Study Abroad

I decided to go abroad for the Spring 2018 semester in order to broaden my cultural and linguistic knowledge. Japan was my number 1 choice for this as I had already visited once before and knew some of the language, having taken up to Japanese 302 level courses at UH Manoa. During my stay abroad I was able to experience many different aspects of Japanese culture. This includes taking a variety of Japanese-based classes like Japanese Art and Japanese Automotive Industry, as well as enjoying recreational activities like watching a sumo tournament and being part of a tea ceremony.

A part of the program was to put together a collaborative portfolio of many of the different cultural showcases that my classmates and I experienced. This portfolio, similar to a travel magazine or travel blog, consists of write-ups and reflections of each of the different activities as well as a large supply of photos that demonstrate each event.

The overall experience was amazing as I was able to learn a lot about Japanese culture and language, as well as learn more about myself. This experience was partially about self-discovery and how I might fare being in a completely new and different environment. My biggest takeaway from this experience is that I know that I want to go elsewhere, to experience more, and to keep learning new things.