Greetings from Japan! It's Gabrie here!
Before I tell you about my adventures in Japan, I'd like to tell you a little bit about myself. I was born very far from where you are now, on an island called Palawan. One of the Philippines' most beautiful islands, Palawan is surrounded by clear blue ocean, bordered by white beaches, and populated with hills and forests. I am the youngest of four siblings, and we were all homeschooled. Our backyard consisted of a field of grass, and in our front yard was a zip line made by my father. I spent a lot of time exploring my neighborhood and going on little excursions with my cousin and older brother. I was daring and inquisitive, but my little town was all I knew.
When I was 11 years old, my family and I moved to southern California. Suddenly, I was in an unfamiliar place and everything I knew was very far away. I missed home and all my friends. Soon, though, I started to learn about my new home, tried new things and made new friends. I learned that the world is a lot bigger than what I was used to.
When I was 16 years old, I went on my first solo trip, through the Girl Scout program Destinations. I went all the way to Costa Rica to help with sea turtle conservation. I didn’t speak Spanish, and I didn’t know anyone else in the program.
