Today I took a field trip to the Naritasan-fudoson Temple with my pilgrimage class. We got on the train from Hirakata station and headed to Korien station. When we first got down, I was a little disappointed because the weather was very gloomy. I had been looking forward to this trip because I thought it…
My experience in the United Arab Emirates
My study abroad experience is based in Jordan, but it includes an international excursion component. The topic of my program is “Geopolitics, International Relations, and the Future of the Middle East,” and in my case the international excursion was to the United Arab Emirates. The purpose behind it was to gain a different perspective on…
Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki
Over spring break I visited the cities of Tokyo, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki. My trip began with me taking the Shinkansen, a bullet train, for the first time towards Tokyo. It was interesting to utilize a form of transportation that I have never before needed to take. This particular trip forced me to become familiar with…
3rd Blog
During the time abroad so far, I haven’t felt I’m actually an outsider in Japan since everything is very similar to my own country: the way to take the train, my appearance, and the way people talk. I could easily get into society. This helps me learned that when people have similar culture and backgrounds, they…
2nd Blog
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…
Oh, Amman…
Oh, Amman, how do I even begin to describe you? There is no way some paragraphs, an essay, or a whole encyclopedia can do you justice. Each day I spend in your city limits brings something new intermingled in the fabric of everydayness. From the towering minarets rising from a sea of small beige buildings,…
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…
Blog #2 – Regan Gunter
When I first got to Spain it felt completely surreal. After traveling so long, I hauled my heavy bags to a taxi and was brought to a hotel. I slept until the next afternoon and was greeted the next day by Lauren, who is also here in Oviedo. I am so thankful that we were…