In that time, I went back to Athens High School twice to present. To be honest, the presentations weren’t hard…there was just too much to say. Even when I talked to my friends and family about the trip, I can’t even tell them every single thing I did. I feel glad that I was able to convince two friends to try out for Youth for Understanding this year. I know it’ll be the adventure of their lifetime.

So what’s next for me? I really plan on going back to Japan this summer to see all my friends and family, but as for studying abroad, one of my goals is to study abroad somewhere for a semester or year. Who knows where I’ll go next. I have an interest in Europe, and even spending a year in Egypt sounds exciting.

While I was thinking back about the trip, I realized how much I learned, and I never realized how much perceptions played a role in society. One moment that I never mentioned in the blog was when one of Mariko’s closest friends, Akane, asked me a question during lunch, “So you’re from America, right? Do you have a gun like everyone else?”
Her perception of America was clear: Armed and dangerous. Another question I was asked many times was, “Do your friends do drugs??”
Being able to change those perceptions was…different. I was able to see how one part of the world perceived America. It’ll probably be different as I study abroad somewhere else.

====

Ever since I was young, my dream was always to go to Japan. Japan was always there. I’d see it in history textbooks, on television, and on the other side of the world when I looked at globes. I never realized my number one lifetime drema would come true so early.

Last year, I signed up for a study abroad program and received one of the competitive full-ride scholarships. During my six weeks, I lived the typical Japanese student’s life. I went to school, cleaned the floors, and attended after school activities until nine at night. My expectations of Japan were high. I expected to learn a lot about the culture, language, and people. Japan surprised me by teaching me far more than expected, and I learned much more about America than I had ever known.

Shortly after arriving at school, I had to introduce myself. After talking about where I was from, I raised my right hand and pointed out where my city was (Yes, it’s a Michigan thing). The class laughed at the shape of the state, and a curious classmate asked, “You’re from Michigan, right? Do you have a gun like everyone else?”

At first, I was taken aback by the question, but I let her know how not everyone in Michigan or America for that matter owned a gun. I also added how Michigan wasn’t America’s most dangerous state anymore. She gladly accepted the answer and told me about the laws regarding gun ownership in Japan. I only realize now what had happened in that moment. She already had assumptions about America. In her eyes, Americans were armed and dangerous. This was the first time I ever got to see what others outside America thought about the country. I was able to change her perception of Americans. We became very close friends, and the more we talked, the more changes took place. I found myself constantly teaching others in Japan in order to learn more. I had to give the information I knew about America to receive some about Japan. By the end, most of my misconceptions of the country and people were corrected. I hope I was able to change their misconceptions about America as well.

Japan may be the technological leader of the world; however, it is still natural and artistic. I remember how I took walks, saw buildings the size of sky scrapers, and all of a sudden, I’d see a bright red gate leading to a shrine. Even walking next to rice paddies and hearing the cry of the cicadas was a sign that the technological leader still cared about nature. This is one of the reasons why I fell in love with the country during my stay.
When I returned to America, the trip still felt surreal. I couldn’t believe I had spent six weeks in Japan and made new friends both American and Japanese. The culture shock immediately set in as we drove on the freeway. The roads were so wide; I even asked my biological family if there had been a makeover on the roads.

Coming back to America proved to be more challenging than going to Japan. I was required to talk about my presentation to my former Japanese class, friends, and family about my experience. To be frank, I haven’t been successful at all when it came to explaining my experience. Too much had happened in six weeks for me to explain in one hour. I couldn’t even finish the first week of my home stay. I have countless photographs taken when I was in the country and trying to explain every minute, every second of my home stay would require a lifetime.

Because of this country, its people, language, and culture, I’ve become more independent. I’ve also gained several notable skills that I will never forget. One of them is a more acute awareness as to what is around me. I never noticed the vast diversity in America, and I always took it for granted until Japan opened my eyes to how diverse America really is. This trait will continue to help me throughout my entire life. This is why I feel who ever goes to Japan for any reason, his life will change forever. It is a land shrouded in nature and tradition, yet it houses the world’s most powerful technology.
===
I wrote this as a reflection, but even this blog doesn’t show everything I did in Japan. To be honest, I don’t think this is one of the best blogs written during a home stay. The true story is found in the journal I kept while I was there. I only spent less than 20 minutes each time writing the blog entries, and I realized that I left a lot of details out. I felt it would be better explaining it in person because I’m not one of the best writers.

