I remember packing my carry-on suitcase and stepping out on faith to attend Belmont University in Nashville. Four years later, I have graduated with my degree in Communication Studies and Global Leadership Studies. What once felt like an impossible journey has come full circle, and now I find myself preparing to embark on a new one at the end of this summer. This season has been slower than most—I worked, laughed, cried, and created countless memories without the looming weight of “what’s next.” For the first time in a while, I gave myself permission to be present, knowing these memories would one day carry me through harder seasons.

Preparing to move to the Dominican Republic has been filled with conversations with family and friends. Some were confused—unsure of where I’d stay, what I’d be doing, or even why I’d want to live there for six months. But others were excited, their pride shining through as they reminded me that this was the future I had spoken about since the very beginning. Through it all, I’ve learned that not everyone will see the vision God places in your heart, but that doesn’t make it the wrong one. My life has been a constant lesson in trusting God, even in the midst of uncertainty. Whenever fear—often the projections of others—threatened to creep in, I chose to stand firm in His promises for my life.

My final weeks in Nashville were beautifully bittersweet. I cherished time with a community I had prayed for—days filled with joy, laughter, coffee runs, zoo trips, piña coladas, long walks, and yes, even some tears. Saying “see you later” to the city that shaped me into the woman I’m becoming was harder than I expected. But I know goodbyes are necessary when purpose calls you to the nations. As I wrestle with expectations of living in a new country, I remind myself that while my island upbringing prepared me in many ways, this experience will be unique. I am nervous about speaking Spanish and navigating an entirely new life, but I also believe every challenge—the good and the hard—will shape me in profound ways.

What excites me most is the chance to do something no one in my family has ever done. My parents, siblings, grandparents, and cousins have not walked this path, and yet I get to pave the way. I hope that other young Bahamians, and young people in general, will see what it looks like to step out in faith and live a dream that doesn’t always make sense to others. I am eager to take you all on this journey as I go global, trusting that God is writing something greater than I could ever imagine.

To close, I want to share a scripture that has been placed on my heart as I begin this new chapter— an anchor to remind me that though I may not know exactly what awaits, I do know who goes

before me.
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19

Yasou!!!! That’s the more casual way to say hello in Greek. This week has been exciting and challenging in all of the best ways. I’ve been meeting people, stepping out of my comfort zone, settling in with my NGO, and adjusting to living alone (coming from a large family... this is definitely the hardest part).

Last Saturday, I landed in Lesvos running on 6 hours of sleep over the course of 48 hours. Turns out, getting a taxi, finding a house, and buying groceries with a language barrier is a lot harder when your eyes are half closed (shocker). After taking Sunday to sleep, I spent the week meeting with the team at my non-profit, hashing out details of the PR campaign I will be doing, cleaning the old house I am staying in, and exploring the island.

On the tarmac wearing sunglasses because there is no life behind those eyes.

After spending the first few days wandering the city by myself and going for some lovely sunset swims, I challenged myself to get out of my comfort zone and go to an event alone. I am glad did because I ended up meeting an incredible group of volunteers. This past weekend, we explored Mytilini and the rest of the island together. One thing that I didn’t realize about Greece until I came here is that it is incredibly mountainous. Some of the crazy cliffs I’ve seen while I’ve been here are pictured below. I also got to swim in a hot spring for the first time (well... sit) but sadly didn’t get any photos.

Beyond these fun little adventures, however, I have been focused on creating community and routine here. As I learned during my exchange program in Australia, having a routine and people you can call when you’re in a pinch is the key to feeling at home in a new country. Going into this experience, I expected the volunteer house I’d be staying in to be the natural community I’d create here. However, after discovering that I’d be living alone, I’ve had to go out of my way to create those connections.

Thankfully, the team at my non-profit has been incredibly welcoming, and I am quickly settling into life there. These two weeks have been crazy, but I find that every time I step out of my comfort zone, whether it be going to eat alone, swim alone, or go to an event alone, I am always rewarded by the experiences I find and people I meet.

The Statue of Liberty (not to be confused with New York) where I have been going to swim in the evenings to create routine here.

