5 Reflections from Studying Abroad in Tokyo

Study abroad will change your life! We asked alumni to reflect on their time abroad and share a few tips to help future students prepare for the journey ahead. Check out what Cheyanne H., from University of the Pacific, had to say about her time study abroad in Tokyo!

Why did you choose to study abroad?

I chose to study abroad to learn more about Japanese culture while improving my language abilities

What is 1 thing you wish you knew before studying abroad? (or 1 piece of advice you would give to yourself)

I wish that that I knew that it's okay to make mistakes when speaking the target language - this improves the learning opportunities

In what ways did you see yourself grow and change while abroad?

I became more adventurous as the result of studying abroad

What was the biggest culture shock you faced? How did you adapt?

The biggest culture shock I faced was people touching my hair and/or asking me where I'm from (I'm an African American female and many Japanese people did not perceive me as American). I adapted by having conversations with people about the diversity that is inherent in the U.S.

How would you summarize your study abroad experience in one word?

Exploration!