All in all, I am really indebted to Youth for Understanding and the company Mitsui for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am also indebted to my host family who happily accepted me. The exchange taught me so much. I became more independent, and I’m able to deal with difficult situations in a different manner.

I don’t know how many lives have changed because of Youth for Understanding. This is why I’m encouraging any high school student to try out for the program. Even if the opportunity has passed, there is still a chance. If there is an exchange student, become his or her host family.

So thank you, Youth for Understanding.
Thank you, Mitsui Company.
Thank you, Miura family.
Thank you, everyone at Fujinohana.
Thank you, Japan, for showing me how much countries have to show and offer.
Thank you, Benbow-sensei and Lowry-sensei for starting my journey with Japanese.
Thank you, Mori-sensei for continuing my studies with Japanese and challenging me until the last moment.
Thank you, all my friends who have supported me.
Thank you, my sisters, mother, and father. This experience would never have happened if it weren’t for your support.
And thank YOU for staying with the blog about my adventure until the very end.
本当にありがとうございました！大変お世話になりました！

Japan may have been my first trip internationally, but it will surely not be the last.

I have plans for the future and studying abroad again is certainly one of them.

The world has so much to offer, and my adventure that started with Japan will not end here!

Next stop: The World.

I’ve been back in America for almost a month (?), and I still keep in contact with my friends and host family.
Except everyone has been telling me to buy a Webcam to use on Skype.

I’m sorry.

I’ll get one in the near future! I promise!

—

So about the title. When I was at Sakagami-san’s house, I watched this television program named Music Station. I absolutely loved it. Almost all of the guests that week were recently married, and of course, they released songs referring to their weddings. I had already seen MINMI’s “Ave Maria” (I love this song.), so I recognized it, but soon after she finished dancing, the MC’s introduce a band made up of four girls. My first reaction was, “Oh my god. These girls are wearing THE CUTEST UNIFORMS!!” and when they started singing, “Oh my god. These girls sing really really well!!” (Did I say any of these reactions outloud? Of course not. Haha.)

I have a bad memory.

The only kanji I could remember from the song name was Shoujo (Young Girl). The song name was Shoujo_ with a letter at the end. Soo by chance, after Gorou, Mariko, and I finished watching Gintama, the song just happened to play during the commercial break.

ローレン：へぇ、この曲好き！(Hmm, I like this song!)
吾郎：歌手だれ？ (Who’s the singer?)
まり子：スキャンダルだ。 (It’s SCANDAL.)

The name of the band is SCANDAL, so that made it so much easier finding the name of the song. So after listening to Koda Kumi’s “Cutie Honey” over 90 times on my iPod, I decided to look for the clip SCANDAL performed on Music Station. I found it, and I was soo happy. It brought back so many memories of Japan.

Sad thing is, I found out that SCANDAL had a live concert event on 7/7/09 in Nagoya and tickets were only 3500 yen AFTER I came back to America. Yes, I was completely devastated. I only came back to America with 6800 yen.

Now, I can say I am a 大ファン (Huge fan) of SCANDAL. I love all of their songs toooooooooo much, and after I came back to America, I watched the Music Station clip, their PVs (Promotional Videos AKA Music Videos), as well as their interviews! I find the interviews soo much fun to watch because I don’t need subtitles anymore to understand, and I find it soo funny and convenient how the lead vocalist & guitarist, HARUNA, uses the dialect I am most familiar with since she’s from Nagoya!

Will I go to Japan to see one of their concerts? You can bet your life on it.
Will I write a letter? Haha. I love writing letters. Let’s just do it for fun!

So, that’s why the title is named “How Scandalous.”

The song name was Shoujo S if you were interested.

