After School

     Since I have been at MFWI, I often play with my friends, after school. In America, the classes finished earlier than in Japan, so I have free time after school. We play basketball, volleyball, and badminton together. Also, we run around the school. It is very fun, but I sometimes get muscle pain. I think it is important for us to exercise every day. The other day, I went to library to do my homework. We have a homework is uncomfortable, so can't have us. W have a lot of homework, so I want to finish in the library as much as possible. I can't study in my room because I lose concentration. I like the atmosphere in the library. Since I have been at MFWI, I have been borrowing two books from the library every day. Of course, They are easy to read, otherwise I would give up soon. However, I want to finish reading the difficult books, too. Because I want to improve English skills, and I want to increase my vocabulary. After studying, I go to Commons to eat dinner. We always eat dinner with our RA, Cassie. We talk about our classes. I can't understand everything she says, so I want to listen to her, expose myself to English, so that I can get used to understanding English.

My First Week

by Mizuki

I was stressed out when I left my home because I was so nervous. I felt that I both wanted to go to the US, and I wanted to stay in Japan. On the day that I left, my mother and my aunt saw me off when I was going to go to the airport. They said to me,Don't give up.I really felt grateful to them and I hugged them. I was really looking forward to riding on a plane because I like meals on planes and because I can see the flight attendants. Before I wanted to became a flight attendant or airport groundstaff, but now I don't. They seem cool to me!! At the Seattle airport, I thought I'm really in the United States now and I felt excited. Around me, there were many Americans. While we are flying from Seattle to Spokane I was watching the ground. I thought that Spokane has many trees and a lot of snow which were beautiful. Arriving at the Spokane airport, I met my RA, Candice, for the first time. Then I felt excited because my life in America would start soon. When I arrived at Mukoga Fort Wright Institute, I had many things to do, so I was very tired, so that day, I went to bed early before roll call. When the first class begin and I met my new class classmates I got along really well with some of them. I am glad to make some new friends. In my classes, I try to understand what the teachers say, but sometimes I can't understand and sometimes I can. I will do my best in my classes. I hope that this times will become a big step in my life.

My First Week

     I left at 8:00 am for Itami airport to flight to Tokyo. I missed my family and my friends very much. In Tokyo, I rode the bus to go to Narita International airport. In Narita, I drank Starbucks coffee. It was the last food I ate in Japan. At 5:30 pm, I flied to Seattle. On the airplane, I watched three movies: Kingdom, Toy Story 4, and No Longer Human. They were very, very fun. In the Seattle airport, I ate sandwich and bought a sprite at McDonald’s. Unlike Japan, they were very big. After that, I flied to Spokane, which is very cold. I was very tired when I arrived here because it took very, very long time to get here. In the airport, I first met my RA, Liz, who is very cute. The other student and I arrived at my dormitory. It is very big, unlike my home. When I first arrived, I watched movies every day in me dormitory, because we couldn't go out for two weeks. It was boring, but I watched the best movie, witch called “Annabelle”. It is a horror movie, that you can watch in Japan. When I was in Japan, I wanted to watch it, but I could not, because I was busy. It was very, very scary. I often screamed, but it was very fun. 

     On Tuesday, the first class started. In the class, there were 14 people, but there was only one person who I knew. She is a student in my same class in Japan. In the class, I introduced myself to everybody. I was able to remember everybody's name in one day. They are very cute and kind, and the classes are more interesting than in Japan, but I am afraid of speaking only English in class. Now, I can’t speak well. I hope to improve my English skills at MFWI. For dinner, there are many kinds of food at commons. It is more delicious than I thought. I especially like the croutons in the salads, but I want to eat Japanese food once a week.

