(no subject)
So I was considering going home early for Christmas a week ago but I decided against it because I really don`t want to leave Japan yet.
Last Monday I went to Mrs. Tanaka`s house one more time to get the rest of my things *it turned out I had to move for real again because her health isn`t that good (but I don`t know how)* and I went back to Mrs. Ishioka`s house, where I am now, the next day.
Because of tests, and not having a crazy host mother making me go to school on testing days even though I sit in the library with nothing to do for 4 hours, I was allowed to stay home on Thursday, Friday, and today. I`m going to school tomorrow though because my friends want to take purikura together again after school as a celebration of the tests being over XD.
Yesterday was the re-entry orientation. I still hadn`t written my speech, so I threw out previous drafts and made a quick one yesterday morning and had Mrs. Ishioka translate it for me on the computer. She said it made her sad just reading it. Well, we just barely finished before it was time to get ready to go. When we got there, we sat for a while until these two returnees who I hadn`t met before showed up. Then because choosing who did their speeches by the order our names appeared on the schedule was unfair *I would have been first x_O*, the 4 of us did rock paper scissors. Daniel unluckily had to go first, then Lauren, Dessa, and finally me. I was really nervous because I didn`t know if the area rep.s were going to be able to tell I had a huge amount of help or not, but I barely got through the second paragraph before eyes started watering. When I was finished, Mrs. Ishioka, Mrs. Tanaka, and Mrs. Inaoka were wiping their eyes with tissues and handkerchiefs. x.O I didn`t expect that much of a reaction, or any reaction at all other than obligatory applause.
Here is my original draft in English:
I can`t believe that this year is over. I`ve met many people in Japan and have had many experiences. It`s also sad to realize that some of the people I`ve met this year, I may never see again. But, I`m glad that I got to have this experience.
Before coming, even though I told myself not to have any expectations, I couldn`t help but think that this year would surely be nothing but fun. However, it didn`t turn out that way. I`ve certainly had ups and downs. I was told that this year would be hard, but I don`t think I knew just how hard it was going to be. There were days when I couldn`t sleep, and days when I regretted coming to Japan at all. It was a really rough year for me, but the friendships I`d made kept me going.
At school, I had a friend named Mina. Many people talked to me, but Mina was the first to really try to be friends. She helped me to widen my circle of friends by introducing me to her friends in our class. And, she always made sure to include me in everything. From something as simple as playing badminton in P.E. to something as big as planning for the school trip, it was together. `Debbie, won`t you play with us?` `Debbie, where do you want to go in Kyoto?` Having a friend like that made me want to go to school everyday.
During the school trip, I became better friends with Mina and the rest of our friends. We talked about many things all day. At night, in the hotel room we would draw pictures of our teachers and goof off. That was the first time I could really laugh in so many months since coming to Japan. My friends always explained things to me that I didn`t understand, and they always had patience with me when they didn`t understand my Japanese. Being able to have such good friends was the best part of school.
Outside of school, I had a friend named Ji Yeon who was a university exchange student from South Korea. She always supported me when I felt like I couldn`t take living in Japan anymore. We would share experiences with each other about our lives in Japan. And, we would also teach each other about our own countries. I helped Ji Yeon with her English pronunciation, and she taught me a few phrases in Korean. The part I liked best about being an exchange student this year was making friends from around the world and learning about what life is like in their countries. I haven`t walked away from this exchange with just a greater awareness of Japan, but a greater awareness of the world around me. I believe that the things I`ve experienced and the lessons I`ve learned this year will help me in the future as I go through life.
I owe all of that to my friends and the area rep.s of YFU Akita. Thank you Mr. Satou for always being willing to listen when he could in his office at school. Thank you Mr. Inaoka for correcting my Kumon worksheets, because although doing Kumon is really boring, it has to be more boring to correct it. Thank you Mrs. Tanaka for becoming my second host family, because after moving into your house, I began to enjoy life in Japan more. Thank you Mrs. Ishioka for always being willing to help me in times when I didn`t have the courage to ask for help.
Finally, I`d like to express my gratitude to everyone one more time. Thank you so much.
