by Taylor Sakaguchi
October 28, 2024
Check out the program that Taylor attended:
ISEP Study in Japan - Kansai Gaidai University - ISEP Direct
Hello Huskers!
I know you haven’t seen me around campus lately, but I wanted to let you know that I’m in Japan studying abroad! I worked with the UNL Global Experiences Office to place me at Kansai Gaidai University, which is located between Kyoto and Osaka in the suburb of Hirakata, Japan. My dorm has individual rooms and is a mix of Japanese and foreign students. I’ve met people from all over the world including France, Germany, and Kazakhstan.
I’m enrolled in the Asian Studies program and am taking a Japanese language course along with a Kanji course (Kanji is one of 3 alphabets the Japanese use!). I really enjoy my Cultural Communications course, it helps me with the challenges of adapting to the local culture. For fun I am taking a Japanese Mythology course, but it’s a lot more work than I thought!
It’s been challenging living here since I had zero Japanese language skills coming in, but many of the locals know some English and Google Translate is your friend! What I love is Japan’s public transportation system. With a train pass you can pretty much get anywhere in the country and many of the signs are in both English and Japanese.
Traveling alone is easy since Japan is very safe and the people are very respectful of others. I’ve traveled to Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo just using the train system. Just be prepared for the crowds at the major train stations, it’s like the concession stand at Memorial Stadium during halftime!
I do miss home and look forward to returning to UNL, but this experience has really opened my eyes to how big and diverse the world is! Living a whole semester in a foreign country has really allowed me to grow and has given me the confidence that I can do anything and go anywhere after I graduate. If you can, I really encourage you to study abroad….you won’t regret it!
See you soon!
Taylor Sakaguchi
