Category: Fall 2024

Liz’e Simpson, ’26, is a Computer Science major studying at the Sophia University of Japan this Fall 2024 through the program CIEE. Most days, I followed a set routine while studying abroad. I wake up early to catch the early train if I can and get on the bus, especially on the days I can’t ...

I experienced many culture shocks while living abroad in Japan for 6 months. Things like lining up for trains and stores, especially restaurants, may seem mundane, but it was a noticeable change. I normally don’t line up and wait for the line to move on to get a seat. I normally would leave if the ...

I have a dietary restriction that prevents me from eating pork and pork products, so I have had a difficult time finding food in Japan. Despite these restrictions, I was still able to try a bunch of new foods that don’t contain pork. 1#: Gyudon Its best point is that it’s cheap, around 600 yen, ...

The trash system in Japan is elaborate and extensive. I didn’t even know there was a system for throwing out trash in Japan until I arrived. I had to get used to being aware of what I put in the trash bags in my room. The first place I felt this big change was in ...

Brang your needs. When I say that what I mean is what do you know you can’t live without. The most important thing is to do your research before studying abroad to figure out what may be lacking in the country you want to go to. For me, Japan had a lack of shoe sizes ...

5# – Shibuya You have to go at least once though if you find yourself studying abroad in japan you may find yourself going there to meet up with friends or for the nightlife. I’m not much for the nightlife, so it wasn’t my number one but still a good place to go once in ...

During my time abroad I’ve interacted with many people and met all kinds of people from meeting someone in the onsen to forming friendships with my japanese squash teammates. I would like to give insight into my personal experiences aboard and would like to clarify that my experiences will not be everyone’s experience. Moving on ...

Overall, I broke down my abilities into 5 aspects I would like to grow and improve in: Reading Comprehension: Low—High~~~~~{Average} My reading skills have increased to a higher degree since beforehand; now I’m able to read a vast amount of kanji and can decode the meaning behind kanji that I’m not sure of the promucation ...

Setting up my home in Philadelphia has been a journey of creativity, resourcefulness, and a little elbow grease. When I first arrived at my off-campus accommodation, my room was completely unfurnished. To make things trickier, my Amazon-ordered mattress didn’t arrive on time, leaving me with an empty space to sleep in. Thankfully, the shared kitchen, ...