Studying abroad has always been my dream. Growing up in Hawaii, I naturally picked up Japanese, and I continued learning it in high school. I then enrolled in Japanese at USC and decided to pursue it further with a minor in East Asian Languages and Cultures and Studying Abroad.

Living with a host family while studying abroad provided me with an opportunity to immerse myself in Japanese culture and language. Every evening, after returning home, we would engage in Japanese conversation and dinner together. This unique living situation gave me the opportunity to practice Japanese much more, enabling me to experience Japan in an authentic way.

My advice would be to put yourself out there as much as possible, even when it is uncomfortable. Just being open to new experiences led me to have such a good experience that I am glad I put myself out there because there were many times I was unsure, but it was always worth it in the end.