Favorite Moments & Travels

In my previous post I introduced myself a little and as for this post, from my year abroad in Japan, it was difficult to choose, but here are some of my favorite moments and travels. I hope you enjoy reading! :)

鎌倉：Kamakura

    Kamakura is a city located in the Kanagawa prefecture just to the left of Tokyo, and is quite an easy location to do a day trip to. This is home to popular spots like the Great Buddha statue, many beautiful temples/shrines, the breezy coastal beaches, the Komachi-dori shopping street, and blooming hydrangea flowers during the summer. 

    All of these pictures are from when I went during October so it was still a bit warm, but the weather was cooling down. This was one of the first hangouts I went to with people I got to know in my Japanese class, and was definitely unforgettable. We spent about 2 days in Kamakura with the first day mainly consisting of exploration of the shrines and going around the main shopping street. I remember getting matcha ice cream and strawberry daifuku mochi which were absolutely so good! Most of us decided to stay in a hostel (the outside pictured below) for the night so we could enjoy another day before heading back to Tokyo. I'm so glad I decided to because I was able to experience an onsen for the first time and get to know more about my friends as we chatted away for hours with a view of the waves right outside.

長野：Nagano

    Nagano is a prefecture farther west of Tokyo and is more within central Japan. Nagano is well-known especially during winter times for winter sports like skiing or snowboarding, and wonderful snow-covered landscapes. 
    My dorm friends and I decided to take a trip here to celebrate completing a semester, and to spend more time with one another before some would have to leave to go back home. We decided on staying at an Airbnb of a local Japanese home in a place called Yudanaka further away from the the main city. It was quite close to the main area we wanted to go to which is Jigokudani Monkey Park. This famous park is known for its wild Japanese snow monkeys that would roam around and even bathe in the natural onsens. We spent a few days in Nagano and it became an unforgettable trip. We decided to visit the beautiful Togakushi shrine where we went on quite a trek up through the fresh, snowy woods, do grocery shopping to make home-cooked pastas and breakfast, played games and chatted at the dining table, and did a snowball fight in one of the fields. It was truly a glimpse into a simpler life of what the folks in Nagano experience and it was all very wonderful. The warmth I felt from the town and my friends was enough to forget about the cold. 

千葉：Chiba

    Chiba prefecture is another prefecture bordering Tokyo right to the east. Within is where Narita Airport along with Tokyo Disneyland and Sea are located, but besides those, there are magnificent views as well. 

    My dorm was right next to Chiba and I had the opportunity to hike a mountain called Nokogiriyama. At the top stands another Great Buddha Statue within Nihon-ji Temple. Along the way, the sun rays illuminated the greenery of the forrest, and clear skies were all to be seen. Chatting with my friend along the way made time fly by and we took our time to explore the entire area. It seems like there was an area where they worked on carving out the mountain so there were old machines still left there also. Once we reached the temple and Buddha statue, the open field was quite spacious and felt so nice to sit down to rest at. Afterwards, we scaled down the mountain with endless stunning views until we reached the town and decided to walk towards the coast. The entire time, I felt like I was in a Ghibli movie and was experiencing those aesthetic reels highlighting the nature of Japan. 

広島：Hiroshima

    Lastly, I wanted to share about my time in Hiroshima. Although there was the atomic bomb atrocity that happened in history, it has since recovered and become a beautiful place. I think it is a extremely important part of history to learn from, respect, and to visit if you have the chance. 
    On the first day my friend and I arrived, it was a bright and sunny day so we decided to check out the city. There is the Atomic Bomb Dome which is a memorial site of the only building in the radius that survived the atomic bomb drop in 1945. Around the area is also a wonderful park leading to the Children's Peace Monument and other memorial sites that emphasize the importance of peace. There were multiple long strings of folded colorful paper cranes dedicated to story of Sadako Sasaki who was a survivor of the bomb, but developed leukemia and started folding cranes as a wish for health and peace. It was a surprise to see people from all of the world who came and brought their own folded cranes to add to the park. A bit further away is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum where remnants of the past were preserved to shed light on the disaster. I knew only the surface level of the effects that the city residents went through and after the museum, it was quite enlightening to learn about the depth and reality of the event. Personal recounts of the time, haunting photos, drawings, clothing artifacts, and more were spread throughout. 

