Bags are packed, wheels are up, and Allegiant is on!

My study abroad journey has finally begun.

After a whole two days of packing, including re-packing one suitcase around 10 times and a few drops of sweat along the way, I am all set to go. My dad helped me put both of the suitcases, one carryon and a personal item (which is really a gigantic purse that is almost as big as my carryon) in the car and we made our way to the airport. On the way my sisters surprised me with a small brown cover photo album titled Little Blessings, including pictures of my family, home, and some photos from when we were younger. The gift was something I was not expecting, it was truly heart warming and a great memory capsule to take with me on this journey.

The process of registering my suitcases was surprisingly a breeze, they were both at the weight limit, but hey they passed. The next challenge was security check. It is almost comical how much you know that you are prepared and that everything was packed correctly, still there is that teeth cringing worry that you forgot that one thing that will result in you being stopped and your bags to be turned inside out. Do not worry… I passed with flying colours.

After going through security I made my way to my assigned gate, A40, and sat to re-organize what I quickly stuffed back into my carryon after passing security and then decided to go get something good to drink. Not going to lie, out of fear of going too far away from my gate I went to the closest place that I am familiar with, McDonalds. No shame, I ordered a Mocha Frappe, took it to my gate, and chilled while listening to some classical music and reading I am Malala (good book so far, I recommend it). That brings me to my current location, seat 28 G.

So far in the flight I have been given, lasagna, something to drink, coffee (for those who know me know its a must) and I started watching Allegiant. However, I still have many hours to go until I arrive to my first destination, Frankfurt, Germany, and then to make my way to the final destination Freiburg, Germany. I feel nothing but excitement to see where my new home will be, to meet other students in my program, travel some more, and to start taking classes. Soon enough I will be able to share with you about my experiences studying abroad, for now… Auf Wiedersehen.

 

Bucket List–My Final Post

Hello, everyone!

I am writing this post from my couch, safe and sound, back in my home state of Michigan.

Looking back on my time in Japan, I’ve had a lot of things on my to-do list that I haven’t been able to do due to distance, construction, or time/money restraints, and I did get a little bit bummed out about it, but then I thought to myself, you know what? I’ve already done a lot! Some of the things I didn’t even think I’d ever accomplish, but was able to check off my bucket list!! Let me share with you some examples:

I went to Sanrio Puroland (an amusement park for Sanrio characters)

I designed a tattoo

I joked around with a radio station staff in Harajuku

I experienced two earthquakes

I got to ride a Shinkansen 3 times

I missed the last train home (and made it back safe on foot!)

I tried natto (and loved it!)

I tried umeboshi (and hated it)

I went to several shrines

I got my nails done

I went to a Japanese rave/club

I saw several wedding processions, both traditional and Western styles

I learned a lot about Japanese samurai and castles

I saw sakura (cherry blossoms) and ate tons of sakura flavored food

I am now featured on Google Maps’ street view next to my local train station

I walked right by a boyband signing autographs

I went to several summer fireworks displays (including a private showing on a mountainside lake)

I found a thrift store close to my apartment

I made my own dinner almost every day

I walked along two different beaches

I wore a kimono (and now have my own yukata!)

I ate almost every type of traditional Japanese food (except the meat dishes)

I went all over Tokyo, as well as Yokohama, Gunma, Nagoya, and Hakone

I went to Tokyo Disney Sea

I saw a 500-year old bonsai tree

I met a monkey and got to hang out with cats, hedgehogs, dogs, and all kinds of birds

I saw several politicians campaigning in the streets of Tokyo before the election for the new mayor

I got to drive to the top of two different mountains

I got to see a live concert event for free from my seat in a nearby restaurant

I discovered the cheapest places to get groceries, do karaoke, and go out to dinner

I made my own fudge (on the first try without any recipe!) along with other American sweets for my host family

I got to play with kids at a day care and an elementary school

I ate at a prison-themed restaurant

I went to two museums

I went inside an old castle

I attended a hip-hop dance class

I gave directions to other foreigners

I saw Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree

I went shopping down Character Street inside of Tokyo Station

I ate French flan, Liberian milk candy, Vegemite, and English toffee crisps

I saw two movies in the Japanese movie theaters

I ate traditional Nagoyan miso udon (spicy soy paste flavored noodles)

I learned calligraphy and traditional tea ceremony rituals

I read my favorite children’s book in Japanese

I went to several Studio Ghibli stores

I went inside a Buddha statue

I went to a bamboo forest

I saw three monks

…and probably many other things that aren’t coming to mind as I write this.

