The Wonders of Study Abroad
At first, it can sound terrifying to leave your country and study at another. This may be out of the comfort zone for some people, but once you take action, you realize that it is worth every single moment once you’re in the host country.
Another thing that may stop students from studying abroad is the price of the program.
It can be expensive; however, some scholarships help students cover the costs, sometimes
the entirety. That is why I am writing to encourage students to study abroad and to
let them know that scholarships are available.
In May 2024, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Tokyo, Japan. The course I studied was Introduction to Cinema, with a general emphasis on Japanese films. Our instructor was Nashville State Associate Professor Robert Ladd under the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies (TnCIS).
It was in February 2023 when I saw a flyer for the study abroad program outside of my English classroom. When I got home, I wanted to apply as quickly as possible, but to my surprise, applications had closed weeks prior. There was nothing I could do except wait until applications opened again later that year.
I forgot about this program as months went by. in October 2023, during a meeting with my advisor, I was talking about my interests in Japan, and without hesitation, he quickly reminded me about the study abroad program.
I applied for both the program and scholarships without thinking twice and waited until letters of acceptance were sent. I got accepted and then I waited until it was time.
On departure day, we flew from Nashville to Chicago, and onto Tokyo. The flight from
Chicago was 14 hours long. The anticipation of exploring and learning about a foreign
country was worth every moment.
We arrived at Haneda Airport, the one closest to Tokyo. From there, we took the monorail to Ueno. While riding the monorail, I was amazed by the city view. It felt as if I was in another world. There were only buildings dozens of floors high within sight.
We then gathered at Panda Square, and from there, we went to the hostel where we stayed for the whole duration of the program.
We didn’t do much on the first day since we arrived in the evening, some hours before the sun went down. It was the second day when classes and daily excursions started.
As days passed, I noticed differences between the United States and Japan, in terms of infrastructure and the disposition of people. When we took the first train from the airport to the hostel, I quickly noticed how quiet the train was despite being somewhat crowded. It almost felt like there was nobody on the train.
I felt like it gave passengers the chance to rest even for a few minutes, especially for those who are tired after work. The trains are very punctual. They arrive exactly at the minute they are scheduled to, sometimes even a minute or two earlier. If a train happens to come even just a few minutes late, the staff will deeply apologize for the inconvenience, but this does not apply only to train schedules. It also applies to the Japanese people. If they have to be somewhere at a certain time, they will be there, and early, but for whatever reason they arrive late, it is seen as disrespectful. That’s how much Japanese people value punctuality.
Another thing foreigners will quickly notice is how safe the country is. You can stroll around at any place and at any time of the day and feel safe. The same goes for personal belongings; they rarely get stolen. Additionally, if it happens that you lose something, it is very likely you will find it in the nearest police station and in the same state as it was left.
Something else I noticed was the number of convenience stores. There were so many, and they are open 24 hours a day. It is convenient for those who need to buy something late at night.
Every day was filled with fun and exciting activities, from classes to excursions.
I gained more knowledge about the country as each day passed. Japan is a truly beautiful
country with many aspects to appreciate, from the culture, social norms, and people,
to the architecture, history, gastronomy, and films.
I recommend students study abroad at least once. It is definitely worth the experience. If you want to study abroad in Japan, it is not necessary to know the language. It would be helpful, though, when talking to locals, getting around the city, and reading signs. The same applies to other countries and their respective languages.
As for me, since I came back from my study abroad program, I have never felt more confident in myself than ever, and I have been much more sociable. I believe challenging yourself and putting yourself into new environments can undoubtedly lead to self-improvement for the best. I can’t wait to go back to Japan someday. Those are the wonders of studying abroad.
Additionally, I have to thank my advisor for telling me about this program. If it hadn’t been for him, I most likely wouldn’t have gone on this incredible adventure.
Applications are currently open, so don’t hesitate to apply!
There are scholarships that can cover a portion or the entirety of the program costs which I really recommend.
Here are the links I recommend reviewing:
Alberto Preciado
Associate of Science in Computer Science, Nashville State (completed Summer 2024)
MTSU, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (started Fall 2024)
Photos courtesy of Alberto Preciado