—

I miss Japan. I hope I can go back next year!

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Changed the layout.

My bowling team.

Gym teacher and friends on the bus.

Demi (she has the cutest hair.), Mari-chan (I think ;_;), and Sen-chan!

Haha, Akane.

Ping pong

Yuka

Demi and Takehara.

教えて下さい、まり子先輩ィィィィィィィィィ！！

Baskin Robbins in Japan with Gale-sensei and his girlfriend, Yuka

This is the haunted tunnel, and no, I didn’t see any ghosts.

Kendo club! Everyone was so nice and funny!

Calligraphy

Purikura booths. (Purikura means Print Club. They’re machines where you take pictures and then edit/decorate them right after with a pen. It’s VERY cool.)

Let the editing begin!

He is SOOO cute. I just HAD to take a picture with him.

Nagashima!

Steel Dragon 2000. Longest roller coaster in the world, and I got to ride it.

White Cyclone! A huge wooden roller coaster.

View of the park from the ferris wheel.

Soumen!

Takehara and I.

Sen-chan and I!

2-ken class

Haha.

This instrument is called a Koto. It originates from China, and it’s veryyy expensive. I’ve always imagined them to be smaller.

Koto club.

Maru-chan and I. She’s the buchou (captain) of the club. She taught me to how play!

Moyuka and I. (These are the school yukata)

Violin club! Hiromi and Mari played songs for me and taught me to how to play simple songs. (Howl’s Moving Castle was a little…just a little too hard to play ) Right after this picture was taken, I broke my sister’s camera.

Ramen shop.

My room at Sakagami-san’s house.

First dinner.

My bed.

Mos Burger. It is SO good. (We need these in America )

Gorou

Marching Band flyers.

井原先生：これは私たちのまじめなクラス。 “This is our studious class” (haha)

Mariko’s drawings during class

Make-up for the 12-layered kimono

Takehara got put here since she was talking too much. XD…

Toyokawa Inari

I’m at Yoshida Castle

Otousan at Gifu. XD

Besides the splits…I couldn’t do this when we stretched at Marching. ;_; It’s too hard.

The sky

Marching

Hikosaka-sensei.

あつこ先輩ぃぃぃぃぃ！かわります！

Mariko

Good picture

Very good picture.

Hiko

Everyone

顔。笑

Minami XD

One of my favorite pictures. (I told her to do this)

Atsuko: Look what we found! Guns! *poses*

I see Santa!

Merry Christmas to you too, Ayumi

Mariko haha

Posted the wrong picture.

Ayumi during the Tanabata festival play.

Sugi Pharmacy.

Takehara and Sen-chan.

Mizutani and I.

Kenpo

Gyouza I made (Thank youu Mori-sensei for teaching me how to fold it “nicely”)

”ごめんね。”

Sen-chan, Yuka, and a Kage??

Takehara.

Showing off their test scores. (I hope.)

Mariko, Nene, and Takehara during lunch.

There are so many opportunities to go to Japan as an exchange student. YFU offers so many scholarships to study abroad in Japan, Finland, Germany, and the list goes on. I cannot express my gratitude towards Mitsui for sponsoring my scholarship. I cannot express my gratitude to YFU for letting me go on this once in a lifetime journey.

I only ask for one thing in this very short reflection for now (a longer one will come soon). If you have the chance to study abroad, do it. Break out of the “comfort zone.” Don’t let opportunities slip out of your hands. The same applies to the reverse. If you have the chance to host an exchange student, do it. I haven’t had the experience of hosting an exchange student, but it has become one of my long term goals for the future. Studying abroad doesn’t just apply to high school. There are several opportunities at college to study abroad, so seize the opportunity!

Miyuki and Mai.

Minami, one of my best friends.

Minami, Atsuko, and I at the beach. (The sky is soo beautiful)

Everyone enjoying their dessert

Throwing Mai into the ocean!

Marching Band.

Cheaters Winners of Tug-of-War.

Oh, hey, look it’s the losers!

Everyone who got thrown into the ocean.

