I don’t want to pick favorites, because each one has been so amazing, but all the time leading up to this has made this month the best yet. It all started with my favorite excursion; spoiler alert: not even in Japan. In April, some friends of mine who studied abroad at Mizzou the previous year saw that I was studying in Japan on Instagram and messaged me to reconnect. They told me that with school and work it would be best to visit in July, so I waited till then to figure something out. About a day or two after my family left to go back home to the U.S., I booked a flight to Seoul, South Korea.

This was one of the most meaningful experiences for me, as I had become friends with these students while they were studying at Mizzou in the fall 2023 semester and now, not only get the opportunity to see them again, but also in their home country! They introduced me to all the best food (Korean BBQ, obviously), showed me their favorite spots: Hongdae, Gangnam, Itaewon and Myeongdong, and of course enjoy the nightlife together! I also spent an evening reconnecting with my friend Danny who studied at Mizzou in 2022, and it’s been nearly two years since I’ve last seen him. It felt like no time had passed at all between when we last spoke, and that feeling was shared with all my friends who I visited. I actually felt like our friendship grew stronger, and even now after I left, I message them regularly. I also got the chance to explore Seoul on my own, which in contrast to when I first arrived in Japan, I had no English-speaking dormmates to travel with and rely on for company. Everything seemed so peaceful as I observed as a solo tourist. Places like Gyeongbokgung Palace and Samcheong-dong Street reminded me of Japan, showcasing deep history and rich culture. Funny enough though I can’t place my finger on why, to me the city resembled a city in America way more than it did any city in Japan.

For my last day in Korea, I traveled down to Busan. The view of Gamcheon Culture Village was just insane, and the seafood markets were crazy cool. It was fascinating to see huge tanks of live snow crabs right next to freshly caught octopus laying out in the Sun. The most interesting part of this leg of the journey was at night. Rewinding a little bit, two weeks ago while I was in Kyoto with my family, I took a stroll around our hotel while my family slept, still jetlagged. I ran into these 3 tourists travelling from Korea and ended up hanging out with them all night. Fast forward back to the present, I messaged them, and we made plans to meet in Busan! They were intent on showing me Korean hospitality, and we hung out all night. It started with a delicious Korean BBQ dinner, followed by singing Karaoke. In the morning, they even drove me to the airport so I didn’t have to take the bus. I mean what are the odds that these random strangers that I met in Kyoto I ended up seeing again in another country and sung with until the sun comes up?

In the last week of July, my friend from high school and his mom had planned a trip to Japan, and I got to greet them in Tokyo when they arrived. After showing them around the city for a few days, I got to see the prettiest destination I’ve ever imagined: Okinawa. The islands were beautiful, and the beaches were much needed after I had been in the insane summer heat of Tokyo. I really felt like a pirate, sailing between each island on a tiny boat with a local guide. It was this part in my journey that I was most surprised with myself. We left just shortly after I completed my finals at university, and all my Japanese that I had learned in class was used. I was on the phone booking hotels and talking to local businesses about snorkeling tours. It gave me the confidence that I truly was learning to communicate, and I’m excited to keep learning so I can come back and have even better conversations.

Overall, this last month in Japan was the best beyond these excursions. I really started to develop lifelong friendships with my international dormmate, and I got to know my Japanese teammates better and become better friends as my speaking improves. It’s crazy to think that I leave so shortly, but it’s not something I can fathom at the moment. For now, I’m going to look into summer firework festivals nearby!

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Learn more about this blogger’s study abroad program: Sophia University