Scarlett’s Japan Trip
I have been part of the Arlington-Setagaya Language Exchange for about two years. I have really enjoyed getting to know the students and leaders of the group. It's been interesting to share things about our lives in the United States, learn about life in Japan, and talk about the differences and similarities between our cultures. It's something I look forward to every month.
In March, I had the chance to visit Japan and finally meet Mika-san, who I met during the meetings. She invited us to her home for a beautiful tea ceremony and made us feel so welcome. We learned how to prepare matcha and about some of the manners and traditions of a Japanese tea ceremony. We also spent time talking and playing games with several of her students. I thought it was really special to be invited into a Japanese home and experience everyday life in a way that I never could as a tourist. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
In August, I unexpectedly had the opportunity to return to Japan and stay for three weeks. I was so excited to go back and really hoped I would get to see Mika-san again because I had so much fun with her in March. I was thrilled when she invited me back to her home and had several of her students join us, including Marii.
I met Marii once during one of the Arlington-Setagaya Language Exchange online meetings, and we immediately hit it off. I was thrilled that I met someone who shared so many of my own interests, especially because I didn’t know anyone else that liked them. Mika-san knew that we had really gotten along, so I was extremely excited that she invited Marii and gave us the chance to finally meet in person. We had so much fun talking and spending time together that we made plans to see each other again before I left Japan.
A few days later, we met at a cafe for tea and cake and talked about all of the things we both like, including our favorite Vocaloid artists, anime and manga, school, and drawing! She’s an amazing artist, and she showed me a lot of her drawings that she and her friends drew for each other. After that, we went to karaoke and then to a cat cafe. We had so much fun together. It was one of my favorite days of the entire trip. Even though we live on complete opposite sides of the world, it felt like I was spending the day with a friend I had known for a really long time.
During our three weeks in Japan, my mom and I walked about 10 miles almost every day because we wanted to explore as much as possible. We visited different parts of Tokyo, spent way too much time in bookstores, tried lots of different foods, and saw as much as we could. Since I love manga, anime, and drawing, my mom made sure to plan a visit to the Ghibli Museum and even booked a manga drawing class for me with a Japanese manga artist. During the class, I got to learn some of the techniques used to create manga and work on my own drawing. I even got to have the once in a lifetime experience (At least for most Americans) of using a G-pen, which is a special ink pen that traditional manga artists use to draw. It felt amazing to draw with one, and I’m so glad I was able to try it.
One of my favorite experiences happened when we weren't even looking for it. We stumbled across a Bon-Odori festival in Suginami City and decided to stop and watch. The streets were filled with dancers and musicians, and there were people everywhere. I loved the traditional clothing, the music, and all of the energy. I watched the dancing for a little while, but everyone looked like they were having so much fun that I decided to join in. I had no idea what I was doing, but I tried my best to follow everyone else and learn the dance. It ended up being one of those experiences I know I'll always remember.
Japan is my favorite place to visit. No matter how much I learn about the country or how many places I visit, I always find something new. I love learning Japanese, trying different foods, exploring new places, and learning more about the culture. I hope to attend college in Japan one day, and every trip makes me remember why I’m working so hard in my studies. I look forward to the day when I can call Japan home.
I'm very thankful for the Arlington-Setagaya Language Exchange because it has helped me learn more about a country that I love. But even more than that, I'm grateful for the people it has allowed me to meet. I know Mika-san and Fumi-san put a lot of time and effort into making the group possible and giving us opportunities to get to know each other. Before joining the group, I never would have imagined that people I first met on a computer during our monthly meetings would become friends I could actually visit and spend time with in Japan.
The friendships and connections I've made through the Arlington-Setagaya Language Exchange are really special to me. I'm excited to keep improving my Japanese and getting to know everyone even better. Most of all, I hope I can see everyone again the next time I visit Japan.