Malissa Gill - Japan 2015
Age when abroad: 20
Race/Ethnicity: Black/African American
Japan is such a different place from North America. For me it was like a breath of fresh air to be around a culture completely different from mine and in the States in general, especially in the countryside.
I graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management and a double minor in Business Administration and Japanese. The only way I would’ve been able to complete my Japanese minor before my graduation in May 2016 was to study abroad there and I’m so grateful I did it.
Anyone from Colorado knows how dry it is there and because of that the greenery is very limited although you will find many beautiful places throughout the state, especially in the mountains. The first thing I remember thinking as soon as we landed was how GREEN everything was in Japan. How the flora flourished so beautifully and naturally. I WAS IN AWE. For the majority of the trip I was in Takamatsu Prefecture, Kagawa, Japan where we took classes at Kagawa University during the week. We still were busy throughout the week and weekend as well volunteering around different cities, and or working on cultural immersion/learning activities. We traveled to numerous different cities and Islands such as Naoshima, Shodoshima, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Nara, Osaka, and so many more places. It was a very enlightening experience getting to work with students at the local elementary schools and going to historical sites to learn about Japan’s history and people.
In the various cities we got to explore many museums where they had many historical items. One item they actually dressed us in was the Junihitoe Kimono, which is a 12 layered kimono worn typically in formal settings for important occasions. Because 12 layers are heavy they did reduce the number of layers we wore. Wearing it though I could still feel the weight and it was very easy to get hot in, but it was beautiful and an honor to wear it. Aside from the museums we also visited many shrines, temples and parks as well. We also stayed with host families a couple of times while there. This really helped improve my Japanese the most because they didn’t speak nor understand English well, which forced me to have to dive into the language to communicate (as was the set expectation before leaving for the trip).
In all, I didn’t think studying abroad would be an option for me. It was such a privilege to be able to go and I was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship which paid for part of my expenses to travel there. It was life changing and really opened my mind to how we may subconsciously view other parts of the world as well as how the United States is viewed outside of it. I made so many amazing friends while in Japan also who ended up studying abroad at Colorado State University as well and it was so amazing that they got to come and still be friends with me in the States. The connections and experiences were priceless and have really made me a better person. I would encourage anyone and everyone to do the work and research needed to study abroad and not count themselves out due to cost or any other obstacles. There are people out there to help with resources and opportunities so that everyone can grow from different experiences and hope to see so many others dive into it, especially people of color. I hope many find the motivation to seek those resources out and ask for what they need to make this a reality.
Oftentimes we unconsciously view the world centered around us. Studying abroad helps change that and provides an astounding perspective and understanding on how much bigger the world is than we are, and how that’s not a bad thing. I hope to see and hear many more stories from others!