Thanks for following me this far during my travels to Japan!! I learned a lot on my trip, and I hope my readers could learn something, too! I’m thankful for my time abroad and for the opportunity to share it with so many other people.

Sayoonara!

Abel Tasman – The Great Walkers

This past weekend I was a bit of a rebel – I decided to leave Thursday night and travel to Nelson, on the northernmost part of the southern island with some friends. Did I skip school Friday? Well, yes I did, but I was getting a different kind of education!

How this came about was through friends that I met at church. I have started going to a church near the University, and I have met a lot of other students there. We had talked about possibly going tramping (its what they call “hiking” down here). We decided to go from Thursday night to Sunday night and spend the time tramping Abel Tasman, one of New Zealand’s nine great walks.

New Zealand has 9 of these “Great Walks”. They are known as New Zealand’s premiere tracks and infamous for showcasing some of the greatest beauty in the country. They are maintained to a very high standard, consequently making the experience more enjoyable and feasible for a variety of different hiking abilities.

Thursday night we set out, driving 5 hours and staying at a hiker’s hostel in Motueka. On the trip were myself, Nav and his girlfriend Courtney, and Sean, another American from the University of Canterbury. Friday morning we set out

Starting out, day 1.
Starting out, Friday morning

on the track by 9am. It was partly cloudy but nonetheless beautiful. We finished for the day by 4pm and camped in Bark Bay.

Saturday we hiked for another 6 and a half hours before setting up camp. We got an early start and were able to have a relaxing day around camp. We were right near the beach and although it was cold, I still got to lay near the water for a bit! We ended the day by making s’mores Kiwi style (flavored marshmallows between cookies) and stargazing. Nav pointed out the Southern Cross in the sky. It is also featured on the New Zealand flag. Because we were so far from any civilization the stars were absolutely amazing. It was also unique to look into the sky because the southern hemisphere stars are different.

Sunday morning we woke up to frost! It was so cold! We got moving and completed our hike after another 5 hours, catching a bus back to the beginning of the track and our car. Sunday the was definitely the most beautiful weather and I got to truly appreciate the beauty of all the individual beaches. Thank you Nav, Courtney, Sean, and Max for a fantastic time!

A Weka, one of New Zealand’s famous flightless birds
Wading through frigid water to cross and estuary
Our camp on Saturday night…
One of the huts near our camp where we made our food
Even the cold weather won’t stop me from enjoying the beach!
The rocks are just so cool!
Max and I

 

Getting Around

Fitness. Healthy eating. When I say those words, it makes me think of getting up early for my Health Dynamics class in the Dow. However, those two words easily define the lifestyle of almost every Kiwi (referring to New Zealanders) in the Christchurch area. I learned very early on, that if a Kiwi recommends a scenic “walk”, pack in you hiking boots and poles, because you’re going mountain climbing.

The level of health and fitness here is astounding. The entire city is biker friendly, with automated stop lights just for the bikes. Everyone walks as well! I consider myself fairly fit and able to keep a good pace, yet I can be walking along the sidewalk and a group of mothers will overtake me and keep on going! It is unreal! To add to that, Kiwis have a very healthy diet, consisting of lots of meat and “veg” which I assume is short for vegetables. 🙂 Almost every meal is supplemented with fruit and of course – kiwi fruit.

Here in the Christchurch area there is a farmer’s market every Saturday morning  Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 8.52.05 AM
along the Avon River in a local park called Dean’s Bush. I only just found out about it and was excited to see what it was all about. When I got there it was PACKED. There were hundreds of people bustling around, yet the chaos was controlled. Sporadically placed throughout the market were several fiddle players whose spunky playing added almost a festive atmosphere. As I talked to people Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 8.52.54 AMand learned more, I found out that a large number of Kiwi’s actually rely on this market for their supply of “veg”. For all the people that I saw, they were market regulars and this was a way of life for them! Did I get anything to eat? Of course I did. Maybe not vegetables, but I had a freshly baked chocolate muffin!

