New Group

AFS Japan 2013-2014 Academic Year PARTICIPANTS

    Hey guys! There is a new group for those who are participating on the 2013-2014 academic year to Japan. So far we have found eleven members including myself. I was told by my volunteer that there are only thirty spots available for the year trip, so maybe there are more going that we don't know about! If you're going on this trip, follow the link provided and either I or Riley (the admins) will add you to the group! 

 http://www.facebook.com/groups/280217615414626/

     We have two members from Paraguay, one from France, and one from the Netherlands! So cool! The rest of us are Americans. I created an even for the gateway orientation with the date, time, and the address and phone number of the hotel where the orientation will take place.

Tuition Update

Chipped the Ice!

     I have $9,770 left to pay on my tuition. We've come a long ways since a foreboding total of $13,200! I have three months left to scrape up this amount, due on the first of March. I'm hoping I can make it. Spending money and uniform can come later, I just need this tuition cost to go away. I'm perfecting my letter that I'm going to send out to my local civic groups. 
     I got my flight itinerary in my email a couple of days ago. I'll be leaving March 19th at 12:15 PM (12:15) from LA and arriving in Tokyo on March 20th at 4:10 PM (16:10). I'm so excited to meet my new friend that I've made through the AFS Japan 2013-2014 Academic Year PARTICIPANTS group on Facebook! There are thirty spots available on the year trip to Japan, and I already know seven of them! It's amazing. Two are from Paraguay, and one girl is from France. I'm learning some Spanish in addition to French. I started learning French three years a go, but it's so cool to actually get to use it with a native! My state has a large Hispanic population, so I'm familiar with Spanish, but by no means fluent. I can't wait to get more members from around the world!

Additional Paintings

"Miao Hmong" 24 X 48, acrylic with lanterns, $500 each

"Diao Chan" 8 X 16, acrylic, $150

Art Exhibit

"Kkot" 16 X 20, $250

                                   Jane Champlin Art Exhibit

"Maiko" 16 X 20, $250

I was given the opportunity to feature and sell my artwork at an art exhibit where I live. It was amazing! I did eight paintings for this exhibit, all acrylic and all depicting Asian women of various nations. I had four paintings sized 16 X 20 and priced at $250, two paired paintings sized 24 X 48 and priced at $500 each, and two 8 X 16 paintings priced at $150 each. None have sold quite yet, but it's really helped get my cause out into the public!   

"Chain" 8 X 16, $150

"Kasa" 16 X 20, $250

"Girls in a River" 16 X 20, $250

  

Successful Fundraiser

Buck's Party Shop

     Today I played my violin at a party shop where I live. I played popular Christmas songs, both religious and secular. I was paid $70 by the owners, and earned $50 something in tips. After counting up my stash, I scraped up $135!  Great success! My tuition is down to $10,201! Hopefully at my next fundraiser I'll chip off of that $200. I'm doing an art exhibit at my local symphony. I'll be sure to hand out cards with a link to my blog so that I can get more donations. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! 感謝祭おめでとう！Now Christmas is rolling around the corner, and it's time for me to send out my financial plight to the civic groups in my town. Hopefully they'll be willing to donate at least $20, if not more! This December 1st, I'll have only three months to get my tuition paid. It must be paid in full by March 1st. I hope I can make it! 

I'm Going to Japan!

I Got Accepted!

AFS just sent me the e-mail informing me that AFS-Japan has just accepted my application! I'm really going now! I'm more motivated now than ever before. Fundraising has just gotten even more urgent. Thank you to whomever generously donated to my ChipIn button! That $230 combined from three donors helped me so much! My total left to pay on my tuition is $10,336.68. My art exhibit is coming up soon, so I'm hoping that I can knock off the $336.68 at least. Please, if you can't financially donate to my cause, share my page on Facebook or on Twitter. 

Hangouts

Chatting with Friends

     For the past three months I've been a member of the AFS Japan 2013-2014 Spring Year group on Facebook, and in those three months I've made some amazing friends. This group was created to unite all the AFSers going to Japan on the same program, but it is now more of a group for those interested in Japan and its culture. Together we discuss our favorite things about Japan, our troubles with the numerous kanji, and we help each other untangle complicated grammar. It's a learning tool, but also a great way to form friendships with people just like yourself. My school, Enid High School, hardly has any people interested in Japan. Sure, we have those people who watch tons of anime and read piles upon piles of manga, but my interest in Japan runs deeper than that. I want to learn their language, befriend their people, and immerse myself in their culture. To my knowledge, most everyone on the AFS Japan group shares these interests. 

     Recently, the group has decided to start group chats through Google+ hangouts. Now we can hear each other's voices, and we can practice our spoken Japanese with one another. This helps a lot with pronunciation and thought process. Believe it or not, it's harder to process thoughts in Japanese and speak than it is to write in Japanese. While learning your kana and some basic kanji would benefit you, learning to quickly respond to spoken Japanese is vital. These hangouts help us achieve this skill. 

