Sampling Various Parts of Japan
Studying abroad in Tokyo as a Global Ambassador at The University of Texas at Austin means having an idea of what to write for your blog post and then completely changing it up the day of in response to yet…
UT Education Abroad Blog
Inspiring Longhorns to Explore the World
UT Education Abroad Blog
Inspiring Longhorns to Explore the World
Category Japan
Through the Viewfinder: Learning to Slow Down in Japan
Japan can feel like it is always moving forward. The packed morning trains, crowded crosswalks, and tightly filled schedules create a rhythm where stopping can almost feel like falling behind. There is an energy to it that is exciting, but also overwhelming…
Small Joys in a City as Big as Tokyo
Tokyo, without a doubt, has everything you’re looking for. It’s just a matter of where and when. Apparently, finding salt is quite the challenge. My exchange friends and I went grocery shopping, and none of us could find it in the supermarket. Only pepper.…
Exploring Japan One Train Stop at a Time
My Dreams are Just Dreams It was during the 2020 quarantine that I first set my sights on studying abroad in Japan. At that time, it felt like a distant dream, something I wanted, but wasn’t sure I could ever…
Martial Arts in Japan: An Unconventional Experience
From kabuki to AKB48, from The Tale of Genji to No Longer Human, from ancient katana to battleship Yamato — everyone carries a different picture of Japan. Mine just happens to be shaped like a sword. I first picked up…
Work-Life Balance in Japan
My first week in Japan, I lived alone in an office building that looked like a spaceship on top of a hill in a forest. I arrived as an intern for the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), an environmental…
Tears, Trains, and Matcha: Saying Goodbye to Kyoto
It’s inevitable, every new beginning must come to an end. Now, as our program comes to an end, I want to use this blog as an opportunity to reflect on the second half of this experience and the overall insights…
Weekend Hiking in Tokyo
When people think of Tokyo, they often picture large skyscrapers, big flashing lights and Shibuya Crossing. However, there is more to the biggest city in the world besides its urban center. Did you know it’s only an hour-long train ride…
Don’t Fear the End Goal
Since arriving in Japan, everything seems new and different. I never thought I would find myself living and studying a language in a country on the other side of the world. Getting off the plane, I immediately realized that even…