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-08-17 at 8.52.26 AMBack in the U.S. we sometimes have little farmer markets, but I have never been to one that has been so integrated into the life of a city and its citizens. It was incredible to see how this rich piece of culture was still very much alive and active as a part of Christchurch.

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15 Things Japan Has That America Should, Too

  1. Sickness masks. Keep the germs contained!
  2. Escalator etiquette. One half stands to the side, the other half is a passing lane. I’ve never felt more satisfied.
  3. I’ve already mentioned this in a previous post, but: THE TOILETS. So cool.
  4. Packaging. Like, nice packaging. Japan would scoff at America’s put-it-in-a-bag-with-some-tissue-paper-on-top mentality.
  5. Yuzu. They’re a type of fruit with a flavor similar to a lemon but sweeter. So refreshing!
  6. Recycling and trash sorting. The system is so strict, but so effective.
  7. Cute signs. They give you more motivation to look at the warnings or instructions written on them!
  8. Shinkansen, a.k.a. bullet trains—for those long trips you want to take when you don’t have a car.
  9. Kuromitsu, otherwise known as “black sugar syrup.” It has a slightly roasted taste with some subtle sweetness, and is the perfect type of topping for any dessert.
  10. The slightly lifted platform inside of fitting rooms. This is so nice; you take your shoes off and leave them on the lower level. That way, the clothes that you’re trying on don’t get as dirty!
  11. Pocari Sweat: a water drink mixed with a little bit of salt in order to help retain liquid. SO helpful in the summer when everyone sweats a ton!
  12. Services for blind people. For example, sidewalks have grooves in the middle so that people can “see” where they are going in the busy, crowded streets. Also, at crosswalks, when the light turns green for pedestrians, a chirping sound plays until it’s not safe to cross the street anymore. Genius.
  13. Bringing a handkerchief everywhere–wonderful for wiping off the sweat that builds up during the hot summer day!
  14. Women-only cars–certain cars on the trains to help women feel safer on their way to work during rush hour.
  15. Subtitles on TV programs. I don’t mean for the hearing impaired. I mean a special type of text used to make the screen more colorful and add extra energy to variety shows.
    It’s just so fun! And it helps you learn the language better.What are your thoughts? Are there any others I didn’t mention? Let me know what you think!

Hakone Field Trip

A few months ago, my fellow dormmates/classmates/exchange students and I went on a field trip with our Japanese language professors to Hakone, a famous location for foreigners and Japanese people alike.

Hakone is famous for its hot springs, lake, shrine, and special black hard boiled eggs (naturally boiled in the hot springs, giving it its color and strong sulfur smell). It’s often a place where people can relax and get away from the business of the city.

Unfortunately, because Hakone is so far from Tokyo, a large majority of our day was spent on some sort of transportation, so we weren’t able to cover a lot of ground once we got there. Also, on the specific day we went to Hakone, the mountain had some dangerous volcanic activity, so it wasn’t safe to spend a lot of time once we reached the top. Despite all that, though, it was still a great day being out in nature and exploring with so many people!

This video is a bit late because editing took longer than expected (so much footage to file through!), but please enjoy!! 🙂

Apartment Tour Part 2!

Here is the second part of the apartment tour!

Meiji Gakuin University provides an apartment building for all the exchange students, located in a nearby residential area. The reason for this is because Japanese universities do not provide housing, since many students find it more easy to commute by train from their homes.  So this is where we live!

In total, there are about 21 exchange students living here: 4 from Texas, 2 from Kentucky, 2 from New Mexico, 1 from California, 1 from Romania, 3 from England, 1 from Hong Kong, 3 from China, 2 from France, 1 from Germany, and me, the only one from Michigan 🙂

Habits

Hello there! Welcome back to the blog!

This post will be a little more brief, as I wanted to quickly share a few daily life changes that I’ve experienced, or that tend to happen while you’re living in Japan.

The first difference made in my routine from day 1 was my sleep schedule.

