One of the most satisfying parts of my job is being able to take students to Japan. For some students this is their first time on a plane, and the experience of seeing Japan is truly transformative.
My philosophy for study abroad stems from an experience I had working for a travel company right after I graduated from college. We were in Los Angeles and many Japanese tourists arrived in the afternoon and immediately went on a bus tour of Hollywood. They then went to their hotel to sleep and the next morning went to Disneyland for half a day, and then Universal Studios for the afternoon. In the evening they’d board a bus for the Grand Canyon, see it in the morning and then ride to Las Vegas where they’d catch a flight back to Japan. I always wondered what their ideas of America were when they got home.
I try to help students see the diversity of Japan. We visit urban, rural, new, and old. We might see the temples at Hōryū-ji and then catch a Buffaloes game in the evening. I hope students can explain the many facets of Japan to those they talk to upon returning to Tennessee.
Study Abroad
2015-2019
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