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2013 JET-MIP ESSAYOCTOBER, 2013: BREEZE ISSUE #72
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF JAPANESE

LIAN EYTINGE
Capital High School
Olympia, WA
When looking back on this trip I come to realize just what animpact JET-MIP made on my life. It all started in LA where we all
met in the lobby of the hotel. Not all the kids where there and I
was wondering just what kind of people I would meet. Turns outthat over the course of two and a half weeks I would meet someof my best friends who I would continue to keep in contact with. Together we experienced Japan in bigmoments and littler moments, each with their own special shine, creating memories that would last for alife time.
I had no idea what kind of things we would be able to do on this trip and so I was in for an unexpectedsurprise when we learned Osaka dialect and different forms of speech in manga in our classes. The
institute was such an enjoyment; the food, the people and our dorms made me feel at home with comfort
in both private and public facilities.
Going to Tohoku was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. The scenery was unlike anything I
had ever seen before in my life. Rikuzentakata with its peaceful mountains and lush forests were very
different from my hometown's surrounding nature. For instance, instead of evergreen trees there werebamboo forests. I had never seen a bamboo forest before. It was amazing to see the subtle changes innature and how beautiful it all was, it was easy to see where Japanese kimono patterns came from.
Also by going to Japan I learned that someone has the ability to touch a person's life forever even if they
only meet for a short time. All the high school students at Rikuzentakata with their bright smiles and lively
personalities were an experience that will stay with me forever. Both of my home stays which werecompletely different made me feel closer to the Japanese people and gave me a better sense ofcharacter.
Before going to Japan I wasn't expecting much from the trip. I didn't know how much the land with all of its
culture and people could affect me the way it did. Every little thing I experienced, from eating ice creamafter onsen or simply walking across a huge crosswalk in a big city with at least 80 other people. I had
come to fall in love with all the vending machines, bicycles and shiba inus. Getting this little taste of Japan
has ignited a spark of ambition within me to continue learning Japanese and someday live there. RightPrivacy - Terms

now I will bite at any opportunity that is possible for me to go back because there is still so much to learn
and so much to experience. I grew fond of Japan and its people so I want to continue my studies in hopesof understanding and communicating better.
After JET MIP and a good 24 hours of sleep later I showed my pictures to my mom and close friends. They
had no idea what to expect and afterwards they too could understand why I want to go back so much. I
think everyone has a little bit more knowledge about what to do in case of a tsunami and will keep thestories I learned in Tohoku alive forever.
I want to say thank you to Taylor and Monty for sharing your precious memories with us. You will never beforgotten. You have helped me realize truly that there is a future waiting for me and that I have choices
after college to become a JET. Because of you I now know what I want which is to someday live in Japan.
Also you have taught me a very important lesson: The world is big and full of possibilities and dreams thatyou have to go after. Thanks to this trip I can identify my dream for the future and go try with all my might
to make it into a reality. It's funny, I have never really had a goal before but that is exactly what I gainedfrom JET MIP. There is a starting point with clear check points and also a final point. Thanks to you both
my life has a clear aim to focus on and that is something very rare and very special to me. When I climbed
up that steep Hiyori-yama park in Ishinomaki, I realized that the ascent up the stairs symbolizes manythings surrounding me: the very trip we were on, the lives of the people of the affected areas, and mostimportantly a life lesson. The life lesson is even though there is struggle; as long as you persevere you
will reach the top eventually and be glad you made the effort for the wonderful achievement. What you
guys gave me was my own mountain to climb so thank you.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTO SUBMISSION"KIZUNA"
This picture represents the kizuna or bond we made with thestudents during our school visits. It reminds me of how eventhough it was a short time, lives can touch only once and make ahuge impact.

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2013 Group Tour Report: Steven Johnson
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2013 J-LEAP Report: Amiko Nishijima

2013 J-LEAP Report: Hiroko Maekawa

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Ariana Foster

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Lian Eytinge2013 JET-MIP Essay: Rebecca Cook2013 JET-MIP Essay: Shannon Foremaster

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