By Aaron Weeks

Hello,

Well now that the program is over for the year, I looked at some of the pictures from throughout the year, and reflected on the growth made. Here are some major points (portrayed as pictures) in my progress with the program.

Here is a photo from the beginning of the year. I’m there in the black coat. I’m an ambivert so I’m usually very antisocial in instances where I’m in a new place. I was very antisocial and kind of against the whole program in general. Not for a specific reason, its just harder for me to get accustomed to things like the Japanese Plus program. 

I’ll be using the JICC visit to detail my middle point in my progress with the program. I think the JICC visit was where I kind of opened up a bit more than I was used to. Especially with the haiku I submitted for their exhibit.

That haiku was very personal to me and was normally something I wouldn’t write, much less show in an exhibit. I also think I was getting more accustomed to being in contact with the other students in the program and making genuine friendships.

You can’t see me in this image, but the Sakura Matsuri Festival was a really big final turning point for me in the Japanese Plus program into accepting the program into my life and enjoying it. I was way out of my comfort zone being that much in a public place, but I didn’t feel anxiety, or anything being there because I was there with the Japanese Plus group. Overall, being in this program helped me a lot with being open to new experiences. I hope that all of my classmates have a great summer, and that next year will be as great as this one was.