13112010 To Japan Again

My next chance to leave the country temporary came in the form of a scholarship. After returning from Beijing, our new university semester started, and I was caught up once again with the high and lows of university life, and also trying to cope with very trying situations which kept popping up over and over again. Eventually I was struck down with high fever one day, so I took a day off from classes. It was during my nap when I received a telephone call, congratulating me that I was choosen to try for the JAL Scholarship.

Still groggy from the high fever and my head hurting so badly, I thought I had heard it wrongly and didn’t give it much thought. After I went back to classes a few days later, I was asked to see my lecturer and yes, it was confirmed. I was then give the application form and also asked to write an essay describing my country in Japanese. At that time, I only held the level 2 of the JLPT, so my essay didn’t turn out that well due to my very limited vocabulary and grammar structures.

After submitting it, I got no definite reply, till it was about 2 weeks before the program was scheduled to start, I received my letter in the mail. I got the scholarship.

Words could not describe how elated I was. I failed in my bid for the Heiwa Nakajima Scholarship, gave up on the Monbugakusho one too as I was diagnosed with acute eczema due to heavy stress I was undergoing at university. I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t heart-brokened when my hopes of being able to study in Japan were dashed. The other option we had at that time needed a considerable sum of money, and my family didn’t had it to support me. So I gave up on that too. But when this scholarship came around, I was so happy I could almost cry. Even if it was only a week-long visit to Japan, it meant a lot to someone who was majoring in Japanese Language like me.

It would be autumn I learned, so after stuffing my luggage with warm clothings and presents for the people I was going to meet, my parents sent me off at the airport and I got onto a Japan Airlines flight for Narita all alone, but I was more excited than afraid.

I was finally, finally going to Japan again.