dormant caldera which over years, has been filled with a magnificent crystal clear surface of water. The surroundings can only be described as the purest natural beauty which I can only say to be matched by Birmingham itself, but most likely, a bit better... This is my home, my home for a year, Lake Toya.

We are situated in a 2 persons council house with pretty much every essential you would need. Probably the most luxurious living of most Project Trust placements, mainly because WIFI is surplus, we have our own TV, working bath and shower with all the domestic appliances you could ask for. Our kitchen is filled with utensils, devices and necessities which holds similarity to a student livings dream. But even still, they're not going to improve my horrific attempts of cooking. Unless I'm making some mean a*s scrambled eggs...

Our area can only be described as an 'Animal Crossing'-esque town for you fans out there, where everything is in walking or cycling distance. The town contains town hall, cafe, museum and one convenience store which has an uncanny resemblance to Nook N Go. You will see familiar faces having a coffee, driving around in their mini pickup trucks and cars or even at the local jazz night event. The town holds spectacular shrine festivals where kid, students, adults and elders alike join and celebrate as a community. A place with a population of 2000 people, where a town of so little yet can hold so much.

It's exciting. I've never been more excited about what my future will hold. So for now, I have lessons to plan and some sleep to catch up on, I guess some things never change...

Thank you for reading, and staying with me on this ridiculous journey.