As students left their hotel rooms one last time and hugged goodbye, a wave of emotions washed over the SJMC Japan students.
For nine students, their trip in SJMC Japan had come to an end while the other five students and two faculty members opted to extend their stay up to a week longer.
This program left students with new friendships, unforgettable memories and stories to tell for a lifetime. As the students walked up to the charter bus that would take them to the airport, the reality set in that they were leaving the country. It was a bittersweet goodbye.
The excitement of returning home mixed with the deep sadness of leaving behind a place that had begun to feel like home. While students were eager to share their stories with family, many wished they had just one more day, one more walk in the streets and one more moment together.
As SJMC students arrived at the airport, most of the process went smoothly. Patrick Scoulios, an electronic media senior, said his experience started off well since he only had a carry-on and a checked bag. However, he hadn’t realized that he was taking more of Japan home with him than the airline would allow.
“Sadly, once I got to the airport, I learned the hard way that I was over the (luggage) weight limit,” Scoulios said. “I had to pay a $50 fee. Thankfully, I didn’t run into any more issues after that.”
With nine students headed home, five students and both professors aren’t quite ready to leave Japan.
Kendall Casanova, a public relations senior, is spending more time in Japan with her sister, along with Stefan Chupp, a digital media innovation junior.
“It’s so sad that the study abroad (program) is over,” Casanova said. “At first, the days felt long, but then they flew by, and we had so little time together.”
She plans to show her sister multiple cities and explore local shrines and attractions, including Shibuya Go-Karts.
Graduate student Angie Vasquez met up with her dad for Father’s Day. She took him to the Tokyo Fire Museum, where Patrick Grainger, the globalization representative for the museum and someone she met through the program, took them on a private tour. Grainger, a Texas State alumni and former liaison in the Education Abroad Office, also assisted Martinez and other faculty members with their faculty-led Education Abroad programs.
In addition to the fire museum, Vasquez is excited to explore TeamLabs, Tokyo Disney and restaurants with her dad.
“I’m using this time to actually explore the area in more depth and scratch some things off the bucket list,” Vasquez said.
Miya Coleman, a journalism junior, will be heading to Osaka before traveling to Kobe to visit extended family. She will spend a full day in Tokyo before flying back to the U.S. on June 20.
“I’m really excited to stay longer,” Coleman said. “I’m also pretty tired after doing so much work.”
After extensive hours navigating airports and flying on planes, the nine students who departed Japan made it back to the U.S. safely. Everyone arrived back to their homes with no major issues and felt more confident about flying. Some were greeted with family eager to hear their stories about their adventures abroad.
This journey has been truly special: it was more than just a fun and exciting experience. This program was something much deeper. We had the amazing opportunity to step outside our comfort zones, connect with a different culture, explore a new country and grow personally and professionally.
Yet what made this trip even more meaningful was knowing we were honoring the memory of Martinez’s mother. With the end of the program in Japan, Martinez plans to visit family in Okinawa in the coming week. Her legacy lives on in every moment we share, every story we tell and every connection we make here in Japan. That gave our experience a meaning we’ll never forget.
Meanwhile, Professor of Instruction Jon Zmikly went to Kobe to visit a good friend and get some well-deserved down time.
The group is set to reunite one last time in Old Main on June 27 for final presentations. You’re invited to join us for this special day when students will showcase their best work and talk more about what this program meant to them — more details to come next week!
About The Author
