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They say that a cabin in the woods is not the answer. This speaks to the truth that although it is easy to romanticize a simple life surrounded by nature, whatever mental struggles you are having will follow you wherever you go, no matter how good the view. This was one of my worries as I signed up to work here at the eighth station for the summer. I was feeling a little burnt out from my graduate studies, a little lost from the stress of working non stop. A summer on Mount Fuji sounded like the perfect remedy. But was that what I really wanted? Maybe I should have spent my summer leisurely traveling Europe (despite my finances) or reconnecting with my family and friends back in my home town.

As I reflect on my time here after a couple of weeks I am grateful that I decided to come here. Although it is true that the mountain provides no revelations that I could not have found anywhere else, there have been practical wins that I enjoy here. I have gotten some of the best sleep in recent years waking up with the sunrise and sleeping after a long day of work as the sun sets. My Japanese has somewhat improved (although I faced a major defeat today when I was unable to read a list of Japanese names). The view is, despite high expectations, surprisingly good and different everyday. And the coworkers. They have been some of the funniest, friendliest people I have ever met and I never tire of hearing their stories or most recent rants.

I think my time at Mount Fuji has been like some kind of earthly Rorschach test; staring at the gravel, the clouds, while idly cleaning toilets has given me the time and space to reveal what I already believed. I do miss my studies, and I miss my loved ones. I feel okay with where my life is headed. A cabin in the woods is no panacea for moments of confusion, but for me, a hut in the mountains was.