How to Afford Your Exchange
Here are some ideas to raise money for your trip.
First - choose the right program for you.
Where do you want to go? Why? And for how long?
There's plenty of opportunities to study abroad: YMCA, Rotary, Youth of Understanding (YFU), American Field Service (AFS), Global Visionaries; just to name a few. Then look at the scholarships available within that particular program.
I chose the AFS program because I liked how quickly the staff responded to me when I had questions, they were super nice throughout the entire process, and there were scholarships available. Like most people, I found the price of the program to be expensive, but that didn't stop me from applying. AFS offers a variety of scholarships, and helpful resources to earn money. Fundraising takes a lot of strategy and lot of planning. If you're confused on how to get started, you can ask an AFS volunteer staff member in your area OR you can ask through the Ask an AFSer group on Facebook.
What are some of the things you did to fundraise money for you exchange?
Donations
Take advantage of starting a blog and applying the Sponsor an AFSer widget to your blog. This directly connections donations to your tuition. By creating a blog, you're showing your friends, family, and even strangers, how passionate you are about studying abroad. When writing your entry, make sure to include an introduction of who you are, why you want to go and the advantages of going abroad, what program are you going with, and what other ways you plan on fundraising (here's my entry). If you're not willing to fundraise and work for your money, you might want to rethink studying abroad. Another way to receive donations is by contacting schools you previously attended. If you're not applying through the AFS program, you can use GoFundMe, but I think their website takes out a certain percentage from your earnings.
Scholarships
I was ultimately only able to study abroad through scholarships. The AFS program offers a vast amount of need-based and merit-based scholarships. To find out if there's any scholarships for your country preference, click on this link. When I applied for the year program for Japan, there were two scholarships: the Yoshi Hattori Memorial scholarship: this scholarship covered the entire tuition (need/merit-based scholarship); and the Sakura scholarship: this scholarship covered half of the tuition (two receivers). Scholarship availability changes every year, so make sure you stay up to date.
Talk to your school counselor to see if there's any scholarships available for students wanting to study abroad. At my school they had a need-based scholarship for students wanting to study abroad: The Thompson Family Foundation ($1,500).
I also applied for the need-based scholarship within the AFS program: the National Need-Based scholarship and the ORCA scholarship ($2,000). If you have worked hard towards your tuition, they might give you additional assistance.
Bake-Sales // Selling Products You Enjoy Making
This actually doesn't take much planning. Some schools don't allow students to sell products because it violates their policy because none of the profits are going towards academics within the school. If you talk to administration, they might be understanding towards your situation. If you have a low budget, manage your money well. (EX: selling products from Daiso for $0.50 more than its original cost - it's always about how much money you've produced from your sale v.s. how much you spent.)
Sell People a Inside Subscription of Your Exchange
When people donated towards my trip, I included them in an email that I would try to do every month. I would send them an email about culture shock, difficulties, progresses, and everything else that I didn't include on my blog.
Those are just some of the things I did for fundraising.
Again, there's a lot more you can do: research.
じゃーまたね！♡
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Reflection of My Exchange
1 Year Passed
How it Affected My View
Hi, everyone! It's been a while since I've written a post about my exchange.
Q: Was it hard transitioning from your exchange life to your "ordinary" life?
A: After returning to the United States, I vividly remember being ecstatic about telling my friends and family about my exchange. After the second week of being back to the same routine, I found it incredibly hard to fit in with my friends. This wasn't due to drastic changes to my friends while I was away; rather, I had been the one that changed so much. An example: throughout my entire exchange, I wanted a boyfriend. When I came back home, boys liked me but I had little to no interest -- finishing school was my main focus. Friendships began to feel mediocre. The commute back from school: exhausting. Seattle: small, insignificant.
But, I know people that studied abroad, returned to their home country, and had absolutely no problems with fitting in with their cliche. I also know people that lost a lot of weight after coming home because they were homesick and wanted to go back to Japan. So, it can go either way. I think this is partially due to the fact that, as an exchange student, you're constantly busy. At least that was the case for me: I was always busy. Weekends: busy. Summer break: busy. My chapter organized a lot of activities for us exchange students: camps, speech contests, mochi making, etc.
Who can say, "I have friends all over the world," especially in high school? While studying abroad, I realized that friendships come and go. Friendships are a convenience: when you're in high school, you have friends in different classes: when you're at a job, you make friends to make the job easier. Even though I don't talk to many of the friends I made during my exchange, I would still consider them very close.
Q: Did you graduate on time?
A: Yes, I did graduate on time. During my entire exchange, I documented everything: tests, homework, classwork, textbooks. If this is a deciding factor, I would say contact your counselor before you leave. Make sure you have passed all of your standardized tests, state test requirements, and important school requirements. My school counselor retired the year I left for Japan, so it's tricky explaining my situation. For a year and a half, I took a class (Yearbook) during study hall, which gave me more credits in the electives department. So, after I studied abroad, I had to only take 3 classes: 11th grade history, 12th grade LA, and American Government. I graduated with 15-20 more credits than I needed.
Q: So, what did you do after high school?
A: I didn't concentrate on college/university requirements while I studied abroad. This is mostly because I wanted to concentrate on my experience: learn the language, make friends, create memories, and break negative stereotypes about Americans. So, after I graduated, I decided to take a year off to discover myself and learn how to become a little more independent. In 2015, I had an internship, worked a seasonal job, and later landed a full-time job. In April of this year, I decided to take one class at a community college and work part-time. I wanted to volunteer more with the AFS program, but with school, work, and friends/family, it's pretty difficult. Hopefully this year, I can participate in the presentations, directed by an AFS volunteer, at my old high school.
Q: What will become of this blog?
A: I don't exactly know. I don't think anyone actually views this anymore because I haven't posted in forever. Even though I took English this quarter, my grammar is still awful - I apologize. For any exchange stories, I will posting them on my other blog. That blog has more character, and not formal at all.
I want to thank you for taking the time to read this article!
And I also want to thank everyone for making my study abroad experience possible by donating, and supporting my dreams by buying things from my fundraisers. Thank you to the scholarship donors. Thank you to AFS Greater Puget Sound for being so kind to me.
How it Affected My View
Hi, everyone! It's been a while since I've written a post about my exchange.
Q: Was it hard transitioning from your exchange life to your "ordinary" life?
A: After returning to the United States, I vividly remember being ecstatic about telling my friends and family about my exchange. After the second week of being back to the same routine, I found it incredibly hard to fit in with my friends. This wasn't due to drastic changes to my friends while I was away; rather, I had been the one that changed so much. An example: throughout my entire exchange, I wanted a boyfriend. When I came back home, boys liked me but I had little to no interest -- finishing school was my main focus. Friendships began to feel mediocre. The commute back from school: exhausting. Seattle: small, insignificant.
