Turning Twenty in Tokyo! (Seoul -> Tokyo) (Week #14)

Published:


Nina Gaona-Menchavez

<i>"Hello" in your host country's language:</i> ์•ˆ๋…•ํ•˜์„ธ์š”! <i>Home Institution (your U.S. University/College):</i> University of Texas at Austin <i>Expected graduation year:</i> 2024 <i>Destination city & country:</i> Seoul, South Korea <i>Program provider:</i> – <i>Major/minor:</i> Elementary Education <i>Demographics:</i> Asian/Asian American, First-Generation College Student, Pacific Islander <i>Top 3 goals for your time abroad:</i> 1. Develop basic Korean language skills and practice it! 2. Explore and immerse myself in Korean culture 3. Create meaningful connections with others

Although I am an exchange student in Seoul, South Korea, my friends and I went to Tokyo, Japan for a short trip! During our time there, we went to Tokyo Disney!

I also turned 20 in Tokyo, and I can happily say that this was one of my favorite birthdays of my life so far. I donโ€™t typically like my birthday nor do I do much to celebrate it, but I really enjoyed it this year. Being able to spend my last day as a teenager and first day as a twenty-something in Japan felt really special, and Iโ€™d like to think that younger Nina would look up at 20-year-old Nina and be so proud of her.