AFS Year and Semester High School Abroad in Japan

Japan was hard. There were much more awful days than there were good days, and even the good days were very bittersweet. I don't regret going though, I'm very glad I went; I grew so much, and learned so much about myself and others and how to carry on even when you feel like you can't possibly do it. It will be hard, but you can do it, I promise.

Below is an excerpt from my journal, what I think was my most special and happy day, when everything was worth it. I was living with my 4th and final host family, and we were staying in the countryside of Hiroshima over the holidays with my grandparents.

It was the day after New Year’s; my host dad and I had circled the mountain and were coming back through the snowy fields on the high road. The whole morning we’d been joking about Hiroshima’s elusive wild boars, how they were hiding in the forest, waiting to come out and get us. We hadn’t seen any - yet. But there now, in the middle of the road was the darkest, scariest, grove of bamboo I had ever seen. “Should we go around?” Tousan suggested. I pulled a branch up from the ditch and brandished it, “No way! We’re not afraid of any pigs!” But actually, it was very scary. Halfway through the grove, me clutching my branch, and Tousan very silent, there was suddenly a huge crash in the bamboo beside us and we jumped about a foot in the air yelling, standing close together, waiting for an attack. And then Tousan started laughing. “It’s just the snow! The snow fell from the bamboo!” I looked at him with the most surprised expression - then we both started cracking up, we couldn’t stop; the sun was bright and glittering, and we smiled until our faces hurt.

Later, by the river, Tousan showed me the tiny hard flower buds on the sakura trees. “Will I get to see them?” I asked, and Tousan said no, I’d be home by then.
It was first time I realized.
This was my home now.

Hello! My most memorable story from when I was in Japan was whenever we went to my host mother's mother's house for a family reunion they were having. At first, it was a little awkward because I didn't know what to say to everyone after the greetings were done. And I think these were one of the experiences that in a way made me feel closer to my host parents. They knew it was a little awkward for me meeting all these people at once, and I felt that they really did begin to treat me as a part of their family from that moment on because they sheltered me and protected me as if I was a daughter of theirs and tried to make me feel a little at home just by being around them. My host father bragged about me to his father in law about me being bilingual already and how I was trying very hard to learn Japanese and was doing well in his opinion. And my host mother introduced me to her nephew who was closest to my age ( I was 17 and he was 19) and we went out to the garden her mom kept and all three of us looked at the different vegetables and flowers she grew and my host mother's nephew (keita) and I caught a few grasshoppers for fun. They both had their own way of making me feel comfortable and relaxed and I enjoyed the time we spent there. Once we got back home, their daughters Midori (14) and Akane(16) invited me to go to their rooms and we looked at the posters of anime they had and of Jpop stars they liked. On that day, I felt that the family began to open up to me. And I think a reason that also contributed to this was the fact that I always tried to spend time with them and talk with everyone. Even though I was no where near fluent, I didn't let that stop me from trying to make a connection with them. From them seeing this, it made it quicker for them to be able to open up to me and treat me as one of their own instead of just a guest everyone had to walk on eggshells around. That's what I believe is the key to getting a full experience, giving it your all no matter how frustrating the language learning process can get and actually caring about your host family because they aren't opening up a hotel for you, they're opening up their home to you.

I was in Japan for a full year, and it was the hardest and most fulfilling experience, even now, that I have ever done. I had studied Japanese for a year and a half before leaving, and had extensive classes on culture and more cultural aspects of the language. Even so, when I arrived I still had considerable trouble with the language and culture. Fortunately, my first meeting with my family was with my host sister, who spoke a fair amount of English. That lasted for one day, before we went to Tokyo and she left me with my host parents, who spoke no English. We met in Tokyo, but lived on the west coast in a small fishing village. No one there spoke English, but my host family was amazing and we'd always have a dictionary on the table, so as we struggled to speak one of us would use the dictionary to look up a word, and doing that everyday helped me learn really quickly. School was definitely the hardest part of my year abroad. I had been placed in an honours courses at my high school, so all the other students were very focused on studies and I didn't make any friends in my course. I was also expected to participate in all school work, and I was graded on my math, chemistry and biology classes, and also helped teach the English classes. My host school was very supporting and wonderful, but the classes and work was overwhelming at times, and it was also expected of me to participate in clubs. This program is not for people who don't like challenges. I was very fortunate in my placement, both with school and family, and even so life was very difficult. I loved being there, travelling, meeting new people and getting to learn the language and culture, but it left very little time to relax. I would recommend this program to everyone who is looking for a true challenge and a wonderful experience that will make you truly grow.

I personally had a great experience. My host family was fantastic. I also got to hang out with other foreign exchange students in my local chapter in Japan and explore the large cities.

One of my favorite places in Nagoya is a small part of the city called Osu, a shopping district. There was a small desert restaurant with little paper slips all over the walls and ceiling. They gave us these slips, encouraged us to draw and them and leave them there as well. I had never seen that before.

AFS is great if you have good volunteers in your area. I highly recommend it.