But, I know people that studied abroad, returned to their home country, and had absolutely no problems with fitting in with their cliche. I also know people that lost a lot of weight after coming home because they were homesick and wanted to go back to Japan. So, it can go either way. I think this is partially due to the fact that, as an exchange student, you're constantly busy. At least that was the case for me: I was always busy. Weekends: busy. Summer break: busy. My chapter organized a lot of activities for us exchange students: camps, speech contests, mochi making, etc.
Who can say, "I have friends all over the world," especially in high school? While studying abroad, I realized that friendships come and go. Friendships are a convenience: when you're in high school, you have friends in different classes: when you're at a job, you make friends to make the job easier. Even though I don't talk to many of the friends I made during my exchange, I would still consider them very close.
Q: Did you graduate on time?
A: Yes, I did graduate on time. During my entire exchange, I documented everything: tests, homework, classwork, textbooks. If this is a deciding factor, I would say contact your counselor before you leave. Make sure you have passed all of your standardized tests, state test requirements, and important school requirements. My school counselor retired the year I left for Japan, so it's tricky explaining my situation. For a year and a half, I took a class (Yearbook) during study hall, which gave me more credits in the electives department. So, after I studied abroad, I had to only take 3 classes: 11th grade history, 12th grade LA, and American Government. I graduated with 15-20 more credits than I needed.
Q: So, what did you do after high school?
A: I didn't concentrate on college/university requirements while I studied abroad. This is mostly because I wanted to concentrate on my experience: learn the language, make friends, create memories, and break negative stereotypes about Americans. So, after I graduated, I decided to take a year off to discover myself and learn how to become a little more independent. In 2015, I had an internship, worked a seasonal job, and later landed a full-time job. In April of this year, I decided to take one class at a community college and work part-time. I wanted to volunteer more with the AFS program, but with school, work, and friends/family, it's pretty difficult. Hopefully this year, I can participate in the presentations, directed by an AFS volunteer, at my old high school.
Q: What will become of this blog?
A: I don't exactly know. I don't think anyone actually views this anymore because I haven't posted in forever. Even though I took English this quarter, my grammar is still awful - I apologize. For any exchange stories, I will posting them on my other blog. That blog has more character, and not formal at all.
I want to thank you for taking the time to read this article!
And I also want to thank everyone for making my study abroad experience possible by donating, and supporting my dreams by buying things from my fundraisers. Thank you to the scholarship donors. Thank you to AFS Greater Puget Sound for being so kind to me.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
End of the Program UPDATE!
The End of a Busy Schedule
1 Year Abroad Finished
I sincerely apologize for not updating my blog for the last half of my exchange. It was due to computer problems, and me self-regulating my time on the internet. But let me just say, they were the best 6 months of my exchange. I apologize if my English doesn't make any sense! It's been a while since I've had to write a large amount in English...
Q: What happened during the last 6-10 months of your exchange?
A: In the month of August, I went to two festivals and mostly spent time with my family and friends. Due to it being summer vacation, I went on a mini-road trip with host family to Furano and Biei. I tried lavender ice cream for the first time (pictured)! If you ever decide to take a trip to Hokkaido, I would recommend you try it! And, spent a lot of quality time with my good friend Maya! After summer break, I had a series of tests because I was given summer vacation homework: Math, World History, English, Flower Arrangement, and Information Processing (typing). At my host school, passing was 30 points out of 100. Failing is called 赤点 (あかてん・AKATEN) which literally translates to red points. Out of that standard, I passed my tests with flying colors.
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At the end of the month, my friend Laura from Australia left Asahikawa! She was part of the semester program, and I sobbed every day that she was gone for the rest of August. I never imagined myself becoming extremely close with anyone during my exchange in Japan, especially with other exchange students. It was my goal, but I never thought I would actually achieve it. Thankfully, a new exchange student came from the United States right after she left (a week later): James J. I guess I was excited to meet him, because he was American, because I was the only American in Asahikawa at the time. Turns out, he's a pretty awesome guy! I also cried when we had to go our separate ways at the end of the program. But, I'll save that for the end! During the month of August, I had a lot of health problems. Like, I couldn't eat for a couple of weeks because my digestive system was slowing down.
September? September was such a forgettable month! I don't remember much! I just remember staying in my room, and constantly studying Japanese. The month of September, I participated in my school's festival. Every year my host school hosts a festival, and it's called the Harvest Festival in English. What did the students do during this festival? We made mochi (mochi is a Japanese rice cake), and each class made their own dish with the mochi. My class decided to make matcha mochi (Japanese green tea), this other flavor that I don't remember, and this soup that consisted of meat, mochi, and vegetables. I also met an exchange student from two years ago. Her name was Lene, and she was from Norway. It was nice getting to know her, and was interesting learning a little about her experiences as an exchange student.
October was a fun month! Probably the busiest month during my exchange! I attended a wedding (wore a kimono for the first time), participated in a sports (ball) competition at my host school, had a break from school for a week, had tons of preparation for the school trip in November, mini road trip with my host family, and harvested the rice! Went on a rode trip to visit my relatives with my host family. I wish I could explain each event in order, and what I did exactly - but I'll save that for another blog entry! I also had a 3-day internship near my first host family's house, which was a lot of fun! This little kid had a crush on me! It was the cutest thing ever!
I went on my school trip for five days in November: Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, and then Nara(?) I don't exactly remember the order. But here's a journal entry from those trips:
November 2, 2014 - Today we went to Tokyo: nostalgic. It was fun experiencing the flight from Tokyo to Hiroshima! The pilot decided to drop suddenly to make it seem like we out of gas or something. It was a first time experience. My biology teacher got really movement sick, and it was hilarious to see. After that, we went to the atomic bomb area, and I almost started crying. Even though everything is in the past now, it was awesome learning from another perspective about the war. I also listened to a speaker who survived the bomb.
November 3, 2014 - Today we woke up in Hiroshima at around 5:00AM to pack our things, and set sail for our next adventure in Hiroshima. Which was riding a ferry boat to Itsukushiima temple. There's nothing as old as these temples back in the Unites States. It was interesting to walk through the temple. But, I couldn't understand everything the guide tour person was telling it. It was a bit frustrating, but it made want to understand. Study. Study. Study. After that, all the students rode to the downtown area. We all were exhausted from the night before, and ended up sleeping on the bus. We went to another temple, and took a class photo. I was too tired to even function. After that we ate a famous Hiroshima dish. It was delicious, but huge! I could only eat half. Arrived at the station, where we had 20 minutes to buy souvenirs. Then we boarded the train, and set sail for Kyoto. We ate dinner, and had 2 hours to explore. During our 2 hours, we took purikura!
