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Anje!
murk3y
08 August 2008 @ 03:04 pm
 
so i`ve been thinking about leaving a semester early from japan for quite some while now.
but i just can`t make up my mind.

pros of staying:
- things might get better
- have more experiences (ie. school festival)
- my new host families might be fun
- i`ll go more places, probably
- i`ll have more time to learn the language better
- i`ll get to go home with all the other exchangers
- won`t have to pay a fee to go home
- i`ll get the whole I DID IT experience

cons of staying:
- things might not get better
- i would have to do my hs courses by correspondence or summer school
- i wouldn`t have a lot of time with the jap. girl my mom is hosting
- things will probably stay unhappy and unfulfilled with me
- i will probably run out of money
- i will most likely still hate school and piee, which majorly affects my outloook on life
- changing host families again, possibly up to 3 more times

pros of leaving:
- start school in sept. in canada to make up hs courses
- more time to earn money for uni/future travel
- happiness
- more time with jap. girl mom is hosting
- can learn japanese from jap. girl
- visit friends at uni etc. and see how life is
- i made it half way!
- can leave japan on a good note
- possible to do some alone travel to places i couldn`t go before

cons of leaving:
- japanese level might not be as good as it could be
- won`t go home with other exchanger friends...no stories or reminiscing
- flight home alone, but possibly direct??
- 300$ fee or so to leave early
- loose 1/2 of the 9,000$ my mom paid for me to go here
- i am a failure for not making 10 months


DEAR LJ WHAT THE HELL DO I DO WITH MYSELF!?!?!!!
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I am: confused
 
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♥◡♥: Serylia[info]piamon on August 8th, 2008 03:33 pm (UTC)
How would you feel, if you left early? If it's something you'd end up regretting, that would .. really suck.

If it were me, I'd stay .. if only for the "I did it" experience.

You should do what you'd feel comfortable doing, though. If you're really not enjoying yourself, don't force yourself to stay.
Anje![info]murk3y on August 9th, 2008 05:02 am (UTC)
that`s the thing.. >_>
i`m not sure how i`d feel if i left. same for if i stay.
i`ve kind of been pretending i`m leaving, and i just feel happy and less stressed.

i don`t know if it makes sense, but i kind of feel like i am ready to close this chapter of my life and move on, help other exchange students, go to school, etc.

but then i kind of want to go through with the whole thing too...i think i`m kind of loosing my motivation, though. i don`t really have any goals here. i dislike the food, the culture, the majority of the people...my favourite things are seeing touristy places and hanging out with two other exchange students...
♥◡♥[info]piamon on August 10th, 2008 07:07 am (UTC)
Well. Boo. D;

I'd still wait it out, though. At least give the new host fam(s?) a chance. o:
Ce'talis: bundt[info]ryukiri on August 8th, 2008 05:46 pm (UTC)
How often are you going to be going back to Japan? If the answer is "Probably a whole fuckton," then by all means leave now.

If the answer is "I dunno, maybe never! D:" then stay as long as you can, and don't worry about it. :]
Anje![info]murk3y on August 9th, 2008 04:59 am (UTC)
the thing is, i hate japan so i`d never come back XD
Ce'talis: Spartaaa[info]ryukiri on August 9th, 2008 05:06 am (UTC)
Then leave, and burn the cities as you go! >:O
[info]cest_moi777 on August 8th, 2008 06:58 pm (UTC)
try a couple more months. or you can be laura and go to gcvi next year, and i'll be anje and live in japan. but the girl your mom is hosting is there to learn english, and sorry if this sounds rude, but it would be kind of unfair to her for you to try to make her teach you japanese. she didn't pay however much to teach you japanese. ( i always have this problem when we host exchange students. it's difficult, but that's how it is.) correspondence REALLY isn't that bad. i have friends who have dropped out of regular school in favour of it. hang in there! Every experience like this has its major low. No matter how cliché it sounds, it's this that you'll learn from, and that will build your character in the long run. It's when you overcome these things that it all seems worth it. Just try to make it through, for your own sake. i have a feeling you'll regret it if you dont.
Anje![info]murk3y on August 9th, 2008 04:59 am (UTC)
i think it`s more or less a now or never type of situation. obviously i can go home whenever i feel like it, but deciding now is probably the most beneficial.
as for correspondence, i actually am doing a course now...i just don`t have the self-control (???wtf is the word?) to do a course without a teacher telling me things are due.
and im an exchange student so i know exactly what its like for people to keep speaking your native language. obviously i wouldnt do that. its more of a, `hey! whats this word in japanese` or `hey lets talk in a language no one else can understand!` or just occassionally chatting in japanese. plus i know from experience how nice it is to have someone who can actually understand you...i garuntee no one else in my town can speak japanese.

its kind of hard to explain to someone who hasn`t been through it, its just that i haven`t been happy the whole time i`ve been here and i kind of am afraid of losing my happiness....
[info]cest_moi777 on August 9th, 2008 05:47 pm (UTC)
i've never been an exchange student, but ive been an exchange worker, so i know where you're coming from. and i know it can be a relief to have somebody speak your language when you're there, but it slows the learning process. I just can't understand how you'd be more happy here in north america...
jenn[info]so_severus on August 10th, 2008 06:11 am (UTC)
oh man
is there any way you can wait until you meet new host fam?
like if they are not cool then that could be a sign to get out