My First Week

     I am very surprised about two things in Spokane.  The first thing is the dryness.  Spokane is very dry, so our RA said to us, “You must eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and drink seven cups of water.”  However, I don’t like fruit or raw vegetables, and I don’t like juice or water, so I can’t drink enough water.  Also, my room was very hot for a few days, so my skin got quite dry.  My body requires more water.  I am suffering from dryness.  However, I have begun to eat more vegetables and drink a few more water gradually.  
     Secondly, I was surprised to see some Common’s staff wearing earbuds while they are working.  I think that they are working listening to music.  In Japan, we usually can’t work and listen to music on our music player at the same time, but I wish we could work while listening to music because the Common’s staff looks happy.  Also, they are very friendly.  Most of them say, “Hello” or “How are you?” to us, so I like them.

Surprises in America from My First Week

Hi! I have been  surprised by somethings since I arrived in the US.
First, I was surprised that on the airplane system. There are many movies, from old movies to new movies. Second When I arrived at the airport in Seattle, I went to the toilet and noticed that the toilet door has a large gap above and below it. In Japan, contrary to the United States, we have doors from floor to ceiling with no gaps, so I was worried about someone being able to see through the gap. Another surprising at the airport, was seeing singer who was singing a song. There were many people around the singer and who were enjoying listening to the music. Usually in Japan, we don't see the singer at the airport. At the airport in Seattle I ate American food it for the first time. I felt American food is very oily. Also, I was surprised that they served the meat for our breakfast. In Japan, breakfast includes, for example salad, scrambled eggs, and bread, but there is no meat , so, I was unfamiliar with eating meat in the morning , so I couldn’t eat it.
These American things surprised me.

Japanese  style                     American  style

           

My First Culture Shock

The day we left Japan was very sad for me because I didn’t want to separate from my family and my friends.  At first, we took a plane from Itami airport to Haneda airport and then we through to Narita airport and then to Seattle.  This flight was so long that I was exhausted.  On the plane, I watched two Japanese movies, Ningyononemuruie and Forutwunanohitomi.  The movie were interesting, but the airplane's food didn’t suit me.  After the flight, we arrived at the Seattle airport which was very big with many people.  I was a little afraid because I only heard English, but I was very excited to be in the US for the first time.

The first surprising thing about America was that American restrooms don't have long enough doors.  Japanese doors, for example, touch the ground, so I felt ashamed while I was in the restroom because it felt like people could see me on the toilet.

American Style

Also, I thought that American food was either very oily or very sweet. Most Japanese people can't get used to it.  I was very sad that I couldn't eat Japanese food but MFWI made Japanese food for us, so I was very happy.  Another surprising things is that in America people speak in loud and friendly voices to me.  It is very surprising because we don't speak to strangers so much in Japan.  I was talked by American people When I was in the Seattle Airport, American people talked to me for Starbucks.  We were also asked our first names in Starbucks because the cook writes our name on the cup.  It was very cute and I’m very glad to see that.  I learned Americans have different eating styles from Japan.  I learned that there is a meal which is called brunch and which includes breakfast and lunch,  but brunch makes me very hungry because it is served late.  However, brunch is more delicious than breakfast or lunch, so I like brunch!  Finally, I want to know more about many different things in America!!

My First Trip Abroad

 This is my first time to go abroad, so I was very nervous. On February 6, I flew to Spokane. I was really nervous, but I was also excited. The flight from Japan to Seattle was really long. I don’t like planes, so I wasn't happy, but I could watch a lot of movies, eat delicious food, and sleep well, so I was happy when I arrived in Spokane, but I was really tired. 

 First day in Spokane, I played “Just dance wii” with my friends and RA. It was so exciting. After that, we played a card game called, “Dobble”. It was difficult, but I like it. At dinner time, I was very happy because Commons has a lot of fruit. I like fruit so much. In addition, I was surprised because the meals are gorgeous. For example,  the hamburger, pasta, and other food is really beautiful. After a few days, they also served ice cream. It was really delicious. I ate rainbow ice candy. 

 My classes started on Tuesday. They were exciting. On the First day, I had conversation, writing, and American Studies class. I’m not good at writing, but writing class was really exciting. I made many friends in the class, and I am getting along with my friends on my class from my classes at MWU . I’m so happy. 

