Life has so much to offer. One new thing that I tried in Japan was the religion of Buddhism. I also loved the different types of food (a lot of sea food). For the first 3 months I found that the language barrier was very difficult because I only knew a few words when I arrived in Japan. When I left I could write over 300 Kanji (intricate Japanese characters) and I could make daily conversation and express myself. Everyday was a new and exciting experience in a country of 125 million people; there was so much to do.
I was an older exchange student, and there were times that I wished I lived alone, but my host families accepted me as a part of their family. I never thought in the beginning of the year that I would say that this was the most amazing year of my life, but it truly was. I learned so much about myself, another culture, and that someday I must return to the place that opened up a part of me I never knew was there, the truth of who I am and what my potential is. During hard times I thought to myself: at the end of the year I will feel so accomplished, I will learn more and I will not regret one minute of my year away from home. We learn so much by stepping out of the atmosphere that we have grown up in, and taking risks. Being an exchange student helped me step out of my comfortable environment, and to learn a new way of life, culture, and language. I'll go back to Japan someday, I will, and when I go back it will feel like home.