     For those of you who are interested in joining the AFS Japan group, follow this link:

http://www.facebook.com/groups/111819918949340/

     Anyone who is interested in Japan is more than welcome to join, however, as an admin of the group I must make some things very clear. 

1) The AFS Japan group is visible by AFS staff and volunteers and therefore the use of profanity or other such derogatory terms is strictly prohibited and will result in your deletion from the group. 

2) We understand that some members have studied the Japanese language longer than others, and while we encourage those with more knowledge to share what they know, we do not wish to have any arguments or belittling because of a lack of knowledge. Language differences must be discussed peacefully. The AFS Japan group is intended to be a learning tool and a source of information for those prospective exchange students to Japan.

3) As the AFS Japan group is intended for the study of Japanese culture, language, etc., please refrain from posting unrelated topics on our wall. (eg. clothing store links, unrelated YouTube links, app requests, Farmville updates) 

 

Great News!

Scholarship Update

     Unfortunately, I was not selected as a finalist for the two Japan scholarships; however, I was given $1,000 in financial aid from Global Leaders! Thank you so much! I will make sure to write a BIG thank you letter! Now I can easily pay my first tuition installment this month. I had a silent auction at a Halloween party and I was able to raise about $700 that night. Thanks to all of my friends who graciously bid and to Jill Phillips for helping me out so much. I didn't manage to get pictures of my artwork at the silent auction, but I have photos of others I can share. 

River Girls

16 x 20
Acrylic medium
Vietnam 



     This has to be one of my favorite paintings I've done. Most of my paintings are based on Asian culture and the Asian people. Depicted in River Girls are two Vietnamese women walking in a river together. This painting was bought for $200. This painting took me about two hours to paint. Prints are available if anyone would like to have one. 

 

                                                    Rain Girls

                                                                   (3) 8 x 16
                                                              Acrylic medium
                                                                    Vietnam

                                                         Hanbok

                                                                          16 x 20
                                                                  Acrylic medium
                                                                     South Korea 
 

                                                  Yasaka Jinja

                                                                       16 x 20
                                                               Acrylic medium
                                                                       Japan



     Those are a few of examples of what I paint. I have about $10,500 left of my tuition to pay. Wow, to think that number used to be $13,200! To think that with the help of friends, family, and Global Leaders I was able to cut down about $2,700! I was allowed time to raise my tuition until March 1st. Thank you AFS!!

Revisions Out

Here Comes the Wait

     Just finished my revisions for my full application to the Japan Spring Year 2013-2014 program! Now enters the virtue Patience! In the mean time, I will be scraping up $1,500 for the tuition installment due on the first of November, just in case I'm not offered a scholarship. Never hurts to be prepared! I'm going to write a letter about my cause and send it out to all the civil groups in my town to see if I can get any donations. I've got a plane ticket that costs around $2,000 estimated. There are a lot of things I need to save up for. If you'd like to make a donation, mosey on over to the right of this page and you'll see a donation box called "ChipIn". This is a tax-free, safe donation. Any amount is greatly appreciated!

Tying Up Loose Ends

Revisions Have Come!

     My revisions came by email today! They came a lot faster than I expected, I'm thrilled. Fortunately, I only have about four or five things to correct. My doctor forgot to stamp the 3B form, I need an explanation sheet of my schools grading system, and some other minute details. Also, I finally paid off my deposit! That's done and out of the way! Now comes the long wait to hear of the scholarship winners. I have to send in my essays tomorrow. I'm so nervous! I know that even if I don't get the scholarships, I'll still be going no matter what! 

P.S: If you are going on the year program to Japan, 2013-2014, there is a Facebook page where some of us gather and share our knowledge and our experiences! It's a great way to get to know the other students going on the trip with you. If you'd like to join, follow this link. If you are going on the semester program, follow this link. I'm a member of both, so feel free to ask me any questions! If you have any other questions about the AFS program in general, or are participating in another program (China, France, Italy, etc.) you can post your questions or comments here! AFS faculty and staff will answer your questions. 

Ja, mata ne! 

Recent Updates

The catalog I received from Robin.

Interview with Robin Frank

     I had my interview at last! A kind lady named Robin came all the way down from Kansas to interview me. To top it all off, she was on crutches. I am very grateful that she was willing to make a two hour drive here and back. It went very well. She asked some questions about my personality, my favorite foods, my relationship with my family, and whatnot. After she left, I felt that this was all the more real. It's really something when you know you're going to Japan!

Full Application

     So around last week I finally submitted my full application! Just today I received an e-mail that AFS had received my application and I that would get an e-mail sometime next week pertaining to my revisions and so forth. I hope there aren't too many! I'm so excited to have finally heard back from AFS. Every update brings me closer to my dreams. As for my $900 full application deposit, I only have $110 left to pay. I'm waiting on a $150 check to process into my PayPal account so that I can pay the deposit in full. Then it's waiting for the scholarship results! They'll be announced sometime mid-October. I hope I win one!

One of my commissions, "Zou-san" sold for $50.

