If there's hello, there's good-bye.

I'm leaving Canada after this 8-month fantastically amazing stay.

Why I came here? It is because I wanted to see other world, meet new people, experience challenging things, develop my dreams and careers, establish a sense of independence, broad my views and values, and of course, brush up my English to communicate more effectively and personally. And I think I did them so far.

I cannot tell my experience in Canada without talking about amazing friends I made here. I will miss them. A lot. But actually it does not really hit me that I'm leaving... It will hit me after going back to Japan, I guess...

This is what I wrote to a friend of mine around 10 days ago about going back home.

I'm going back to Japan in 10 days, and I'm busy to prepare for everything. I need to buy souvenirs (maple syrup for sure!), need to pack my luggages (I doubt if I have enough space in my suitcases), and need to say good-bye to my friends... I'm excited to go to Bangladesh, but it's sad to leave a place I got used to it. I will come back but don't know when. I made good friends here and I'll miss them a lot... To think about "leaving" makes me feel like I wanna cry, so I try to smile thinking about my new "adventure". Smile will be a nice memory rather than tears. ;)

Well, I think this tells most of my feeling. I'm proud of what I have done here, but it's just sad that I have to leave my friends even though I can connect with them on the Internet. But I believe that thinking in a positive way helps. I'm gonna start a new adventure and I have a lot of friends to share my adventure. How nice it is!

Through this stay, I learned many about myself. Instead of what I am expected to do by the others, or what is considered to be good thing to do by the others, I did think of what "I" love, want to do, good at, and enjoy. I could list them up but not now - it'll be too long.

Anyways, I do appreciate everyone, especially those from TIG, and everything I met here - however tough they are/were.

Leaving Canada to  Japan. I hope Japan didn't go crazy while I was not there. It has been always crazy? That's true.

In case you're wondering - I could finish packing, somehow.

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Though I know I haven't finished the series of entry about my internship, I wanted to update this exciting news. :)

Back to November 10th, I found a tweet on my TL (tons of tweets a day goes through!) saying that the Winter GCMP (Global Change Makers Program) application was open.

I knew a bit about the GCMP, as one of my friends (she and I were members of Japan-Dominican Republic Exchange Program) joined it last year. In brief, GCMP is all about developing next generation change makers through the program aiming to improve the life of people living in a rural area of Bangladesh, known as one of the poorest countries in Asia. GCMP members will visit Bangladesh for 8 days, and do some research to find out what kind of problems local people are facing and suggest an idea of solution in front of Grameen Bank staff and others. (That's what I understand!)

So, I was down for it as soon as I found that information.

There were two stages of screening. The first one was essay. I could choose one theme from three (Education, Health and Environment; members will be divided into 3 groups based on their interests) and wrote why I choose it and how I can contribute in that area. Needless to say, I selected education. That's what I'm very interested in, and I have experience in E-learning through the AYV project at TIG... :D

I passed the essay (yay!). The second stage of screening, which was a Skype interview, was set - at 8:30am(EST). As Skype didn't work well during the webinar, it was not 100% for me. But I think I could show my passion and enthusiasm for the program and education, at least.

Oh, speaking about the interview, I mistook the time gap between Japan and Canada and was waiting for the interview one day before the real date. Haha. It's actually 14 hours but somehow I took it 38 hours. :P


A few days later.


I received the result.


It said, "we want you to join the GCMP as a member of Education team"!!!!!!!!!

I was awfully sick from a cold at that time, but the news made me so happy and excited.

Thank you my mom and dad for your generous financial support (almost 2,000CAD, urgh).
Thank you for my good friends for helping me practice interview and all the wishes.
Thank you for the GCMP staff for choosing me and giving me a chance to experience this exciting thing.


I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!


However...

I have to get VISA.
- Do I have to go to Ottawa because I need to get my visa here in Canada!!?? And their website says I need Canaadian visa or Canadian permanent visa. I don't have either of them. :S

I need to get vaccinated.
- Tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, abdominal typhus, rabies, and Japanese encephalitis... These are what GCMP staff sent me. Does AIU cover the cost!!?? One of my friend who went to African countries got vaccinated in Canada without insurance and she said it was expensive...

I have to buy travel insurance.
- Japanese insurance companies require me to be IN Japan to purchase the travel insurance online. I think it is necessary to buy it and prefer Japanese company as they offer service in Japanese. What can I do...

Lots of things need to be solved and done in a short period.

GCMP will start from January 2nd, so I really should prepare everything much earlier than I was planning before.

I will miss Canada because this was my first time to stay outside Japan for such a long time and I had variety of experience, I met so many unique or (sometimes 'and') nice people, and I went to many new places, and I made memories here.

But I am very happy and excited to take my step forward and experience new thing. Keep trying something new!!!!!!

This will be the next step, next challenge and next discovery.

I'm coming soon, Bangladesh!!!! ;)