That being said, this trip hasn’t come without its fair share of challenges. The night I arrived in Greece I spent many hours crying on the phone to my parents saying I wanted to go home (My dad made me screen record our conversation to watch back when I leave). Maybe it was just a combination of sleep deprivation and jet lag, but I did want to talk a little bit about how hard the adjustment was coming here because I feel it is less often shared in travel content. Culture shock is real. Homesickness is real. Moving to another country and not knowing anyone is hard. You feel as though your body and nervous system are constantly “on” and no matter how hard you try, you can’t find the off button.

Despite all of this, I am falling in love with this place. I love walking everywhere. I love how friendly the people are. I love stumbling through my broken Greek (and the sense of pride when a Greek person says “bravo” if I get it right). I love the work I am doing. Even when I am homesick, I still wake up every day with gratitude for this experience and this place.

The water is so blue here.

The hills you see in the distance in this photo... that’s Turkey.

It is so crazy to me that I literally live right next to a castle on the hill. Ed Sheeran who?

And, as a final note, here’s the playlist...

Lady Lady by Olivia Dean

Watch Me Go by Lord Huron

Ooh La La by Faces

Hola from Mendoza!

My very first week here is done and I truly can’t believe how much my life has changed.  Since the minute I arrived, I have had a busy schedule that was planned for me filled with seeing old friends, experiencing new places, starting a new job, and eating lots of yummy foods! 

Old friends, new friends, & fun places 

My first night here, some friends I met during my Maymester here, along with some of their friends, took me to a trampoline park (probably the most American thing they could think of to help me adjust – ha!). I was exhausted, but it was a fun way to spend time here with friends, and I even got to meet some of their friends who are studying abroad here this semester from the US! The next night, I got together with all of the students from here who were in our study abroad program here last May for a traditional Argentine asado! It was so fun to experience these traditions again and reconnect with people who I grew so close with last year. Throughout my entire first week here I was thankful that the people around me kept me busy with picnics in the park, trying lots of ice cream, art shows, movies, and meeting lots of new people! 

First week of work! 

Walking into my first day of work was intimidating – knowing I would soon be in a room full of important people I didn’t know, speaking a different language, not knowing what to expect – but I was pleasantly surprised! I was greeted at my first meeting of the morning with two leaders from my study abroad program who immediately brought a sense of familiarity and comfortability that was much needed! We spent that time getting to know the people I would be working with, making a schedule for my first few weeks of adjusting, and learning about all of the exciting work they do here. I have the privilege of being able to spend my first few weeks here with different departments within the municipality to learn where I am most interested in working during the majority of my time here. This week I was with the Club de Emprendadores, where I got to learn about the entrepreneurs within their incubator programs, as well as visit some free classes and workshops that they have for community members. 

I also had the opportunity to go to an event hosted by the Secretaria de Desarrollo Económico that celebrated women in innovation here in Mendoza! I got to meet a lot of cool people and learn more about the work being done in this community, which was fun and inspiring! 

While all of these things made this week fun and exciting, I would be lying if I didn’t say that it was also a really hard week. Being 5,000 miles away from home is hard. Not being able to hug the people you love is hard. Having to communicate with your family over Facetime is hard. Being unable to do things you love or eat your favorite foods is hard. Speaking only in a foreign language is hard. There were so many moments this week that made me second guess what I was doing, that made me want to turn back around and get on a plane to go back home, that made me question whether or not I could really do this. 

But, in each of these moments, there was one thing that encouraged me to keep going: someone believes in me. My professors believe in me. My friends believe in me. My parents believe in me. A committee of board members believes in me. The mayor of Mendoza (still crazy!) believes in me. So, even when I don’t believe in myself, even when I don’t feel capable of doing what I am doing, I take their confidence to remind myself that I can do this. There are a whole bunch of people that are the reason I am here that have confidence that I am capable of big things. 

There is power in believing in people, and I am so thankful for the ones that believe in me. 

With love, Sarah

Greetings from Nairobi! I have been in Nairobi for a bit over a week now and am settling in wonderfully!

