Final Reflections

As my final days in APU came to a close, I had some time to reflect on this whole experience I had been through. Had you asked me six months ago how this exchange would impact me, I would tell you that it would help me become better at Japanese and that's about it. I didn't really expect much more from the program besides that. I realize now though that this exchange has been a journey that has completely changed who I am as a person. This exchange was full of many trials and tribulations, some good and some bad. From class struggles to personal relationships, each situation provided an opportunity for me to either sink or swim. 

When you go into an exchange like this, where you often find yourself in new predicaments, you find out just how strong you are. There were some days on this exchange when I didn't want to get out of bed or leave my room. I'd regret coming to Japan and wish I had stayed in Atlanta. But, I battled through it. I found the things that made me happy which is something I hadn't always done in the past. As a people pleaser, I always put everyone before myself. When I started doing things because I wanted to, I found a new happiness that I hadn't really felt before. 

As the exchange went on, I was also able to take a step back from my life at Tech and evaluate where I was in life. I have control problems and I'm not afraid to admit it; but, when there are so many things that are not in your control, you learn to just roll with the punches. I found that when I gave up some control, I actually did better in classes and it was much easier to relax. I was also able to take some time to look at the relationships I have with friends. It was difficult to turn to friends in Atlanta when I was struggling in Japan. I didn't feel like many of them could understand what I was going through. It was also easier to see peoples' true colors. 

In the end, I feel like as an individual, I have grown drastically through this process. I feel much more confident as a person and that is in part thanks to the friends at APU. I also realize that I am much stronger than when I originally got to APU and that I can accomplish many things when I put my mind through it. I never thought I'd feel comfortable speaking Japanese but now that I've completed the program, I know that I can speak it without sounding completely stupid. I have also realized that sometimes there doesn't need to be an explanation for why things happen a certain way but rather just roll with the punches and take advantage of every opportunity presented to you. Finally, I decided that from now on, I'm going to focus more on my own wants and needs instead of always silencing them. Every person deserves to feel like they are worth it and that they are their absolute best.

Like I've said before to my friends back here at home, I have changed as a result of this exchange. I can't promise you that things will be the same as before but my goal is to stay true to myself and embrace the new person that I am. :)

IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!

Well, it's almost time! My classes are finally finished and now I'm just waiting to head back home. Let's talk about finals first. My finals all were decent. I had one in each class and they were pretty fair. I'd say Japanese was the hardest out of them all but that is kind of what I expected. Oh also, before finals I forgot to mention that Germany (my team :P) won the diplomacy game! It's the first time Germany has ever won and I was really fortunate to get to work with such awesome people. 

So. getting back, Friday after finals, my Japanese class went out for dinner (apparently customary here in Japan) at a Korean restaurant (talk about irony). It was a blast hanging out one last time and getting to talk without all the stress of school. There also happens to be a Fireworks Festival going on this weekend so we got to walk around that a bit. All the girls dressed up in their beautiful yukatas (kind of a summer kimono) made me super jealous. It was really great to see that right before I headed back. 

Today was a very bittersweet day for me. I got to hangout with the Kickboxing circle one last time. They had a beach bbq for us that was loads of fun. The group made me give a speech/toast in Japanese which was probably super terrible :P. We then hung out and played in the water and ate lots of delicious food. Then, there was some beach volleyball and a typical Japanese watermelon smashing. Essentially, you put the watermelon on the group and one person gets blindfolded. You spin that person around and then they have to try to smash open the watermelon with a wooden sword. (Here is an example of it on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnPFLca_xZA)  I was lucky and hit it on the first try! We finished up the trip with some ice cream and final goodbyes. It was really hard to say goodbye to such a good group of people. They have been there for me and have kept me laughing all semester and there aren't enough words to express my appreciation. I am truly going to miss them! 

More updates!

I'm so sorry that I haven't updated in a while. This exchange is catching up to me and I've been busy doing work. The past couple weeks have been interesting for me to say the least. Last weekend, I went to a kickboxing competition for the first time! It was an absolute blast. Watching my friends compete was so exciting and they all did such a great job! I will say though that it is a bit scary watching from outside the ring so I can't IMAGINE what it is like inside the ring. 

Anyway, so then yesterday, to celebrate the fights and competitors, a group of us from the kickboxing group went to a beer garden. The location of it was so cute and quaint. For about $20, it was all you can eat and drink for 2 hours. Needless to say, I was entertained the entire time. The people in the kickboxing circle have such great personalities and know how to party. They had me laughing the whole time! 

Today brought about the realization that everything that has happened these past several months is all about to change. We had a closing ceremony (not finished yet, finals next week) today to celebrate the end of the exchange and it was definitely bittersweet. My Japanese teacher went to give a speech and teared up a bit. I cried a little bit this afternoon. I'm sad that all the amazing people I have met here and the experiences I have had will be done in 2 weeks. Having people starting to say goodbye is so rough--these are people who have helped me grow and been my support. When I started this exchange, I didn't think it'd be as influential as it has been. I figured I'd just get through it and it'd be done but it has turned out to be so much more than that. 

