Sustainable Energy in Japan
My first trip outside of the United States, excluding Canada, understandably filled me with many different emotions. The day that I was due to depart, I faced excitement while I was getting on the bus that was taking me to the airport, anxiety as I entered the airport without my family for the first time in my life, and pure terror as I was going through the immigration checkpoint in Tokyo. What would happen if I said something wrong? Would they send me back? Would all of my plans and hopes for this study abroad be over before I even stepped foot outside of the airport terminal? Luckily, I passed through the checkpoint with not much more than a glance at my face and passport.
However, there were still many other hurdles, barriers, and amazing memories that were awaiting me outside of the airport. No matter the amount of detailed planning that goes into your trip, you will at one point or another find yourself in difficult situations. Getting lost in an unknown city, being unable to communicate with waiters/waitresses, and finding yourself with more time than you had set aside in your plan are all a part of the study abroad experience. You cannot prepare for every outcome, however, you can prepare yourself by practicing patience, empathy, and by feeling confident in approaching unknown situations. The biggest tip that I can give someone traveling abroad for the first time, would be that google translate is your best friend and that your pointer finger is your universal translator for ordering food and inquiring about products.
Partaking in the Early Fall Japan study abroad trip has been an unbelievable experience for me and allowed me to visit places and participate in cultural activities that would otherwise be unavailable. While in Matsuyama I was able to fish in the mountains of Japan, eat bento boxes next to a breathtaking river, spend the weekend with a Japanese host family, work alongside Japanese engineering students and instructors in laboratories, and participate in a cultural festival. The program has a perfect balance of school work and cultural background.
Generally, we attended lectures and assisted in the lab during the mornings and early afternoons and we were allowed to explore Matsuyama by ourselves or with other members of the program. The university also allowed us access to bicycles, which made traveling throughout the city a breeze. I would recommend this trip to any Mechanical Engineering student that is available to join this program.
Jeffrey Fong, Early Fall 2019