My final week at home was filled with running errands and spending time with family and friends as I prepared to leave. I had to ensure that I had everything I needed to be traveling and living in my new home for six months – from getting last minute toiletries to buying a few snacks that would come in handy as I become familiar with eating new foods. When it came to packing, I attempted to create something of a capsule wardrobe, ensuring that most pieces would work together to avoid over packing. I also brought along enough essentials and more “luxury” items (i.e. my handheld espresso maker) that would help me bridge the gap as I acclimate to my life here without packing so much that I lack some immersion into the day-to-day life of Nairobi. After packing my bags and saying my goodbyes, it was off to the airport!

My travel day(s) to get here was thankfully quite smooth. I traveled through Boston and Paris and arrived here in the night on Monday August 11. After briefly meeting my roommate for the time being, unpacking, and heading to bed, I jumped into my first day of work on Tuesday.

Tuesday was filled with meeting everyone at UCESCO-Africa and visiting the project sites in Kibera. UCESCO focuses on uplifting and empowering women and children living in Kibera slum through education and healthcare and is currently operating 3 schools, an orphanage, a center for young girls, and a healthcare clinic. In the morning, I was able to visit most of these locations, introduce myself, and learn about the unique mission they each have. The rest of my day was spent observing and participating in a dance lesson at the primary school (Peggy Lucas School). The kids here can dance!

As for the rest of the week, I worked primarily at the orphanage – Paradise Community Center. This is a center for children who, for one reason or another, have found themselves without guardianship and in need of basic necessities. There are currently 25 children at the center, each of whom are funny, smart, talented, and bright. Throughout the week, I, with two other volunteers from Italy, lead the children in cooking lessons and games. We made pasta, pizza, and cookies, played many hands of Uno, watched many football (soccer) highlight videos, and engaged in meaningful conversations. Did I mention that they are all very invested in teaching everyone Swahili? Many hours were spent with them shouting Swahili words at me while I tried my hardest to commit them all to memory.

After the long work days, I was able to enjoy a bit of “play” each day doing activities in the city with the other volunteers. One day, we went on a gastro tour, a tour of street and local food in the downtown district. Our guide, Joel, was just as amazing as all the food and we had a great time sharing small plates and getting a real taste of the local cuisine. My favorites included samosas (small pockets of dough stuffed with meat or vegetables) and mandazi (sweet deep-fried bread, a common Kenyan breakfast or snack food). I also spent one day going through souvenir shops and another walking around the mall and playing pool.

Finally, this weekend I was able to visit the Nairobi National Park, go on a sunrise game drive there, and visit the Nairobi giraffe center and elephant orphanage. While in the park, we saw rhinos, buffalo, hippos, giraffes, zebras, gazelle, and baboons. One baboon even jumped into our car (while no one was inside, thankfully) and stole someone’s lunch! The elephant orphanage is a rehabilitation program that saves baby elephants that are found stranded without a mother and cares for them until they are 3-4 years old before returning them to the wild. Each day, they allow visitors to watch their 11 am feed and to observe the elephants for one hour. The youngest elephant was just 5 months old and was so small! We ended the day by visiting the giraffe center where you can feed giraffes.

All in all, I had a pretty great first week here in Nairobi. While the work may be mentally and physically taxing at times, I am excited to continue, to learn more and become more immersed in this place with each day. I have felt so welcome here already and can’t wait to see what is to come!

Sunrise from the air!

A plate from our food tour. I really enjoyed the large sweet bun in the center.

Cats sleeping by the stove at the orphanage.

Hippos in the water! (Nairobi National Park)

A mama rhino and her baby (Nairobi National Park)

An ostrich strutting at another on in the distance. (Nairobi National Park)

A 5 mo old elephant at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Feeding the giraffes

Velvet monkeys watching over the restaurant.

Hello! Or should I say yasas, which is how you say hello in Greek. I have two full days left in the States before I depart for Greece and I could not be more excited. Currently my closet and room are in disarray as I pack my life into one checked bag and head to the island of Lesvos for four months. However, to procrastinate finishing this endeavor, I am going to share with you guys a little bit about what I’ve been up to since graduation and my thoughts on the trip.