Fundraising

     As of this week, I've raised $1,215 from my artwork auctions on Facebook. This has been a great way for me to raise money! It's paid for my $75 preliminary fee and my $900 full application fee. I have around $250 left towards my tuition. Plus, if I get donations from my blog, that will help big time! I've changed from the summer program to the year program.  Although my Chip-In button is set to a limit of $3,000, I am raising $5,000. Once I get close to $3,000, AFS is going to switch out the old Chip-In button for a new one. 

   

New Friends

Miyabi, myself, and Mew at cabaret at my community theater!

     Last week I got a schedule change in one of my classes to prepare for my trip to Japan, what with graduation requirements, and I made quite a discovery. At my school, we have four foreign exchange students: Angela from China, a girl from Brazil, Miyabi from Japan, and Mew from Thailand. I had no idea Miyabi and Mew were at my school until I walked into my new class and saw them sitting together at a table. For about three days I observed that no one talked to them, helped them, or even made any attempt to befriend them. That's when I decided to be that person. I asked if I could sit with them at lunch, and Mew replied with a soft "Yes." They are very shy and hardly spoke when I first met them. Now, after just a week, they've opened up and have shown their true personalities! I help them do their homework a lot, and translate things for Miyabi. I don't know any Thai, unfortunately, but Mew understands English better than Miyabi. Poor dear! 
     This has been an amazing experience. I'm so glad I got the chance to meet them! From observing their experiences as an exchange student, it really helps give me an idea of what my life in Japan will be like. When I come back in February of 2014, I'll know exactly how they felt. 

Update!

Just received a call from an AFS advisor and I was told that the nearest volunteer was in Wichita, Kansas. That's awesome! If they are willing to take a two hour drive down here to Enid I might be able to go on the spring trip to Japan! I'll have to raise up the $13,200 though. I've raised about $730 by selling my paintings on Facebook, and I'm getting a part-time job. I'm so excited!! I've been wanting to go to Japan for years! I'm going to apply for the scholarships too. I already have my essays written. Wish me luck! 

Japanese Lesson One

Basic Overview

*Pronunciation

     Japanese pronunciation is fairly easy and straightforward. If you have ever taken Spanish, the vowel sounds are nearly identical. Here is a list of the Japanese vowels and their pronunciation:

あ a  "ah" as in "mama"
い i   "ee" as in "me"

う  u  "oo" as in "moo"
え e  "eh" as in "medicine"
お o   "oh" as in the Spanish "no"

     In Japanese, unlike English, vowels don't have special pronunciations when they are placed next to one another. No "magical" sound change happens. The only exception to this rule is in the case where the short vowels become long vowels. I will go over this later. But as a rule for now, each vowel gets its own sound. Don't blend the vowels together like you would in English. Here are some examples for you to practice with! Try memorizing the hiragana vowels. (I will go over this later, as well.) Disregard trying to understand their meaning, most are just meaningless vowel combinations.

  

あい ai    ah-ee

うえ  ue   oo-eh

あお ao    ah-oh

いう  iu    ee-oo

あえ ae   ah-eh

あおい aoi  ah-oh-ee

TIP: Make sure you're not pausing between the vowels. You can say them in one breath, just make sure you aren't coming up with some crazy sounds!

Here is another list of hiragana to practice pronunciation with:

か ka      ka "kah"

き ki     ki  "kee"

く ku    ku "koo"

け ke   ke "keh"

こ ko    ko "koh"

  

かい kai

あき aki

けお keo

こい koi

えき eki

くこ  kuko

おき oki

See you Monday! Ja, mata ne! (See you later) \(^-^*)/ 

 

Konnichiwa, Mina-San!

     I'm a sophomore in high school, living in the small town of Enid, Oklahoma. For the past six years, it's been my dream to someday travel to Japan and experience their culture. Ever since I was ten years old I've been learning everything I could about Japan and its people: history, holidays, language, mannerisms, customs, and other cultural aspects. Japan is a vastly different world, and it draws me in like a moth to a flame! I just can't get enough of it. 
     Now, I've finally taken the initiative to become a foreign exchange student; however, the tuition is very expensive. I'm using a program called AFS-USA (formerly known as the American Field Service), and the tuition for a year high school program in Japan is $13,200. This is a large sum of money that I can't simply afford. I have applied for scholarships, but even this does not guarantee my trip to Japan. 
     Thus, I have created this blog to help raise money towards my tuition. To make a donation, please click the "ChipIn" button, which is a secure, non tax-deductible donation. I have been auctioning my artwork on Facebook in a public group called Japan Trip Fundraiser. So far, I have raised about $500. When fall rolls around, I plan to paint and sell pumpkins. For the chilly months, I am crocheting scarves. I have a long ways to go, but nothing will deter me. It is my dream to join these two worlds together and help others better understand what Japan is all about! There is so much to learn from this country, and I hope to create a bond that will last a lifetime and beyond. Thank you for your support! 

 To sponsor my AFS program now, please click the ChipIn button.