Another good thing is I get to eat Japanese snacks,such as, Niboshi, Ottotto. They taste more delicious than when I ate them in Japan. I’m looking forward to eating many kinds of American food, but I’m really sad because we can’t go off campus for 2 weeks, because the corona virus means that we need to stay on campus in order to be safe.

My First Week

By Sayaka

My first week was very fun for me. On the first day, we flew for about 11 hours on the plane, so I felt very tired, but l also felt really excited because I had never been to the US before; this is my first experience abroad. After arrived in Spokane, I felt so sleepy because I had jet lag since there is a 17 hour time difference between Spokane and Japan. 

On the second day, I ate breakfast at Commons. I was surprised by American food because it was very bigger and saltier than I expected. I like American food because I like salty food. I was also surprised to see a lot of snow because I had never seen snow in Japan. I was excited to see it! 

On the third day, I played for a little bit of time with some preschoolers on the Mukogawa campus. The American children were so cute!! Some of the children ran and hugged me. I had a great time! I’m also excited because classes have started. I have made many friends in class. I like writing class and conversation class because I can talk a lot to my classmates and my teachers.

My dormitory is Whitman Hall. My dorm-mate's birthday was February 11, so we prepared a birthday party with our RA. we ordered pizza delivered. I was surprised at the size of the pizza because it was very big. I talked a lot to my dorm-mates and my RA, so I could had a great time.

My First Week

My first week was very busy. On the first day, I went from Kobe to Tokyo to fly to the U.S. At that time, I was so nervous and worried about jet lag. I was a little bit sad because I wouldn’t see my family and my friends and eat Japanese food for four months, but I was excited to study abroad. When I was on the airplane, I didn’t sleep well, so I have been jet lagged for about five days. I ate pizza in the Seattle airport with my friend. It was my first time to eat American pizza and it tasted good! When I arrived in Spokane, our RA was waiting for us and holding a pretty sign. I noticed Spokane is colder than Kobe. There were snow on the ground, too. I was so happy because it rarely snows in my hometown. On the second day, when I went to breakfast in the morning, I was surprised to see the beautiful sky, houses, trees and animals. My hobby is taking photos, so I’m really happy. When I arrived at Commons, I ate breakfast with my friends, which was great, and I was very full.   

Among my housemates, there are two people who speak English very well, so we usually talk to each other in our house. Thanks to them, I'm able to speak English more fluently than ever. My housemates and RA are so kind, reliable, cute, too, so I feel very happy now. On the fifth day, I watched a movie while eating popcorn with my housemates and RA. The name of the movie was Cinderella. It was a little bit difficult for me to understand what they said in English, but gradually I could understand, and I began to like this movie more than ever. My first week was very busy, but I had a good time.

Traveling Abroad Is Exciting!

By Kanna

I have been abroad three times in addition to this experience studying abroad in Spokane.  Each experience has been rewording and fun.

First, I went to Guam when I was a high school student and that was a first time of traveling abroad. Guam is very hot and there are many beautiful beaches. I was so excited because everything were different from Japan: language, landscape, people, and the things they were selling. My friends and I met with local students and they were very kind people. They presented their cultural dance and sang many songs. It is a very special memory for me. I thought then I’d like to go abroad to many more countries after that   and I also thought I have to study English more! 

Second, I went to Taiwan last summer on the vacation with friends. The reason why I chose Taiwan was Boba tea. In Japan, Boba tea was very popular last year and, of course, I loved Boba tea so much. I drank it twice a week. We were very surprised at the price when we bought it in Taiwan. It was much cheaper than in Japan. Taiwanese dishes, such as “Sholonpo” and “Ru-ro han”, were very delicious and I liked them very much. The local people were really nice and very kind to us, so I would like to go to Taiwan again. 

Third, I went to Korea in January. I like K-POP and Korean entertainment and I can speak and understand Korean a little bit. I was so excited because I have liked Korea for a long time and I recognized some parts of the city from watching  programs on TV! The Korean food was also very good. I would like to understand Korean more. Whenever I go to other countries, I always think I want to speak all of the local languages so that I can communicate with the local people.