June: Italy 

View on Lake Como

With the bridal party in Bellagio (P.S. I sewed that dress hehe)

Giving Maddy snacks while she gets ready for her wedding

This summer I got to do a bit of traveling and spend some quality time with friends I won’t see for a few months. I went to Bellagio, Italy to see one of my closest friends, Maddy, get married. It was  incredible to not only share in this special life moment for her and her husband but also to experience Italy for the first time (all I can say is that it is definitely popular for a reason). Between wedding festivities we laughed over dinner, chatted on patios until midnight, and swam in the ice cold water of Lake Como.

July: Visa struggles 

Taken immediately after my visa application was finally accepted. I was more excited than I look in this photo, I promise. 

This was the least fun part of my summer. As amazing as Italy was, I returned home on Saturday, June 14th with the head cold from hell. And on Monday the 16th I had my visa appointment. I decided to power through it and, along with my parents, made the 2 hour trip to Atlanta, documents in one hand and tissues in the other. However, due to some issues with my documents, my application was rejected.

What followed was a mess of struggling to get a new appointment (appointment slots can get booked out months in advance), a delayed trip, and tedious hours spent working on my new application. As miserable as the experience was it did give me a better understanding of just how difficult the experience is for refugees. The Greek migration system is confusing, bureaucratic, and slow, and that is coming from a privileged white Westerner with immense support from a credible Greek NGO. I can’t imagine how difficult it is for the refugees waiting on Lesvos for months to hear back from the Greek government. Although I will never be able to empathize with them, I now understand a crumb of their experience, and have so much admiration for their ability to keep going along with more drive than ever to help where I can.

August: To Greece we go!

A clock in my parents house, telling what time it is where I am (my brother in Tashkent has one too)

Sisters and I matched for fourth of July

Against all odds I finally secured a visa (huzzah!!) and am ready to  leave. This Friday is a big day for my family. My older sister moves to Nashville, my brother moves back to Uzbekistan, where he works as an English teacher, and my little sister moves back to her university to work as an RA. Although my trip getting delayed was unfortunate, I am grateful to have spent one last summer living under the same roof as most of my siblings before we depart on our separate adventures.

And now it’s time to leave. I expected to feel more nervous for this trip, but in all honesty, I am experiencing a weird sense of calm (that is subject to change). Right now I feel that I am going where I am supposed to be at this point in my life. So thank you guys for reading this first post, and keep reading to follow along on my journey 🙂

P.S. My big sister told me I should include a mini-playlist with each blog post... so here are my current favorites if you want to listen along with me.

Songs: 

Heavy Foot by Mon Rovia

Rein Me In by Sam Fender ft Olivia Dean 

Universal Sound by Tyler Childers

Leaving on a Jet Plane by Peter, Paul, and Mary 

It’s officially my last week here in the U.S. before I move away to Argentina for the next 10 months! This summer has been filled with so many emotions: happy, sad, scared, excited, and doing everything I can to squeeze in some final moments of nostalgia and comfortability before my life completely changes! Here’s the recap:

Graduation & Moving out of Nashville!

The last 4 years of living in Nashville and being a Belmont student have flown by and graduation came quicker than I ever thought it could. Graduation week was so bittersweet: it felt like I was finally slowing down to realize all of the sweet things that I was surrounded by & it made me realize I wasn’t ready to leave it all behind me yet, but at the same time I was excited for what was yet to come and grateful that there were so many good things to be missed. This entire week was full of one “goodbye” party after another: my incredible Aloe Family work family (more on that later), the best group of kids I spent the last 4 years pouring into and growing with, my CREW, social entrepreneurship girls, my sweet roommate, and so many amazing friends that have become more like family these past few years. 

