Osashiburi! Winter greetings to you

Osashiburi (long time no see). I hope you are in good health and cheer for the winter holidays. In three days I'm flying back to the UK for Christmas holidays, so I'm excited. I've already packed one suitcase - it's full of Japanese goodies for my nearest and dearest.

I'm not looking forward to weather in the UK - it's been snowing for the last month with temperatures hovering way below zero. Japan's chilly 4 degree evenings are kind of balmy in comparison. But I'm looking forward to the warm welcome that awaits at my parent's home, seeing my family and friends and sharing stories from the last year. Part of going away on an adventure is about the excitement of sharing it with those you love.

But where to begin when talking about what it's like in Japan?

I'd like to be able to sum up Japan in a pithy sentence or striking image; give those who have never been a real insight into life and culture here. But Japan isn't so easy to pin down. It's a country of contrasts; of mountains and skyscrapers; kimono and dress suits; sushi and hamburgers; technology and nature; welcomes and isolations; old and new; fashionable and unfashionable. It's all of those things and more. There are many, many moments where I feel I've experienced something 'only in Japan'. Only in Japan would my elderly neighbour offer to carry MY bag because it looked heavy. Only in Japan would they put the eco-bag you just bought into a plastic bag, without even asking. Only in Japan could you admire the beautiful red leaves of Arashiyama in Kyoto, while eating one of them deep fried.

So far this has been an amazing adventure. The Japanese government have granted me a three year visa, so it looks like the adventure is to be continued. Fantastic.

Over the last six months, I've been lucky enough to pick up some private students, giving me an opportunity to earn a little pocket money and teach English in a different environment using different materials. Yesterday I was talking with one about inspirational speeches, and he showed me this one - Steve Jobs talking to Stanford graduates in 2005. It's a great speech, and certainly the first part echoes a lot of my feelings about the reasons I came to Japan: you just have to follow your heart sometimes, even if it's not the beaten path.

If you've never seen it before, enjoy - food for thought as we chalk up another year and welcome 2011. What will the next 12 months bring? You decide. Have a great Christmas and New Year!