Profile
- Name: Kai Araki
- Home Country: / From: Japan/UK
- Studied in: Saga
- Exchange Year: –
- What I’m Doing Now:
Interview
- What I Gained from Studying Abroad:
- Advice for Future Students: / A Message for You:
Hi everyone, and welcome to Teen Trails Japan! My name is Kai Araki, and I’m the founder.
First, I should say that I am not a former exchange student myself. I’m a Japanese high school student, born and raised here—one of the people who will be welcoming you. Because of that, I may not be able to speak about the true hardships of studying abroad or the sense of accomplishment that comes from overcoming a language barrier.
However, I have listened to the voices of many, many exchange students. I’ve heard about their immense anxiety before coming to Japan, and also about the incredible memories they made here. From that unique perspective, there is a message I want to share with all of you, our future students.
And that message is: It’s okay not to be perfect.
When you first arrive, you might feel frustrated with yourself for not being able to speak Japanese well. But please, don’t be afraid. It’s okay to make mistakes. The most important thing is your desire to want to talk, to want to know. In reality, Japanese high school students are often just as nervous as you are, thinking, “I want to talk to the exchange student, but my English is so bad…” If you gather your courage and say “Konnichiwa,” I promise they will greet you back with a smile.
The other thing I want to ask is for you to be brave and try to dive right into the circle. Club activities (bukatsu), preparing for the culture festival, an invitation from a friend to hang out—each and every one of those moments will transform your time abroad from a simple “stay” into an unforgettable “youth” (seishun).
We created Teen Trails Japan to give our full support to that first step of yours. Whenever you feel anxious, you can always come back here and rely on the “Trails” left behind by us and by so many wonderful senpai (senior students).
I am sincerely looking forward to the day we can meet you all here in Japan!
My Trail on TTJ
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