What a coincidence! My 2-ken classmate and friend, Oda Kaori. She always ate lunch with Mariko and me.

The kindergarten where we practiced.

Miyuki and I. We have the same birthday!

Shaking hands with every member of the Marching Band.

Crying with Ayumi.

Mariko and I.

Minami and I.

Last picture with the Marching Band.

Signing my YFU shirt!

Megumi, Karin, and I. All third years.

My most favorite picture. My entire host family.

My breakfast was cereal. It was raining so much…that didn’t make matters any better. Okaasan, Mariko, and I left for the Post Office at 9:00 AM, and we mailed my extra presents. I couldn’t even look at Mariko in the car because I would start crying. We drove down the street where the Eki was, and I looked at all the shops we went to, and my eyes started watering-up (is that even a wordddd.)

At the train station, everything happened so quickly. Akiko and Youko called and told me to have a safe trip back.
Mariko and Okaasan gave me a present from the family. It was this small gift book (?) and it was decorated with Rilakkuma stickers and messages from everyone in the family. Gorou wrote, “To be honest…I wanted to talk to you more…but I was too shy…” and that made me cry. The Shinkansen arrived, and it all happened too quickly. Mariko helped me move my luggage because I started crying since Okaasan told me also to have a nice/safe trip back and we hugged. I was about to board the Shinkansen, until I looked at Mariko, and gave her a hug. I seriously wanted to say, “ありがとう、まり子！”, but I was crying too much to say anything. I was so choked up. When they waved goodbye, I couldn’t look at them…because I would start crying again. I gave a wave and that was all I could manage…and then the Shinkansen started moving to Tokyo.

I forgot…to ask Mariko to email me the Purikura pictures we took on the last day.

At Tokyo, we met up with other YFU kids and started telling each other about our experiences. Everyone had almost the same experience. We kept talking to each other on the train to Narita. It took so long…My flight left at 4:20ish? It was delayed. Anyways, on the oh so wonderful 9 hour flight, I only slept for about 1 hour and talked the rest. I couldn’t fall asleep.

On the flight back to Michigan, I started crying on the plane…and I’m not entirely sure why I did. I had hours and hours of calming myself down, and I was calm, but it just happened spontaneously. I seriously don’t cry. I never did in America for so long. Toyohashi, my friends, my host family…they all became so important to me so quickly. I wasn’t even ready to leave. On the Shinkansen, I was “depressed” of some sort. I was frustrated on the Shinkansen that I didn’t really eat my lunch. I didn’t want to leave.

Nonetheless, I loved it. I loved it so much. Going to Japan was my dream…and all of a sudden, in six short weeks…it ended. I have over 2400 pictures…and a lot of looking back to do. Every day was a new experience. Every day I learned something new. I never thought that I would react as emotionally as I did in Japan. It shocked me (as stupid as that sounds).

==

So I arrived in Michigan at 12:00 AM, July 29th, 2009. I’ve been awake for how longg? Too long. Over 39 hours since I was a stupid person and didn’t really sleep the night before leaving. My family greeted me, and we took my luggage to the car. I noticed how wide the roads are in Michigan…

I’m not tired because of jet lag…but I should get some sleep. I still didn’t finish unpacking everything from my suitcases. More like, my suitcases were opened and everyone took out the souvenirs.

~~

On a happy note, I checked my email today and guess who emailed me? Atsuko-senpai and Minami emailed me from their Keitai.

I have a lott of work to do tomorrow. I mean, today.

I am SO excited. (Sarcasm)

Yesterday was my last Marching Band meeting. Atsuko-senpai`s temperature was 38.1 C…so she had to go home early. Everything went as scheduled. We packed, we stretched, ate lunch, rode a kindergarten bus, and fixed flags.

We had Shuugou, and Hikosaka-sensei gave a speech about trying your best and not worrying about the mistakes you make. All of a sudden, he says, “Let`s move onto the important topic. Tomorrow, Lauren is leaving for America, so we`re going to have a Sayounara-Shiki (Sayounara Ceremony).“

Soo, everyone makes a half circle around me and takes out a small sheet of paper. Right after that, someone (Aya-sensei maybe?) starts playing the piano, and Rie-buchou says, “Seino–!“ and everyone starts singing this song from Ponyo if I remember correctly.

