[steven]

They say homesickness is a cycle that repeats itself indefinitely with varying extremes happening in the peaks and troughs.

I've heard of all kinds of cases... I've heard people say that we all are susceptible to home sickness- it's just that it surfaces in different ways for different people.

For me, I didn't really feel homesickness for a long time. Now-a-days, sure... sometimes I'll feel like I wish I could be back "home". There are certain things about Japanese society that can really get on my nerves if it happens on the right (or wrong) day. That same stuff used to happen where I used to live as well though.

I think it's just that in life there is a certain ebb and flow-- that only gets amplified when you are away from what you consider (either by birth or culturally speaking) "home". "Home" can be a state of mind... I mean, you could apply those 3 stages to an elementary school friendship-- which could all take place at "home".

For me, I have a particular fear of falling into some kind of hell-like "work-life balance" that I sometimes hear about. There are people who literally work every single day... most of the time for about 12 hours, who don't really get compensated for that. Getting to work at 8AM and going home at 9PM is not at all a comfortable thought. Whenever I hear people talking about how that's just the way it is, I do get a bit homesick!