Kimiya Adjedani
October 18, 2023
My time here has flown by, I cannot believe we’re on week six already! I am starting to realize that this experience gets better with time. At first, I was feeling homesick but now that I have fallen into a routine and feel more comfortable in this new environment, I feel so excited for each new day. This experience has reminded me how important it is to push through new challenges since it can be very rewarding to do so. I have made wonderful connections with the staff and students here and I am sad to be leaving them in just two weeks. We are already making jokes about when I will be returning to the school. Although I do not want to leave in two weeks, I am excited to reunite with loved ones back home. I am looking forward to eating some comfort foods as well as enjoying Fall weather and activities.
In the school I have continued teaching Chemistry but also taught Math this week. Although neither of these subjects fall under my specialization I am really grateful to have the opportunity to teach them. It can be challenging at times to teach these subjects at a higher level, but I am very fortunate that the teachers here have been guiding me through the process. I appreciate being able to teach these subjects because I believe it will set the stage for interdisciplinary teaching in the future. Having a better awareness of what is taught in Chemistry and Math, will allow me to make connections between these subjects and Biology in my future. I believe that connecting the Biology curriculum to other subjects students are enrolled in will allow for a richer learning experience and allow students to see that these subjects do not exist in isolation.
Outside of school I have spent some time with my family doing new things and exploring new areas. My cousin and his wife visited over the long weekend and we spent the day at Universal Studios Japan (USJ). It was such a treat to see them and go to USJ for the first time. We intended on going to the aquarium as well, however, the tickets were sold out for the day. Luckily for me the aquarium is on my way home from the school so I will have an opportunity to stop by another time. Once my family left, I took a day trip to Nara where I fed deer and visited the Great Buddha Hall – Japan’s largest Buddha hall. I am looking forward to more adventures in my final weeks here. I wish I had travelled more in earlier weeks but I will be sure to make the most of the time I have left here.