November 4, 2014 - Recently my stomach has been acting pretty funky; not being able to eat in the mornings. Another day in Kyoto, we explored many places. I'm really tired when writing this, but it was a lot of fun! I was able to buy a lot of souvenirs for my host family and family back in Seattle. And, it was amazing to walk in the temples that have been around for thousands of years. But, I wish I could have gone to the temple that was made completely out of gold...Maybe next year! After that, we were really tired. But Maya (friend) wanted to go to Suzuka's (friend) room. And, Suzuka started crying! Hahaha It was the first time a friend has ever been so worried about me that they started crying...I laughed so hard. But, I'm truly happy and lucky to have friends that care. Going back to Seattle is going to be difficult.
For the last full day, I didn't write an entry! I went to USJ Osaka. I don't like crowded areas, so I wasn't that excited about going on the rides. Yeah~ but, we stayed there for a night. The returning day, we went to Nara. It was so much fun!
After returning home, I hung out with my friend from another school. It was the first time I hung out with a guy by myself, but it was a lot of fun! It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. I balloons, and he bought a pen. We wrote nice messages, and gave them to random people. Good times~
I think I also entered a speech contest? I was dead last, but I still received a reward? I honestly didn't care about that speech at all... I was so unprepared.
My birthday is in the month of November. I don't think I did much for my birthday with my host family? Everyone was too busy: my host sister had finals, my mom had work, and my dad also had work. So, we celebrated it in December! Ah, but a lot of people gave me presents at school! And, even the guy I liked and his friends gave me pudding. So, I pretty happy about that.♡
In the month of December, I confessed to the guy I like by giving him a love-letter. He never told me how he felt about me, besides him being happy and that he will absolutely come to the US someday. Then winter break came, and I hung out with my friend Maya on Christmas Eve. My chapter in Japan hosted a Christmas party for exchange students to meet Japanese students who were interested in studying abroad. In Japan, I think that most people spend it with their lover. Hanging out with friends is fine though! I then went to an EXILE concert with my host family. After the concert, my host mom got really sick. So, I had to switch host families for a week. Boom! It was January!
For New Years, I went to my grandparents house and ate sushi. I went shopping with my sister, and bought some clothes. On New Years day, they sell clothes in big bags. Usually clothes shops sell these bags that cost around $110, and you don't know what's inside them. Good luck or bad luck, kind of deal. Winter break finishes, and school starts again. I have two weeks left of school, and I give my farewell speech.
皆さま、おはようございます！私はここに立つと懐かしい気持ちになります。最初の自己紹介を覚えています。しかし、もう少しでアメリカに帰りますから、さようならの挨拶がやっぱり一番つらい気持ちです。たくさんかんしゃしたい事があります。去年はとっても楽しかったです。いっぱい友達が出来たし、たくさん笑ったし、いつも廊下で挨拶をくれた人もいたし、すごい思い出を作ったし、手伝ってくれた人もいました。1年間は本当に早かったです。日本に来た時、日本語をあまり話せませんでしたが、ちょっとだけ話せるようになったと思います。けど、日本語をあまり分からんなかった時、２Ｌの生徒から日本の文化を教えてもらいました。皆さま私に話しかけてくれて幸せでした。
1年生へ
もう少しで新しい留学生が来ます。1年間は早いので、たくさん話して欲しいです。
2年生へ
もうちょっとで3年生になりますね！最後の1年を楽しんでね！頑張って下さい。
3年生へ
そろそろ卒業するので、未来にむけて頑張って下さい。
皆さまは元気でいて欲しいです。
◎◎◎◎◎◎◎高等学校はホストスクールになってくれてありがとうございます！
This first year student asked me some questions, "How was your stay in Japan? Enjoyable?" She looked so nervous when asking me these questions, so I couldn't help but giggle. I was trying to make her smile, but I don't think it worked. Anyways, I received flowers. January was basically the preparation period for going back home: exchange students had a farewell party, then I had a farewell party at school, went skiing three times with my class, and hung out with people for the last. I didn't like the month of January because it went by way too quickly. Gave farewell letters, and said thank you to everyone. 学校で私は皆に「お世話になりました」と言いました。
February, I left Asahikawa! Then I lived with a host family in Chiba for three days. It was so much fun, and I can't thank that host family enough. When I had to say goodbye to my sister and my host mom; they started crying. It was a brief goodbye~ Then I was off to go back to the United States.
The End.
I'll make another entry talking about the impact of studying abroad in another entry! But that sums up what happened during my exchange during the last half.
1 Year Abroad Finished
I sincerely apologize for not updating my blog for the last half of my exchange. It was due to computer problems, and me self-regulating my time on the internet. But let me just say, they were the best 6 months of my exchange. I apologize if my English doesn't make any sense! It's been a while since I've had to write a large amount in English...
Q: What happened during the last 6-10 months of your exchange?
A: In the month of August, I went to two festivals and mostly spent time with my family and friends. Due to it being summer vacation, I went on a mini-road trip with host family to Furano and Biei. I tried lavender ice cream for the first time (pictured)! If you ever decide to take a trip to Hokkaido, I would recommend you try it! And, spent a lot of quality time with my good friend Maya! After summer break, I had a series of tests because I was given summer vacation homework: Math, World History, English, Flower Arrangement, and Information Processing (typing). At my host school, passing was 30 points out of 100. Failing is called 赤点 (あかてん・AKATEN) which literally translates to red points. Out of that standard, I passed my tests with flying colors.
At the end of the month, my friend Laura from Australia left Asahikawa! She was part of the semester program, and I sobbed every day that she was gone for the rest of August. I never imagined myself becoming extremely close with anyone during my exchange in Japan, especially with other exchange students. It was my goal, but I never thought I would actually achieve it. Thankfully, a new exchange student came from the United States right after she left (a week later): James J. I guess I was excited to meet him, because he was American, because I was the only American in Asahikawa at the time. Turns out, he's a pretty awesome guy! I also cried when we had to go our separate ways at the end of the program. But, I'll save that for the end! During the month of August, I had a lot of health problems. Like, I couldn't eat for a couple of weeks because my digestive system was slowing down.
September? September was such a forgettable month! I don't remember much! I just remember staying in my room, and constantly studying Japanese. The month of September, I participated in my school's festival. Every year my host school hosts a festival, and it's called the Harvest Festival in English. What did the students do during this festival? We made mochi (mochi is a Japanese rice cake), and each class made their own dish with the mochi. My class decided to make matcha mochi (Japanese green tea), this other flavor that I don't remember, and this soup that consisted of meat, mochi, and vegetables. I also met an exchange student from two years ago. Her name was Lene, and she was from Norway. It was nice getting to know her, and was interesting learning a little about her experiences as an exchange student.