I woke up at around 6 or 7 am every day my first week of being in Japan without an alarm. Of course, my first week could have also been influenced by jet lag, but I honestly don’t think it made that much of an impact. The main factor behind this early rising habit is more because of the time the sun rises and sets in Japan. Japan is a country that never changes their clock for Daylight Savings Time, so the sunset is always around 6 pm and sunrise is always around 4 am. Because of this, and also because many shops close at 8 pm (discluding bars), it’s much easier to end your day earlier and have an early-riser attitude to your sleep schedule here.

Now, of course, being a student with responsibilities and a social life, and also having family in a different time zone, I can’t always go to bed before 11:30 pm or even 12:30 am, but it has been much easier for me to wake up to get ready and leave for class at 8 am.

Another habit that quickly changed here has been bathing. Japanese people LOVE to bathe. They bathe every day!

But Japanese baths are a bit different from the bath system we’re used to. Compared to Americans, Japanese people clean their whole body and rise off completely before entering the tub, so the bath is simply used to soak and relax.

Anyway, I’m used to taking a shower every other day back home, so it felt unnatural at first, but I really like it! Especially because in Japan, the summer is quite humid, so it’s easy to feel gross after a long day. Also, sitting in a bath helps relax your body and mind.

Another interesting habit change is that I hardly wear any makeup here. Of course, if you know me, you know I don’t wear that much in the first place, but I don’t feel as much of a need for it here. Often times, I will just put on mascara and a little bit of cover-up for blemish spots. This is mostly because the weather is warm enough that anything I put on will melt off anyway, but it’s also because my skin has become clearer here. I think school back home is much more stressful and causes more acne than school here.

Staying on the subject of beauty, this was something I was not expecting to happen: I have begun to wear more skirts and dresses!! I have nothing against those types of clothes, but my style is very casual and more comfort-oriented, and I feel strange not having leg holes. Of course, my style is still mostly that way, but it is so incredibly normal for girls to wear slightly more girly clothes that my style has kind of adapted to it! No worries, though, I don’t feel forced at all to wear anything; I think it’s fun!

As well as skirts and dresses, the bottoms in these pictures are verrrrrry popular in Japan right now! They’re kinda like gaucho pants and appear to be skirts from far away. I’m actually not a huge fan (reminds me of that awkward time in middle school when stretchy gauchos were popular…*shudder*), but they do look comfy!

Something else I was not expecting when I came here was the difference in the air. My allergies have changed a little bit after being exposed to so much city air so suddenly and so often. I have found myself waking up every morning with a slightly dry throat or nose, or with the urgency to lightly cough a few times right after waking up. The other day I forgot to take my medication and my sinuses were actually less stuffy than normal, so I’m curious as to whether there is a correlation with my medication dosage and the change of atmosphere. Who knows?

Anyway, those are some small examples of how easily your daily life can change in a foreign country! Feel free to ask any questions or leave comments about things that I may not have mentioned!

See you in the next post!

Nagoya Scenery

Hello, all!

Guess what?! I saw Mt. Fuji!

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….Well, a model version of Mt. Fuji. On a high rise observatory machine. But still cool!

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I’ll back up a little bit for you: I actually recently came back from a trip to Nagoya! Nagoya is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, which is southwest of Tokyo. It’s very far and very much in the countryside, so the best way to get there is by Shinkansen, which is the rapid bullet train. By Shinkansen, it takes about 2 hours.

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I was so fortunate to have a family to stay with while I was in Nagoya. (Actually, it was the family of my very first Japanese friend, with whom I met back in high school! What a blessing!!!) To get anywhere, you need to have a car and drive for at least 30 minutes in any direction. But, even though the commute was long, I was entertained with the beautiful scenery, accompanied by lots of information about the area from my friend’s parents and grandmother.

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It was a bit intimidating at first, because my friend’s family spoke in Nagoya dialect, which is slightly different from normal Tokyo dialect. My friend’s grandmother was the most difficult to understand, because her hurried and somewhat slurred speech made me have to force out a nervous “I have no idea what you just said” laugh once in a while. But thankfully, I was able to understand at the very least 50-60% at all times! That was a nice confidence boost! I was also really happy to hear that my friend’s grandmother was relieved she could communicate well with me.

