Ever since I was a little girl I always claimed that “the sea is nice and all but I am going to live near the mountains.” I also always spoke of “going back” to Chile – the country both my…
Exchange Academics: What’s Different?
With social media, it’s easy to forget all about the “study” in “study abroad”! As a student on exchange, you’ll much sooner find me Instagramming a museum or a lunch out than my latest homework assignment. I’m sure other students…
Exchange Experiences: Learning about Japanese Culture
Culture shock is an infamous aspect of the exchange experience. It’s no secret that living abroad can bring on homesickness, but it also presents a chance to learn about another culture, first-hand. Being half-Japanese, I didn’t experience culture shock, but…
Going Abroad While Abroad
When I tell people that I’m on an exchange, I often get the question: “Have you done any traveling?” I always find this question surprising! To me, studying abroad is traveling in and of itself. Nonetheless, I understand why it’s…
Why I Almost Didn’t Go on Exchange
From mouth-watering food to New Year’s celebrations, going on exchange to Tokyo has been one of the best experiences of my undergraduate career. With all the joys I’ve blogged about, it may be hard to believe that just a year…
Celebrating the Holidays Abroad #JoyAtUofT
When I hear the word “joy,” the first thing I think of is the holiday season. This week for #JoyAtUofT, I’d like to share how I spent the “the most wonderful time of the year” abroad. While being on exchange…
Surviving Exam Season: Japan Edition
On January 28th at 10:00 PM JST, I jumped for joy and started playing “Freedom! ‘90” on full blast. At this moment, I submitted the final assignment of my first semester at the University of Tokyo. Due to the different…
Moving On and Getting Over
In artist John Mayer’s hit song, “Moving on and getting over, are not the same it seems to me…I’ve got to get over,” Mr. Mayer makes transitions sound romantic and melodious. But his lyrics fail to touch on the difficulties…
When in Rome, do as Romans do
Whether it’s a favourite brand of facewash or a go-to morning breakfast, everyone has their ritual daily comforts. In preparation for my year abroad, I didn’t hesitate to load my suitcase full of favourite things from home. While packing up,…
“Only” a Year: Making the Most of My Time Abroad
When I first told my Grandma the details of my exchange to Tokyo, she exclaimed “Only a year? That’s too short!” Her reaction surprised me. A full year? I thought, if anything, that’s a bit long. But in retrospect, my…