October was a fun month! Probably the busiest month during my exchange! I attended a wedding (wore a kimono for the first time), participated in a sports (ball) competition at my host school, had a break from school for a week, had tons of preparation for the school trip in November, mini road trip with my host family, and harvested the rice! Went on a rode trip to visit my relatives with my host family. I wish I could explain each event in order, and what I did exactly - but I'll save that for another blog entry! I also had a 3-day internship near my first host family's house, which was a lot of fun! This little kid had a crush on me! It was the cutest thing ever!
I went on my school trip for five days in November: Hiroshima, Kyoto, Osaka, and then Nara(?) I don't exactly remember the order. But here's a journal entry from those trips:
November 2, 2014 - Today we went to Tokyo: nostalgic. It was fun experiencing the flight from Tokyo to Hiroshima! The pilot decided to drop suddenly to make it seem like we out of gas or something. It was a first time experience. My biology teacher got really movement sick, and it was hilarious to see. After that, we went to the atomic bomb area, and I almost started crying. Even though everything is in the past now, it was awesome learning from another perspective about the war. I also listened to a speaker who survived the bomb.
November 3, 2014 - Today we woke up in Hiroshima at around 5:00AM to pack our things, and set sail for our next adventure in Hiroshima. Which was riding a ferry boat to Itsukushiima temple. There's nothing as old as these temples back in the Unites States. It was interesting to walk through the temple. But, I couldn't understand everything the guide tour person was telling it. It was a bit frustrating, but it made want to understand. Study. Study. Study. After that, all the students rode to the downtown area. We all were exhausted from the night before, and ended up sleeping on the bus. We went to another temple, and took a class photo. I was too tired to even function. After that we ate a famous Hiroshima dish. It was delicious, but huge! I could only eat half. Arrived at the station, where we had 20 minutes to buy souvenirs. Then we boarded the train, and set sail for Kyoto. We ate dinner, and had 2 hours to explore. During our 2 hours, we took purikura!November 4, 2014 - Recently my stomach has been acting pretty funky; not being able to eat in the mornings. Another day in Kyoto, we explored many places. I'm really tired when writing this, but it was a lot of fun! I was able to buy a lot of souvenirs for my host family and family back in Seattle. And, it was amazing to walk in the temples that have been around for thousands of years. But, I wish I could have gone to the temple that was made completely out of gold...Maybe next year! After that, we were really tired. But Maya (friend) wanted to go to Suzuka's (friend) room. And, Suzuka started crying! Hahaha It was the first time a friend has ever been so worried about me that they started crying...I laughed so hard. But, I'm truly happy and lucky to have friends that care. Going back to Seattle is going to be difficult.
For the last full day, I didn't write an entry! I went to USJ Osaka. I don't like crowded areas, so I wasn't that excited about going on the rides. Yeah~ but, we stayed there for a night. The returning day, we went to Nara. It was so much fun!
After returning home, I hung out with my friend from another school. It was the first time I hung out with a guy by myself, but it was a lot of fun! It wasn't as awkward as I thought it would be. I balloons, and he bought a pen. We wrote nice messages, and gave them to random people. Good times~
I think I also entered a speech contest? I was dead last, but I still received a reward? I honestly didn't care about that speech at all... I was so unprepared.
My birthday is in the month of November. I don't think I did much for my birthday with my host family? Everyone was too busy: my host sister had finals, my mom had work, and my dad also had work. So, we celebrated it in December! Ah, but a lot of people gave me presents at school! And, even the guy I liked and his friends gave me pudding. So, I pretty happy about that.♡
In the month of December, I confessed to the guy I like by giving him a love-letter. He never told me how he felt about me, besides him being happy and that he will absolutely come to the US someday. Then winter break came, and I hung out with my friend Maya on Christmas Eve. My chapter in Japan hosted a Christmas party for exchange students to meet Japanese students who were interested in studying abroad. In Japan, I think that most people spend it with their lover. Hanging out with friends is fine though! I then went to an EXILE concert with my host family. After the concert, my host mom got really sick. So, I had to switch host families for a week. Boom! It was January!
For New Years, I went to my grandparents house and ate sushi. I went shopping with my sister, and bought some clothes. On New Years day, they sell clothes in big bags. Usually clothes shops sell these bags that cost around $110, and you don't know what's inside them. Good luck or bad luck, kind of deal. Winter break finishes, and school starts again. I have two weeks left of school, and I give my farewell speech.
皆さま、おはようございます！私はここに立つと懐かしい気持ちになります。最初の自己紹介を覚えています。しかし、もう少しでアメリカに帰りますから、さようならの挨拶がやっぱり一番つらい気持ちです。たくさんかんしゃしたい事があります。去年はとっても楽しかったです。いっぱい友達が出来たし、たくさん笑ったし、いつも廊下で挨拶をくれた人もいたし、すごい思い出を作ったし、手伝ってくれた人もいました。1年間は本当に早かったです。日本に来た時、日本語をあまり話せませんでしたが、ちょっとだけ話せるようになったと思います。けど、日本語をあまり分からんなかった時、２Ｌの生徒から日本の文化を教えてもらいました。皆さま私に話しかけてくれて幸せでした。
1年生へ
もう少しで新しい留学生が来ます。1年間は早いので、たくさん話して欲しいです。
2年生へ
もうちょっとで3年生になりますね！最後の1年を楽しんでね！頑張って下さい。
3年生へ
そろそろ卒業するので、未来にむけて頑張って下さい。
皆さまは元気でいて欲しいです。
◎◎◎◎◎◎◎高等学校はホストスクールになってくれてありがとうございます！
This first year student asked me some questions, "How was your stay in Japan? Enjoyable?" She looked so nervous when asking me these questions, so I couldn't help but giggle. I was trying to make her smile, but I don't think it worked. Anyways, I received flowers. January was basically the preparation period for going back home: exchange students had a farewell party, then I had a farewell party at school, went skiing three times with my class, and hung out with people for the last. I didn't like the month of January because it went by way too quickly. Gave farewell letters, and said thank you to everyone. 学校で私は皆に「お世話になりました」と言いました。
February, I left Asahikawa! Then I lived with a host family in Chiba for three days. It was so much fun, and I can't thank that host family enough. When I had to say goodbye to my sister and my host mom; they started crying. It was a brief goodbye~ Then I was off to go back to the United States.
