Grace Miller:
Q: How has receiving the LSA Study Abroad Scholarship impacted you and your experiences abroad?
The LSA Study Abroad Scholarship allowed me the unique opportunity to travel to a country I had never been to before without being underneath severe financial constraints. I would never have considered the GCC Japan program if my program fee was not covered by the LSA Scholarship. The trip would have been seen as an extra activity that I probably could not afford and was not worth trying to go if I had had to fund the trip personally. However, going to Japan through GCC was one of the most academically and culturally rich experiences I have ever been on and I learned so much about Japanese culture, history, social constructs and learned about myself. It allowed me to grow as a student and overall global citizen and I would not have appreciated the course content as thoroughly as I did if I had only participated in the in-house Michigan class component of GCC.
Being able to experience different aspects of Japanese environmental history first-hand—such as Tokyo’s trash islands, famous shrines that revered nature, and a traditional inn in a rural mountain village in Niigata—made a world of a difference to my interest and understanding of the material we read in class over the Winter semester. Planting rice in the mountains and meeting rural villagers who have completely different lives from mine was an incredible way to learn about their values and goals and opinions. I would not have understood the complex social hierarchies or interactions and political and cultural factors that go into Japanese society.
Q: Can you discuss any other identities that have impacted your time abroad (negatively or
positively)? (Identities can include Black/African American Abroad, LatinX Abroad, Managing Mental Health Abroad, LGBTQ+ Abroad, Nontraditional Student, etc.)
Being a biracial Asian/Caucasian American was an interesting identity to have in Japan. While I looked more similar to the homogeneous Japanese population than most of the students in my cohort, it is not as if I knew more about Japanese social and cultural factors and “fit” in more to Japanese society. However, sometimes I felt more comfortable because I looked more similar to Japanese citizens than the others, which was an odd feeling since I am not at all Japanese. Often, Japanese people would address me in Japanese because they assumed I spoke the language, even though I only knew a few simple phrases compared to my paler, blonder companions.
It was interesting to learn about social norms in Japan and I found myself beginning to dress more similarly to Japanese women in a more reserved and stylish manner. I often felt uncomfortable wearing shorts in public because that is not common there even when the weather reached unbearable temperatures. In addition, I noticed that Japanese people are quite private and reserved in public compared to the boisterous noise I am used to of many Americans. I actually realized that I liked this type of social norm and felt that it was easier to comply with since I am more naturally quiet. It was a little tricky to navigate the fact that I am half-Asian but am third-generation so I do not feel like I fit into the Asian category that many people in Japan initially put me in before talking to me. I did not really experience culture shock when I arrived in Japan but actually experienced more of it when I returned to the United States and was sitting in a popular taco restaurant in my hometown in Connecticut. It was strange to see so many non-Asian people in one room and I kept finding myself staring at other diners and workers there which I did not expect to happen at all.
Anonymous:
This student has requested to remain anonymous. CGIS has verified the contributor’s identity and the content of their blog contribution.
Q: How has receiving the LSA Study Abroad Scholarship impacted you and your experiences abroad?
As an academic experience and a personal traveling experience both, this has been the best and most rewarding month of my life so far. The winter-term course mentally prepared me for the trip: for the environmental issues we would encounter, as well as made me a more aware and informed visitor to the country. All too often, I think people travel without knowing much about the history of the place they’re visiting, let alone the environment. Knowing about both of these things made the experience of actually being here so much more rewarding.Despite language and cultural barriers, I was able to more deeply connect with the place because of the personal connections I was able to make on this trip. One thing that I learned from the class is that people are as essential to understanding the environment as a place is essential to understanding the people that live there. Nature exists everywhere in the city as it does in the countryside; whether the nature is “natural” or “artificial,” it still exists, and it is often difficult to tell the difference between the two whether you’re in a Tokyo garden or in Nikko visiting a famous shrine.
