One More Time, One More Chance
Sasmitaningtyas Jaladri (INA Asia Kakehashi Project+ to Japan 2025)
Hello everyone,
My name is Sasmitaningtyas Jaladri, and you can call me Sasi. I’m a 17-year-old exchange student from Indonesia.
I will be returning to Indonesia two weeks after I write this letter. One thing I am very sure of is that these four months in Japan will stay in my memories for as long as my heart is still beating.
When I was in kindergarten, my parents ran a small library at our home. I have loved books ever since. They introduced me to stories from all around the world, but I developed a special interest in Japanese culture through manga, anime, and novels. I’m not sure exactly why, but I think it’s because Japanese anime and manga brought my imagination to life.
I vividly remember when I was in the 5th grade. That was when I could access the internet more freely, and I watched a lot of anime on my mom’s laptop. Through anime and movies, I caught a glimpse of life in Japan. I had always wanted to go to another country, so I told my mom, “I want to be an exchange student in Japan when I’m in high school!”
I searched for high school exchange programs on my own using my mom’s office computer. That was when I first learned about AFS and the Asia Kakehashi Project.
Long story short, I was accepted into the exchange program I had always prayed for. And here is my story!
I was placed with the AFS Osaka North branch, and my host school is Senri High School. My first culture shock happened at school, where there are no uniforms, and students are allowed to wear almost anything, including piercings, makeup, and dyed hair. This is very rare for Japanese high schools. I am beyond grateful that Senri High School accepted me as a student.
My school has two programs: Science and Global Education. I was placed in the Global Education class. I have English lessons nine times a week, which is a great chance to improve my English since I rarely used it back in Indonesia. I also took French. All the lessons were taught in Japanese (except for some of the English classes), so I barely understood anything. But my teachers said it was okay — the most important thing was to experience the life of a high school student in Japan.
Every day, I go to school by bus and monorail. I usually arrive at school by 8:00 AM, while lessons start at 8:25 AM. I had some time to study by myself in the library, and once a week, a volunteer came to help me study Japanese.
School ends at 4:00 PM, after which I have club activities. I joined the brass band club because I had been part of a youth orchestra in Indonesia. I love performing with others! I decided to learn percussion, and my friends were very kind and patient, teaching me how to play even when I made mistakes.
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At first, I had a little trouble making friends. But I soon realized that I needed to be the one to approach them first. Eventually, I gathered the courage to ask a friend to watch a movie together. We watched 5 Centimeters Per Second.
There was also an art study program where my classmates and I went to see an opera in Kyoto. Afterward, we visited Heian Jingu and had dinner together. It was a cold day, but the sunset was beautiful — a memory I will never forget.
Another fond memory is walking from school to the train station with my friends. They approached me, held my hand, and we talked as we walked under the falling red leaves. We had a really good time together.
As for my host family, I truly love them. They made me feel at home from the day I arrived in Osaka. My host family includes my mama, otousan, my 17-year-old younger sister, and my 11-year-old younger brother. I also have an older host brother, but he is currently studying in another city.
My host mom prepared a bento lunch box for me every day, and my host father often cooked dinner. I really love his curry rice! I’ve gone out with my sister several times. Since we’re the same age, we get along very well. We go to cafes, watch movies, and sing karaoke together. My younger brother also likes talking with me. He enjoys gaming, dancing, karate, and soccer.
My host family often took me to many places. I was surprised to have the chance to visit every city in the Kansai region, and even other regions like Tottori and Tokushima, something I never imagined before arriving! I also had the opportunity to visit Hiroshima for a peace learning program free of charge. I’m very thankful to the AFS Osaka North branch staff who raised funds for exchange students to join this program.
My AFS friends are also very kind and funny. I’ve learned many new stories and gained different perspectives from them. I hope their exchange journeys are just as fun and filled with good memories.
One of my favorite activities in Japan has been collecting Goshuin (御朱印). Goshuin is a red ink stamp that serves as proof of visiting a temple. It is written by a temple monk or staff member and includes the temple’s name and the date of visit. To collect Goshuin, you need a special book called a Goshuin-cho. I got mine at Ise Jingu in Mie Prefecture. My host mom told me that Ise Jingu is the most sacred Shinto shrine in Japan.
One unique thing I discovered in Japan is that Osaka has quite a number of Catholic churches. Last month, I visited Tamatsukuri Cathedral, which was stunning, with a massive painting of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus behind the altar.
Every Sunday morning, when I don’t have other plans, I go to Toyonaka Catholic Church to attend mass. After the mass, I drink tea and eat snacks with the grandmas and grandpas. One of them told me that teenagers in Japan rarely go to church. They are very curious about Indonesia, so I often tell them about my country while sipping hot tea and eating biscuits.
They once said, “How come a high school student from Indonesia stumbled into this little church?”
For my last month, I decided to join a volunteer activity at the Osaka Service Dog Association. I often saw the staff and dogs fundraising at Senri-chuo Station in the afternoon. One day, I stopped by, and the staff gave me a flyer that said, “Volunteers needed!” I talked to my host family and my liaison person (my advisor here), and they helped me become a volunteer. I helped set up the fundraising area, handed out pamphlets, and sometimes the staff let me hold the dog’s leash. I really love to meet many people everyday as I give them pamphlets about service dogs and sometimes I explain a little bit. The staff are also very kind and always ensure that I’m alright.
As I wrote this letter, a line from a song I love keeps playing in my head. I wish I could have one more time, one more chance.
That’s exactly how I feel about my time here. I wish I could have one more day at school with my friends, one more dinner with my host family, one more train ride watching the sunset. This isn’t goodbye forever; it’s a ‘see you later.’ Once again, thank you to everyone who has made this journey unforgettable, my host family, friends, teachers, and AFS. The memories I’ve made here are treasures I will carry close to my heart forever. Thank you for everything.
