Sachie Arai

2009-10 Inbound from Japan

Hometown: Saitama, Japan

Sponsor: Urawa Diamond Rotary Club, District 2770, Japan

Host: Vero Beach Sunrise Rotary Club, District 6930, Florida, USA

School: Vero Beach High School, Vero Beach, Florida

Bio

Sachie's Bio

Hello!! My name is Sachie Arai, I’m 16 years old and I’m a sophomore. I’m from Japan where I live in Saitama which is north of Tokyo. My prefecture is famous for the largest production of Japanese traditional dolls, and if you are interested in soccer maybe you know “Saitama Stadium 2002” which had 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan and “Urawa Red Diamonds”.

Now, I live in Vero Beach and I go Vero Beach HS. I took 7 classes (English, Chemistry, World History, Cream/Pottery, Physics, Political System, Pre-Calculus). At first, I tried to take chorus but I couldn’t so I changed to Pottery but it looks fun, too! It’s a so nice school and the students and teachers are kind, but the first day, I was so surprised by many things. First I don’t know what sound is the bell because the sound is different from Japan and students stand up all together at a time because we have only 6 minutes to move to the next classroom. Although they are of course, I was so confused…

And then, I like to sing and listen to music so I want to join something to sing or learn singing but also I want to try many things in this year!!

My host family is Mrs. Lucy, Mr. Bruce, and Lauren Hendricks who have 2 cats and a dog (they are so cute but so shy…). They are so nice and my host mom help me my homework… Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart…!

By today, it has passed 3 days since school had begun and I got used to move to the classes. And I rode a school bus for the first time, today. It was so precious experience and I was surprised to have someone sit next to me without hesitate because commonly Japanese people hesitates under like situation, I think. Then, guys spoke to me positively, I made some new friends in the bus!

Anyway, I want to try many things and hang on to enjoy the life in Florida!!

September 28 Journal

Hey, everyone=) It's September's blog. Times pass away really faster than I expected, this month is about finished.

By the way, I bought a graduate ring this week! I designed! I think it's soooo coool! I'm looking forward to getting it... maybe a few months later? I'm used to school and now, I can do my homework almost myself! I'm growing....haha. I got A in political system class before last week..=D Then, I went to see a movie which is GI Joe last week. It was interesting=) I love movies.. I love every kinds of movie without horror movie...(゜Д゜゛)))))

Last Saturday, I moved to the second host family. They are so nice and their son stays in Japan now! He stays in different district with me but he looks so enjoying the life in there. I met many my mom's friends and families since I moved. They are so nice and funny, too!!

Last weekend, we went to sightseeing to Tampa. Everything was exciting among all of them, Hard Rock Hotel was so fantastic!!! It was so cool, that's way these are displayed clothes of well-know rock singers, there are many nice shops in that hotel, then rock singers were singing on the stage of the center of outside that is surrounded by shops, and so nice casino. Moreover, my mom likes shopping! I like it, too! So I look forward to it with her.

December 22 Journal

Hi, everyone. It’s already December, this year has almost done. Now, in this month, we went to Disney World as a Rotary trip for 4 days. We visited 4 parks during 4 days. It was really fun but I was tired because I was having fun for 4 days at parks, and at night we were hanging out with my friend every night, so maybe that’s why…:P

On the first day, it was rainy - probably because of it, there is not so many people. First of all, I rode on “Hollywood Tower Hotel” with my friends because Tokyo Disney Sea has same attraction which is called “Tower of Terror”. That’s why I wanted compare them. The result was ………different. First, it was smaller than Tokyo Disney Sea’s, and the Hollywood Studious’ moves ahead of us but Japanese one doesn’t move like that, just fall down. And also the establishment is completely different except the stage is in a hotel. But anyway it was fun. I’ll recommend my friends in Japan Rock’n’Roller coaster and a show at night which was so beautiful.

On the second day, we visited to Magic Kingdom. We had left our hotel early morning because it was planned that is a tour about the park which related to physical points of view for us. After that I go around with my friends who are from Thailand. We couldn’t ride on so many attractions but it was really fun because my feeling was like that I was going around with my Japanese friend. I could relax from bottom of my heart and have fun. When I’ve been with them, I didn’t feel a wall of a language. They became my good friends in this trip. Of course the leftover days, I went around with them. At night, we had Pizza Party prepared by Rotary Clubs.