And here is Mrs. Ishioka`s translation into Japanese:
今年はここで終わりだと信じられません。日本ではたくさんの人に出会い、多くの経験をしました。今年であった人たちの中には、もう二度と会えない人もいるかもしれません。でも、この経験ができたことをうれしく思っています。
来る前は、期待しないようにしようと思っても、楽しい経験ばかりだと良いと考えていましたが、その通りにはなりませんでした。楽しかったことも辛かったことも本当にたくさんありました。苦しいこともきっとたくさんあると言われていましたが、これほど大変なことがあるとは思ってもみませんでした。眠れない日もたくさんありましたし、日本に来たことを心から後悔した日もありました。一年間を振り返ると大変な日の方が多かったのですが、たくさんの友達との友情を感じることができたので、なんとか続けようと思うことができました。
学校では、美奈という友達がいました。いろいろな人たちが話しかけてきてくれましたが、本当に友達になろうとしてくれたのは美奈が最初でした。他のクラスの友達にも紹介して友達の輪を広げる手伝いをしてくれました。そして、いつも仲間に入れてくれました。体育でのバドミントンの時や、修学旅行のグループ分けなどの時も、一緒でした。「デビー、一緒に遊ばない？ デビー、京都のどこに行きたい？」などと聞いてくれました。そんな友達がいたので、毎日学校に行きたいと思いました。
修学旅行を通して、美奈やグループのほかの友達とももっと仲良くなることができました。一日中いろいろなことをたくさん話しました。夜には部屋で先生たちの似顔絵を描いてふざけたりしました。日本に来て何ヶ月も経ってからでしたが、この時はじめて心から笑えました。友達がみんな、私のわからないことなどを親切に説明してくれました。私の日本語がわかりにくい時でも辛抱強く待ってくれました。こんな友達ができたことが学校で一番うれしかったことです。
学校以外では、韓国から来た大学生の留学生のジヨンという親友ができました。日本にいるのがもう辛いと思った時も大きな支えになってくれました。日本での経験をお互いに話して励まし合いました。そして、アメリカと韓国のこともお互いに教え合うこともできました。ジヨンの英語の発音を直したり、韓国語を少し教えてもらったりしたこともありました。日本へ留学している間に他の国の人ともたくさん出会って、他の国のことも学ぶ機会があったことは、貴重な経験になりました。日本へ留学したことによって、日本だけでなく世界に目を向けることができるようになったと思います。この一年間の経験は、私の将来にとても大きな影響があると信じています。
このような経験ができたのも、たくさんの友達や、秋田のYFUの地区委員のおかげだと感謝しています。校長室で何度も話しをしてくれた勇一先生ありがとうございました。公文を見てくれた稲岡さん、公文の勉強をするのはとても退屈でしたが、直すほうがもっと退屈だったと思います。ありがとうございました。ホストファミリーになってくれた田中さん、田中さんの家に移ってから日本での生活がますます楽しくなりました。ありがとうございました。石岡さん、なかなか相談する勇気が持てなかった時にいろいろ助けてくれてありがとうございました。
最後にもう一度みなさんにお礼を言いたいと思います。本当にありがとうございました。
After the speeches and splitting up into area rep.s with host families and returnees with exchange students to just talk, we had a snack break and then it was kumon-level-certificate plus give-something-to-your-host-family time. Only Dessa`s current host mother was at the orientation, but two of mine were and I felt grateful to the Inaokas also, so I decided to make them cards with pictures of me with my friends this year. I gave Mr. Satou an obligatory card too just saying how much I enjoyed my school and thank you for being my area rep., and I glued a picture of Mina and me during the school trip on it, and I drew my school`s symbol on the cover of the card. For the Inaokas, I drew a kanto on the front and a picture of me with my friends in front of Kinkakuji, in addition to play-do replicas of the maccha cream-filled wafer cookies I bought them (but Kouki ate over 80% of them, which is why I added those because it`s kind of a joke now XD) glued to the inside of the card too. For Mrs. Tanaka, I just drew on the cover an imitation of the postcards Teruaki writes to Miyako in Boku no Aruku Michi (because we watched the drama together when I was in her house), and for Mrs. Ishioka I drew Sugicchi on the cover along with some Nodame stickers on the outside and inside of the card. *note: Sugicchi is a cartoon Japanese cedar tree that`s the mascot for a big athletic event in Akita Prefecture next year. He`s all over the place here.*
I don`t know about the rest of Japan, but the YFU community up here in Akita Prefecture is really tight-knit. I owe a lot to these area rep.s for helping me this year. I`m going to miss them so much when I have to go home ;_;.
From left to right, top to bottom: Mr. Satou (who looks really scary and can be scary when his biased opinions come out, but sometimes he can be nice), Mr. Inaoka, some returnee named Asuka, Daniel`s host dad/another area rep. but he wasn`t involved in my life here at all, another returnee but this guy just returned this summer. I think his name was something like kudou, but I`ve never heard that name before. -next row- Mrs. Inaoka, Mrs. Ishioka, Mrs. Tanaka, Dessa`s host mom, Daniel`s host mom (I think she might be another area rep. too) -next row- Saho (my current host sister), Gen, me, Dessa, Lauren, and Daniel.