I'll make another entry talking about the impact of studying abroad in another entry! But that sums up what happened during my exchange during the last half.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
July Update
The Start of a Busy Schedule
4-5 Months Anniversary
Hey everyone! I'm sorry that I've been terribly busy due to school, and hanging out with friends!
I started summer vacation officially yesterday. So, that means that I might have random days with free time on my hand. So far, that's not really the case. But, I'll try my best to update you all!
In Japan, summer vacation only lasts for about a month or longer. It usually starts in the middle of July, and ends in late August. In Hokkaido, summer vacation is much shorter than school's in southern regions of Japan but that's because Hokkaido's winter vacations is longer. Does that make any sense?
Yesterday, I had 「太鼓・たいこ・TAIKO」 practice. Taiko basically means drum, but I'm talking about a traditional Japanese drum. Today, there was supposed to be the biggest festival in Asahikawa, where I was supposed to play the drums! But, it ended up raining: cancelled. I'm pretty bummed, but I guess a good thing was that I became friends with first year students (from practice)! We still practiced at my school, ate lunch, and did a little cheer at the end! It was fun, none-the-less!
Q: So, what happened between May and July?
A: A lot of things happened! I don't even know if I could put everything in a blog post. For one, I switched host families, not because of problems. So, don't be worried! I switched from my first host family to a temporary host family, and now I'm staying with my family until the end of the program. I'm fairly happy that I was able to experience so many families.
1. A family where I had two younger sisters, and young parents.
2. A family where I had I didn't have any siblings living at home.
3. A family where I have an older sister, a pet.
Right now, I live in the area where all my friends live! And, my school is really close! About a 10-15 minute bike ride.
I had exams in the month of June. You can read more about my experience on my personal blog.
I only took the Math, English, and World History exams. I did okay on them, but I need to study harder!
In July, I had my school festival which was a lot of fun! I did two performances: one with my class, another with a group of friends. I messed up big time on the second performance, but it made me realize that I still need to step out of my comfort zone in Japan. Doing things even though I'm scared! Trying new things! Don't be afraid of talking, of making mistakes, to be who I am! My class sold a variety of flavors of popcorn, and sausages!
In June-July, I went to countless festivals in my area!
I also went to Sapporo with my last host family. It was so much fun! I met my grandpa, grandma, and one of my sisters. I slept in a traditional room: tatami mat, and a futon. I realized that I like traditional Japanese culture! I'm so excited for my school trip in November, because I'm going to Hiroshima, Nara, and Kyoto! Hokkaido is only about 400 years old~ when it comes to history, apparently.
I also had a three-day internship at an elementary school. Even though my Japanese is still really limited, I was able to understand the kids better than the adults. I don't think you need to know a language fluently to understand a person's body language. Playing with the kids, it reminded me of being an elementary school student. I think we sometimes lose those feelings over time: of our youth. I also realized that I'm not entirely terrible with kids!
This summer vacation, I plan on spending so much time studying Japanese! I want to be able to communicate better with everyone!
I'm in a bit of a rush right now! So, I'll update later.
Thank you so much for making this trip possible! I can't thank you enough! I've been learning so much about Japanese culture.
4-5 Months Anniversary
Hey everyone! I'm sorry that I've been terribly busy due to school, and hanging out with friends!
I started summer vacation officially yesterday. So, that means that I might have random days with free time on my hand. So far, that's not really the case. But, I'll try my best to update you all!
In Japan, summer vacation only lasts for about a month or longer. It usually starts in the middle of July, and ends in late August. In Hokkaido, summer vacation is much shorter than school's in southern regions of Japan but that's because Hokkaido's winter vacations is longer. Does that make any sense?
 |
| I never received permission to publish their faces! Thus, white dots! |
Yesterday, I had 「太鼓・たいこ・TAIKO」 practice. Taiko basically means drum, but I'm talking about a traditional Japanese drum. Today, there was supposed to be the biggest festival in Asahikawa, where I was supposed to play the drums! But, it ended up raining: cancelled. I'm pretty bummed, but I guess a good thing was that I became friends with first year students (from practice)! We still practiced at my school, ate lunch, and did a little cheer at the end! It was fun, none-the-less!
Q: So, what happened between May and July?
A: A lot of things happened! I don't even know if I could put everything in a blog post. For one, I switched host families, not because of problems. So, don't be worried! I switched from my first host family to a temporary host family, and now I'm staying with my family until the end of the program. I'm fairly happy that I was able to experience so many families.
1. A family where I had two younger sisters, and young parents.
2. A family where I had I didn't have any siblings living at home.
3. A family where I have an older sister, a pet.
Right now, I live in the area where all my friends live! And, my school is really close! About a 10-15 minute bike ride.
I had exams in the month of June. You can read more about my experience on my personal blog.
I only took the Math, English, and World History exams. I did okay on them, but I need to study harder!
In July, I had my school festival which was a lot of fun! I did two performances: one with my class, another with a group of friends. I messed up big time on the second performance, but it made me realize that I still need to step out of my comfort zone in Japan. Doing things even though I'm scared! Trying new things! Don't be afraid of talking, of making mistakes, to be who I am! My class sold a variety of flavors of popcorn, and sausages!
In June-July, I went to countless festivals in my area!
I also went to Sapporo with my last host family. It was so much fun! I met my grandpa, grandma, and one of my sisters. I slept in a traditional room: tatami mat, and a futon. I realized that I like traditional Japanese culture! I'm so excited for my school trip in November, because I'm going to Hiroshima, Nara, and Kyoto! Hokkaido is only about 400 years old~ when it comes to history, apparently.I also had a three-day internship at an elementary school. Even though my Japanese is still really limited, I was able to understand the kids better than the adults. I don't think you need to know a language fluently to understand a person's body language. Playing with the kids, it reminded me of being an elementary school student. I think we sometimes lose those feelings over time: of our youth. I also realized that I'm not entirely terrible with kids!
This summer vacation, I plan on spending so much time studying Japanese! I want to be able to communicate better with everyone!
I'm in a bit of a rush right now! So, I'll update later.
Thank you so much for making this trip possible! I can't thank you enough! I've been learning so much about Japanese culture.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
May Update!
Where does the time go?
It's already May?
Hey everyone! It's been a while since I did my last update - which means I have a lot to share. I'm sure that I don't really have enough time to share everything, but I'll try my best.
Lets work backwards! ♡
Last week, I went to view the cherry blossoms in my area with a couple of friends. Since, almost all the snow has melted. There's still big patches of snow in some areas, but it's slowly melting away. Having played Animal Crossing when I was younger, that game indirectly teaches you so much about Japanese culture. Anyways, I'm not sure if cherry blossom has reached it's high peak yet in Asahikawa. It's hard to tell! Anyways, I'm really excited for the summer festivals that are happening soon! I'll try to make videos about them.