    The following days, we went to Miyajima which is a close island off of Hiroshima and had a famous tori gate inside of Itsushima Shrine. At certain points, the tide goes away and you're able to walk right up to the gate. Exploring the area and seeing the life from the roaming deer to the little crustaceans in the sand around the gate was absolutely soothing. The air felt different and gave a sense of calm I was glad I could experience. 

Reflecting A Year's Past in Japan

 こんにちは皆さん (Hello everyone)！

For a short introduction, my name is Vivian Nguyen and, at this time, I am a senior at Hawai'i Pacific University (HPU) majoring in Public Health and minoring in Japanese. From September 2023 till August 2024, I had the wonderful opportunity to study abroad in Japan at Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU). I always knew I wanted to study abroad in Japan during college and I am so grateful to have spent a year in this beautiful country. Please enjoy my reflection and learning experiences now as I reminisce on my journey through the seasons... 

読んでくれてありがとうございます(thank you for reading)！

秋：Autumn/Fall

    Arriving in Japan feels almost like yesterday. Upon arriving at the beginning of September, the nervousness I thought I would feel stepping into a foreign country all by myself was surprisingly nowhere to be found. Even though this was my first time traveling alone, I felt a sense of confidence and responsibility as I was ready to take on this new chapter of my life. I may have gotten lost on the trains and was exhausted from dragging along my two pieces of luggage (which I did not know you could have delivered from the airport), but in the end, I made it to my new home. Next was figuring out how to get to school. 

学校の門：School Gates
    AGU has a beautiful campus. If HPU has its lookout towards the ocean and sunset at Aloha Tower,  AGU has its vibrant ginkgo tree foliage overlooking the main road. Every time I walked through, I would take time to admire the glorious yellow leaves up above and below as they scattered on the ground. 
    As I was getting used to my new class schedule, figuring out the school system, and how early I needed to leave to make it on time to places, it was of course a busy and challenging time. I still remember the first day of school was on a Friday (weirdly enough) and entering my first Japanese class. After the placement test sent out during the summer, I ended up in Level 3 out of 7. Thankfully, I met another person who was also in that class. She was coincidentally also the person in front of me when we sat at orientation and lived in the same dorms. As the 先生 (sensei) entered and started class, everyone was quiet and reserved because they, including me, were shocked at how she only spoke in Japanese the entire time. All of our heads were hurting by the end of it trying so hard to focus on understanding and responding with anything we could muster out. What a time indeed. 

冒険すること：Exploring
     Despite all my commitments to school, I did my best to make sure to explore as well. One place I visited in October was called Kamakura, located in Kanagawa prefecture. This trip was a fond memory as I got closer to my Japanese language classmates and it was the first time staying overnight in another region. The heat during this time was still sweltering and it did not help that the plan was to hike and walk around. However, the area and locations we visited were worth it. Pictured on the right is the Sasuke Inari Shrine known for its bright red gates and plenty of small white fox statues around the shrine. The highlight of the day was being able to relax in the Inamuragasaki Onsen and chat about whatever at our hostel for the night. 
    Whilst attending 10 classes, I would say it is about the same workload as an average HPU semester. I decided to challenge myself by taking a class taught in Japanese which was titled Japanology B. This class brought in experts from different aspects of Japanese culture each week to talk about what they do and what it is all about. I quite enjoyed this class since sometimes we had hands-on activities, like the picture below. That week was 生け花 (ikebana), the art of flower arranging, and we each got a small cup and a bunch of flowers/leaves to arrange for ourselves as a take-home gift. We love free, pretty things here :)

    Then as the weather grew colder, the color of the leaves deepened into their bright, autumn colors. Since I had only basically known Hawai'i my whole life, I had never seen autumn foliage before. The sight below at Mt. Takao was breathtaking and one of my favorite pictures I have taken during my time abroad. The fall season had its wonders and I wondered what winter would bring. 