My time at Belmont held some of my favorite moments, and graduation day was the perfect bookend to that special chapter. My entire family flew down & we spent the weekend celebrating and enjoying time together. I ended my time in Nashville surrounded by my favorite people laughing & crying on the floor of my apartment while packing up the last 4 years of my life into my car to drive back to Minnesota <3

Saying “see you later” to San Luis, Mexico 

Probably the hardest “goodbye” I had all summer was to my favorite little corner of the world in Mexico. I spent my college career working for a nonprofit that serves communities locally in Nashville and internationally in Mexico, and a small part of almost every month has been spent in this little desert town of San Luis serving, smiling, laughing, crying, loving, growing, exploring, failing, learning, and trying with everything I have to make an impact in this world. I spent my last little bit of time here (at least for the next 10 months – not forever) reminiscing on memories, playing soccer, eating good food, laughing with friends that are really more like family, building community centers and painting churches, teaching English, and laughing through the tears. 

Wedding Weekend!!

One of my final weekends here was spent in Highlands, North Carolina as the maid of honor in my sister’s wedding! It was such a special time of celebrating her & her new husband, and cherishing the last few moments of quality time with my family before I move.  

& So many in-between moments

I’ve been getting a lot of “Are you ready?”, “Are you nervous?”, “Are you excited?” lately. And, honestly, the answer is yes; I’m ready to do something new, I’m nervous about what I don’t know yet, but I’m excited to see where this next year takes me. The truth is, I have no idea what my life is going to look like a week from now, but I am so extremely grateful and overjoyed to be on this journey. 

See you soon, Mendoza!

With love, Sarah

This is my final blog post for my time here. It is so sad to be leaving. I will miss Japan so much!

At the nursery school, I had one more day with the babies and one more day with the five-year-olds. Before my last day, the vice principal requested that I prepare a song that the kids know from music therapy to perform while they eat shaved ice. I prepared the theme song from My Neighbor Totoro since all the kids know that song, and I used it in multiple sessions. On my last day, after tuning my guitar, I was about to walk to the gym, but the vice principal told me to wait. After she got a phone call, she walked me to the gym. Once inside, she had me set down my guitar and music and sit in a single chair on the stage with the curtains closed. I could hear the principal talking on the microphone from the other side of the curtain. I couldn’t understand much, but I did hear my name multiple times. Then the curtain opened, and I saw every class sitting on the floor, and they were all shouting at me, “I love you,” and doing the ASL sign for love. The three-to-five-year-old classes then all stood up and sang a song for me, then some of the five-year-oldscame up to give me presents; they were sweet and cute gifts. There was a box of coloring pages they made for me, a book full of portraits they drew of me, and a large board with a collage of drawings and pictures of my time with the nursery school. I am so honored and will treasure those gifts for my lifetime! Then they asked me to sing the song I had prepared, so I sang it on stage, and all the kids sang along. The gym was decorated with a huge mural that said “Janerusan, thank you” (in Japanese, of course) and a giant cutout of my face. That made me giggle! Later, at snack time, I ate two bowls of shaved ice with the children. Once everybody finished, I sat by the door and gave everybody high fives and hugs.

At the end of the day, when I FINALLY left (I stalled because I was so sad to go), the principal announced my departure and started playing “APT” over the PA system. After walking out the door, I turned around and every student and teacher was standing outside of their classrooms waving goodbye and shouting “I love you!” The sight of that broke me down into tears. Seeing so tangibly the impact I made and the relationships I built with every teacher and student touched me in such a powerful way. I walked away extremely slowly while waving goodbye, crying, and shouting back at the children, “I love you!” I stopped for one last crepe on my way back to my host family’s house. It was delicious.

I did one more music therapy session with the three-year-olds. I made it very fun with many games. They excelled at their listening skills, following directions, teamwork, and creativity. Their progress has been incredible! After the session ended, I gave all the kids goodbye hugs and high fives.

