In a new land, in a new place. It's never easy starting out, but this is the dream that she's always wanted. The chance she'd always been waiting for. The chance to come to America, and experience something completely unlike anything she had ever before. Sakura Doihara jumped at it like a lion closing in for the kill. If she didn't take this chance to study abroad, who knew when the next opportunity would appear.
At the first mention of America, her parents had objected outright. They thought her crazy, why on earth would she want to leave Japan? Her home was a successful country, in all its own right. Everything their daughter needed in life grew directly in their backyard.
Sakura knew this, but of course an American experience didn't sound all that bad. The idea was first implanted in her head when she was five. Movies-especially American ones with cute boys-really had an influence.
Sakura blushed, recalling the beginnings of her desire to see America. It wasn't the only reason why she so desperately wanted to go. There was the differences between her proper, dignified lifestyle and the average American teenager's. And the education; the curriculum was surely different than that of her own in Japan. Sakura had also been informed that the customs in high school were also very foreign. And oh, the uniforms. In American schools, students had no need for them. Sakura could kiss goodbye the sailor uniforms that had drawn the attention of lecherous, creepy old men towards her.
The girl tucked a long strand of jet black hair behind her ears as the spring wind blew. In the absence of pink petals flitting about in the air, she sighed. There were no cherry blossoms here in America. The flower with which she shared her namesake would be missing from her sight for a few years. It would be one thing that Sakura missed from her homeland.
Her aunt-whom agreed to let Sakura stay with her-had attempted to cultivate a few small cherry trees in her backyard, but the blooms on the branches were noticeably different. Nonetheless, still beautiful, and very much appreciated.
Sakura inhaled sharply, anxious to start her first day tomorrow. What would Carawood High School, home of the Bears, be like? The anticipation and excitement was chewing at her from the inside out. In such deep thought, she had failed to notice her aunt's entrance to the back porch, swiftly taking a seat beside Sakura with a plate of store bought black cherries.
Asako wasn't all that much older than Sakura herself, at the age of twenty six. Still young and celebratory of life, much more than her own niece anyways.
"You'll be fine," Sakura turned to look at her aunt. Asako was speaking English. Very perfected and well practiced English. Asako had instructed Sakura to speak in English only for the time being, to better her speech and familiarity with the language.
In all honesty, Sakura felt gratitude towards the older woman. Despite having practiced English for a long time, there were still major slip ups in her speech, and a lingering accent which Sakura found embarrassing. "I'm not worried. Just very, very excited," she raised one cherry to her lips, the sweet tanginess of the flesh dancing on her tongue after she bit into the small fruit.
Asako regarded her niece with a sideways glance, spitting out a cherry pit towards the direction of the grass in front of the two. She herself decided to move to America when she was twenty two. At the time, Sakura had only been thirteen, and envious of Asako's ableness to travel freely. When Sakura's mother, Asako's sister, had opposed letting her daughter go abroad, Asako had been the one to support Sakura's decision and desire.
"Well, I'm sure you'll do fine anyways," Asako smiled reassuringly, resting one hand on the younger girl's shoulder.
Sakura gave a grin in return, "Thanks Auntie," the girl exhaled, feeling her anxiety melt away with the oncoming of a new lifestyle.