Till next time Japan

So my summer study abroad comes to an end. It was a wild ride where I learned a lot, not just in the classroom. Everyday here was amazing. I came here with the initial expectations of just learning the language and culture, but I learned life experiences. From the start of the trip I was always making friends. Everyone at Nanzan University was very nice and wanted to be my friend. They would always invite me to hang out. I had to keep my priorities as a student but also enjoy a social life which meant I often slept 6 hours or less. I don’t mind it though. Looking back at it, I can always get sleep now but I can only experience those activities with friends once. I am so happy with my choices of spending as much time with friends. Coming here from American with experience as a Mexican I saw a lot of new things that I was unfamiliar. But as I always say, it is always worth it to try new things! There were some things I did not really like, such as some types of sashimi. But I always tried it because I found it worth it to try everything for the sake of finding out if I would like it or not. Many things I gave a second chance, such as matcha. I had tried matcha in America and was never the biggest fan. I gave it another chance in Kyoto and I gained a new appreciation for it. With my time coming to a close I had to say bye to many friends. I am making the most of my remaining time. I was always spending time with my host family. I played a lot of soccer, volleyball and Nintendo Switch with my host siblings. They were very nice and it gave me the chance to be a older brother to two younger brothers. That was nice because I always wanted a younger brother. They were very kind and always wanted to help me with everything. Such as when it was dinner time, they would always want to help prepare my plate and serve me my drink. They would also always offer me snacks. I will miss everyone’s hospitality here. Sure it is not exactly everyone but most of my experiences here in public have been great. I have had positive polite experiences here for the most part. But instead of dreading the bad experiences you can have in America, I think I will try and spread that positivity I experienced. I can be the change I want to see in my society. The end of a study abroad trip may feel sad and like a goodbye but I see it as a “till next time”. Life is all about perspective and my outlook on this is that I will come back. I have friends now that wish to see me and I wish to see them. I have language and cultural skills that I can improve upon by coming back. I have a host family that is welcoming me again to visit. In my eyes, a study abroad trip does not end at the airport. It continues through out your life as you build upon previous experiences. All that being said I am so thankful to FEA and everyone who helped me get to Japan. This was a memorable experience that I will never forget.