Welcome to my blog! My name is Vani Suresh and I am 18 years old. I just graduated from Design Tech High School and am deferring admission from UC Berkeley to go on a year-long Rotary Youth Exchange to Hiroshima, Japan.

During my exchange I will be immersed in Japanese culture, living with host families, and attending a local high school everyday. As such, I hope and expect that my exchange will be much more than an extended vacation in a beautiful country. It will be an internal journey as I find myself growing into adulthood away from my community and comfort zone; an exploration into the intricacies of a simultaneously modern and traditional culture; a mission to forge new and intimate connections with Japanese family, friends, and other exchange students from around the world.

Please join me here on my adventure! I look forward to sharing my journey with all of you, and please leave any thoughts or questions in the comments section!

Sincerely,
Vani