Marijana Balas

I was most impressed by Nara, the original capital of Japan. The park in the centre of the city is simply beautiful, so much greenery along the small river that runs through it. It is hard to believe that the park is located in the heart of the city. Roe deer and fawns roam freely, and visitors can feed or pet them. The sight and feeling of an afternoon illuminated by the orange tones of the sunset in that park is something that will stay with me forever. Also, I would single out the overall experience of working there. In the morning, when I took the metro to work, the carriage would be full of people. Everyone in suits, on their way to work, but in the carriage – complete silence. A true respite from noise and hubbub. I was delighted by the composure and character of the people there. People work long hours, usually 12 hours a day, sometimes more. And after work, colleagues go out to socialize over sake. So, they effectively come home from work around 10 p.m. I think that would be very difficult to get used to. The colours, vibrancy and vibes of cities and nature are special. If you've ever watched an anime cartoon, Japan looks exactly like that when you’re there. Zen atmosphere and rest for the mind.