First Entry (WOHOO!!)

HELLO WORLD. My name is Molly Watanabe. I’m currently 16 years old, a junior in high school, and looking forward. A little more about myself, I spin in my school’s color guard, focus on my studies (blech), and of course, love to spend time with my friends. Tons of things interest me ranging from music to outer space; however today, I’m focused on my dream of studying abroad. This fall, I plan to go study abroad for one semester in Japan.
I think going abroad opens so many more doors to anyone who is willing to turn that first knob. I was first interested in going abroad because I thought it would help me learn a new language. I would love to be bilingual (it would give another meaning to thinking twice!) and I’ve read into how much AFSer’s language skills improve after time in another country. However once I really started to consider going abroad, I realized there is so much more that simply a country’s native language. There’s the culture that would consume your everyday life. I realized that I would experience something so different than what I am used to here in America. So now, I’m excited about simple things like schooling in Japan – how it will be different than America, or what kinds of amazing food I’ll eat. I’m very interested in Japan’s pop culture as, and would love to learn more about what makes the country so unique, and so spectacular. I feel going abroad through AFS would give me opportunities and accomplishments that I would never experience if I didn’t go abroad – and who doesn’t love a challenge?
Going hand in hand with my interest in Japan’s culture, I hope to gain a better understanding of the country’s culture. I hope I can explain to my friends when I return why my experience was so special, using examples from some of Japan’s cultural aspects. I also hope that I can use my experience abroad to improve myself in the future, whether it’s through a language, a new food recipe, or a fashion statement - anything can make all the difference. Additionally, with accepting another country’s beliefs and lifestyles, I hope that I can contribute to the AFS message of spreading peace by being more open to other’s opinions, even if they are different or contradict my own. After being in a different country for six month, I hope that my stay will help me break down cultural barriers so that I can feel connected to both my life in America and my life in Japan.
I think that I hope to contribute the most to getting more people interested in his program. If I could give anything to this cause, it would be helping people go abroad. I have heard so many wonderful stories about AFSers who have gone abroad, and I hope to add not only my own story, but to get my own friends interested in this wonderful opportunity. I think that if through AFS, I could persuade one person to go abroad, I have made a substantial difference.
I feel that both my friends and family are very confident and supportive of my decision to go abroad. In the beginning, I feared my parent’s reaction, thinking that they may have thought it was too big a step, or that I wasn’t ready, however I think they understand this is something I have very interested in pursuing, and therefore, have helped me in following my dream. My friends have been so great as well, and I’m going to miss them so much! I think many of my friends know that this is very important to me (and say it suits me well) and wish me the best of luck! The only problems I have had are with school and schedules. Since I’ll be gone part of my senior year, my guidance counselors are a little concerned that I get in all my credits, which I understand completely! However I feel that they think going abroad could cause trouble with graduating credits and have been a little discouraging at times. Nevertheless, I understand going abroad is not all fun and games, and will try my best in school to better prepare myself when I get back to America.
Although I could go on and on about what I hope to accomplish and what I am excited about, I still feel words cannot fully describe what I feel towards my exchange program. I think if someone is interested in going abroad, well they can finish reading this, but then STOP reading this and GO make it happen! I’d like to thank my Scholarship Sponsor for all of their support. THANK YOUUUU. I really appreciate everything they have done for me
Until next time!!!!!　じゃね：）
Molly Watanabe