Pitt Global Experiences

I went into this experience with some knowledge of Japan’s culture and language, however there are so many things I wish I knew before arriving into Japan so that I could have been better prepared for my experience.

1. Go into class ready to be a beginner again.
   Not only are you learning new topics, you are learning them in an entirely new environment and place. Even if you are comfortable with a subject at home, the way it is taught and discussed is completely different, so give yourself some grace as you adjust to Japanese education culture.
2. Make friends with classmates AND foreign students.
   It is very easy to want to stick with your classmates who share your language and background, but the best memories abroad are made with your local classmates who show you things and teach you things you would never think to do or learn in Japan. For example, almost all the places I visited were with my new Japanese friends as they were able to take me to the best temples, restaurants, food stalls, and stores—ones that were not overrun with tourists.
3. Ask for help whenever you need it, do not struggle alone.
   Whether you have to ask your professor to reexplain something, asking a classmate to help you with homework, or asking a stranger for directions, most people are always more than willing to help as long as you ask. There were multiple times I had to ask random locals for help with directions or speaking, and they always helped me as best they could and it made everyday life so much easier.
4. Treat everyday activities as learning.
   Shopping, riding the train, ordering food, and conversing all teach you about the culture, even if they do not feel like real lessons. Shopping can teach you what is important to Japanese culture, riding the train can teach you about daily life in Japan, and ordering food and conversing both teach you how to speak and understand the language.
5. Take pictures of everything, not just the tourist attractions.
   Take pictures of all the ordinary moments in your day, whether it is your meals, selfies with friends, a cool store, or a pretty sunset, they all end up as meaningful to look back on as the pictures of the big landmarks and temples you took.
6. Try new things every single day.
   Always try new things like foods, class routes, places, and phrases. Every new small thing you try helps you learn more about the country you are in while also adding to your own personal growth and understanding.
7. Do not just focus on school, incorporate it into your daily life.
   Allow your class lessons to shape how you see the world around you and allow your daily life to help deepen what you are learning in class.
8. Bring comfortable shoes meant for walking.
   You will walk a lot more than you think. On average, I walked at least 20,000 steps a day while in Japan so comfortable shoes are a necessity and will save a lot of discomfort as I had to deal with achy and sore feet after every day.
9. Just have fun and enjoy daily life.
   It is easy to get caught up in your expectations and checklists of where you want to go when visiting a new place, but some of the best parts of studying abroad is experiencing daily life within this new culture and place. The memories I think about most were not the ones on my list, but rather the mundane ones such as eating at a small food stall I randomly came across or being able to walk everywhere instead of relying on driving.

At the end of the day, studying abroad will always challenge you both in and out of the classroom. But the challenges you face will allow you to better learn and understand other cultures and people, and they will contribute to your own personal growth providing you with adaptability and new life skills. Always go in with an open mind and heart, try new things, give yourself some grace as you adjust to a new place, and just enjoy every day abroad life.