Being in Japan has been one of the best opportunities that I’ve been able to take. I made new friends and memories that I’ll be able to share for years to come. This was my first time traveling out of the country and without my family, so it was a bit nerve wracking. One of the biggest things to overcome was my plane anxiety.
During our trip, we got to visit three cities and several attractions in each area.
One of my favorite stops was the Hase-dera temple in Kamakura. I enjoyed getting to hear about Buddhist traditions and walking through the hydrangea path. On our walk through the path, we saw beautiful views of Sagami Bay.
Another favorite of mine was the Meiji Jingu Shrine. It was where I learned the most information. It was incredibly large, but it makes sense for it to be made in honor of an emperor and his wife. While there, we also got to see some bonsai trees that have outlived even my grandparents. We even got to see the emperor’s family crest and the camphor trees.
The last planned thing that I fancied was the trip to Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts in Kyoto. I was able to meet with two students, Maki and Aegui. I loved being able to communicate with other college students about their life in Japan.
While at Doshisha, I got to share my perspective as a Texas State student and my routines. On the flip side, they were able to tell me about their school day and after-class activities. I came in with expectations of living our lives being quite differently. I expected different music tastes, activities with friends and even preferred foods and drinks. When I left, I realized that we share a lot of the same interests.
The event I looked forward to the most was the tea ceremony with the kimonos. Getting to try authentic matcha while wearing traditional clothing was so exciting. I was hesitant to try the matcha but only because in America I don’t think it’s good. When we got to drink our own, I realized the authentic product was better.
Most of my family was raised with Christian beliefs, so being able to learn about Shintoism gave me a new perspective. We learned how to pray and were given the opportunity to give an offering and pray at every shrine.
On our own time, I explored the cities and the surrounding areas. When we had free time, Fayth and I went to the aquarium and a special event cafe. With the aquarium, we made a reservation before going. The special event was held in the Tokyo Skytree, and we also made a same-day reservation. I went into this trip being friends with Fayth, but we ended the trip with Ainsley and Isabela being friends with us.
During this trip, I grew outside of my shell as an introvert, I am proud of myself. I was able to get acquainted with so many amazing people.
I would like to go back to Japan to have more time to explore new things and look back at some sights we visited. I’d also like to see other places in the world. This trip meant a lot to me. I was able to immerse myself in a culture that wasn’t my own.
Taking these classes have been a push in a direction that I’ve been interested in exploring. I was confident in my writing, but having to write in AP posed a real challenge. With creating social media content, I was always interested but never took the initiative.
I’m truly grateful for everything SJMC Japan has done for me, and I can’t wait to share my new knowledge with the world.
About The Author
