Study Abroad and Domestic Study Away

When describing Japan, it’s her first impression that struck me, that being how people here are socially trustworthy and considerate. This made me reflect on a movie I watched recently, The Odyssey (2026), long story short, societal trust was weaponized and eventually trust collapsed. I hope Japan’s future is not people using the established societal trustworthiness for personal gain, causing a domino effect. I have been adjusting to the culture of Japan physically and mentality, first it was my biological clock then now the norms found in the community. For example, taking photos feels taboo for me now, of course other people are the reason, like taking photos with bad intentions. On a personal level, before going to Japan I was once selfish and inconsiderate of others, but as I grew older and progressed in college, I reached maturity. People often would tell me that I act older for my age. But, since being in Japan I have adjusted to life here without much difficulty and when in social environments I blossom. I can expect soon that I will befriend people and be of no concern to people. Since arriving in Japan, I have travelled so much. I have visited Ikebukuro, Odaiba, Kawagoe, Akihabara, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Yokohama, Shichirigahama Beach, Harajuku, Yoyogi Park, and more. It is not an overstatement saying that I walk an average of eight miles per  day, but my classes have started recently so I will not be walking too much now. My adventures do not stop now, but instead I plan to travel more. My biggest hope is to maybe visit a neighboring country but realistically speaking I will just travel regionally in Japan. The first regional trip outside the Tokyo metropolis will be Okinawa, which I plan to do soon. Osaka will be my second regional trip, perhaps for my birthday celebration in October. There are other trips yet to be determined due to financial constraints, but I will make the best of my experiences. To shortly summarize, the program in Japan has allowed me to build independence.
I want to give special thanks and recognition to both Ingrid H. and George L. Speros for their donations to support me and other fellow scholars to do study abroad.

Under the Tokyo Tower: