Semester in Japan Spring 2018 - Video Compilation

Studying in Tokyo, Japan was such an amazing experience, and I would not trade it for anything else in the world! I got to experience traveling to major sites I had always dreamed of visiting since I was child, I made great connections that will last a life time with people from not only Japan, but other parts of the world too, and because I was so immersed into the culture, I was able to learn more about the Japanese lifestyle as well as enhanced my language speaking skills. 

While studying in Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in particular, I was also able to work as an English "Chat Leader" in their Chat Room (one of the language practicing services that AGU provides), lived in the international dorms in Musashi-Kosugi, joined circles (extra-curricular activities) such as the Aoyama Christian Fellowship circle, Gospel Choir, and MBS A Capella circle! Through all these different activities, I was able to experience what it was like to go on an overnight retreat with a Japanese university circle, perform an a capella solo of the famous Japanese song "Everything" by MISIA  in front of students of 4 other big universities in the area, visited the AGU Sagamihara Campus (in which international students rarely get the experience of going to, and most of which don't get to visit at all), and as a Filipino Christian, I was introduced to a small international church, not too far from my dorm, that had Sunday Filipino services. 

I am still quite shocked with all of the extraordinary experiences that I had while studying abroad in Japan, and I am so grateful to have been able to go on such an amazing journey there. 

Also, below is a link to a video compilation of my different experiences in chronological order from Day 1 in Japan, all the way to my very last day in Tokyo! I hope that you enjoy watching~ 

https://youtu.be/-cglUBzlr6c

Wrapping Up My Time at PUC in Rio de Janeiro: Final Thoughts

I think it's almost always sad to leave the place you are studying abroad in.

However, when leaving Brazil, I was more happy than upset because I know that I established as many connections as I could to be able to possible come back. You also have to remind yourself that every single thing you faced abroad-- good or bad-- was meant to teach you a lesson. It's all a learning experience.

So, when it comes to Brazil and Rio de Janeiro and particular, here are my tips and take-aways:

1. Don't be flashy. In other words, don't carry around your iPhone or go-pro or beats headphones in your hands or anywhere visible.

2. Be open to learning Portuguese and actually trying to adapt. Many I knew stuck to their crowd of foreigners or people from their home countries, so all they spoke was English or Spanish or French etc. but never Portuguese. Brazilians appreciate it when you at least try, especially since English isn't widely spoken.

3. It's easier to get scared especially by what others say, but don't be. Any where in the world can be dangerous. It's easy to see through the media that Brazil appears to have lots of politically and racially charged violence. Though this obviously exists, you just have to take the necessary precautions such as talking to people from school, going to the ATM with others and not at night, don't walk alone at night especially in unfamiliar places, etc.

4. It's very hard to upkeep a vegan diet here. There are places in Rio de Janeiro that cater to vegans and vegetarians, however, at the buffets (which are the most common there) the options are limited and often still have meat products in them. This goes back to learning Portuguese so that you can communicate that you are a vegan/vegetarian. Rice and beans are a go to here (although sometimes beans contain ham so beware)!

5. Be open and talk about things that make you uncomfortable. I'm not saying to be okay with things that you do not morally agree with or make you feel uneasy-- but to reach out to someone who can help. I often found myself uncomfortable with the machismo that plagues Brazil (and most of South America). I always kept those feelings bottled in until I was back home. Looking back, I think it would have helped to tell my Brazilian friends or people at my school so that I could have overcome some of my subconscious fears about simply going to the store or beach alone without being worried that I would receive unwanted and menacing attention from men. Identify your resources and use them.

Traveling Outside of Rio While Studying at PUC!

It's common for students to travel outside of their designated city or countries while studying abroad. While i'd usually recommend that students should spend time getting to know the area they're studying in, it could be a very rewarding experience to travel to a different city, state or even country.

I travelled to the state of Bahia towards the end of my study abroad experience. My thoughts were that Brazil is so huge that I at least have to see one other state aside from Rio de Janeiro. Bahia is a three hour plane ride from the Rio Galeão international airport. Bahia is a place rich with culture as Salvador, the capital, was the first slave port established in the Americas and makes Bahia the center of Afro-Brazilian culture.

Salvador is much more laid back than Rio de Janeiro-- it almost reminded me of the laid-backness of Hawai'i. There is much to do there: beautiful beaches, trying traditional foods like Acarajé-- a bean and shrimp fritter, and going to check out the historic towns of Pelourinho and Rio Vermelho. Pelourinho is known for its colorful buildings and old cobblestone streets. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, as it is was here that the first slave market was established in the "New World." Here you can also buy trinkets and souvenirs to take back home. I loved Pelourinho because the streets are so colorful and often filled with street dancers and musicians playing traditional instruments and dancing or performing capoeira, an Afro-Braziian martial art. 

One memorable experience in Salvador was going to a traditional Candomblé ceremony. Candomblé is a very old Afro-Brazilian religion that came over to Brazil with African slaves. By no means do you need to be religious to attend or enjoy the ceremony, though. At first, my friends and I sat down and waited in a very small church in a poorly lit neighborhood, not really knowing where we were or what to expect. As the church pews filled, a man who seemed to be a priest dressed in all white came out and made an announcement (all of the ceremony was in Portuguese, so it was hard to catch everything). Then what seemed to be the matriarch of the church or community came out, also dressed in white. Members of the church started to chant and dance around her. Then, one by one, they all came back out dressed in ornate and beautiful costumes representing the orishas or saints of the religion. The whole ceremony lasted about 4 hours-- to me, it was one of my greatest experiences in Brazil.

I guess the moral of my story is to plan to travel outside of your city especially if the country you're in is as big as Brazil. Do your research! If you're interested in a particular subject or time period, chances are there's somewhere in your country that offers something cool related to whatever that subject is.