冬：Winter

日本の誇り：Japan's Pride & Joy 
    As mentioned, I grew up in Hawai'i and as an island girl, I was a bit afraid of how cold it might get... Fortunately, I was able to gradually adjust to the weather, and in Tokyo, the average was probably around 10 degrees C (~50 degrees F) at the season's peak. 
    At the beginning of December, I had the chance to venture out with some dorm friends to Yamanashi prefecture to see the one and only Mt. Fuji. Its beauty was unmatched with its pristine snow-capped top and we were so lucky to see it so clearly. Although the journey was a bit rough being 2-3 hours away from Tokyo, it is definitely a must-see sight around the different 5 lakes of Fuji.

イルミネーション：Illuminations
    You will know when winter rolls around from the many illuminations that can be seen all over the country. Some of them last for a few weeks or even span over a few months. The picture on the right is of 青の洞窟SHIBUYA, otherwise known as the Shibuya Blue Cave Illumination, which spans along the road filled with bright, vibrant blue lights on the way to Yoyogi Park. All of the illuminations definitely also signal the coming of Christmas too. Before coming to Japan, I did understand the culture of ordering KFC for the holidays, but I did not know the extent to which you must book a few weeks in advance to have it on time to eat. 

学期末：First Semester's End
    The end of the first semester arrived quickly. Before I knew it, it was already time to say goodbye to some great new friends who were only here for one semester. I had always heard one semester in Japan felt so short and I'm glad I decided to take a year abroad. Although, that doesn't mean it isn't sad to see everyone go... This was also an end to my time at my part-time job as a chat leader at the Chat Room. The Chat Room at AGU is a space where students can join chat sessions to practice speaking languages they're interested in. These languages included ones like English, Spanish, Korean, French, and more. It was a great opportunity to get to know a lot of local students and other chat leaders also through daily chat sessions or special holiday events. Overall, this was a weird time because the dorm became empty as people left on trips or went back home, but then started to become lively again when the next semester started again. This was the halfway mark to the beginning of the end. 

                              

春：Spring

好きな花：My favorite flowers
    As the weather slowly gets warmer, this was one of the seasons I was looking forward to the most because of the beautiful variety of flowers that bloom each month. Besides the famous sakura cherry blossoms, my other favorites during this time were the wisteria, tulips, plum blossoms, and nemophila. The one I loved the most was the weeping wisteria flowers at Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi prefecture. This flower park has many other wonderful flowers but during the month of April, the array of purple and white wisteria flowers takes the cake. I could stay in the park and stare at the flowers all day if I could, but unfortunately, this was only a day trip. They were some of the most majestic flowers I had ever seen. The sakura were also quite beautiful and I didn't know how long the season was until I experienced it. Their blooming depended on the weather of each prefecture so the earlier blooms started from the very south of the island and made their way up to Hokkaido. In addition, there were different kinds of sakura, the most abundant being the slightly pinkish-white ones called ソメイヨシノ(Somei Yoshino), but my favorite was by far the bright pastel-like pink hue of the 山桜 (Yamazakura) that bloomed at the end of February into March. 

新しい学期：New Semester

    This time also was the beginning of the new semester when new people gradually arrived and made the dorms and campus come to life again. I was determined to make use of my remaining time and continued to do or go somewhere new each week. Making new friends, creating more memories with old friends, and seeing beautiful sights and new places were my joy. Hanging out at school, going to the gym, taking classes with friends, and more were in store. 

夏：Summer

暑い天気けど、楽しい：Hot Weather, but Fun
    The last and final season before the end of my full year abroad. Everyone says that Japanese summers are no joke, and they are right. Even coming from Hawai'i, the heat was insane. Since Japan is a country that revolves around walking, biking, or using public transport, it is especially hot when going to and from places during the day. I had heard that heatstrokes were a concern in the summer because of the heat so there are a lot of warnings and products that help you through it. I saw many people holding their small, handy electronic fans, putting on their neck-cooling rings, or wiping their faces with handkerchiefs to combat the icky feeling of sweat. Despite the hot weather, the bright sun cast beautiful rays of sunshine on the landscape. Some of the highlights were going to concerts, festivals, Universal Studios, and marking off other bucket-list items. As time was ticking down, everyone scurried to try to use their time to do all the things they wanted to do. 