Last Monday I went to Mrs. Tanaka`s house one more time to get the rest of my things *it turned out I had to move for real again because her health isn`t that good (but I don`t know how)* and I went back to Mrs. Ishioka`s house, where I am now, the next day.
Because of tests, and not having a crazy host mother making me go to school on testing days even though I sit in the library with nothing to do for 4 hours, I was allowed to stay home on Thursday, Friday, and today. I`m going to school tomorrow though because my friends want to take purikura together again after school as a celebration of the tests being over XD.
Yesterday was the re-entry orientation. I still hadn`t written my speech, so I threw out previous drafts and made a quick one yesterday morning and had Mrs. Ishioka translate it for me on the computer. She said it made her sad just reading it. Well, we just barely finished before it was time to get ready to go. When we got there, we sat for a while until these two returnees who I hadn`t met before showed up. Then because choosing who did their speeches by the order our names appeared on the schedule was unfair *I would have been first x_O*, the 4 of us did rock paper scissors. Daniel unluckily had to go first, then Lauren, Dessa, and finally me. I was really nervous because I didn`t know if the area rep.s were going to be able to tell I had a huge amount of help or not, but I barely got through the second paragraph before eyes started watering. When I was finished, Mrs. Ishioka, Mrs. Tanaka, and Mrs. Inaoka were wiping their eyes with tissues and handkerchiefs. x.O I didn`t expect that much of a reaction, or any reaction at all other than obligatory applause.
Here is my original draft in English:
I can`t believe that this year is over. I`ve met many people in Japan and have had many experiences. It`s also sad to realize that some of the people I`ve met this year, I may never see again. But, I`m glad that I got to have this experience.
Before coming, even though I told myself not to have any expectations, I couldn`t help but think that this year would surely be nothing but fun. However, it didn`t turn out that way. I`ve certainly had ups and downs. I was told that this year would be hard, but I don`t think I knew just how hard it was going to be. There were days when I couldn`t sleep, and days when I regretted coming to Japan at all. It was a really rough year for me, but the friendships I`d made kept me going.
At school, I had a friend named Mina. Many people talked to me, but Mina was the first to really try to be friends. She helped me to widen my circle of friends by introducing me to her friends in our class. And, she always made sure to include me in everything. From something as simple as playing badminton in P.E. to something as big as planning for the school trip, it was together. `Debbie, won`t you play with us?` `Debbie, where do you want to go in Kyoto?` Having a friend like that made me want to go to school everyday.
During the school trip, I became better friends with Mina and the rest of our friends. We talked about many things all day. At night, in the hotel room we would draw pictures of our teachers and goof off. That was the first time I could really laugh in so many months since coming to Japan. My friends always explained things to me that I didn`t understand, and they always had patience with me when they didn`t understand my Japanese. Being able to have such good friends was the best part of school.
Outside of school, I had a friend named Ji Yeon who was a university exchange student from South Korea. She always supported me when I felt like I couldn`t take living in Japan anymore. We would share experiences with each other about our lives in Japan. And, we would also teach each other about our own countries. I helped Ji Yeon with her English pronunciation, and she taught me a few phrases in Korean. The part I liked best about being an exchange student this year was making friends from around the world and learning about what life is like in their countries. I haven`t walked away from this exchange with just a greater awareness of Japan, but a greater awareness of the world around me. I believe that the things I`ve experienced and the lessons I`ve learned this year will help me in the future as I go through life.
I owe all of that to my friends and the area rep.s of YFU Akita. Thank you Mr. Satou for always being willing to listen when he could in his office at school. Thank you Mr. Inaoka for correcting my Kumon worksheets, because although doing Kumon is really boring, it has to be more boring to correct it. Thank you Mrs. Tanaka for becoming my second host family, because after moving into your house, I began to enjoy life in Japan more. Thank you Mrs. Ishioka for always being willing to help me in times when I didn`t have the courage to ask for help.
Finally, I`d like to express my gratitude to everyone one more time. Thank you so much.