Personally, I had a lot of issues before starting the program. I had undiagnosed mild depression and social anxiety. Nevertheless I would do it over if I had the chance. I cried a LOT honestly, and I had fights with my host family who said I was ungrateful(they wouldn't really explain how...so I couldn't fix it...). Also they were the head of that area's AFS committee. I could not ask for help with the problem because the members only spoke Japanese and my contact for these matters was my host mom's best friend. At least at school there was another exchange student who was with the Rotary Club and her guide/teacher took me under her wing.
School itself was more of a self studying period, where I sat in classes but did my own thing. I admit I was lazy and studied only a little. I got along with my classmates, though I was a bit quiet. I made some friends and I went out with them on weekends to eat and visit other cities like Osaka,Kyoto, and Nara. The train system is amazing!
During the summer it was so humid I thought I was melting but during the winter it snowed(WE HAD TO WEAR OUR SKIRT UNIFORMS). I am not used to the cold at all! LA weather forever!
And don't get me started on riding a bicycle through the wind and rain with that skirt that flew in my face all the time. I fell a lot haha.
And being shoved into a train full of people(I got someone's head hair in my mouth one time)(I was also next to a really cute guy once though heh).
I have a lot of fond memories, now that I've distanced myself from the experience. During this time I was constantly anxious, but I kept on keepin' on somehow.
I really grew as a person. I'm more empathetic and open to trying new things and taking chances. Also I know so much more about Japan and the language, which will be good once I become an English teacher there. My host mom was an English teacher in fact, so she allowed me to practice(or used me lol) with her students. She even offered me an online teaching job once I returned home but...
Unfortunately when I returned to the U.S. and went back into the normal school routine I realized how bad my depression had become. It was only once I became suicidal that I sought help, and now, about a year later, I am finally getting better through medication(which I wish I had years ago!)
So I think it's challenging if you have a mental illness but it's possible! Another girl in the program had bipolar and social anxiety. We aren't alone at all.

I rambled more than I thought I would.
It's cliche but it was the best and worst of my life so far. Honestly the program is alright but your experience will probably be completely different based on where you are placed(which is random). Also the effort you put into learning the language and participating will define your success.

I only spent half a year in Japan, which was enough for me, but not enough to become completely fluent(for most people at least). And I didn't get to experience spring and golden week :( such a bummer.

Overall if you know you can do it, go for it! But try to get a scholarship(it's expensive enough buying food, clothes, and the occasional souvenir) or try the Rotary Club(they're free).

As I stepped off the plane, my world would shift upside down. What was there to expect from a region on the opposite side of the world? Growing up beside the Mexican border, my culture was the antithesis of Asian customs. I felt the hot heavy air hold down my body as I started my Japanese life in Tokyo.

Although breaking the language barrier was difficult, assimilating to the culture was quite feasible. The Mexican-American way of life, I thought, was correct in all senses. This naïveté, however, allowed me to assimilate at a faster pace as the feeling of incomplete knowledge compelled me to absorb every little detail included in Japanese culture. I had to know everything!

The Japanese pride themselves on respect. I admire their quaint humble personality, so a result, I tried to improve my ways. For example, I felt that I had not been doing enough to help my community because I was so busy with my studies, so I decided to help out people who had been victim to the Tsunami in 2011. One characteristic that I found fascinating about the Japanese people was their willingness to put someone else before themselves.

Compared to Japan, my hometown is dangerous. Since the rise of drug trafficking has risen, the rise of danger has directly correlated along with it, leaving the citizens of my community in constant fear. Japan, with its low crime rate, is a safe haven. The people make any individual feel like family, mutual respect is attainable, and virtually no danger exists! I felt I had been living a lie, but I was experiencing something new.

Besides Japanese customs, I was fortunate enough to assimilate to a plethora of cultures from other exchange students. Most differed from Mexican culture in the way that they treat their respective people with less respect than the Japanese. All of the ethnicities from over thirty countries and I unanimously agreed that we should mold our ways similar to those of the Japanese by treating everyone and ourselves fairly, respectfully, and with dignity. Our respective schools called for demanding grades, so we all studied very hard for numerous exams, which ultimately increased our study habits tenfold. With competition, we made each other better students and learned to work individually and cooperatively efficiently.

With time, I began to act exactly like what I had been experiencing. The culture and customs were now embedded in my genetic code. I was motivated to use the proper etiquette which I learned through my yearlong exchange. People’s wants now came before my own, and love and compassion now meant something completely different to me. The end of my stay in Japan was equivalent to a blindfold coming off. Exposing myself to every single culture I crossed, my new eyes saw the world as it was, with light glistening like the dancing rays of the rising sun.

I grew up in a small rural town in Vermont, with a population of under 2,000. The program I was accepted into, AFS Summer Language Intensive, assigned me to study abroad in Tokyo. When I arrived in Tokyo, I felt a certain sort of disbelief that so many people could coexist in the same place. The city was an unceasing bustle around me that excited me.
My host mother had come to pick me up, and it was a little awkward at first. I didn't speak much Japanese, and her English was limited. I had taken two years of Japanese in high school, but that really didn't amount to much when I was confronted with having to speak entirely in another language to get my point across.
The program that I attended was entirely based around improving language skills, and they did a spectacular job. By the end of it, I could speak confidently with my host family, ask directions, and make small talk. I did run into the issue of accidentally using masculine words that set my host family off in fits of laughter, but it was a part of the learning experience.
My host family made the experience of being abroad absolutely wonderful. Before this program, I hadn't known that you could become so close to strangers within such a short time. It was honestly like I gained a second family through this program, one that I will remain in contact with throughout my life.
I would recommend this program to anyone who wishes to better their Japanese and broaden their cultural understanding.

I went to Japan for 11 months through AFS, and it was a wonderful experience, and I truly believe that I am a better person from doing it. It was extremely difficult to adapt to the culture and the language, and I don't believe that it is for everyone. I had no trouble with my host family, but some things that were done in their house shocked me, like the extreme gender stereotyping going on. Also, the school I went to was wonderful, but as an all-girls private school, it was difficult for me to adapt. On the whole, I think my view of the world has changed through my experience and I have friends in Japan that I would like to keep close to me. I think that everyone should have a chance to go to a foreign country and learn about the different cultures because more understanding leads to more peace.