I have long been interested in foreign culture, language and most importantly, the people inhabiting those cultures. Throughout the course of this study, one of my main objectives is to interact with and learn from a diverse range of individuals and cultures. I chose to study in Japan specifically because I have been studying the language, culture, and want to further my skills in Japanese and learn more about life in Japan. Finally, this experience will also help further my professional goal of teaching English, or possibly a different career, as the experience I gain, I feel, will be invaluable.
As I am coming to the end of my time in Hyogo, I have taken some more time to reflect on my time that I have spent here, and the friends that I have made. Throughout this time I have been able to experience more than I could have dreamed of and have been bless with so many opportunities. My time here has grown me as a person, a scholar, and has grown my language skills and cultural awareness. Being able to meet and communicate with so many people from so many countries has made me want to go out into the world more and experience all I can. Though there have been some things that have taken some time to get used to culturally, I have also found some enjoyment in being able to experience what makes humans so great, our differences. I plan to take these experiences back home with me, and throughout the rest of my life.
As I near the final month of this exchange program, I find it to be very bittersweet. Throughout my time here, I have learned so much from the classes that I have taken, especially regarding business, which I was until now not very familiar with, and Japanese, which has allowed me to have confidence in my ability to be able to communicate in Japanese and further understand some of the culture behind it. Within the time frame of this exchange program, I have achieved N3 level Japanese proficiency and am fairly confident in my achievement of N2 of which the results have yet to be released. However, beyond this, I have found one of the most valuable experiences of this program to have been the connections with so many amazing people from all over the world. Having met people from most of the countries for the first time, and sometimes not even being aware of the countries in which they came from, I have found a much deeper appreciation for the peoples around the world which I plan to carry forward and share what I can. Beyond this program I am having a hard time thinking about leaving, I have so many friends and connections here, but I believe that my time has come for me to return for the time being, but that's not to say that I won't be coming back or that I won't take home the experiences that I have gained here. When I arrive home, I hope to begin working on a small research project and begin the work towards entering into a masters degree in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) which I have been working towards for a extended period of time. This period has been one of the most fun, enlightening, and thrill filled in my life, and I will be sad to leave it behind. However, I must say that I am deeply grateful for the programs and moving parts which worked to allow me to be here today.