Routinely Restart | Familiar Faces

Routinely Restart | Familiar Faces

I am not going to do my standard format here, because I don’t think this blog post will really have an introduction, or that it requires a wrap-up, as it is more of a look-back.

Yesterday, Sunday, January 29th marked the halfway point in my journey, experience, or whatever cheesy poetic way you can call this stay here in Japan with AFS. I have a lot of thoughts and a lot of thanks to give and share, many of which would never really make it into a regular blog post, as they are either not substantial enough, relevant enough or really just special little anecdotes that I write down in my little notebook or in one of my many red pens scribbled on the sides of my diary. I have had so much fun and this is really just all of my thoughts and comments on little things that I have to share.

To acting really calm and feeling so as well all the way up to the day before my flight, and then only internally freaking out on the flight and throughout my orientation camp. All until I got out of the bus to Nagano and sleep-deprivation / hiding my jet lag just made me look calmer than I really was.

To getting up way to early and going to bed at an unsustainable time for roughly the first month and the sleep-deprivation leading to myself having to run to the train station in the morning or taking a later train. All until a few days ago when my schedule started to naturally click again and I am managing to get up on time, and commence on my wonderfully tiring daily commute.

To the young lady with the walking stick who passed me roughly on the halfway point between the train station and my school. All until I take the later train and I don’t see her again until roughly a two month ago when somehow our schedules synced up again and I consistently pass her at the same traffic light every morning.

To the elderly lady who sat in the park painting everyday for over a week, during the excruciatingly hot days of September, and during the strong rain as well. Until she must have finished her painting, and I haven’t seen her since.

To my homeroom teacher, who helped me not only during the classes I have with him, but also with other classes as well, going out of his way to make sure I am enjoying my stay at school. Thank you for finding me Japanese lessons outside of school, and driving me there the first time after school

To my AFS LP [Liaison Person], who helped me so much, calling my host family almost every day for the first few weeks to make sure everything is going smoothly. Also, thank you so much for finding me a Japanese teacher that teaches me at school once a week after classes, I have all of the Japanese lessons now.

To my club teacher, Misttaaaa, you know the more we stress your name we are either really happy, or very annoyed. Of course I am the former. Thank you so much for helping me with everything.

To everyone in club, Keisuke, Momoko, Maki, Megumi and everybody else as well. I have had so much fun debating with all of you at all of these tournaments and stuff. Momoko, Keisuke, we made it to the World Congress, can’t get any better than that, winning our last tournament yesterday, making it our last debate together and my last day of club was a good way to end the first half of the year.

To walking home in the dark, using a flashlight sometimes. Club ending late was still fun… fun-ish.

To all of my AFS friends from everywhere, Finland, Costa Rica, the USA, you are all flying back in less than a week, and that scares me. I’ll miss all of you. Liina, we’ll book-off some time and Valeria, ittekimashita.

To my host family, whom I don’t talk about on this blog nearly enough because all of the moments we share are so personal and so wonderful, and you are all the nicest people in the world. You seem to remember everything I ever say and try so hard to make my stay enjoyable, which is so kind of you. Thank you for the cake and flowers for my halfway point, you are the most amazing people ever.

To my family at home, we need to skype more often, I’ve been super busy and time zones are not our friend. I miss you.

To all of you who are reading this blog although I am so very bad at writing these regularly, it is not because I don’t have anything to write about,  but because I have to many things to write about and am doing so many things that I don’t have time to write about these things.

To another great half. It’s been fun, and I hope it will be too.

Send a postcard,
Yona.

 

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