Hello everyone! My name is Sofia and I’m one of the 責任者 of group 8 about 観光!

What a bittersweet feeling,huh? I somehow feel both happy and a bit sad at the same time.

Two moths ago, when I received the email from placement Japan about this internship, I even almost didn’t consider it. Then something told me to actually open that email and read it, and that was the beginning of something I would have never imagined.

I admit that the first week I was, sugar-coding-mode on, TERRIFIED!!

I mean, I was used to see myself as someone not skilled enough and when I got to know I was chosen to be one of the 責任者, I read the email three times to be sure what I read was right.

This is one of the moments in life when you actually have to choose who you’re going to be. Someone who believes what people think of them or someone who actively decides what kind of person they want to be.

I chose the second option and chose to deal with all of my insecurities and lack of skills.

I learned how to create a zoom meeting link, how to record it, how to cut videos and create google sheets but also how to communicate with my team, which members relied on me and couldn’t be let down.

The first week was a tornado of emotions and tasks , I even felt sick and fainted eventually, but didn’t give up.

I felt so alone at the beginning, like I couldn’t count on anyone, but something happened, something, as I said, I couldn’t expect at all.

Weeks past by and I was gradually getting used,it eventually became my routine, and I got able to overcome many obstacles, such as talking with people from other’s group自由会話 I suddenly found myself in or updating all of the documents and google sheets about my group.

Meeting after meeting, I got to know amazing people, who supported me in ways a sister/brother does. I finally stopped feeling alone and really felt part of something. Me and the members of my group became friends and even decided to organize zoom meetings after the project to practice both Japanese and Italian.

I not only learnt so much about my team, I also, and especially, learnt a lot about myself. I’ve always wanted to prove to everyone and to myself I could be a good leader, deep down I knew I could and I was waiting for the chance.

This project gave me the great opportunity to make friends, to know myself better and to be a lot more confident than I used to be. It gave me the opportunity to change my thinking towards obstacles into :” I CAN DO IT, IF I WANT TO” and I really wish you readers could say that aloud to yourselves, because I am sure you too can.

This pandemic divided us physically, but in spirit we connected anyways, and I’m grateful for that.