My experience (by Ciarán)

I go to an international school here in Sendai called the Tohoku International School. The school thus far has been quite extraordinary and exciting. There has been many amazing experiences that I believe I will cherish for a long time. Everyday seems like an adventure with a different ending. One of my many "adventures" was experiencing Mt Zao. The scenery was simply breathtaking and something that I myself cannot really say that I have experienced in my native country of Finland. Just being at that altitude seeing such outstanding and unique features was just without words different to what I was expecting. The whole experience was quite exhilarating.

School P.E. uniform      

TIS school bus

Christmas concert in Sendai

Halloween concert

Another "adventure" entailed my grade 8 Osaka trip. During this trip I have acclimatised myself to discovering so many different cultures, for such a small country the cultures differ from prefecture to prefecture vastly. I visited many wonderful sights such as the Osaka castle, the Kinka-kuji and the Hongwanji. These sights were marvellous and thus has taught me a lot about the Japanese history and how it has affected other cultures and countries and vice versa.

Living in Japan from the start had a peculiar feeling to it. Though I have grown accustomed to living in my humble abode, sometimes I feel hard to describe the ache I have for my old home but this has by now been replaced by a feeling of mundane comfort. What I expect from this year is not much but what I get is a lot more than my wildest hopes could wish for.

Lunch at the school is very different from the Finnish school lunch. My daily diet here consists mostly of Ramen. I like all the different variations that I've had. I will say that the Ramen and Udon are to die for and something I wish would be introduced into the Finnish culture a little more. Curries are another good type of dish that I have enjoyed and found superb. The thick sauce together with the rice and meat/vegetables just turn your tongue into a battlefield of exquisite tastes.