日本さよなら：Goodbye, Japan
    Then before I knew it, it was time to say goodbye to everyone. I had booked my flight home near the end of August which was later than most people I knew. It was very bittersweet saying our goodbyes and reminiscing on good times throughout the year... I had made some amazing, one-of-a-kind friends that I hope to meet with again someday. This was an experience that I do not regret taking at all and I would of course do it all over again if I had the choice. It was so weird to think that the busy streets of Shibuya, which was right there, that was the last time I would see them that year. 
    During this time, I learned more about myself and what I was capable of. If you told me as a child I would be living and studying in Japan for a whole year later in life, I would think that's crazy and that there's no way I could do it. I'm so thankful for all of the people who were a part of my journey and thank you to those who decided to read all the way through. Best wishes to your future travels!

    Regarding internships, many assume they'll be local or with a large national corporation to gain valuable experience and insights into a potential future career. However, I chose to apply for an internship that offered a unique opportunity to work in Amman, Jordan, a city in one of the world's most important regions. Jordan, known for its stability in the Middle East, is a country many people overlook. Yet, it houses the most refugees from regional conflicts, making it an essential player in global humanitarian efforts. Moreover, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam intersect in Jordan and share their historical narratives. For example, Mount Nebo, a religious pilgrimage site, is where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land before his passing. This intersection of cultures and religions makes Jordan a fascinating and prosperous place to explore and learn from. Jordan wields significant influence in the Arab world politically, economically, and socially. Interning in this dynamic and culturally diverse environment has been interesting. I am gaining an understanding of the complexities and contributing to the country with meaningful impacts from my internship.

My internship involves working with a non-profit organization that helps provide much-needed medical relief to Syrian Refugees in Zaatari—the 5th largest refugee camp on the globe. Our job is to write funding proposals, work at the clinics, and fill any needed gaps. It varies daily, with a new task being asked to be done. However, we start mornings with lectures about what it means to be a humanitarian actor, what is expected, and how it operates in the region. There is also cultural sensitivity training, first aid/CPR, and workshops to improve skills needed in the workforce.

During my internship, I had the opportunity to participate in some fantastic excursions organized by SIT. These trips were a welcome break from work demands and allowed us to explore Jordan as students and tourists.

 Jordan is home to some of the most significant sites in the world, such as the Jordan River, where Jesus was baptized, Petra, Wadi Rum, and many more. These excursions had an educational aspect, offering us insights into the history and significance of these sites to the local people and various faiths.

I'll always remember our adventures, from experiencing the stunning landscapes of Wadi Rum, often featured in movies depicting Mars, to the surreal experience of floating in the Dead Sea. Additionally, delving into the local cuisine was a highlight. I discovered that kebabs and hummus are delicious staple foods in Jordan. The food culture is so rich and diverse that I could never get tired of exploring it. I feel fortunate to have had the chance to learn, explore, and savor the unique experiences Jordan offers. Even if I did not want to go on an extensive excursion, there are many cafes and restaurants where people socialize and smoke hookah to unwind from the day. My host family loves to go out and have fun, so it is a nice change of scenery from the office or Zaatari.

Overall, the experience is unparalleled by any job I have done in the past. It was beautiful, heart-wrenching, and exhausting, but worth every fiber of my being. The opportunity to connect with people, make a difference, and push my limits filled me with a sense of purpose and fulfillment that I had never experienced before. It was challenging, but the personal and professional growth I gained from it was immeasurable. I will always cherish the memories and the lessons learned from this experience.

                                                

 I am sharing my remarkable experience while completing an internship with the School of International Training (SIT) program in Amman, Jordan. This unique opportunity allowed me to work with NGOs and humanitarian aid agencies, specifically with the Jordan Health Aid Society International (JHASI). This non-profit organization provides medical assistance to Syrian refugees and vulnerable individuals in the Zaatari camps and across Jordan. During my time with JHASI, I had the chance to engage directly with the community, contributing to health education and family planning initiatives within the refugee camps. I also developed and presented a concept proposal to secure funding to support the organization's ongoing efforts. The program provided practical, hands-on experience and allowed me to earn college credit while immersing myself in a new and diverse environment. Despite the intense nature of the summer session, the invaluable experiences and the profound impact on the lives of others in the refugee camps far outweighed any challenges. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and the unforgettable insights it provided.