Before leaving, I took photos of all the kids’ artwork from Japan so that I can keep it forever. I intend to put it all in a book one day. Kyoko permed my hair shortly before my departure. She did incredibly, and it looks amazing! It was nice to have time with her where we could talk for an extended period before I left. My final little side adventure was rafting on Mount Fuji! It was epic! I met a very nice group of girls who ended up being in my raft! They and our tour guide all spoke a bit of English, so we were all able to get to know each other during the trip! I got to go through 8 rapids, slide down the raft, and jump off of little cliffs! I also had to hang out with Hiro one last time. We had fun at the arcade, shopping at Don Quijote, and trying a Mexican restaurant by the station. I was surprised at the quality and authenticity, although I had never seen someone use chopsticks to eat a taco until that day. Saying goodbye to my host family was sad. They left me a nice card in my room and hugged me tight. I am so grateful they were the ones to take care of me these last six months.

Now that I am home, I am much busier. Catching up on six months of friendship and family time, acclimating to a new schedule, having a lengthy and stressful to-do list, and struggling with the unknown of what is next in my life has been challenging as well as rewarding. I am definitely experiencing culture shock, and I miss Japan every day. I would not take back a single moment. I have grown so much and know that what comes next will continue to shape me. I will forever be grateful for my time in Japan.

The past two weeks, I have been with the babies and five-year-olds. The teachers in the baby class made it very apparent to me how much they appreciated having my help. They greeted me with smiles every morning and were so kind! The babies are also so cute! They’re so small and sweet! Seeing some of them clap their hands and bow before eating like the teachers do is lovely! At the end of my week with the babies, I made sure to give them all big hugs as I said goodbye, since the following week was my last full week at the nursery school. The five-year-olds were energetic, and I can tell they know I won’t be there much longer. They are extra eager to play with me, hug me, and talk to me. A funny moment was when the kids started talking in Italian brain-rot. I was so confused because understanding them was harder than usual, and then I realized it wasn’t Japanese! As I was leaving on Monday, some moms told me their kids always talked about me and asked me how soon I was leaving. On Friday, after the children did their usual routine of telling the teacher the date and weather, he had them try to guess how to say it in English (with my help). They then got to try and guess the English word for other vocabulary, and I told them what the correct answer and pronunciation were. They had a lot of trouble with words like “birthday” since it has the “th” and “r” sounds. It was cute helping them try!

Since it’s mid-July, the school did its monthly celebration for the kids who have birthdays this month. It was really cute this time because after celebrating each kid, they had a large blue plastic tablecloth hoisted upright on the stage. The teachers had stuffed animals and cutouts they would have “swim” through the “water,” and the kids had to guess who it was through the tablecloth. By the end of it a teacher would whip by pretending to swim, and the children guessed which teacher it was. After the celebration, on my way to lunch, I was stopped by two Mormon missionaries from Brazil. That was an experience I did not expect to happen to me here in Japan!

Music therapy with the babies was a success! We worked on concepts like fast, slow, up, down, and stop. We used finger play and dancing to work on motor skills to songs like “Wheels on the Bus” (using the Japanese lyrics, of course). The babies loved the egg shakers and did very well not throwing them, and instead, shook them the way the music instructed. They also enjoyed the scarves. One baby did not like the texture of the scarves, which is okay. Another baby loved exploring with her scarf and put it on her head to play peek-a-boo. 

I had off from the nursery school for one day to have my farewell lunch with my program director before she leaves for vacation. She took me to get wagyu since that is one of the Japanese foods I will miss that is hard to find (authentically and affordably) in America. It was so delicious, one of the best steaks I have had! I also got a sweet surprise at lunch. Naoko invited my host grandma! It made me so happy to be able to see her again before I have to go home! After lunch, I was able to get myself back to my host family’s house from Okazaki without the help of Google Maps! I was so proud of myself. Especially because it’s an hour-long trip!

Lately, I have had phone calls with my friends Allie, Emma, Luke, my cousin Isabel, and my mom. Just catching up and discussing all our work and progress in trying to get jobs yet again. I had two job interviews. One was late at night, and the other was early the next morning. I caught up on sleep after my early morning interview and relaxed the rest of that Saturday. 

Hiro picked me up after I got off on Tuesday so that I could help his sister with her baby. It was so much fun, and I got to meet his sister’s friends who also have a new baby. They ordered Domino’s, and I got to try all kinds of pizza and ate ice cream for dessert. I had a blast with the little baby!