Having spent almost a month here, I find myself almost at home. I already miss the friends I’ve made here and am motivated to learn Japanese and come back, possibly for an internship with En-Ya or EcoPlus or to study at Waseda. It is difficult for me to choose my most treasured moments from this trip. Maybe that night in Tsukishima, trying sake for the first time and walking along the Sumida River, seeing the glowing lights of Tokyo’s skyscrapers at night. Maybe the trip to Nikko, visiting the beautiful shrines and jizo statues along the river. The time when Brian, Leonie, Cassie and I climbed the mountain in Nikko at dusk. I went to the Sanja Festival near Sensoji Temple and spent the entire day exploring with friends. Maybe rice paddy planting, or going to the shrine by myself to sit and contemplate the mountains of Niigata. Going out with friends from Waseda University for the first time, and the almost instant friendships I made with those three girls. Eating two cones of gelato by myself at the park in Fujinomiya, then eating a huge bowl of ramen and making friends with two women working at a green tea shop. Going out to karaoke and hanging out in Shinjuku with my friends from Waseda and Michigan, missing the last train because I was having too much fun, and walking back an hour from Shinjuku to Aoyama at 2:30 a.m. And tonight, when I met up with one of my Waseda University friends for bubble tea and dinner in the park (though it rained and we had to buy an umbrella). It’s impossible for me to pick just a few moments that were meaningful to me, because there are so many that will stick with me for a very long time. And not even all of them are listed here. It will be a few more days before I leave Japan, but I hope that this is just the beginning of my journey and I will get to come back and meet these people again, and keep in contact with my friends from the program in Michigan. This program has given me a greater appreciation for all of the experiences that can be had and connections that can be made in a new country.
Q: Can you discuss any other identities that have impacted your time abroad (negatively or
positively)? (Identities can include Black/African American Abroad, LatinX Abroad, Managing Mental Health Abroad, LGBTQ+ Abroad, Nontraditional Student, etc.)
As someone who suffers from social anxiety, the idea of studying abroad with a group of people I don’t know very well was a bit intimidating. Especially because it can be hard to find time alone to de-stress. I thought I would be the only one with these feelings, but it turned out that others felt the same way.
I am so glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone because the experience turned out to be so rewarding. I made so many new friends, including other Michigan students on the program and Japanese students we met over the course of the program.
Sydney Bell:
Q: How has receiving the LSA Study Abroad Scholarship impacted you and your experiences abroad?
My time in Japan served as a pivotal moment for me. As an International Studies major, I had chosen my regional focus to be Latin America. However, with this major, I believed it important that my studies not be limited to one region, as that to me felt like a contradiction. I had the least amount of interaction with Asian culture; both throughout my studies, and my life as well. I knew that to be well-rounded, I needed to expand my knowledge into this region, however I also knew that I did not have room in my academic schedule to study the region, nor did I have the resources for my own personal travel. GCC Japan offered me a comprehensive medium to not only study the region, but to also interact on an exponentially deeper level. As an LSA program, I was able to receive financial aid to cover the program costs, making this dream a reality. Without the LSA Scholarship, I would not have had the ability to immerse myself in Japanese culture, nor have the opportunity to meet the incredible and intelligent people I encountered.
LSA Scholarships did not just fund a trip to Japan. Rather, it provided me the opportunity to learn about Japanese culture, history, and landscape while simultaneously allowing me to give back to local communities and nature. It gave me resources to meet local professors, activists, farmers, etc., and the time to interact with them and share knowledge.
Q: Can you discuss any other identities that have impacted your time abroad (negatively or
positively)? (Identities can include Black/African American Abroad, LatinX Abroad, Managing Mental Health Abroad, LGBTQ+ Abroad, Nontraditional Student, etc.)
The state of one’s mental health highly impacts the ability for one to travel, and the ability for one to enjoy their travels as well. It is something that is hard for many to manage at home, and is often even harder to manage away from home. Anxiety, stress, and homesickness are all heightened during travel through things like flying, spending money, and trying contacting loved ones. It is often easy for others to dismiss someone’s poor mental health through negative mindsets like “relax you’re in a beautiful foreign place, life is good,” however this dismissal may lead to even poor mental health. While abroad, I noticed that while homesickness is highly acknowledged, other aspects of poor mental health while traveling are not as closely monitored.
Graysen Colpaert:
Q: How has receiving the LSA Study Abroad Scholarship impacted you and your experiences abroad?
Receiving the LSA Study Abroad Scholarship allowed me to not only participate in my GCC trip, but also to be able to further immerse myself in the culture. With the funds provided by the scholarship I was able to use my own money on cultural experiences such as local restaurants, shrines, temples, museums, and so much more. Not only did this help me get the most out of my experience abroad, it also helped me bond with the other people on my trip and make new friends. Without the additional financial stress, I was able to truly live in the moment and enjoy my experience abroad.
With the expenses of my GCC trip covered, I was also able to go on side trips to China and Thailand. I feel immensely grateful to have received the LSA Study Abroad Scholarship as it has given me the ability to explore parts of the world I would not have been able to otherwise. My trip has given me a new perspective on environmental issues and the ability to view the world with a wider lens.
