It was a normal day in a week. Everything was normal but out of nowhere, everyone just started to talk about their their conversation they had with their buddies on Line. I was really surprised and jealous at the same time because my buddy hadn’t sent me any messages. The very next normal school day began, a few hours after a first and second lessons, I got some notifications on Line. I was wondering who texted me during school time. I saw the username, it was in Japanese, so I was very hopeful that time because I was pretty sure it was my buddy. I then went on Line because I needed to check if it was really my buddy, but there was literally nothing showed up on Line although I got the notification. Then I came to realise that Line didn’t even work with the school WiFi.

On the same day, there was an assembly in the school hall. The sponsors of the Japanese Exchange Scholarship came to congratulate the students, and gave out certificates to those who had successfully become the ambassadors of Aorere College, to go for the exchange program in Japan. The sponsors were really friendly to the others and me, so it made me feel a little bit less nervous unlike when I first met them in the interview room. I felt really thankful towards them because they’ve given such a special award to me.

• 

In order to be able to survive in Japan, knowing some basic Japanese is very necessary. I have started learning Japanese with the other students, who got into the exchange program, and a Japanese teacher. We learnt about how to introduce ourselves in Japanese, learning what Japanese students do before/after class start/end. It was very hard to learn because I have never tried to learn it before. To be honest, I couldn’t understand a single thing at first, but with help and support from my Japanese teacher, I could understand what we’ve learnt better.

Hajimemashite (Nice to meet you)

Watashi no namae wa Chotirat Fah desu (My name is Fah Chotirat)

Fah to yonde kudasai (Please call me Fah)

Douso yoroshiku onegaishimasu (Please take a good care of me)

I learnt to introduce myself on the first lesson, it was really fun!! I also learnt to bow and start/end the lesson in Japanese way with the other students. It was very interesting yet very helpful for me.

• 

• 

• 

The story began in 2018. I was a normal year 11 student who had no interest in anything in school, but I have changed because of my friends. In 2018, my friends have achieved their goals quite successfully since they have settled their goals in the beginning of the year. I was a bit different from them. I have my goals but I never put my best effort into it. I saw my friends were trying their best in class and I was the only one there that did not even try to do it. The only thing that came up in my mind was “why bother trying, I can just fail. It’s just Level 1.” Although I have thoughts like that I still came back to think about them every time. One day, I saw the application for the Japanese Exchange Scholarship, I looked at it and there was a thought that came up “Trying it might not affect me that much.” I tried applying for it in 2018 but I failed eventually so I thought that “Well this might not be my year.”

The next year, which was 2019, I tried to write a good essay to apply for this scholarship again. I passed into the second round. I thought the second round was going to be a formal interview as a group, asking a question to each of us one by one about ourselves (but as a group), but it turned out to be a fun activity that I didn’t even expect. After the activity had finished, I felt like there was something that I did not complete, I felt like I did not express myself to everyone and I felt like I did not do things with confidence, so I felt like I wouldn’t be surprised if I failed this year. As expected of my prediction, I failed again in 2019.

In the same year (2019), I saw the application for the Japanese Exchange scholarship again in term 3. I was thinking that “If I applied, I would probably fail again. I might as well just save money and go to Japan myself.” Although I have thoughts like that, but I ended up applying again. Surprisingly, I passed the first round and the second round. I was so nervous because I passed the second round and I had to go for the formal interview in the third round as an individual. I prepared for the answer for almost the whole night in the night before the interview, especially for the question like ‘introduce yourself,’ it seemed like a very easy question but it was actually very hard for me because I barely knew about myself. I asked every teacher and every friend I could trust about the questions that the judges might ask, and tried to put things together. On the day of the interview, I did not expect the principal and teachers I knew to be there as well as the sponsors, but they were there. I couldn’t breath for a second when I went into the room because I was freaking out for a couple of seconds. When the judges began to ask questions, I thought I wouldn’t be able to answer any questions but surprisingly I could talk to them like I knew them for ages. I was really worried about my result that time because I was scared that I might fail again since I made it this far.

Finally, the day of the result was released. I went to get a letter from Mr Ali (Director of International Students). I was so scared to open it. I was thinking “it’s fine if I fail, saving money and go there by myself is one of the good choices.” I have this thought before I even open the letter. I decided to open the letter afterwards. I read everything inside thoroughly and stared at it for a while and then thought that “oh…I got it, so I got it. I see.” I didn’t know why I didn’t feel surprised, so I was thinking if I was emotionless, but after days had passed I came to realise that I got to go Japan in 2020 after I read the letter countless times. So, I was screaming inside my head and made a weird smile when no one was around.

AND AGAIN, YES I MADE IT THIS YEAR.