Written by: Elena
Spring break came and went as swiftly as the blowy winds in Japan, breezing through my body and giving me a sense of relaxation over the break. My visit to Los Angeles was spectacular, renewing my emotions and motivational spirits towards the future, but the time I spent back in Japan was as just as pleasurable.
I mainly had three obsessions during the spring break, to help relieve the stress I had been building up over the final semester of H2 and provide a fresh new start…
(1) Trying out different cuisines of the world in the heart of Tokyo!
I never realised how multicultural Japan was, and the numerous options that Tokyo had made me want to dive into all. From Turkish to Vietnamese to French cuisines (and many more^^), the new tastes helped offer me a way to connect with distant cultures, that I may not have ever encountered. As I gradually continued to try out different cuisines, the excitement filled within me as soon as the food arrived on my table, breaking up the monotony of my daily life. Out of all the dishes I tried, I would definitely suggest trying out Baklava (Turkey), Momo Dumplings (Nepali) and Kouign Amann (French)!!
(2) Taking walks to see the cherry blossoms blooming in daylight:)
Despite the bad weather Japan witnessed during the spring break (very heavy rain and heavy winds), the cherry blossoms still bloomed for us, and I enjoyed spending time outside my house with my family! Taking walks around Shinagawa…having a picnic at Shinjuku-Gyoen…many places to go to!
(3) Watching movies in the cinema🍿
I love watching movies in IMAX mode in cinemas. The excitement, the thrill, and the uncertainty that all comes combined with the feeling of being usurped into the movie itself is exactly why I love cinemas — everything felt so surreal, that by the time I left the movies, I felt as though I was walking in the wrong corridor of the wrong universe … the feeling of dizziness. And what I can say is that, watching the Boy and the Heron was truly a fantastical, magnificent experience that I would suggest you to all have as well.
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What did you guys do over the spring break? I hope you guys had a wonderful time relaxing and resetting your mind to the new paths that this next year will be filled with:)
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春休みはあっという間に私の体を通り抜け過ぎ去り、とてもリラックスすることができました。春休み中に訪れたロサンゼルスは私の感情を新たにし、将来への意欲をかき立てる素晴らしい体験でした。同様に、日本で過ごした時間も楽しく、切り替えるためにH2の最終学期で溜まったストレスを解消し、新たなスタートを切りひらきました！
私は、春休みの間に主に3つのことに夢中になっていた…
(1)都内で世界の料理を味わうこと！
日本がこれほど多文化的な国だとは思ってもみなかった。トルコ料理、ベトナム料理、フランス料理まで（他にもたくさん^^）、新しい味わいは、私が訪れたことないような遠い国の文化とつながることができた。気温が上がると共に私はいろいろな料理に挑戦するようになり、料理が私のテーブルの目の前に現れた瞬間、日々の平凡な生活から解き放たれるような興奮に包まれた。私が試した料理の中では、バクラヴァ（トルコ）、モモダンプリング（ネパール）、クイニーアマン（フランス）をおすすめしたい！
(2)桜を見に散歩すること:)
春休みの間、日本は悪天候に見舞われた日もあったが、桜は咲いてくれた！品川を散歩したり、新宿御苑でピクニックしたり…やることいっぱい！
(3) 映画館で映画を観る。
映画館のIMAXモードで映画を観るのが大好き。ワクワク、ドキドキ、不安な気持ちと、映画そのものに入り込んでしまうような感覚が、好きになる一つの理由だ。そして私は、アカデミー賞を受賞した『君たちはどう生きるか』が、本当に幻想的で壮大な体験であり、皆さんにもぜひ体験してほしいと思う！
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春休み中、皆さんは何をしましたか？リラックスして、来年からの新しい道に向けて気持ちをリセットして、素敵な時間を過ごせたかな？！