October 2019
Konnichiwa, tomodachi!
Welcome to the brand-new study abroad blog for West Chester University’s Center for International Programs! These monthly posts will provide useful reminders for upcoming deadlines and activities being offered by the CIP office, as well as a short “country feature” where we’ll take a closer look at a new and different location each month. Each feature can give personalized advice, insight, and stories from previous WCU study abroad students who have visited that particular country. Hearing first-hand information from people who have actually been to these places is always loads more helpful than just reading about them in some out-of-touch travel magazine, after all.
In case you didn’t know, that phrase you read at the beginning of this blog post is how you say “hello, friends” in Japanese. I thought that seemed like the perfect way to introduce this blog to you, since our first featured country is going to be Japan! So, with that in mind, why don’t we dive right into the Land of the Rising Sun.
Monthly Country Feature: Japan w/ Ashley
Japan is an ancient place full of rich history and culture. From the hyper-modern skyscrapers of Tokyo to the historical monuments of Kyoto, the country has so much to explore. To get a better grasp on everything Japan has to offer, let’s take a look at an interview with Ashley, one of the CIP office’s current study abroad ambassadors who recently got back from her own trip to Japan.
Why don’t you start by introducing yourself and your study abroad experience.
Hi, my name’s Ashley Harper, and I’m currently a junior here at WCU. During the summer of 2019, I studied abroad in Kyoto, Japan for three weeks through the Athena Study Abroad program. I grew up being surrounded by and loving Japanese culture as a kid, so I was so excited I’d finally be able to visit the country myself thanks to Athena.
What kinds of things did you learn while abroad; about the country, about the world, about yourself, etc.?
Since I was in Japan to study, I took this really interesting creative writing class where we learned about a lot of cool authors and poets, and also wrote a short memoir about our own lives and childhood. The class was especially helpful and relevant to my field of study as an English major, which was something I greatly appreciated. I learned a ton of stuff from simply staying in and exploring the country as a whole, too. It was so amazing to experience the culture and history of a country I’ve admired for so long in person. Also, I think I really surprised myself by being brave enough to study abroad in the first place. This trip was the biggest leap out of comfort zone I had ever done in my life, so it’s nice to know I was adventurous enough to do that.
What was your favorite landmark or attraction you got to visit?
I visited so many amazing places while I was in Kyoto, but my absolute favorite place we visited was definitely the Fushimi Inari mountain shrine. The mountain view and the nearby nature scenery from the woods that accompanied the trek were absolutely breathtaking, and the hike up the mountain was also super challenging, which made it all the more rewarding when I made it to the top. The best part of the trip, though, was definitely getting to see all of the Torii gates, which are these beautiful, red-painted wooden structures shaped like doorways that line all of the mountain stairways. The rows and rows of these gates just give the whole mountain this mystical feeling, not to mention they’re one of the best landmarks to get pictures with! I definitely recommend that everyone traveling to Japan should visit Fushimi Inari.
Was there anything about the country you visited that felt very different or strange compared to your home country?
The language barrier was definitely a big problem, because not only is the spoken language super foreign to me, but the various alphabets they use over there are completely different, too. I had a couple semesters of Japanese language classes before I went, so I at least knew a few basic things, but it was still really difficult for the most part. However, I wouldn’t have changed that aspect of the trip at all, because getting to interact with a different language was such an awesome and educational part of the whole visit.
Describe the tastiest piece of foreign cuisine you tried while abroad.
Oh, that’s an easy one. There is a chain restaurant all throughout Japan named “Hanamaru” that serves different kinds of udon and other noodles, as well as a bunch of delicious side dishes like fried tempura. Our study abroad group went there at least four or five times, and I got the same thing every time we went. It was called “Gyuniku udon,” and it consisted of a bowl of udon noodles topped with sliced beef, fried Tofu bites, and chives. That dish was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, and I’m not even kidding when I say I would want to go back to Japan just to eat at Hanamaru again.
Is there anything else you want to talk about your study abroad experience that wasn’t addressed in any of the previous questions?
One final thing that I think is important to mention is the fact that Japan is obviously not a predominantly “white” country. For the first time in my life I felt what it was like to walk around and feel awkward because of the color of my skin. There was one point near the end of my stay that I visited the nearby grocery store without any of the other students that were on the trip with me, and I noticed that I was the only non-Asian person in the entire store. This experience was completely eye-opening to me. Considering what a safe country Japan is, I can’t imagine what it’s like for POC in more dangerous countries where they might be physically in danger. Despite how uncomfortable I was at the time, I’m forever grateful that I experienced that feeling, because now I have a better perspective for how many minority groups in my own country must feel on a daily basis. I’m hoping that I will be able to use this experience to better understand the actions and perspectives of others in the future.
Upcoming Events/Deadlines
Before we wrap up the blog, let’s take a quick final look at some future activities and events the CIP office has to offer.
International Education Week, Week of November 3rd: The International Education Week is a yearly event that allows students from all across the globe to celebrate and learn about studying abroad and all of the experiences and benefits that come with. The CIP office here at WCU has many fun events of their own planned for this special week:
- Monday Nov. 4th – “Pack it Up: A Student’s Guide to Travel” in Sykes 252.
- Tuesday Nov. 5th – “Perks of Study Abroad Summer Programs” in Sykes 209.
- Wednesday Nov. 6th – “Study Abroad Meet & Greet” on the Sykes patio from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
- Thursday Nov. 7th – “International & Study Abroad Student Mix & Mingle” in Mitchell 301 from 12pm to 2pm.
Affiliate Partner Deadlines: For any students planning to enroll in or are already in the process of applying to any of WCU’s affiliate study abroad programs, specifically for the winter break or spring semesters, be aware: Many of the program due dates are fast approaching, if they haven’t already passed by! Make sure to stay on top of all the requirements for your specific program to ensure you finish your application on time.
Conclusion
And that brings the first official post from the WCU CIP study abroad blog to a close! Thank you so much for stopping by and supporting the blog, and please feel free to continue checking in about any future updates from us. The next post is currently planned to come out some time during November, so keep your eyes and ears open to find out what the next featured country might be. Until next time, or as the Japanese say;
Sayonara!
West Chester University Education Abroad 