My weekends were fun. I went to Don Quijote and tried KFC in Japan for the first time. My honest thoughts… not very good. I know many Japanese people love KFC, but the location I went to was not very tasty. Afterwards, I made my way down to Nagoya to see Megan one more time. Her roommate, Holly, made curry, and it was fantastic! I had a super fun time that night. When I got back, I saw Hiro at the station. The station was mobbed with people because Toyohashi had a fire festival that night.

These past two weeks, I was with the three-year-olds and the four-year-olds. The three-year-olds were so sweet to me! They started telling me that they loved me. It made me feel so happy! All the kids have had water activities to do now that it is so hot. One day, the three-year-olds got to play in the sandpit while the teachers sprayed them with hoses and had a sprinkler on. They were all so messy, but they had so much fun! Nap time starts when I go on my lunch break. Every time I came back, there was always one specific three-year-old who wouldn’t be sleeping. When he saw me, though, he would shut his eyes tight, and I would help him fall asleep. I think the teachers appreciated it. 

The next week with the four-year-olds was full of energy and activities. I got to see them use the pool! They played fun pool games, and the kids who did not have swimsuits got a bucket of water and water shooters to shoot water at the kids in the pool. It was cute and fun. After day one, the kids seemed like they had begun to mellow out. They were not as energetic and did not use me as a jungle gym like I am used to. However, after day two with them, I realized they were still as energetic as before! I had nice conversations with their teachers using Google Translate during the kids’ naptime. We talked about how sad it is that I have to go back to the States. Now that it’s July, it is officially my last month in Japan (insert crying). 

Music therapy with the four-year-olds was extremely fun! Since my time here is ending, I planned a session with lots of games and activities that the children enjoy. We did a freeze dance to APT again. They were singing APT all week leading up to music therapy, so I thought it would be nice to let them dance to it one more time. We also played some games, and the kids did great with following directions, taking turns, teamwork, and using listening skills! I am so proud of the growth they’ve achieved in music therapy. I can see how far they’ve come.

One Tuesday, I got off from the nursery school because my program director, Naoko, wanted to take me to a traditional tea ceremony.  I got to wear a traditional summer kimono, and it was so beautiful and comfortable. Naoko also knew someone who did my hair as well. I felt so beautiful! We were served matcha and desserts, and were taught how to eat and drink it properly and why those traditions are in place. The reason you have to turn the bowl when you drink matcha is because of the design on it. It shows respect to the painters who made the bowl that you don’t place your mouth on the side with the design. The teacher who taught us the tea ceremony traditions also had an adorable small business that I did some shopping at. 

One of the things I have been focusing on outside of the nursery school has been doing these job applications for when I get home. They can be stressful, but after getting into the groove of them, it has gotten less scary. I have been continuing to make time to call my friends and family on the phone during free time. I had a really fun conversation with my friends back home. It is nice that we are all in the same boat in terms of trying to find jobs. Having someone who can relate is reassuring. 

My weekends were awesome and eventful! I went to Nagoya to stay over at my friend Megan’s apartment. It was her birthday that week, and she had a birthday party in a karaoke room with friends. It was a blast, and there were many familiar faces I had seen before. Everyone sang their hearts out, and nobody was too embarrassed to sing. It was a great environment and a wonderful time full of laughter. The next day, after I said goodbye to Megan, I went to the Osu Shopping District. It was super cool and fun. I bought lots of great souvenirs! The following weekend, I went to the zoo with Hiro. Afterwards, I got to meet his nephew! He’s only two months old and so cute! Then I went to Nagoya to see Megan for a little girls’ night! We watched Episode Three of Star Wars, and then I caught the last train home.

These past two weeks, I was with the one-year-olds, the babies, and the five-year-olds. It is very nice to be back volunteering at the nursery school. The babies are so cute! This is my first time being with the new group of babies. One little girl was particularly attached to me. She liked how I comforted her when she cried. The teachers in the baby class tried to converse with me, and they were very kind. It was difficult to talk, but it was much better than when I first came to Japan. It’s the small victories. 