Q: Have you gone anywhere in Hokkaido? If so, where?
北海道でどこに行きましたか？
A:「英語」Yes, I have been to many places in Hokkaido! Thanks to my host family! So far, I've been to Otaru, Furano, Biei, Kenbuchi, Sapporo, Hidaka, Shizunai, Niikapu, Chitose, and Shikotsuko.
I still don't know the kanji for the cities. If I made a mistake, I'm sorry.
「日本語」うーん、私はたくさん北海道の市に行った。ホスートファミリだから。だけど、いっぱい所に行ってくれてどうもありがとう。じゃー小樽市や富良野市や美瑛市や剣淵市や札幌市や日高市や静内市やにいかぷ市や支笏湖市に行った。市の漢字が分かんない。もし、間違えったならば、ごめんなさい。
Q: What has been the biggest culture shock?
一番日本文化のショックは何ですか？
A: I haven't had a really big moment of being like, "What? That is definitely not where I'm from. This is so weird." But, I would probably say the public bathing, or the school sports test/physicals.
I already talked about the public bathing in my last post. So, I'll talk about the sports tests/physicals!
The sports physicals are much different from the ones that I would have back at my school. In my weight training class (back in the US), we just had to get our height and weight done. At my host school; they check your weight, height, teeth (dental check-up), and for the girls: breast/stomach check (I think).
Q: How hard is communicating?
あなたは人々に話するのが大変ですか？「コミュニケーション」
A: I've studied Japanese for a 2-3 years. I had Japanese class at my school back in the US. We used a textbook called: Adventures in Japanese. Based on your level, it's either 1, 2, etc. Back in the US, I was pretty confident that I would be able to communicate with people: no problem. The thing is, Japanese class did help me a lot with reading and comprehending. But, when it came down to hearing a native speaker talk -- that's a whole 'nother level.
So, in a sense, yes. Yes, it's hard communicating. But without practice, there's no way you can get better. If you plan on going to Japan: talk to people! Don't be afraid to make a mistake!
If you plan on studying abroad in another country, I wouldn't suggest going for only a month. There's no way you can truly experience the language in just one month. And, a lot of people regret not going for longer.
And, I've already made a lot of friends at school. So, even if you feel like your Japanese isn't perfect: people will be happy that you're trying to learn. I even have inside jokes with my friends/classmates.
Q: Why did you choose the AFS program?
AFSプログラムが選択しました。どうして？
A: I'm not sure if I've approached this question before! I chose the AFS program, because their website seemed the most legitimate at the time. Not only that! Whenever I contacted them through e-mail or via phone, they would give me a direct response. The AFS staff is always helpful, and have a nice genuine attitude. And, the AFS program has a lot of scholarships; both merit-based and need-based. If you haven't checked out their program yet; I would suggest doing that now!
Program: http://www.afs.org/
(For Japan - AFS USA)
Semester deadline: March 20 (PASSED)
Year deadline: September 10
For my YouTube channel, I've been thinking about doing a Snack Giveaway. I don't know how much the package will cost, but I definitely want people to have a taste of Japanese culture. I feel like that's a fun way of approaching it! Please let me know, if you think it's a good idea!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/delightcafe1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deliightcafe
じゃーまたね！♡
It's already May?
Hey everyone! It's been a while since I did my last update - which means I have a lot to share. I'm sure that I don't really have enough time to share everything, but I'll try my best.
Lets work backwards! ♡
Today, I hung out with other AFS exchange students. One being from Australia, the other being from Malaysia. Not even going to lie, I would consider them my best friends. It's so cool how we can connect to each other, even though we're from "opposite ends" of the world. It's also awesome hearing/teaching/comparing cultural differences. We went to Feeeal, which is a mall near the Asahikawa Station. Had a blast! Tried on outfits, went to karaoke, and caught up on things.
Last week, I went to view the cherry blossoms in my area with a couple of friends. Since, almost all the snow has melted. There's still big patches of snow in some areas, but it's slowly melting away. Having played Animal Crossing when I was younger, that game indirectly teaches you so much about Japanese culture. Anyways, I'm not sure if cherry blossom has reached it's high peak yet in Asahikawa. It's hard to tell! Anyways, I'm really excited for the summer festivals that are happening soon! I'll try to make videos about them.
Q: Have you gone anywhere in Hokkaido? If so, where?
北海道でどこに行きましたか？
 |
| 小樽市 |
I still don't know the kanji for the cities. If I made a mistake, I'm sorry.
「日本語」うーん、私はたくさん北海道の市に行った。ホスートファミリだから。だけど、いっぱい所に行ってくれてどうもありがとう。じゃー小樽市や富良野市や美瑛市や剣淵市や札幌市や日高市や静内市やにいかぷ市や支笏湖市に行った。市の漢字が分かんない。もし、間違えったならば、ごめんなさい。
Q: What has been the biggest culture shock?
一番日本文化のショックは何ですか？
A: I haven't had a really big moment of being like, "What? That is definitely not where I'm from. This is so weird." But, I would probably say the public bathing, or the school sports test/physicals.
I already talked about the public bathing in my last post. So, I'll talk about the sports tests/physicals!
The sports physicals are much different from the ones that I would have back at my school. In my weight training class (back in the US), we just had to get our height and weight done. At my host school; they check your weight, height, teeth (dental check-up), and for the girls: breast/stomach check (I think).
Q: How hard is communicating?
あなたは人々に話するのが大変ですか？「コミュニケーション」
So, in a sense, yes. Yes, it's hard communicating. But without practice, there's no way you can get better. If you plan on going to Japan: talk to people! Don't be afraid to make a mistake!
 |
| Example of inside joke |
If you plan on studying abroad in another country, I wouldn't suggest going for only a month. There's no way you can truly experience the language in just one month. And, a lot of people regret not going for longer.
And, I've already made a lot of friends at school. So, even if you feel like your Japanese isn't perfect: people will be happy that you're trying to learn. I even have inside jokes with my friends/classmates.
Q: Why did you choose the AFS program?
AFSプログラムが選択しました。どうして？
A: I'm not sure if I've approached this question before! I chose the AFS program, because their website seemed the most legitimate at the time. Not only that! Whenever I contacted them through e-mail or via phone, they would give me a direct response. The AFS staff is always helpful, and have a nice genuine attitude. And, the AFS program has a lot of scholarships; both merit-based and need-based. If you haven't checked out their program yet; I would suggest doing that now!