A typical internship day looks like this:

1. Wake up, get ready, and leave early to be at the head office.
2. Ask the assistant in charge of making coffee and tea for a Turkish coffee. As a university student, a tiny Turkish coffee's sweetness and caffeine content is enough to keep you going for a few hours, and you may be addicted by the end of it.
3. Meet with the manager to see what is on the agenda and complete the tasks given. This can be done in various ways, such as working on funding, establishing tasks at the camps, or being trained on procedures within the company.
4. Go home or relax at a cafe on Rainbow Street or in Weibdeh. Sometimes, you have to take work home with you; other times, you meet up with friends to eat and smoke shisha (potentially).

Jordan is truly a must-see destination for anyone's bucket list. Despite potential concerns related to regional conflicts, the country is generally very safe for students and travelers to explore. It's essential to maintain a reasonable level of caution, as one would in any major city. There is a thriving community of students and expatriates in the area, making it effortless to meet new people and make connections. The internship has allowed me to experience working, studying, and exploring a new country and will enable me to consider working abroad.

   

 

A week in KU's ISP

Hi Sharks, it's Tiffany again and let me speed run through what a week in the International Summer Program with Konkuk University in Seoul, Korea looks like. 

Here was the tentative schedule KU provided:

      

As you can tell, the schedule was packed for such a short stay. I initially thought that a month's stay was good enough for me but I quickly realized I NEEDED a full semester. Korea is the country I have always wanted to visit and what's crazy is that in 2021, I wrote that I plan to study abroad in Korea for a scholarship essay, and the fact that I did just that this past summer is actually unbelievable. It was mainly hopeful wishing because I did not think it was feasible, especially because of money. Manifestation at its finest 🤞🏽. But all it took was making an appointment with Melissa because she literally helped, supported, guided, answered, reassured, and everything in between me to make studying abroad possible. Shout out Melissa, everyone say thank you Melissa 🥹. Anyways, I digress.

From Incheon Airport, I took the airport shuttle to the school. The airport shuttle has multiple stops throughout Seoul and thankfully there was a stop near. I dragged my luggage up a hill to the girls' dormitory and got settled. I also used this day to buy necessities and explore a little. The next day was Orientation, which took the bulk of the day and I got to meet my buddy. Each student had a native student of the school, a buddy, to help us around KU and Seoul in general. That day, our buddies showed us some spots near the school. We went bowling, played board games, and ate sushi for dinner.

Next, we had a two-day field trip to Jeonju where we ate good food and played dress up.

Then the first class of the program came. I only took K-Psychology, which was three hours, and fortunately, it was in the morning so my afternoons were free. 

Next, Waterbomb!! Waterbomb is a popular music festival involving a lot of water to cool off 😎. I saw KISS OF LIFE, Lee Younji, Jay Park, Kwon Eunbi, and so many more artists! And I left drenched from head to toe.

Lastly, weekends were dedicated to me and my downtime 😌. 

The subsequent weeks followed this general format but were filled with different places, experiences, and food. I really liked how the field trips were educational and helped me learn about Korea's history. Now I feel smarter whenever I watch K-dramas and the Joseon Dynasty is mentioned. At the same time, they planned fun activities such as amusement parks like Lotte World and Everland, and a baseball game (Korea does not play when it comes to baseball - each player had their own chant and EVERYONE knew word for word). The food was amazing and cheap. Transportation was fairly easy to navigate but the apps they use are different, instead of Google Maps, use NAVER maps. The majority of the people were nice and knew some English; however, there was only one incident where I was refused service because I could not effectively communicate. To be honest, I understand. I only knew what Duolingo, K-dramas, and K-pop taught me, which are the basics. I believe when traveling international waters, it is important to know how to communicate the basics so you are not completely lost. But other than that, it was not too bad 😅. When in doubt, use Papago (the better version of Google Translate).