Thank you for reading my blog:)

My First Week

I haven’t been to America  before, so this experience studying abroad is my first time.  At first, I worried about whether I could spend 4 months here because I can’t speak English well, but every teacher at MFWI is very kind to students, so I don’t worry about it now. I was also worried about  jet lag because there is a 17 hour time different between Japan and Washington state, but now I never think about that.

I like Japanese food, so I didn't want to leave my country, but I will try American food. American food is different from Japan, but I like it. It's very delicious. However, I felt that American food is  sweet and fattening and not good for my health. 

Spokane's Wal Mart

I was also concerned about all of my English classes because I can’t speak my opinions and ideas in English, but all of the teachers are really nice to students, so I am no longer worried about that.  I have been going to a lot of classes, which are very useful for me because I am learning a lot of new vocabulary. I want to study English more than ever because this experience studying abroad gives me courage to study English more and more. My goal is to speak English very well. I also want to learn about American history, so I am happy that I have come to America.

   

Spokane has very beautiful scenery. Japan is not cold, so I was surprised when I arrived in Spokane, that it was very cold. I was also very surprised that Spokane is drier than I expected. My roommate has a sore throat due to the dryness. I was surprised that the towel that I used and got wet was dry the next day.  I sleep with a mask over my nose and mouth because Japan is more humid than here. 

  

In Japan, I didn’t usually see any squirrels, so I have been surprised to see a lt of squirrels in Spokane. I think squirrels are very cute, but I am surprised that squirrels are little violent. My RA told me not to touch the squirrels, so I am very sad.

   
I think it is important to go to a lot of different places with my housemates in order to form deep bonds. I also think it is necessary to help each other when anyone is in trouble. I hope this experience will be really enjoyable for me.

My First Week

By Tomoka

I’m so tired after a long flight., but it was a good experience for me.  When I arrived in Spokane, I thought Spokane was very nice town with a lot of trees.  It's very cool.  

My house at MFWI is called Dickinson and it is very clean and large.  I’m surprised!!  Our group’s RA is a very kind woman whose name is Kayla.  She is very friendly.  I’m so happy to meet her.  

American food is very big and delicious , and it taste very salty which I like.  Classes are the most interesting of all.  I want to speak, write and read English very well, so I have to study very hard.  However, I like English because it is so fun and interesting to me.  I’m looking forward to going shopping in American supermarket.  I want to buy snacks, perfume, and other things. 

My First Week

 There were many interesting and surprising things. I was surprised that there were singers and musicians at the Seattle airport. They were singing and playing guitar all day. I have never seen that at an airport in Japan. People were listening to their music as my friend and I were listening  and, people were speaking to them and requesting their favorite songs. In Japan, people don't speak to other people that they don' t know, because we are shy and introverted, but it's seen that  American people speak to anyone. American people are more relax about time then Japanese people, so I feel time passes more slowly since I came to America. Japanese people are very focus on the importance of time, I think that we should relax a little more.

Maiya's First Week

by Maiya

My first experience studying abroad began on February 8.  That day, my flight was very long.  We headed from Itami airport to Haneda by plane, and then we went to Narita airport by bus, and then got on a plane to Seattle.  There were many transfers, so I was very tired.  When we arrived in Seattle, I realized that Seattle is famous for fish because pictures of fish were displayed on the floor of the Seattle Airport.  When we arrived at the MFWI campus, it was about 5:00p.m, and our new life started.  My first impression of Spokane was that it is filled with beautiful nature and there are many kind people.  When we leave the Spokane airport, the sky was beautiful!!  It was clearly air and amazing blue color, and also Spokane people was friendly because they talked us with their smile.  In Japan, if you are known for me, maybe we don't talk each other, so I love that American situation.  The first 3 days, we have no classes, so my RA, Kayla, took us out and explained about the history of the Mukogawa campus.  Besides this, I cleaned up my luggage and played games.  All of my classes are only in English, so I was excited and decided to do my best.