It was around 2023 when I first heard about the possibility of taking an Education Abroad program in Japan. I was not a university student yet, but I knew that by the time I finished with community college, Texas State would be my next destination.
When I heard that if I were to get accepted into the program, I would work in the same department as my major, I was immediately excited and could not resist the opportunity.
I spent a solid portion of my Fall 2024 semester doing everything I could to make it into the program. I submitted my application very early, and even attended the Education Abroad Fair to get more details of SJMC Japan 2025. I even did some research on some of the work I would be doing, some of the locations I could or would visit and some general dos and don’ts in Japan.
However, I knew that this would be more than just a vacation; it would be a way to immerse myself in Japan’s rich cultural history and city life, while also allowing me to brush up on skills that would help me in my future career. The experience I had was one I do not regret in the slightest.
Pretty much every single day in Japan had something memorable for me. The faculty-planned trip to Miyajima Island, as well as the tea ceremony, were easily some of the highlights in my opinion. At Miyajima Island, I got to see the breathtaking Otorii gate, take a hiking trail up to Mount Misen, check out some of the street food and even got an up-close look at the island’s friendly deer.
The tea ceremony was also a very immersive experience for me. I didn’t know there was a ceremonial way of consuming tea in Japan, but I was open-minded and understood the process, and it ended up being very calming. I even got to try on a kimono for the first time (see the above photo).
During free time, I loved exploring different neighborhoods throughout all of the cities in Japan. I had always wanted to go to the famous Shibuya Crossing to see some of the shops, but what I didn’t expect was how immersive being in the middle of it felt, like time slowed down and everything briefly quieted to allow me to live that moment. Another unforgettable experience was visiting the Pokémon Center in Kyoto. As a longtime fan, stepping into the store felt surreal yet whimsical. I bought a lot of merchandise, and I was impressed by the nostalgic atmosphere that brought some of my childhood memories to life.
Of course, I knew there was going to be some difficulty when I was in Japan with scheduling as well as finding restaurants that suited my dietary restrictions (I have gluten and dairy sensitivity issues), but I learned some very important skills with this experience. At some point early on in the trip, I found scheduling to be frustrating. Before we left for Japan, I tried to plan everything as much as possible. I even made a mini-itinerary for the free time we had so everyone could do what they wanted on each day. This was supposed to relieve a lot of the stress in regards to scheduling, but this plan ended up not working out.
Coordinating plans with my classmates during free time proved more difficult than I expected. Whether due to scheduling conflicts or differing priorities, several times I ended up going off on my own to look for a meal that fit my dietary needs or returning to the hotel to finish an assignment. I originally felt isolated and uneasy navigating unfamiliar cities alone, but these solo outings gradually became a turning point. By the time I got to Kyoto, I knew how to navigate around using the subway and move confidently through the alleys. Sometimes I even did what I needed to, like get another suitcase in the shopping district on my own. What started as a source of frustration became an independent experience, and I realized I was much more self-sufficient than I gave myself credit for. Sometimes I may have traveled alone, but that never meant that I was lost.
Also, I learned how to manage my time significantly better. I knew going in that I would have a tight schedule, and I fully expected the assignments to be daunting, but I quickly learned how to finish the classwork on time to the best of my ability, despite how busy each day was. I even learned to use what little time I had and use it efficiently, even when it felt like doing so was nearly impossible. One time in Hiroshima, I found out I couldn’t film at a planned location due to camera restrictions, and I didn’t have much time since we were about to leave for Kyoto, so I took the tram back to near the hotel early, and within about the last 30-45 minutes before leaving, managed to visit the store I would record all the footage at for my reel.
The trip also taught me how to be more open-minded with my projects. The reason why I made a reel and feature story about things to do around Tokyo Dome even if you are not a baseball fan in the first place is because I did not attend the baseball game. However, I still stayed around the area for a couple hours, looking around in shops, going on some of the rides, and even watching a fountain show, where the fountains were synced to music. Also, I allowed myself to think outside of the box when making the Instagram story at Kamakura and Enoshima Island. I got creative and not only captured what everyone was doing but also went out of my way to create an idea I had in mind for a story. For instance, on Enoshima island, there was a shop with some toy wooden katanas, so I bought two of them and had two people on the team pretend they were sword-fighting and added that to the story.
The impact that SJMC Japan had on me is one that I cannot understate enough. I learned a lot about myself personally and built on some professional skills, which I know are going to help me so much in the future. I learned how to be more self-sufficient and open-minded, and how to manage my time much better than I ever have.
Of course, you could say it’s like I went through a character arc in a slice-of-life anime, but I digress. I can use these skills for the rest of my life, and I will be able to look back on this amazing experience and use what SJMC Japan 2025 taught me moving forward.
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