When I first joined SJMC Japan, I looked forward to all of the temples and shrines, but I was more into Tokyo’s Anime and pop culture. The idea of being in a group with other folks in their 20s is what drew me in.
I thought to myself, it would be cool to go with a group of silly young adults to experience one of the biggest culture shocks. Guess what? Once I stepped foot onto Japanese ground, everything changed.
Walking on the streets of Tokyo was a shocking experience for me: the sidewalks and roads were clean, and there were no signs of trash or trash cans. During our free time, I got to explore Shibuya and Akihabara. I truly felt like a nerd that was about to burst with excitement. Everything around me was live and stimulating to be in. Going to Akihabara with nerds like me was one of the best ideas and yet the most wallet-burning experience of the trip!
On the day I went to Kamakura with the crew, seeing the combination of city life, the beach and ocean was a lovely mix, especially with the mountains. It was also a perfect time to goof off and have a sword fight with one of the professors (Jon Zmikly, or should I say Jay Z?). We also got to see Kotokun-in, home of Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the biggest statues in Japan. I found it fascinating that the statue of the Great Buddha is still standing despite its history of being in large earthquakes and tsunamis that would tried to take it down. Yet, here he stood with a small fragment of gold on his right cheek.
In Tokyo, I got to experience my very first live baseball game. It is unlike your typical American baseball game with hot dogs and the organ playing in the background for a home run. In Japan, you have samurai characters singing and sword fighting on the field for the opening. There were tons of vibrant animations on the screen for each player, and it even had fun spoofs. The stadium also hosts various concessions on the first and second floors. I ended up ordering some orange chicken and dumplings. For stadium food, it was amazing! Walking through the stadium was a marvel; I was able to spot a sumo wrestler there, too. Usually, they wear robes with flashy colors to get the attention of many people during major events like this baseball game, for example.
Going to Miyajima Island was a treat. Seeing all of the nature and Buddhist temples was a special moment for me to be a part of. Going up on the ropeway was one of the most breathtaking experience that I got to do on the island. Seeing all of the nature going up the mountain to get to Mount Misen, which also included a breathtaking hike to get there. Going returning to the main grounds, we got to look around the stores and grab some delicious fried oysters for lunch.
One of my favorite moments of this trip was being able to wear a traditional Japanese kimono for the tea ceremony. We got to learn the process and manners to be in a Japanese tea ceremony. It was such a prestigious process to learn from the host. The host explained the process to serve the tea in the center of the room.
This trip wasn’t just about having fun; the trip made me see what it would be like to have the experience of a person on a media team. I enjoyed the process of what it takes to work with a brand account, that being SJMC Japan and Texas State University, of course. It was great to work with a group that had a common goal and got along with each other to the point where we all got to improve on our work. This trip made me excited for what I will be doing in the future.
Unfortunately, the trip came to an end. This program meant to the world to me, being able to learn about Japanese culture with friends and how to work on a media team was the most fun I had.
This program will be the ultimate key for the job I want to land in advertising and social media field when I graduate in fall 2026. I am thankful to Professors of Instruction Gilbert D. Martinez and Jon Zmikly for having this program of a lifetime.
I am lucky to be a part of this journey.
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