A year ago today Dad and I boarded a plane and flew across the Pacific ocean to a little island called Japan.  I spent the next 8 months going to Temple University, traveling and experiencing the culture.  Sometimes I can’t believe I was there, that I lived outside of this country for 8 straight months, that I lived in any house but this one, that I saw a country seeped in traditions and was finally able to live out my dream.  But then I see how far I’ve come in a year and how my views on life and myself have evolved.  So much has happened in this year and I know this next year will bring many more challenges and changes.  But I look forward to them, to the good and the bad.  I’m still learning who I am and where I fit in this world, but I’m more confident in where I’m headed.  I know God has great plans for me and I’m anxious to see them carried out.