Although this jam-packed schedule felt hectic and tiring at times, I absolutely cherish my time there with all the memories I made and every person I met. Today, I still keep in touch with the group of friends I made (we bonded over our love for food - we would stay up into the AM at the campus's convenience store and big back (eat) EVERY NIGHT (not an exaggeration)) and even KU's Senior Associate of International Office, Lucky. 

Love Korea, love my big backs, love Lucky, love Melissa, and love me 😍.

MUST SEE AND DO IN LONDON

 Hi Sharks! If you didn’t see my first blog post, go check it out for basic information and what to pack! I definitely recommend studying abroad for two semesters if you are able to, as the first semester flew by and I was not ready to leave! I stayed on campus and lived in a townhome with 11 other random roommates. My biggest suggestion is to be open-minded because I went and did not know a single person and made the most amazing friends. I truly had the most incredible experience especially in the United Kingdom as there are unlimited amounts of things to do, see, and explore. If you have any other questions do not hesitate to reach out to me :) 

Culture shocks: I loved being surrounded by other cultures and learned so much that I never knew existed. Here are some of the culture shocks that I wrote down while studying abroad: 

1. A power bank is a portable charger 

2. There is only an “open door” button in an elevator (no close door button) 

3. Health care is free 

4. Ice doesn’t exist 

5. A backpack is a rack sack 

6. THE FOOD (best food ever) 

Tips for traveling to other countries: While being in London for the year, I traveled to almost 10 other countries! I would suggest packing very light and making sure your luggage fits the required size. Each airline has a different size requirement, but there have been many times when they almost didn’t let me on my flight because my luggage was too big. Also, if you are bringing liquids while traveling to other countries, they make you take all of them out and fit into a clear plastic bag, BUT they only give you one plastic bag. Make sure you are not bringing a lot of liquids and if you are, definitely put them in a bag that you are checking. Always have your passport and boarding pass out. You usually use your boarding pass to get through TSA, and then they check your ticket at the gate. 

(Cheese Fondue in Switzerland)                                     (Milan, Italy)

(Barcelona, Spain)

(Paris, France)

(Avoriaz, France)

(Barcelona, Spain)

(Eiffel Tower, France)

Sites that are a must In the United Kingdom: 

1. St. Paul’s Cathedral: This was by far my favorite place to go see in London. I would get tickets to go all the way up into the whispering gallery (which is the dome-shaped part of the cathedral).  I would go visit St. Paul’s to just read a book, eat some lunch, etc. 

(St. Paul's)

2. Borough and Camden Market: You must get the chocolate-covered strawberries from Borough Market! Seriously everything in both markets is so yummy! Very fun to walk around and explore.

                                                                        (Borough Market) 

 3. Dishoom: My favorite restaurant in London! It is Indian food, but everything is so good on the menu. 

(Dishoom) 

4. British Museum: You could seriously spend days in this museum due to the massive amount of artifacts and historical items to look at! 

(British Museum)

5. Tower Bridge: I would recommend getting tickets to walk inside and through the Tower Bridge. It was super cool to see how the bridge was built and learn about its history. 

(Tower Bridge)

6. Afternoon Tea: Anywhere in London is amazing for afternoon tea! If you are going to be in London, afternoon tea is a MUST! 

(Peggy's Afternoon Tea)

(Tiffany & Co's Afternoon Tea)

7. London Eye: I would suggest getting tickets to go on the London Eye! It is very cool because you can see all of the Big Ben and other famous monuments from the top! 

(London Eye)

8. Big Ben: Seeing pictures of the Big Ben does not do it justice…You have to go in person!!

(Big Ben)

9. Winter Wonderland: If you are in London during Christmas, they have this Christmas carnival that you must go to! It is filled with rides, games, music, food, drinks, etc. 

(Winter Wonderland)

10. Football (Soccer) Game: If you are a big soccer fan like me, you have to go to a league game to fully experience the culture of this sport! 

11. Christmas Lights: Starting in November, London starts setting up the most beautiful Christmas lights! Roam the streets in downtown London…Trust me it is magical!