To my friends here at APU, thank you for the experiences you have given me. I look forward to as many adventures as we can have in these next two weeks. To my friends back home, I can't promise you that I am the same person I was when I left back in March. When you go through an exchange like this, you have a chance to grow and learn about yourself and I can say for a fact that I have done that. :) 

Update

Hey Everyone! Sorry for the delayed post but here are the updates :) 

Midterms for this quarter are officially done! I had two and they both went decently well. My Japanese class is still going great also. My grades have definitely been better this quarter as opposed to last so that is always good to know. I'm also down to 25 days left here. Crazy to think that I've been here since March and that this adventure is already coming to a close. Ultimately, I'm ready to be home though. This exchange has given me awesome opportunities, however there have been some really challenging aspects as well. It'll good to get home and relax :) 

Having said that, there is something I want to address. Recently, I've had a couple people who have been quite insincere in their interactions with me. If you are one of these people, please stop. I'm not a charity case. If you don't genuinely care about my well being, don't waste your time or effort. There are plenty of people who do care and those are the people I choose to spend my time on. 

That's all for now :) <3   

Another week down! Hard to believe we are down to a little over a month before I come back home. I have a midterm coming up this week; all the questions are short answer or essay. Fortunately, the professor is letting us use notes so I'm not too worried about it. Japanese is also going a lot better this quarter. I actually managed to pull a 100 on a quiz and the professor has given me kudos a couple times in class. It was funny because Vanessa and I actually were stopped by some middle schoolers the other day to be interviewed and we were both able to answer the questions in Japanese. The children were super kind and understanding. 

 I've also started reading Memoirs of a Geisha and am about halfway through at this point. The book is so good. The writing techniques the author uses are just exquisite and it makes the story so believable. I HIGHLY recommend the book. I've been watching a couple more films here and there. I was able to sit through the first Harry Potter movie although I will say I was not that impressed. I like the wittiness of the characters but the story is ok (And yes, I have tried a dozen times to read the books and no, I have not been able to get through the first chapter of a single one). 

In the next couple weeks, I have a bit of stuff I want to go see. I'd like to see the Hells of Beppu before I leave as well as visit a couple more onsens. My friends and I are also planning on going to a Kimono Festival later in July. Lots of exciting stuff for sure :). I would like people to know though that I am currently going to counseling to figure some personal stuff out. I don't ask for pity or sympathy but sometimes, you just need a new set of eyes to help clear things up. My hope is that through this, I will become a stronger and better person for myself and for those around me. I ask for your continued support and appreciate all that each and every one of you does for me. :) <3 


PS: If you are planning to send me a package, letter, card, etc, please do it within the next week or so to ensure I get it before I leave. I cannot promise that I will necessarily get it otherwise :D

Today was an absolute blast! If you remember, during Quarter 1, I was named a Floor Leader for the World Festival. Well, World Festival was today and it was an absolute success! For our event, we wrote our names in different languages. I wound up getting my name in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Bengali, Persian, and Thai. It was a truly eye opening experience. It made me realize how much this exchange has to offer and I couldn't be more happy. Thanks again to everyone who helped with the event! 

Ok, so after our event, I got to go sample some food that other floors made. It was sooo delicious! I had squid/shrimp friend rice, blueberry pancakes, a kabob, and a sweet potato tart. Incredibly yummy for sure! After that, there were performances by the RAs and some of the other floors. All of them were really creative and super funny. I love how the people here are willing to put themselves out there without any fear of judgement. It's great to see people let go. :)

Anyway, the clock is winding down fast and this exchange will be up before I know it. I'm coming to realize that this is a bittersweet feeling. I miss so much back home but I wish I could stay here a little longer. Things are not so stressful here and the weather is awesome. I'm anxious about how things will be when I get back home. Lots of changes have happened and I don't know how that will affect me when I get back. For now, I ask for your continued support through the rest of this journey and I look forward to seeing each and every one of you in a couple weeks! :) <3 

Update Time!!!! It's a new quarter which means new classes so here is the scoop :)


I'm still taking Japanese. I am really enjoying this class so much at this point. I'm not only learning a lot and becoming a better speaker but I'm just having fun in class. The teacher has let up and jokes around a lot more now and the students are more relaxed and having fun. I'm also not taking as many classes this quarter so I have more time to dedicate to studying and focusing on Japanese as well. 

This quarter, I have two new classes: Strategic Decision Making and Japanese Culture and Society. Both seem like they will be interesting. The first class, Strategic Decision Making, is actually preparing me for my certificate that I will be getting back at Tech. The class is based on diplomacy, foreign policy, and lots of great INTA stuff. We will actually be playing a diplomacy game throughout the quarter which I'm excited for as well. 

Japanese Culture and Society is exactly what it sounds like. What I am looking forward to about this course is that the professor has told us that we will be focusing on the current ideas of Japanese culture while still looking at some past ideas like geisha. This includes the class watching Memoirs of a Geisha which I haven't seen so I'm pretty stoked about that! 

Speaking of movies, I have been watching a TON of movies lately now that I have some more time. Just to name some: Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Skyfall, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inglorious Bastards, Django Unchained, Bridesmaids, 21 Jump Street, Crazy Stupid Love, Easy A, Brave, etc. Some have been good while others have not been as good. Anyway, I'm always game to watch something new so if you have any suggestions, please feel free to comment. :) I'm going to attempt to watch all the Harry Potter movies next weekend. :P <3 

Also: 51 days til I'm back home! <3 :D