We asked one of our missionary-kids what life is like growing up in Japan, and here is her answer.
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'Compared to other countries, Japan has enough food, water, medicine and a good educational system. I sometimes dreamed of living in Africa, playing with lions and living in a hut made of sticks. However, in reality, I live in a normal house with water and electricity and use the train to go to school instead of using a jungle path. You might think that my life isn’t different in comparison to a kid living in Europe or America, but it is actually a little more complicated than it sounds. Living most of my life in Japan, I have many friends and a school that I enjoy going to. However, all my relatives live in Germany and the time we can spend together with them is limited. So where is my real home? I’ve asked myself this question for a long time now, but I still don’t know.
'The language is another thing. It’s a real advantage to be able to grow up with more than one language, but it’s also challenging. In school I generally use English, but depending on whom I talk to, the language changes. Then at home, we speak German. When I was smaller, I used to go to a Japanese primary school. During that time, my brothers and I had to study German after we came home from school. We had less time to play than other kids, but now, looking back, I’m thankful for the time we spent practicing read-ing and writing German.
'Something that I really enjoy and am thankful for is being able to have other missionary kids as my friends. We can relate to each other’s feelings, have a great time talking about God, and they are always there to encourage me and help me through hard times. In the International School that I go to, with foreigners and Japanese kids mixed, the differences in the cultures become more obvious, but I feel that there is a strong connection between us as we are all loved by the same God.
'In Japan, one of the most popular activities for teenagers is going to karaoke. You sing or scream as loudly as you want to in a soundproofed room and you don’t have to worry about bothering anybody! In the summer, we can go look at huge fireworks at night. Many people wear the traditional “yukata” (summer kimono) and there are booths offering “mochi” (rice balls) or “kakigori” (crushed ice with syrup).
'Growing up with Japanese people and their culture, it hasn’t always been easy, especially because their religion is so different, but I’m glad that God has led my parents to this country.'
Article by Simone Gaub, aged 17