Program: http://www.afs.org/
(For Japan - AFS USA)
Semester deadline: March 20 (PASSED)
Year deadline: September 10
For my YouTube channel, I've been thinking about doing a Snack Giveaway. I don't know how much the package will cost, but I definitely want people to have a taste of Japanese culture. I feel like that's a fun way of approaching it! Please let me know, if you think it's a good idea!
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/delightcafe1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deliightcafe
じゃーまたね！♡
Monday, April 7, 2014
Updates!
AFS Orientation + Host Family
Rules, Global, and Fun!
 |
| Courtesy Photograph Credit: AFS Japan (Facebook) |
Hey everyone! Whoa, it's been a while since I've updated this blog. Sorry, I've been really busy. It's about to be even more busier due to school starting tomorrow! I'm excited, but also nervous at the same time. I have to do a speech in Japanese and English, but my Japanese is atrocious. I'll edit this post when I have the time to write about my experience at school.
 |
| Photo courtesy: LAX Volunteers (E-mail) |
over the rules again. The orientation days went by way too quickly, I can barely remember what happened during those days. The photo above was at the Narita orientation, where we were able to meet people from all over the world! It was so cool: that we all had a similar interest, and we were about to have totally different experiences while our stay in Japan. I was able to meet the people that I talked to through Skype; it was loads of fun. After the Narita orientation, the next day, we split up: Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo. Depending on where your stay for the year, you traveled to a different destination. (E.g. I'm currently living in Asahikawa. I went to the Tokyo orientation because I needed to take a flight to Hokkaido.)
Secondly, the Tokyo orientation! That's when we spent time going over AFS-Japan's rules, what to expect, and getting to know each other even further. If you find reading boring, you can always check out my YouTube video by clicking here. While our stay in Tokyo, we had to go into a public bath. We were all pretty nervous, but everyone in my group enjoyed it! To enjoy it, don't feel self-conscious about your body. What I noticed while I was in the public bath, is that we all have different body shapes and that's okay!
Finally, meeting my host family! The ride there - I slept the entire flight from Tokyo to Asahikawa. I was really tired and sick, as mentioned before. I don't know, it took me a really long time to realize that I was actually in Japan. Maybe a week after landing in Asahikawa, I was like, "Whoa. I'm in Japan. This is crazy."
(Photo to the left was taken by an Asahikawa volunteer: my LP)
During my first week of my stay, Tomoko-san (Host Grandma) was staying the night. She taught me how to use the vacuum, how to cook a dish, how to wash the dishes properly, how to wash clothes with their washer, and drove me places. Many, many, many places! She even took me to the Asahiyama Zoo!
I think I'm getting along with my sisters well. I still don't really know how to interact with them; it's weird being an older sister. Especially because I'm the youngest in my family back in Seattle. My sisters really like anime. The show that they watch over and over again kind of reminds me of a mixture of Mew Mew Power and Powerpuff Girls.
Hello, my name is Alexis, but please call me by Lexy.
I’m currently seventeen years old, and I am a 2nd year in high school.
I’m from Seattle, WA, USA. My hobbies include: photography, videography, and singing.
It is a pleasure to meet you all!
From today, I will be a student attending this school. Thank you for becoming my host school.
I’m very excited to meet everyone, and I hope to make a lot of friends this year.
I’m sorry my Japanese is still very bad, but I will try my best to communicate with you all this year.
始めまして。
私の名前はアレクシスです。レクシーと読んで下さい。そして、十七才の高校二年生です。アメリカのシアトルから来ました。趣味は、写真とかビデオがつくるのが好きとか歌うのが好きです。
どうぞよろしくお願いします。
私は日本語がまだ下手です。だけど、頑張ります。
そしてみんな、
「Good Luck! 頑張って下さい！」
I'm really nervous now! My host dad just gave me my uniform today. I was grinning the entire time I was unwrapping it. This all still seems like some odd dream. And, I can't thank my host school enough! They paid for my uniform and textbooks. I promised that I will study hard: I will give it my all this year!
Totally random, but I'm a size M-LL here. Just thought I would let you know.
None of this would've been possible without donations, support, and scholarships! I still can't thank you all enough! I'm fairly certain I'm going to be very busy with school starting tomorrow, but I will try my best to keep you updated.
じゃーまたね！♡
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/delightcafe1Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deliightcafe
Friday, March 14, 2014
Tuition + Thank You!
Possibly the Best Day of my Life?
Dreams really do come true.
I'm leaving Seattle and staying in Japan. FOR. AN. ENTIRE. YEAR.
This is CRAZY. Literally, I feel like crying. Tears of joy, of course!
Yesterday, I received the best news of my life. Just applying with the AFS program has been amazing. To think that I'm actually going. This is just unbelievable right now! Like, it kind of feels like a prank: how unreal this is.
ありがとうございます！
I just want to thank everyone so much. For the support, donations, and encouraging me to follow my dreams. I can't wait to give you all a glimpse of my perspective, and break the barrier of stereotypes. I also hope to give an insight of Japanese culture for future potential AFSers.
I want to thank the AFS Scholarship Department, especially! I just talked to Kendall, and it was amazing. (Putting a voice behind the one of the many people that have helped me through this initial journey.) Along with the ORCA scholarship: Anne Davis! AND, other donors who have made this trip possible.
Dreams really do come true.
I'm leaving Seattle and staying in Japan. FOR. AN. ENTIRE. YEAR.
This is CRAZY. Literally, I feel like crying. Tears of joy, of course!
Yesterday, I received the best news of my life. Just applying with the AFS program has been amazing. To think that I'm actually going. This is just unbelievable right now! Like, it kind of feels like a prank: how unreal this is.
ありがとうございます！
I just want to thank everyone so much. For the support, donations, and encouraging me to follow my dreams. I can't wait to give you all a glimpse of my perspective, and break the barrier of stereotypes. I also hope to give an insight of Japanese culture for future potential AFSers.
I want to thank the AFS Scholarship Department, especially! I just talked to Kendall, and it was amazing. (Putting a voice behind the one of the many people that have helped me through this initial journey.) Along with the ORCA scholarship: Anne Davis! AND, other donors who have made this trip possible.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
New Information!
「日本語」もすぐに日本へいくだ。そして、今私はすごくわくわくしてる。
スカイプで、私は友達にたくさん時話する。さあー「ＡＦＳｅｒｓ」でしょう～
とても楽しいだよ。人々に話するごとが好きだから。
ごめんね。私は日本語がまだ下手ですねえ。だけど、頑張るね。
「英語」Soon, I'm going to Japan and I'm really excited!
I've recently been spending a lot of my time talking to friends through skype. Well- AFSers, yes?
