1st post!

So this is my first official blog. I never thought making one because I don’t have anything super-interesting to always talk about, but I L-O-V-E-D the idea of getting paid for one while writing about my adventures in Tokyo. I’ve studied abroad once before during the summer in-between my sophomore and junior year of high school, but I like wouldn’t classify that as a legit “study abroad.” I went on a summer language study in Nagoya, Japan and fell in love with the whole experience. This was my first time going to Japan without my parents and it was definitely MUCH different. The organization I went through was called AFS (American Field Services) and I basically spent 7 weeks in Nagoya with a host family and attended classes at a language school for 2~3 weeks. I think I lucked out by being placed in Nagoya. And by lucked out I mean my mom kind of, sort of, maybe actually rigged me going to Nagoya because she basically told the AFS people that I have family in all of the cities they sent kids except Nagoya. Nagoya had the most people; it ended up being a total of 52 kids (from the U.S., Italy, and Hong Kong combined) and our ‘school’ was legit across the street from the train station in the center of the metropolis. Oh and I forgot to add, BOTH sides of the train station were lined with department stores. Umm, LOVE?!?!?! So basically: I went to ‘school’ for 2~3 weeks, and then spent the rest of the time exploring Nagoya. I had the most fabulous time there and made some truly awesome friendships.

 I feel like I’m going to compare a lot of Tokyo to my experience in Nagoya. I guess partially because I’m going on my own totally blind-folded, not knowing what to expect like I did in Nagoya. But I know that this is going to be even more amazing; especially because I’ll be there for more than double the time! Ahh, omg I am SOOO excited. It’s hard trying to grasp the entire thing though. Like I’m excited for the fact that I have a handful of other friends who are also going to study-abroad from Drexel.

The whole experience is starting to become a reality now… Like I said goodbye to Tina last Saturday and I’ve just started to realize that I won’t see her for a year. My my-size roommate and I will be on opposite sides of the world for an entire year! I don’t leave until mid-September, which is still surreal, but I can’t even put my thoughts into words. I do feel much better knowing that everyone else is going to be sharing the same experience though; each of us in a separate city around the world. I also think it’s pretty cool knowing that we’ll be legit ALL over the world.

Race Street, 5^th floor: our one-year reunion will be epic <3