Home Sweet Home
When you study abroad, people talk about how hard it is to adjust to your host country. They don’t talk about getting back, and it is exhausting. I spent 32 hours in transit from Sydney, Australia, back to Alabama and I’m still worn out five days later! I wasn’t quite ready to leave Australia, if I’m honest. After five weeks, I finally felt like I knew what I was doing! That being said, I’m relieve to be...
The Final Days
It’s almost time for my study abroad journey here in Japan to end, and I must say that I’m rather sad about it. I’ve made plenty of friends here over the year, and though a lot of them are going to leave while I’m spending the week in Tokyo, somehow I feel it might be better not to see them off. I know I’ll end up crying if I do. Unfortunately, it’s still pretty hot here in Japan at the moment....
Riding out the Heat Wave
It seems like lately there’s been one thing after another in Japan. After the earthquake in Osaka that cancelled classes, we ended up with rain that lasted for about a week. It made it pretty difficult over the weekend since all the rivers had filled up and were beginning to overflow. But on the bright side, I was able to see some cute videos of giant salamanders coming out of the rivers. I’ve heard from a friend that they...
Sakura, Sakura
Perhaps one of the best times to be in Japan is spring; right around the time the new school semester started, we were able to see the cherry blossoms begin to bloom around Kyoto. Though I was sad to have to start school again after getting to spend so much time under the kotatsu and traveling, getting to see all the flowers on campus bloom at once was very fun. It made everything super pink for about two weeks! Even near the...
Outside of Japan and Back again
Moving backwards just a little bit into my time over break. I was lucky to have been able to visit a whole new country rather than returning home! At first I wasn’t sure what it was going to be like, but my friend that I’ve known for about 2 years was more than happy to show me around! That country just so happens to be: Singapore! The weather was absolutely beautiful the whole time I was there, and the food was to die...
Feeling at Home on the Other Side of the Planet
I intended to make this post over a week ago, so let me start with a piece of advice: when you’re studying abroad, time can get away from you pretty easily. It’s a challenge to stay on top of your schoolwork when so many other, more interesting things are happening around you, but those are the things you’ll remember when you get home. I’ve learned that balance is key: do the work you came to do, but remember that you’re also in the...