I chose to study abroad in Japan because I wanted to use the language I’ve been learning since I entered college and I really like Japan, Japanese culture, and Japanese people. I wish I have an opportunity to stay in Japan for five months. Before my departure to Japan, I reviewed everything I’ve learned from class…
Category: Japan: Kansai Gaidai
Journey to Tokyo
Since I’ve been studying in the Osaka area, I’ve been to Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and a few other areas. I’ve really wanted to go and check out Tokyo for a while so I figured spring break was the perfect time. I made plans to meet up with my friend from FSU who is studying abroad…
Fushimi Inari
My visit to the Fushimi Inari shrine was one of my first sightseeing experiences in Japan. Seeing such a magnificent structure for the first time was an incredible experience, and it was perhaps the first time I realized that photographs can only capture so much of the grandeur of reality. It was also my first…
Cherry Blossom Season
These are pictures of cherry blossoms, called sakura in Japan, which hold a lot of significance in Japanese culture. They bloom in the spring and therefore, in Japan, symbolize a time of renewal. They only bloom for about two weeks then the blossoms start to fall and in Japan this symbolizes the fleeting nature of…
My Trip to Ise Shrine and Meoto Iwa
On February 3rd I went to the famous Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture. This particular spot is unique because it is the location of several Shinto shrines, and is considered to be the “soul of Japan.” On our way to see the shrines, I was amazed by the giant trees that overlapped the walkway. I found…
Kyoto tour: Fushimi Inari Shrine
These are the Torii Gates for which Japan is infamous, and rightly so. This was by far the most spectacular way I have interacted with Japanese traditional culture here so far. You could feel the spirituality of the shrine in the couple of seconds it took you to walk from the street, under the first…
Japan Pre-Boarding
I’ve known since October that I was going to go to Japan. However, as I now make my way to board my flight to San Fran, it’s just now hitting me that I am in fact going to be away from Florida until June. I can hardly believe that it’s happening. I’ve been dreaming of…
Japan: Pre-Departure
Though I am completing my first blog post during my last opportunity to do so, I believe this allows me to accurately capture my thoughts and emotions before I depart for my study abroad experience in Japan. Throughout the past few days, the realization of spending a whole semester far away from everything I have ever known…
Japan Spring 2019
My identity impacts how I see the world. I identify as a biracial liberal woman and these aspects of myself definitely change the way I look at the world. I see racism and colorism, I fight for equal rights for all sexualities and I understand the discrimination women face. I also see the amazing in…
Pre-Departure Blog to Japan
In my lifetime, I have traveled to many places such as London, Singapore, New Zealand, and Cambodia. This is actually my second time to go to Japan. The first time I went there with my parents was when I was in elementary school, so I don’t have a lot of memory about the trip in my…