Self Reflection Assignment On My Experience In Japan

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Self-reflection
Part 1
The one thing I wish I had shared with the entire class is my experience in Japan. Some of the experiences we go through are hard to tell others and this is one of those. I received my high school education in Japan and my experiences in that period are some of the hardest to forget. As a Chinese student in a new country, there are normal challenges one would expect like culture shock and language problem. My challenges went beyond that. I was bullied because I was different. I am always the quiet student and as such, I did not report. I did not report because I could not communicate well in Japanese. I was also not sure whether I would receive help.
When I undertook my high school education in Japan, I expected I would enjoy learning a new culture and language. I expected that I would have a new good life and with new friends. I did not expect that it would turn out to be lonely and full of unpleasant experiences. While I am happy I got to learn a few things here and there, thinking about my life in Japan somehow makes me sad. I struggled to fit in class. I was bullied for being different and it has affected the way I perceived people other than those close to me.
Initially, I was eager and determined to learn Japanese because I find learning new things fascinating and mainly because that was the only way I could learn other subjects in class. I was not familiar with the Japanese language and I had to learn it in order to understand other subjects. However, my accent was different from other students and they always laughed at how I pronounced things. The bullying from my classmates really affected me. I was not confident in pronouncing words in Japanese because I felt I would not say them correctly. I did not feel like I belong at all. Given the ridicule of my classmates, life in Japan was hard for me. I know I could have come forward and reported what I was experiencing but I was afraid. Maybe things would have been better if I had learned intercultural communication aspects. Maybe I could have learned how to understand myself and the Japanese students better. But communication is a two-way street and I was alone.
I did not feel like myself throughout high school but somehow I managed to get through it. I know my high school performance could have better if the environment had been friendlier. Bullies took control of my emotions and I did not even have friends. I wanted to make friends but I could not. Naturally, I am a shy person and I speak less. Therefore, I missed every opportunity of making friends while studying in Japan. I partly blame this on my initial experiences with the Japanese students.
After high school, I had to take time to heal and find myself again. I took a few years to focus on myself and those that cared for me. I wanted to forget what I went through in high school and my family provided what I needed. I really enjoyed being around people that loved me. I cherish the laughter, stories, and moments we shared after high school. Sometimes I would think about the bullying and become really glad that I made it through. Despite all the high school experiences, I did not lose interest in learning new things and cult...