Anticipating the SJMC Japan program for a year was thrilling, but the reality of the experience was beyond anything I could have imagined. As a graduate assistant, I had the opportunity to travel to Japan to coach and mentor students in feature writing and social media content creation.
In the months leading up to the trip, I communicated with SJMC Japan Academic Program Director Gilbert D. Martinez and Jamie Gonzalez, a graduate student who had participated in 2023. I listened to every word they said, determined to prepare myself for the demanding journey ahead.
My twin sister and best friend, Valerie Figueroa, a graduate student, joined me on this transformative adventure. Having her by my side turned potentially stressful situations into shared laughter as we tackled each challenge.
Our first night in Japan was intense. After a long day of travel, we went straight into an editorial review for the second and third blog posts. Martinez and Lecturer Sara Shields prepared us for the workflow; implementing it in real time was another story.
Our initial mentoring session was initially planned for two students. However, one of the students did not make it to the session due to jet lag, leaving Martinez, Figueroa and myself to fill the gap. We posted two quality pieces that night before I collapsed at 2:30 a.m.
That night set the tone for the rest of the trip. The rest of the week would be a breeze after I helped create two quality writing pieces on zero sleep. Despite the exhaustion, the excitement of being in Japan kept me going. Armed with B-12 vitamin packs — apparently unavailable in the States — I was ready for the next adventure.
Early mornings and late nights became the norm, but it was not all work and no play. During the day, we visited beautiful sites such as the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and Enoshima Island. I took these moments of tranquility to recharge and reflect. The garden was a haven of quiet beauty, with many locals taking a moment to breathe, have lunch or even sleep in the shadowed grassy areas. The island was filled with the aroma of flowers and a cool breeze I welcomed after a long day.
Other notable sites we visited were the Tokyo bureau office of the Wall Street Journal, Kyoto Shimbun, Unseen Japan and Rikkyo University. When we visited these sites, not only were we responsible for managing any content for that day we had to ensure we gathered enough footage, audio and quotes for our own feature stories. I personally covered Rikkyo University and Unseen Japan; both were interesting experiences, but I was also staying creative in the quotes and content I gathered to ensure I was able to produce a quality piece when I arrived back in America.
Balancing my responsibilities as a graduate assistant with the desire to explore Japan was a delicate act. Early mornings were spent planning for the day ahead, ensuring there was communication with those I would be working with that day, whether it was for the blog post, stories or reels. Afternoons were typically spent at site visits, leaving only a few hours to review and possibly grab dinner before going into our late-night editing sessions.
The long nights were often spent editing content, brainstorming new ideas and providing feedback to the students. I guided the students in crafting compelling narratives that resonated with our audience back home as well as worldwide. Despite the exhaustion, wrapping up the final headline and adding the last feature photo was a feeling of great success.
In addition to balancing responsibilities, I noticed some other challenges along the way. I found that remaining objective was essential to guiding the students. As a mentor, I understood the responsibility of setting a professional example. The trip did not go without its challenging days, but I made a conscious effort to stay positive, knowing that my attitude would influence the tone and success of the sessions.
Managing content and mentoring students while managing my assignments in a foreign country came with its own set of challenges. We often worked around the clock to meet deadlines and ensure that our content was timely but also relevant.
The best way to tackle such issues was to approach them with patience and understanding.
I worked with the students to ensure they understood the workflow and what was expected of them going into coaching sessions. Working with the students throughout the day proved successful, as many were able to meet the deadline set. However, there were some days when the deadline simply could not be met due to time constraints. This led to long nights, but even still, the process improved with each session.
It was great to see the students grow as writers and content creators. Over the next few weeks, you can see their work’s improvement. Their progress was evident in the quality of their work, and it was rewarding to know that I had played a part in their development.
The trip underscored the importance of patience, understanding and clear communication. The constant demand for content while ensuring students had a meaningful experience required a delicate balance. Yet, the camaraderie and shared purpose kept me going.
The students’ work highlighted the journey, both personally and professionally. They wrote about their experiences with a sense of authenticity and enthusiasm. Their feature stories highlighted the cultural and historical significance of the places we visited, providing valuable insights to our readers.
On our last night in Tokyo, I encountered another roadblock. We had one blog post to finalize before heading home. The workflow we had established was going in a different direction as the student we had planned to work with that night was in a different location than I was. Navigating this remotely, we encountered some resistance from the student, who felt their voice was lost in our edits. Balancing the need for quality with respecting their perspective was a delicate task, but in the end, we produced a piece we were all proud of.
The work did not stop there; it was time to tackle my assignments when I arrived back in the States. While I had tasks to complete, I continued coaching sessions remotely for the final blogs and social media posts/reels. The two weeks prior helped build trust with the students so that they understood the edits I provided were for the benefit of them submitting quality work, so there was a lot less pushback when sending feedback.
In my professional career, I managed a team of 74, which included analysts and leadership. While this was challenging in certain aspects, it was much easier as we were not traveling abroad and could call it a day by late afternoon. Students asked for guidance with their initial drafts as well as how to write in AP style. It was understandable as many needed to familiarize themselves with it as they were not a part of the SJMC program. Others were unfamiliar with the editing process, which threw them for a loop when they saw the many changes made to the original work.
As the trip ended, I reflected on the past two weeks and tried to grasp how much we had accomplished. It was not easy, but the best things rarely are. The early mornings, long nights and constant demands challenged my abilities, pushing me to grow personally and professionally.
When I arrived home, I felt refreshed. The trip had given me the boost I needed to tackle my daily life with a fresh perspective. Despite struggling with jet lag for over a week, I was motivated to apply the lessons I had learned in Japan to my work and studies. I would have really loved those vitamin B-12 packs.
Mentoring students in Japan will go down as one of the most influential moments in my graduate school experience. It reinforced the importance of cultural exchange and stepping out of my comfort zone.
Looking back, I realize how much I miss Japan now. The sights, sounds and food were all worth it. The laughter we shared, the challenges we overcame, and the stories we told will always be a part of me.
This experience was nothing short of transformative. It challenged me unexpectedly and rewarded me with memories and lessons that will last a lifetime. The opportunity to support and mentor undergraduate students while exploring Japan was a privilege for which I will always be grateful. As my academic career wraps up, this ends a challenging yet incredibly fulfilling journey.