On the third day, we visited EPCOT. I think that is the park there are the largest amount of Japanese visitors because I heard Japanese many times. And I was surprised because I realized Asians look same. I thought if you are an Asian, absolutely you can distinguish Asians for each countries. But actual result, a family whom I thought they are Chinese obviously were Japanese… I got a kind of shock. At length I could understand my friends’ saying which is every Asians are same... There are so many thing in the world which I have not found yet… Speaking of EPCOT, definitely booths of each countries, isn’t it!!? Every countries’ booths were awesome! Of course I went to Japan and I tried to speak in Japanese with a Japanese staff but I don’t know why, I couldn’t speak Japanese well. Words was just running about in my brain, I couldn’t make them be sounds. It was interesting experience. Then, the dinner time, we had buffet beside the lake. I ate much mashed potato and Disney’s ice cream because I love them. When I was having dinner pleasantly with my friends, an announcement had been prevailed then the fireworks were begun. It was really beautiful!! Amazing!! You guys, you should see it =D

On the last day, we visited to Animal kingdom. I think it was the best however, unfortunately, it was the last day so actually we didn’t have time to see everywhere, we had great time. Oh, hey, have you ever ridden on the mountain roller coaster? (I forgot the name if the attraction..) It was the best in the 4 parks, I think. Oh, then, we had an accident!! The attraction was broken when we were riding!! …No way… It’s still broken. We could walk in the attraction instead of riding (actually to go out of the attraction…L ) but they just gave us a ticket for that attraction which is fixed Dec.16th… I won’t be come here!!!!...I shouted like that in my heart…L Anyway, that’s all right because I had great time for 4 days with my friends. Thank you so much Rotary Club, Rotarians, my host and my mom…☆☆☆

And..Now, Christmas is coming…!!! We celebrate Christmas in Japan but we just eat cakes. It’s Christmas!!!.....yey,,,:P If you are a kid, you are able to be given a Christmas present, if you are..:) I’m not able to given a present already, btw. BUT!! To tell the truth, I got present from my host already!!! X) hehe… And from the Christmas, I’m going to LA & Las Vegas with my host!! Oh, yes! I’m so excited!!

But I’ll have a test after this break…(T_T)

April 1 Journal

Hi, guys... I haven't write blog of month lately, I'm sorry about that. Well,.. this month...,oh yeah, I went to South Carolina for my mom's 2nd nephew's wedding. It was first time to attend a wedding in my life and I was really curious. And you know, my first time was in America! It's awesome, isn't it!? Oh, guys, have you ever been to South Carolina? You should go there because the scene is really beautiful, I gonna show you pictures. And I participated some historical tours. I'm learning American History at my school so I could compare their speaking and the contents which I learned, it was really interesting.

End of this month...... it was my birthday!! haha,.. nobody knows, who reads this blog... Anyways, I had my birthday party at my house. I couldn't invite many of my friends though, because we have to invite grandparents, my last host and my mom's friend. Whatever, it was my first birthday party after I graduated my elementary school! Somebody think, which is weird, why I don't have my Birthday party after I graduated, because actually BIRTHDAY & CHRISTMAS is just for kids, which is like Halloween. Some people celebrate elderly persons' birthday though (it's like people who is over 65 years old can order kids meal, which is possible in Japan, haha), fundamentally, those events are just for kids. I had really good time. I got presents for my birthday (of course!! Birthday = presents!!, isn't it?? ;)) One of them, I got a ticket for a movie which was from my mom. But actually it was a ticket for OPERA!! Might be you guys are confusing right now....haha. I meant the opera is actually acted at Metropolitan in N.Y. but the movie theater has a live of that on a screen. However it sounds like odd and subtle, actually it was good and I could feel my host's consideration, they knew I like Opera, that's why.

Now, I'm in my spring break!! I got homework though from my photo class. That's alright because I like my photo class and anyway I take pictures everyday for my blog (which is not this one, sorry). I took some kids as models. My class's rule, If I got models, I have to get their address and I have to send those pictures to them. That sounds so odd and troublesome though, actually when I take pictures, I'm cheered up by imagining their expressions when they see pictures which I took. I'm really looking forward to printing my pictures after the spring break!!! о(ж＞▽＜)ｙ ☆

I have experienced 2 first thing just in this month, which is funny (> <) And I am going to go to N.Y. & D.C. next month!!! It is awesome!!!! Oh, yes, last year was really cold which is since 30 years. Finally, it's getting warmer recently. I went to a beach with my friend last week though, the water was still cold..... :゛;｀;:゛;｀;・o(ロ≦〃) It's ok for just hung out with your friends along a beach though....because there are so many people already. Oh, but be careful of SUNBURN!! Make sure put your sunscreen on your skin!!! It's still cold though, the sunshine is trying to kill you!Σ(・ω・ノ)ノ!!!