You were right mom: studying abroad twice in a row is haaaaaaard. (Imagine lots of groaning and burying head under pillows when I say that last sentence.)
It's not homesickness (though I do miss both my Japan home and home home), it's more like exhaustion mixed with apathy combined with a dash of expectation let downs.
I think the problem is that when I went to Japan I went in with zero expectations. I knew things were going to be different there, but my attitude was a very open one and I was mentally prepared to meet whatever challenges I faced there.
Coming to England right off of Japan, I now have a certain idea of what study abroad is or should be and when those expectations aren't met here, I get annoyed and pessimistic. I keep forgetting that my experiences in England are going to be totally different than my experiences in Japan.
And it truly has been different. With Japan it was love at first sight. With England... well, I think we need to go on a couple more dates before we make anything official.
Hopefully I'm going to start traveling soon and I'll be able to see England for the awesome place that I'm sure it is and begin having an amazing time during this second half of my study abroad year. In Japan I went through a slump as well (though it was mid-study abroad not two weeks in!) and I came out of it after thinking about all the great things I was getting out of studying abroad in Japan. I think I just have to do the same with England and hopefully my spirits will start to perk up again.
But there is one thing I already love about being in England:
I have been reunited with my Fanta love! In America (and in Japan) the Fanta just doesn't look or taste like the Fanta here. The reason, I theorize, is because they put cane sugar and fruit juice into the Fanta here and we don't back in the states. So I've been drinking Fanta like it's water, which is bad but I can't help it! It tastes so good! I'm definitely going to try to smuggle some back over the border when I go home.
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