I always thought I’d settle down in Canada. Living in Japan for a year changed my mind.

• After spending most of my life in Ottawa, I moved to Japan expecting to head home after one year.
• Living abroad showed me how much I value spontaneity, travel, and a life that feels like my own.
• Now, I’m heading back to Canada with a different perspective on what I want from my future.

I was born and raised in Ottawa, and aside from a handful of vacations abroad and summer road trips to nearby Canadian cities, it’s where I spent almost all of my time.

Most of my family lives there, and the relatives who don’t are only a few hours away. Growing up, the path modeled to me was pretty straightforward: Stay close to home, take vacations when you can, and build your life nearby.

As I got older, though, I felt a growing need to see what else was out there. I was also feeling the pressure of rising costs in Canada, and my apartment lease was ending, so the timing felt right for a change.

I’d visited Japan a couple of years earlier and loved it, so when I found out about the yearlong Working Holiday Visa program, it felt like the perfect fit. I assumed that once the year was up, I’d just come back home and sign another lease nearby.

However, after my first night out in Tokyo, I was already looking into how I could stay away longer.

Living in Japan has been better than I ever imagined

For most of my life, I’ve craved adventure. I grew up hiking, taking little road trips with my mom, and looking for any excuse to get out of the city for a day. I’ve always loved novelty, and living in Japan has given me so much of it.

Since moving here, I’ve lived in multiple places, including Tokyo and Osaka. I’ve traveled to over a dozen more cities and towns, tried countless new restaurants, and met people from all over the world. It feels like there’s constantly something new to see or explore.

The train system here makes it so easy to lean into that spontaneous side of myself. I love being able to visit a new city on a whim, whereas in Ottawa, doing the same thing would usually require a little more planning and a lot more money.

The more I’ve experienced this kind of lifestyle, the harder it is to imagine giving it up. I don’t necessarily want to spend my life in one place just because it’s where I’m from, and now, I know a future filled with new places and experiences is available to me.

I’m going home, but I’m not done exploring

Going back to Canada is the next logical, short-term step for me. My visa’s coming to an end, and making a permanent move abroad would take a lot more planning and paperwork.

This doesn’t mean I’m done exploring the rest of the world, though. After I leave Japan in a couple of months, I’m planning to spend some time in Southeast Asia — and if I can, I might squeeze in a couple more stops on my way home.

Once I’m back in Canada, I’m sure I’ll jump into planning another trip, or maybe I’ll start looking into another yearlong visa. I can see myself living abroad again, or at least spending more time traveling internationally, whether that’s in Japan or somewhere completely new.

For now, though, I don’t plan to settle back into life in Ottawa the way I once thought I would. While I’m in this up-in-the-air phase, I’d love to move (or drive!) across Canada and see where life takes me from there.

I’m looking forward to exploring more of my home country. Since moving to Japan, I feel like I’ve changed, too — and I’ve reflected on how little of Canada I’ve actually seen. I’m excited to experience my home with a new perspective.

I’m still in my 20s, so I feel lucky to have the freedom to keep figuring things out as I go. And living in Japan didn’t give me all the answers, either. If anything, it gave me more questions.

As I head home, I’m taking everything I’ve learned and felt this year in Japan with me — and I’m so excited to see where I’ll go next.