It's been really fun because I like talking to them.
I'm sorry, my Japanese is still poor/bad. Because of this, I will try my best!
I'll be staying in the Hokkaido area, specifically Asahikawa. Which, I'm super excited about! I have a host mom, a dad, and two younger siblings. I'll be attending an agricultural/prefecture high school: 北海道旭川農業高等学校 (Hokkaido Asahikawa Agricultural High School).This has been such an amazing experience thus far~ filling out applications, time-management, fundraising, and studying Japanese immensely: it has been a learning experience. I will updating my YouTube channel because I'll be leaving Seattle, WA soon.
Only 6 more days til I'll be in LA, and only 7 more days til I'll be in Tokyo.
This all still seems like a crazy dream.
I'll be taking lots of photos for you guys! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel and I'll keep you guys updated through this blog!
Another reminder, it has been 3 years since the tsunami hit Japan and killed 19,000 people. Please take a moment to remember the lives lost on this day.
ANYWAYS, I love you guys!
Alexis (Lexy)
スカイプで、私は友達にたくさん時話する。さあー「ＡＦＳｅｒｓ」でしょう～
とても楽しいだよ。人々に話するごとが好きだから。
ごめんね。私は日本語がまだ下手ですねえ。だけど、頑張るね。
「英語」Soon, I'm going to Japan and I'm really excited!
I've recently been spending a lot of my time talking to friends through skype. Well- AFSers, yes?
It's been really fun because I like talking to them.
I'm sorry, my Japanese is still poor/bad. Because of this, I will try my best!
Host Family Information + School!
I'll be staying in the Hokkaido area, specifically Asahikawa. Which, I'm super excited about! I have a host mom, a dad, and two younger siblings. I'll be attending an agricultural/prefecture high school: 北海道旭川農業高等学校 (Hokkaido Asahikawa Agricultural High School).This has been such an amazing experience thus far~ filling out applications, time-management, fundraising, and studying Japanese immensely: it has been a learning experience. I will updating my YouTube channel because I'll be leaving Seattle, WA soon.
Only 6 more days til I'll be in LA, and only 7 more days til I'll be in Tokyo.
This all still seems like a crazy dream.
I'll be taking lots of photos for you guys! Don't forget to subscribe to my channel and I'll keep you guys updated through this blog!
Another reminder, it has been 3 years since the tsunami hit Japan and killed 19,000 people. Please take a moment to remember the lives lost on this day.
ANYWAYS, I love you guys!
Alexis (Lexy)
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Introduction: A New Beginning
Hi, my name is Alexis, I'm currently seventeen years old and I live in Seattle, WA. I was recently accepted by the AFS-USA and AFS-Japan program.
From a young age, I have always desired to travel the world, for now my sights are set on Japan. I have studied Japanese for a little over two years. My hope is to become better at speaking the language and I feel that studying abroad in Japan will help me achieve that goal.
Q: Why do you want to study abroad?
A: I want to study abroad because I want to break the barriers of stereotypes and misconceptions that others countries might have about American students.
By traveling to Japan, I hope to develop a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and to begin to understand the rest of the world outside of the United States. A goal of mine is to learn how to adapt more efficiently when I'm placed outside of my comfort zone.
Q: What is the AFS?
A: The AFS stands for the American Field Service. The AFS is a non-profit organization, intercultural exchange program. The AFS program has sent students to study abroad and has allowed students to challenge themselves for over 60 years.
Please check out their program: AFS program
Q: What will you give in return?
A: When I study abroad, I will document my experience. I will update this blog and post my journey on YouTube. My hope,by sharing my experience through journalistic blogging and video blogging, is to encourage more students to abandon their comfort zone, to try something new and potentially perspective-altering.
Q: What have you already done, and what are you planning to do, to contribute to your fundraising efforts?
A: For the past few months, I have been doing many different things to raise money for this trip. For instance, I have started selling my own artwork - mostly photographs - where the funds go towards my tuition. I have also have applied for grants in the area that support students who choose to study abroad. Another fundraiser that I would like to have soon is a bake sale at my high school. At this time, I would like to thank the Global Leaders Scholarship, the ORCA Scholarship, and also the Thompson Family Foundation for their financial support. Additionally, I want to thank those who have already donated.
I've recently joined the Sponser an AFSer program, which allows donations to be sent electronically. Every donation goes directly towards my AFS tuition. Anything helps--honestly!
To sponsor my AFS program, please click the Donate Button Now to make a non-deductible contribution directly to my AFS program account.
Thank you so much for reading!
Please read and/or share other AFSer's blogs:
http://mydreaminjapan.blogspot.com/
http://otakutojapan.blogspot.com/
From a young age, I have always desired to travel the world, for now my sights are set on Japan. I have studied Japanese for a little over two years. My hope is to become better at speaking the language and I feel that studying abroad in Japan will help me achieve that goal.
Q: Why do you want to study abroad?
A: I want to study abroad because I want to break the barriers of stereotypes and misconceptions that others countries might have about American students.
By traveling to Japan, I hope to develop a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and to begin to understand the rest of the world outside of the United States. A goal of mine is to learn how to adapt more efficiently when I'm placed outside of my comfort zone.
Q: What is the AFS?
A: The AFS stands for the American Field Service. The AFS is a non-profit organization, intercultural exchange program. The AFS program has sent students to study abroad and has allowed students to challenge themselves for over 60 years.
Please check out their program: AFS program
Q: What will you give in return?
A: When I study abroad, I will document my experience. I will update this blog and post my journey on YouTube. My hope,by sharing my experience through journalistic blogging and video blogging, is to encourage more students to abandon their comfort zone, to try something new and potentially perspective-altering.
Q: What have you already done, and what are you planning to do, to contribute to your fundraising efforts?
A: For the past few months, I have been doing many different things to raise money for this trip. For instance, I have started selling my own artwork - mostly photographs - where the funds go towards my tuition. I have also have applied for grants in the area that support students who choose to study abroad. Another fundraiser that I would like to have soon is a bake sale at my high school. At this time, I would like to thank the Global Leaders Scholarship, the ORCA Scholarship, and also the Thompson Family Foundation for their financial support. Additionally, I want to thank those who have already donated.
I've recently joined the Sponser an AFSer program, which allows donations to be sent electronically. Every donation goes directly towards my AFS tuition. Anything helps--honestly!
To sponsor my AFS program, please click the Donate Button Now to make a non-deductible contribution directly to my AFS program account.
Thank you so much for reading!
Please read and/or share other AFSer's blogs:
http://mydreaminjapan.blogspot.com/
http://otakutojapan.blogspot.com/
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