I said to myself that morning. I wouldn`t cry.

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Anddd of course, I started crying. I wiped my tears away, smiled, looked at the Marching Band singing, and started crying again. (Youko says everyone at Fujinohana is good at crying. LOL. It`s contagious.)

So! After the song, I got all these presents from Hikosaka-sensei and Aya-sensei. Every Marching Band member came up to me one-by-one, and we shook hands and slightly bowed.

Then…

Ayumi came up crying. I looked at Ayumi on the last day of school and cried. Now, I looked at Ayumi and started crying again. She kept saying, “LAURENNN. Stay in Japann. If you go back, come back to visit. Okayy?“ We cried for a while. Mariko came up next, and everyone said, “Mariko, you`re going to see each other when you go home!“ She was crying.

And then…

Minami came up second-to-last and she was crying so much. She said something along the lines of, “LAUREN, this is…I`ll give this to you! This is…this is your job to learn this song and understand it in English. ローレンの宿題！‘‘ in a choked up voice. I reply, “はい、分かりました、みなみー先生!“ and then we started crying again…

Aya-sensei started crying, but I didn`t see it. I had to give a final speech to the Marching Band after that.

I`m going to miss them.

—

How many hours of sleep did I get yesterday? Three. 3 AM ~ 6 AM. Wonderful. I spent most of the night talking to Youko since she`s leaving for Germany today (Actually, she already left). When she said goodbye this morning and gave me a hug… I wanted to start crying again.

Crying at 6 AM in the morning? How about…later.

I didn`t cry at graduation. I didn`t cry when I left for California or Japan, but I`ve been crying so much these past few days.

I`m not ready to leave, but しょうがないいいい。

–

Oh, there was an earthquake in Toyohashi yesterday at 10:00 AMish. Mariko and I were at 合宿 in Shizuoka, so we didn`t feel it at all.

Darnn. >:o

Today`s lunch was Omuraisu オムライス (Omelette + Rice). It was sooooo good. I got to try it because the other day, Minami was eating her Bentou and she always has オムライス, so I was like, “みなみィィィィィ、あれ何？“ She tells me that it`s オムライス and she offers me some, but I was finee. ありがとう、みなみ!

So you`re probably wondering why this post is named “Minami-senpaiiiii.“ Well the other day when we had the event (the 20th), the Ichinensei forgot their stockings in the truck, so Minami was changing in the other room and all of a sudden, all the Ichinensei say, “MINAMI-SENPAIIIIIIIII.“ Minami is the same grade as Mariko, but it`s so much fun calling them “Minami-senpai! Mariko-senpai!“ because all the Ichinensei do it. XD

Dinner was どんぶり at a restaurant. It was good. I had Katsudon (Tonkatsu Donburi). Donburi is basically a bowl of rice with food placed on top of it.

I packed everything today…! Except…the Yukata, Obi, Rilakkuma Towel Set, and Rilakkuma Mug because there isn`t enough room. I got an extra bag from my host family to put all my souvenirs in because I bought too much. x_x;

I`m pretty much done packing. I`ll double-check tomorrow morning before leaving for Fujinohana againn.

Tomorrow`s weather will pretty much be horrible, so we`re not sure if we can go to the ocean.

Darn.

The 5 weeks passed by so quickly…now I have to start packing…

Mosquito/Gnat Bite Count: A wonderful 50

Today, we went to Kyoto and visited the Kinkakuji, another temple, and shopped for Omiyage. I finally met the last member of my host family! I met my older brother, Tarou, and he`s soo funny. It`s a shame he`s coming back home in August because I`ll already be gone.

I spent…very little at Kyoto. That`s bad. I still have 18,000 Yen left to spend tomorrow (My last day to go on a shopping spree at Seibunkan)!

The Shinkansen express leaves at 10:43 AM next Tuesday. We have to leave the house at 9:30 AM.

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Time passes by too quickly.