We went to SO many places during my stay: castles, parks, and even a festival! (the park was where I rode the Mt. Fuji observatory ride)

I took so many pictures, but still felt like the scenery was just too much for me to be able to capture it all. It was almost overstimulating.

nagggg

I told my friend’s family that I was so happy to see so many mountains, as I had never been so close to them before (growing up in west Michigan means seeing only trees, fields, hills, and sand dunes). To my surprise, on my last day in Nagoya, my friend’s family took me to the Ibukiyama Driveway, which is literally a driving path that goes to the top of Ibuki Mountain! What a wonderful view that was…Talk about overstimulation.

No worries, though, guys. I managed to get some good shots on my camera. 😉

I have seen many beautiful places in my lifetime, but Nagoya is by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen. It was the perfect escape after living in the city of Tokyo for the past few months. I am so incredibly grateful!

2 main things to take away from this:

  1. Even when it’s hard to understand someone in a different language, they will deeply appreciate it when you show how hard you’re trying. It’s much better to struggle through a sentence for 5 minutes than to stay silent, because at least your conversation partner can tell that you really want to share your thoughts with them!
  2. If you find yourself studying abroad in the city, make sure you get the chance to take a mini vacation to the countryside if you can. Your body and mind will feel so refreshed!

Until next time 🙂

South Africa is Developed and Developing…

“South Africa is a country that is developed and developing.”

This is something that my IES adviser, said during my first few days in Cape Town during my orientation – a time in which myself and other students learned more about Cape Town and South Africa.

On the first day of orientation we explored Sea Point in Cape Town. This is the area of the city that is butting up to Atlantic Ocean  and surrounded with breathtaking mountains, thus painting a picture of beauty and awe.

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It is also the “tourist” place of Cape Town. This is the location where billion dollar houses a built on the mountain overlooking the beautiful city. This is the place where Bill Clinton has his summer home. This is the place that all vacationer’s dream of getting to go – lined with palm trees, the ocean and mountains right beside them, and a vibrant and exciting city life.

I got to end this day with the best sunset I had ever seen on top of a mountain with other mountains surrounding me, the city below me, and the sun sinking into the ocean. This got to be my first real impression of Cape Town and my study abroad experience, and I already felt like I was falling in love with this new place I call home.

The next day of orientation had a very different feel to it. We went on a township tour of a place called Langa. Langa, and many other townships, are areas that reflect the poverty of South Africa. It was in Langa that I saw families living in shacks on less than a dollar a day. It was in Langa that I saw a room that was smaller than my room back home, yet housed 3 families. It was in Langa that I saw poverty like I never had before.

Yet it was in Langa that I saw such beauty and joy. It was in Langa that I saw an piece of Afrcian culture mixed with the Christian faith – the practice of circumcision of boys at 16 in order to  become men while at the same time seeing the praise and worship of Jesus Christ. It was in Langa that I saw art in the spaces they had. It was in Langa that I saw new beauties of culture that I hadn’t seen before.

My favorite part of Langa was a place where we had dinner called Mzansi Restaurant – a space that doubled as a restaurant and the home of a Langan family. It was here that we got to dance, sing, play music with, and hug some locals. It was a great cultural experience.

We also got to hear the story of Mama, the owner of the restaurant. She told of us how the space use to be half the size and how it was a special restaurant because they are only open for pre-scheduled guests. Due to that, the restaurant really had a very tough beginning to the point where the family could no longer support themselves. Yet, some students that once went to the restaurant offered to help and put Mzansi on “Trip Advisor” and it climbed to the number 1 for restaurants to go to while in Cape Town. Fast forwarding to the present, Mama and her family still struggle financially, but can sustain themselves. Not only that, they help those in the community by providing jobs for the musicians and tour leaders. During her story, Mama said something that brought tears to my eyes, “I am a millionaire, not because I have money to make me rich, but because I am rich in heart. I love what I am doing and have a family that I get to do it with.”

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“South Africa is developed and developing.” This is something that has been eye opening to me and makes me want to make a difference. I know I do not have the answers of what needs to be done in order for that difference to be made, but I know I can help through empowering those in these communities just as mama and the Mzansi  restaurant experienced. That is what I hope to have the chance to do through different opportunities that I am aligning myself with over the course of the semester.

The first day in Cape Town was making me fall in love with this place and the second day only increased those feelings, yet for a much different reason. South Africa is developed and developing and South Africa is continuously capturing my heart.