My Confession

Okay, time for a healthy dose of good ol' honesty. I'm running. It's a secret, even from myself sometimes, but it's true. I'm so sick of everything, of my family and of the people I've been around these past four years and of everything. Everything I read said running is a terrible idea and not an acceptable reason to go on an exchange, but here I am, leaving because I can't stand it here anymore. I love everyone still and I know going to Japan is a little extreme, but I'm so happy. I love learning about this place, love imagining myself actually there, really living normally. The language is exciting and refreshing and there's so much knowledge to aquire in such a small amount of time. It's like Heather Haven.

Erm, now what?

So I have my family. And they wrote me and everything is just fine. But what in the world do I write them back? I've already introduced myself and my family. Blah blah blah, 17 years old, do martial arts, have a large family, play the cello, blah blah blah. I'm afraid that anything I'm going to write will be breaking some kind of social norm I'm unaware of. Hah, haven't I been taught better than that? Throw yourself into something with all you've got. Go all the way. Don't timidly write a half letter out of fear of doing something wrong. Do everything I can, follow the rules I know, and let them correct me. No problem. So now what? I think I'll ask them questions and tell a little more about myself. I think they were a little overwhelmed though with my last letter. I asked a lot of questions that Hasegawa-san didn't address, so I wonder how much he didn't understand. Probably his daughters have been taking English for years and understood my letter fine though. I'm so anxious! I just want to go!

Oh yeah, and I'm a chopstick failure. So that's why exchange students loose weight - they don't know how to eat! Here we go, eh?

Guess what guess what?? I have a family! I will be living with Akira Hasegawa, who is my host dad, my host mom, a sixteen year-old host sister, a nineteen year-old host sister, and a host grandmother. Woohoo! They look jolly and cute and I'm excited. The Otterbein orientation is coming up soon, where I'm sure I'll be told the same things I've been told at the last three orientations. I hear this one is supposed to be fun though, so I'll hold out for it. Besides, I will be meeting my country contact and all the outbounds from my district going to Japan. Woopdeedoo. I hope the inbounds will be there too, but I think they might have left for home by then. We'll see.