I was lucky to have such a unique experience with the Day in the Life of Japan program, especially since I was able to spend a lot of time with students from Shimane University. Being with these students gave me an opportunity to immerse myself in Japan that I would have otherwise been unable to. I loved every second I spent with the students, from singing karaoke in a room we booked in Matsue, to sightseeing in Kyoto and everything in between. I was able to talk to them about what they liked and was guided very well by them through all the cities I went to within that program.

I got to try traditional Japanese activities like sweets making, going to the temple, and wearing a kimono.

I also got to partake in more modern attractions like the Skytree in Tokyo and Disneyland, which was even more fun with the Shimane students.

And I even got to explore some schools in Shimane prefecture and experience a class, even assisting with English.

We even visited the very important historical site of the Hiroshima Peace Dome and the museum of the atomic bomb, where we had a deep conversation about the impact of the bomb and how it still affects people today.

I did not take home as many souvenirs as I thought I would have; however, I did bring home a plush of Shimanekko, which is the mascot of Shimane prefecture.

It was a very fun whirlwind of activity starting in Matsue and Shimane prefecture, a small rural part of Japan, then moving to Hiroshima, Osaka, Kyoto, and finally ending in Tokyo. But all of this would not have been as fun without all the friends I made in Japan, of whom some of them are going to be coming to MSU. I am very excited to see them again in MSU for the foreign exchange program!

Name: Alexander Ngai
Status: Sophomore
Major: Exploratory
Hometown: Beekman, New York
Program: A Day in the Life of Japan