And here is Mrs. Ishioka`s translation into Japanese:
今年はここで終わりだと信じられません。日本ではたくさんの人に出会い、多くの経験をしました。今年であった人たちの中には、もう二度と会えない人もいるかもしれません。でも、この経験ができたことをうれしく思っています。
来る前は、期待しないようにしようと思っても、楽しい経験ばかりだと良いと考えていましたが、その通りにはなりませんでした。楽しかったことも辛かったことも本当にたくさんありました。苦しいこともきっとたくさんあると言われていましたが、これほど大変なことがあるとは思ってもみませんでした。眠れない日もたくさんありましたし、日本に来たことを心から後悔した日もありました。一年間を振り返ると大変な日の方が多かったのですが、たくさんの友達との友情を感じることができたので、なんとか続けようと思うことができました。
学校では、美奈という友達がいました。いろいろな人たちが話しかけてきてくれましたが、本当に友達になろうとしてくれたのは美奈が最初でした。他のクラスの友達にも紹介して友達の輪を広げる手伝いをしてくれました。そして、いつも仲間に入れてくれました。体育でのバドミントンの時や、修学旅行のグループ分けなどの時も、一緒でした。「デビー、一緒に遊ばない？ デビー、京都のどこに行きたい？」などと聞いてくれました。そんな友達がいたので、毎日学校に行きたいと思いました。
修学旅行を通して、美奈やグループのほかの友達とももっと仲良くなることができました。一日中いろいろなことをたくさん話しました。夜には部屋で先生たちの似顔絵を描いてふざけたりしました。日本に来て何ヶ月も経ってからでしたが、この時はじめて心から笑えました。友達がみんな、私のわからないことなどを親切に説明してくれました。私の日本語がわかりにくい時でも辛抱強く待ってくれました。こんな友達ができたことが学校で一番うれしかったことです。
学校以外では、韓国から来た大学生の留学生のジヨンという親友ができました。日本にいるのがもう辛いと思った時も大きな支えになってくれました。日本での経験をお互いに話して励まし合いました。そして、アメリカと韓国のこともお互いに教え合うこともできました。ジヨンの英語の発音を直したり、韓国語を少し教えてもらったりしたこともありました。日本へ留学している間に他の国の人ともたくさん出会って、他の国のことも学ぶ機会があったことは、貴重な経験になりました。日本へ留学したことによって、日本だけでなく世界に目を向けることができるようになったと思います。この一年間の経験は、私の将来にとても大きな影響があると信じています。
このような経験ができたのも、たくさんの友達や、秋田のYFUの地区委員のおかげだと感謝しています。校長室で何度も話しをしてくれた勇一先生ありがとうございました。公文を見てくれた稲岡さん、公文の勉強をするのはとても退屈でしたが、直すほうがもっと退屈だったと思います。ありがとうございました。ホストファミリーになってくれた田中さん、田中さんの家に移ってから日本での生活がますます楽しくなりました。ありがとうございました。石岡さん、なかなか相談する勇気が持てなかった時にいろいろ助けてくれてありがとうございました。
最後にもう一度みなさんにお礼を言いたいと思います。本当にありがとうございました。
After the speeches and splitting up into area rep.s with host families and returnees with exchange students to just talk, we had a snack break and then it was kumon-level-certificate plus give-something-to-your-host-family time. Only Dessa`s current host mother was at the orientation, but two of mine were and I felt grateful to the Inaokas also, so I decided to make them cards with pictures of me with my friends this year. I gave Mr. Satou an obligatory card too just saying how much I enjoyed my school and thank you for being my area rep., and I glued a picture of Mina and me during the school trip on it, and I drew my school`s symbol on the cover of the card. For the Inaokas, I drew a kanto on the front and a picture of me with my friends in front of Kinkakuji, in addition to play-do replicas of the maccha cream-filled wafer cookies I bought them (but Kouki ate over 80% of them, which is why I added those because it`s kind of a joke now XD) glued to the inside of the card too. For Mrs. Tanaka, I just drew on the cover an imitation of the postcards Teruaki writes to Miyako in Boku no Aruku Michi (because we watched the drama together when I was in her house), and for Mrs. Ishioka I drew Sugicchi on the cover along with some Nodame stickers on the outside and inside of the card. *note: Sugicchi is a cartoon Japanese cedar tree that`s the mascot for a big athletic event in Akita Prefecture next year. He`s all over the place here.*
I don`t know about the rest of Japan, but the YFU community up here in Akita Prefecture is really tight-knit. I owe a lot to these area rep.s for helping me this year. I`m going to miss them so much when I have to go home ;_;.
From left to right, top to bottom: Mr. Satou (who looks really scary and can be scary when his biased opinions come out, but sometimes he can be nice), Mr. Inaoka, some returnee named Asuka, Daniel`s host dad/another area rep. but he wasn`t involved in my life here at all, another returnee but this guy just returned this summer. I think his name was something like kudou, but I`ve never heard that name before. -next row- Mrs. Inaoka, Mrs. Ishioka, Mrs. Tanaka, Dessa`s host mom, Daniel`s host mom (I think she might be another area rep. too) -next row- Saho (my current host sister), Gen, me, Dessa, Lauren, and Daniel.