One Week Til Departure! ✈️

Wow... the time seriously flew by!

I can still recall my first zoom meeting with Susan Davis and telling her about my dream to visit Japan and my fascination of experiencing a completely new culture.

Now look at where we are! I couldn't have been placed in this situation without the support from everyone who has helped me this far, and I'm still in shock that I'll be leaving in less than a week.

I'm going to miss Kaua`i; my family, my friends, the food, the beaches- but I know that before I know it, I'll be flying back home and missing Nagoya and my family there.

Makaleha, Kaua`i HI

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

My host family contacted me yesterday and gave me a warm welcome to their home. We will be in close contact, especially with my flight coming up on Monday. I leave June 24th and won't arrive in Japan until June 26th, so lots of travel time! I believe there will be 15 other students going to my host school, Internation Communications Nagoya, and I've already recieved the pleasure of speaking to some of them! I'm so excited to create new bonds with people from all around the world.☺️

I've been working hard on representing who I am as an individual and showcasing what I have given back to my communities. A huge part of who I am is my Russian heritage and the culture being incorporated into my childhood. I wanted to bring that part of myself to my host family by painting some Matryoshka Dolls with aspects from both Hawai`i and traditional slavic clothing.

I am also bringing tons of souvenirs, snacks, and a photobook of memories from life on the island. I hope to inspire my host family to come visit Hawaii some time in the near future and for us to return the gift of kindness.

 ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Moving foward til departure, I am completing last minute tasks and focusing on making my life as accessible as possible in Japan by preparing myself with on-hand dictionaries, portable chargers, planning train routes in advance, and continuing with daily Japanese language lessons. I don't know what to expect, so it will significantly improve my journey if I already have the tools to overcome a problem. I'm so excited to explore this new world and I will keep updating weekly blogs for us to feel connected through screen. If anyone has any advice or would like to message me, please do! My contact information will be below.

Thank you for staying with me through this adventure, and I'll see everyone in a week!

With Love,

Yekaterina

8087200166

morozovrin@gmail.com