Japan Post-Trip

I never really thought that this study abroad experience would influence my future academic direction. My major is Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in psychology. I took this course because it finishes my credits for my psychology minor, but it has actually given me so much more. This course has taught me how extremely important communication is. By being in Japan, it made me realize that communication is key and is always needed. This experience made me so much more excited to further my academic career in speech pathology. My major deals a lot with communicating in so many ways. Going to Japan for two weeks really helped me to realize just how important communication is and how much I am going to make a difference in my career. During class before we went to Japan, I was completely inverted and very quiet. I was always paying attention and listening in class. I am just very shy in class and do not take part in class discussions. I tend to talk in smaller discussions but big class discussions are not my thing. I did not think I would talk much or make any friends while in Japan since I did not know anyone. To my surprise, I immediately started to make friends and began to come out of my shell. Whitney especially helped me to do so and I am so grateful to her. I began to open up and talk to just about everyone in class, I even had some great talks with my professors. I am so happy that this experience really helped me to step out of my comfort zone and make friends that will last a long time. This experience also stretched me to be open to a completely new culture and learn so many new things. The amount of history we learned about is truly amazing and has really helped me to become a more educated well-rounded person. I think I acquired  the skill to communicate better with others. By really coming out and trying to talk to new people especially in Japan. I also developed a more meaningful and respectful way to appreciate new culture. Going from temples and shrines made me make a real connection with Japanese culture. I did not think I would make much of a connection with anything but the culture and religion really spoke to me. This experience really helped me to take a good look at myself and to what my priorities/goals in life are. I was going through a rough time before going to Japan. By being surrounded by such amazing things and people, it has helped me to realize what is truly important in my life. I was able to look at myself and to decide to make changes in my life that will benefit me. In Japan, everyone is so nice to one another and treats each person with respect. It made me realize how unkind most people are in America. From now on I want to try to be more kind to strangers and treat others the way I would want to be treated. It is hard to do this especially when people are so different from you and even treat you badly. I just think in the long run it is not worth it to be rude to them but to just be kind and respectful. I defiantly am not the same person I was before I went to Japan. Before I went to Japan, I kept to myself and did not want to get out of my comfort zone at all. I was comfortable with where I was at with myself and in life. Little did I know, that by going on this amazing experience it changed me for the better. I am more open to new things and learned so much about myself in such a short period. I think I have really transformed into a better person over the course of the trip and even now after being home for about a week. I am so grateful to have been able to get the opportunity to experience such an amazing trip and to be able to go to Japan. I will never forget this trip and all I got to experience while being in a Japan and just how much it changed me for the better.