About halfway through 5th grade, a new job opportunity for my parents arose in Okinawa, Japan, which was an island province that I had never heard of before. After careful consideration, they chose to take the opportunity and move our family across the globe. Three weeks before my tenth birthday, I packed my favorite clothes and essentials. I alternated between excitement and fear during the ride to the airport. The minute I stepped off of our exhausting fifteen-hour flight, the humid tropical air felt like a sauna. New sights and sounds encompassed me as we made our way through the airport to our taxi. I knew my life was going to change when we moved to Japan,; but now it was clear to me that it might almost restart.
The day after we arrived, my family and I visited my new school, “OCSI”, an oceanside Christian international private school. At first I felt a little overwhelmed as I had never experienced anything like this before, coming from my typical American elementary school. My jetlagged self urged me to persevere as my pencil dragged across the paper during my placement test.
Having never attended church before, Bible class presented an immediate challenge. My classmates had memorized countless quotes that we discussed in class and I felt like there was nothing that I could do to contribute to their conversations about the Bible or even participate. Putting effort into this new subject seemed hopeless, and, needless to say, I did not do well in the first couple of weeks. There had to be an alternative to memorizing quotes verbatim. Luckily, my Bible teacher started assigning us presentations, new projects like video recordings, and interpretative essays as a way for the class to dive deeper into the subject rather than just standardized test taking. Soon after this new approach to learning was implemented, I started to thrive in the class.
In addition to learning new material at school, I had to make new friends. I have always loved playing soccer and it seemed to be a common interest of many of my classmates. One day while playing a full 11 on 11 game of soccer on the school's beautiful field, I saw a glimpse of the middle school principal sternly striding in our direction. She talked to one of my friends for a brief moment and then proceeded to walk away. My friend gathered us up and told us that we had lunch detention. My jaw dropped to learn of a “no-soccer” rule at school because of a former student's parents tried to sue the school because their son got his nose broken while playing goalie. After the principal started surveying our lunch period more often, my friends and I turned to playing basketball and 4-square.
While exploring the island with my friends and family, I found that chirping and buzzing from annoying insects soon became a part of my life. With the rich foliage, ever blooming flowers, and the necessity for constant vigilance for the native poisonous snakes, I soon grew to appreciate the tropical jungle environment that my new friends had always called home. In contrast to the annoying insects, one of my favorite things about my new school was the amazing ocean view. Every day as I arrived at school, the glassy ocean full of blues and greens slowly ebbing and flowing was an energizing mood booster. Japanese cuisine was another surprisingly enjoyable aspect of my life in Okinawa. The divine aromas flowing from the school kitchen (yes, the school kitchen), welcomed me to lunch, which was served in a box with intricate designs and patterns. Meals combining savory, spicy, and sweet flavors were colorfully arranged and nourished us for the rest of the day.
Being new to the country and its native language, I was fascinated by the yet soft and gentle sounds of the Japanese language;, I observed the daily Japanese exchanges my parents had with locals in our community. New words eventually became recognizable and my vocabulary improved. The series of consonants and vowels strung together without pause soon became meaningful as I interpreted common statements. This method of learning helped me to express my ideas smoothly and to use correct grammar in our Japanese class. I persevered to learn this complex language. The reward was not only my personal satisfaction, but also a new and more meaningful life experience in Okinawa.
Though I knew that I was moving across the globe, I was unaware that my life would be rebooted. Before the move, toys and other material possessions were of the utmost importance to me. I used to be a super picky eater, getting even tomatoes on the side of my sandwiches, and I was not open to trying new things. Now that I am back in America, I realize how my experience in Japan has shaped my character. My initial feelings about the move have been replaced with cherished memories and a taste for adventure.
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