The TV in the one-year-olds’ classroom was used for the first time since I arrived. The teachers put on an adorable show that had many music videos. They had it on to keep the children occupied while taking turns measuring and weighing them. Some children were excited about the show and danced to the songs; others couldn’t care less that the TV was on. 

One day, I went to the five-year-olds’ classroom during the babies’ naptime. It was great to see them again, and they were excited that I visited them. We played lots of card games and arm wrestled. I will miss the kids at the nursery school so much when I leave. 

The next day, the five-year-olds did a tea ceremony in the gym. After I finished music therapy with the babies, I went to the gym to join them. They sat in two columns facing each other and took turns being servers and being served. They would first bring over a tray with a bean paste dessert on it and bow, then, when the dessert was finished, they’d bring a bowl of hot matcha and bow again. The gym was decorated, and classical Japanese music was playing. It was very fun and sweet! It is cool to see the kids learn about the ancient traditions of Japan. The following week, the five-year-olds got another exciting opportunity. They got to play with the children who attend the school for disabled children next door. They all played together, included them very well, and were kind! Many of the parents of the disabled kids remembered me from when I did music therapy with them. I am happy I made a lasting impression. The kids also had the opportunity to learn how to make umeboshi. They pressed and juiced a plant I cannot remember the name of, and learned about how umeboshi is made. Afterwards, they all took turns practicing traffic light rules. One child would hold the sign for the traffic light, one would hold the walk signs, and the other would pretend to be drivers and pedestrians. It tested their knowledge of how the lights correspond with each other, and who has the right of way. 

The nursery school also held a large birthday celebration for the children who have June birthdays (they do an event like this every month). All the kids gathered in the gym to celebrate their friends’ birthdays, and multiple kids’ parents showed up. They sang songs for each other, and the birthday kids went up in state to be recognized and get asked a question like “what is your favorite dessert?” 

These five-year-olds are exceptionally smart. They got very excited over a bee that was outside the window. Each kid ran to look at it, and they were all debating whether or not it was a bee, wasp, yellowjacket, or hornet. Then they ran to grab a big book about bugs, and they analyzed the different kinds of bees and bee-like insects to determine what bug it was. I was impressed.

I got to have fun phone calls with my cousin Isabel and my best friend Emma while I walked to the nursery school and took my lunch break. It is always refreshing to catch up with my favorite people! I also called my mom during lunch one day to help me get started on job applications. Sadly, it’s getting to the time where I need to look for a job back home. 

The rainy season has officially started; it rained every day for a week! As much as I love the sunshine, the way the rain is on the windows in my room makes for a very cozy atmosphere. 

Music therapy with the babies went great! They loved all the instruments, but they did put all of them in their mouths, so everything has to be thoroughly disinfected. Their favorite was the egg shakers. They responded very well to the rattling of the egg shakers and had a blast shaking them around. We worked on following directions, fine motor skills, concepts such as high, low, fast, slow, and counting, as well as vocalizations. I tried to find a Japanese equivalent to the song “Tap Your Sticks” by Hap Palmer, but came up short. It is alright, though, the babies still loved using the rhythm sticks. 

I have been getting sad that I have to go back to America soon. Everything I was missing so much about America, I do not miss anymore. Being with my family reminded me of everything different about America, and I realized how many things I will leave behind in Japan. I’m going to miss how quiet and peaceful Toyohashi is. I’ll miss being a two-minute walk from the nearest grocery store. United Planet prepped me that I would experience culture shock going back home, but I was not sure if that would happen to me. Now I realize it’s real, and it will take me a while to readjust to America. 

On the weekend, I got to call my best friends Emma and Allie, and we all caught up! I also learned that my friend Megan and I were invited to our mutual friend’s wedding back in America. She is going to stay with me the weekend of the wedding! It is so nice to have a friend that I get to continue my friendship with back in America. Hiro took me to Cococurry since I had not tried it yet. I got a level 8, which was a bit too spicy. Afterwards, we went to the batting cages and did karaoke! The following weekend, I did not do much. I relaxed and had a nice, long phone call with my family and friends, and worked on job applications.