Program and Location:
Summer, Operations Management and Information Systems Management in Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan
Major/Minor:
Human Resources Major, Psychology & Social Work Minors
Why did you choose to study abroad?
I have always wanted to study abroad, and Japan has been one of my top places to visit, so I was initially super excited that there was a program within my specific field of study that allowed me to fulfill both of my dreams. One of the things I want to do the most is travel and see the world, and learn about many different cultures and the different ways people live outside of my home country. From the countless stories I’ve heard of study abroad and how so many people made great connections and relationships with people, I was also very excited about that aspect.
How did you pick your program?
Being a rising senior, the specific courses for most of the programs I had already taken so I began my process of searching for the best program. I first filtered out the programs I had already taken the classes for and focused on the ones I hadn’t. Surprisingly, for my major, the only program I had not taken the classes for was the Nagoya, Japan program, so I knew that this program was meant to be, and I began the process of applying. I wanted to make sure that whatever program I did directly aligned with the courses that I needed for my degree, so I got really lucky with this program, doing just that.
What was something you learned about yourself? How are you different? How are you the same? Or, what did you realize about your own culture by living in another one?
This experience, I feel, taught me a lot about myself and the things I can do. I have always described myself as being very introverted and shy, but during this study abroad program, I learned how outgoing I could be in a completely new environment. This was my first time abroad, and I truly feel like it just increased my passion for traveling around the world. After this program, I feel like the biggest change was having a more optimistic attitude toward fulfilling the things I set my mind to. Like, even after coming back from this program, it still feels crazy to say that I went across the world doing one of the things I wanted to do since high school. Japan is such a beautiful country, and I would say the biggest thing I realized about my country compared to Japan was the lack of efficient public transportation systems. Like in Japan, it was easy to get anywhere by subway, walking, riding bikes, and the bullet train.
What advice would you give to another student?
The advice I would give to any other student thinking of studying abroad is to simply not overthink it and start as early as possible. I would also encourage any student to begin searching for scholarships as soon as possible because there are so many out there, and don’t be afraid to use your resources at NCSU to help you with essays, because they really do make a big difference. Studying abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I truly don’t believe anything could top it, so if you’re scared or debating on if you should do it, then just do it and start the process because it’s amazing.
How did your study abroad experience prepare you for your future career?
I think this experience helped me to look more into the thing I love, which is traveling and learning more about Asian culture. As a business management major, it was also amazing and inspiring to see the Toyota factory and learn about how they became the leading automobile car manufacturer. This trip also inspired me to research some other international work programs after I graduate, such as the EPIK Korea program and JET Japan program, which both are jobs teaching English.
How were your classes abroad different than if you would have taken them at NC State? Did you take any field trips or do anything outside of the traditional classroom?
Although our professors from NC State traveled with us since this was a short-term program, there were still many aspects of learning and teaching that were completely different from what they would be during a regular semester at NC State. Something very different was obviously having to take a class within such as short period of time and for this program it was one class each three weeks. Although I loved how close the students got to be with the professors since it was a smaller class because sometimes if we needed to go over something with our professor, we would simply go to a nice cafe and work there, or even sometimes we would adventure around with our professors to cool places. We did take business trips to visit and learn about places such as Toyota, and near the end of the first three weeks, we went on a fun excursion trip to another city to do fun cultural activities with our classmates, other students from Nagoya University, and our professors.
How did you connect with locals and/or meet local friends?
Our program group was lucky enough to be able to connect with many of the Nagoya University students, and within the first week, we were already exchanging Instagram’s and planning hangouts together. The Nagoya University students helped us at the beginning by showing us around and where to get groceries and things like that, and the school also organized a meet and greet with everyone, where we got to hang out and talk to each other for a good bit of time.
How did you budget for your time abroad? Are there scholarships or grants that you would recommend applying for? Did you spend more or less than you thought?
So I planned to study abroad for a while, so I tried to start saving money from almost a year before because I knew I wanted to be financially comfortable during my time, so I recommend doing that if possible. During my time there, I made sure not to spend all my money at once out of excitement, and if anything, I knew I could go back later in the trip if need be. Although I didn’t do this, a lot of people also had budgeted Excel sheets to document and keep track of their expenses, and this was very helpful to them. Also, if you are planning any side quests or weekend trips, it is smart to buy any tickets and make those plans as early as possible in order to get good deals and prices. For scholarships and grants, the first thing I would really recommend is that if you can receive financial aid, make sure that the courses that you are taking during the trip are courses you need for your degree, so that you are eligible for that financial aid. Make sure to apply for as many of the NCSU-specific scholarships because this helped me a LOT financially. Some other scholarships I recommend are the Gilman scholarship and the Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships, which are both great for summer programs, because although there are a lot of scholarships out there, it is important to make sure the requirements match the specific term you are studying abroad. Another thing I did to raise money was make a donation page months in advance to send to friends and family who wanted to help with my expenses and trip. The specific donation page that I used was FundMyTravel. I would say that I, and a lot of other people as well, definitely spent more, so something I recommend is saving up exactly what you need, but if possible, saving extra and just having many sources of income, such as both NCSU and outside scholarships, financial aid, donations, savings, etc.
How safe did you feel there? And/or where did you find support to navigate any challenges you faced abroad?
As an African American in Japan, I felt very safe and did not experience any type of racism. It was very nice as well that in my program, there were several other African Americans.
Is there any advice you would give to other students who share your identity?
For other African Americans who may be scared to travel abroad due to racism, stereotypes, or just feeling singled out, I would say that as a college student and as someone accepted into whatever program you choose, you have just as much right to be there as anyone else, and you should feel proud and confident in yourself and the opportunity you are given. Don’t let any situation rob you of enjoying yourself and furthering your education and cultural competency.
Would you do it again?
YES. It’s actually funny because during my time in my program, I was already researching if there was any way I could do it again before graduating, because I loved the experience so much only within the first week.
