It’s been about 2 and a half weeks since I arrived in Tokyo, Japan and the process of settling in has gone very smoothly! I came here through an affiliate program called CISAbroad, and they’ve been very helpful every step of the way. Between finding flights, setting up my schedule, and airport transportation, I’m glad to have had such a capable support system.
This is actually my second semester abroad, though last semester I was centered in Athens, Greece. Even in just the first few weeks though, I can tell that this semester is in a league of its own. A far more noticeable language barrier and more cultural differences than I can count have made it a slightly more challenging adjustment, but the research I did prior to arriving helped me to feel as prepared as possible!
One of the unique experiences that my school in Tokyo offers is the “Language Exchange Program”, where international students are paired up with local students and are encouraged to meet up weekly throughout the semester. I signed up for the program with my friend and we were luckily placed into the same group along with two Japanese students. Thankfully, they both speak English very well and have been nothing but kind and helpful in filling in our knowledge gaps as we adjust to our temporary home.
With classes starting and cherry blossom season in full swing, it’s a very busy time in Japan right now! I’m definitely still in my “honeymoon phase” with the country for the time being, but with so much to do and explore, I’m only looking forward to my next 4 months here!
