Rana McKenzie, Reflections

Becoming an Adult Through Study Abroad 

When I think of my life as a whole, I think of it in three parts: before studying abroad in Japan, during my study abroad, and after studying abroad. The experience was so important and life-changing that it is now how I define my life. Without it, I truly believe that I would be a different person than who I am right now. 

Before going to Chubu University for a year, I lived a quiet life in a small town. Everything I knew and everyone I loved was in one place for my entire life. But the minute I got off the bus at Chubu University, it was like I was all of a sudden seeing everything more clearly and vividly. The plants, the buildings, the smell of the air–everything around me was unfamiliar. Each new thing I learned or experienced gave me the chance to open my mind and grow. 

I was lucky enough to have a unique experience while I was in Japan. I turned twenty that year, which meant that, by Japanese standards, I was officially becoming an adult. In January, they celebrate Seijin no hi, or Coming-of-age day. The Japanese language department at Chubu University did something very special that year. They rented out kimono for any foreign student who was turning twenty and arranged for us to go to the Seijin no hi ceremony. I was fitted with a beautiful red kimono, had my hair done in a stunning up-do, and had pictures taken. We even ended up being featured in the local newspaper. As we listened to a poignaht speech about what it means to become an adult, I really felt how important the transition was. It was a lot more awe-inspiring than the simple birthday party that I had when I turned eighteen in the US. 

One of the most important experiences I had happened shortly before that important milestone. There was enough time between semesters to travel to Tokyo. In the US, it was hard to travel anywhere, especially by myself. I was more or less stuck in my hometown. However, in Japan, there were trains. The excellent language courses that Chubu University provided and my many interactions with the students there  had allowed me to become fluent in daily Japanese communication. Planning my trip, renting a room in a hotel, obtaining tickets, and navigating the use of the shinkansen for transit were all easy for me–something that finally confirmed to me how far I had come in my linguistic journey.  

An unexpected benefit of studying abroad at Chubu Univeristy was the opportunity to both visit and stay with many Japanese friends both close to the school and in Tokyo. I had made many meaningful friendships with students who traveled to Ohio University for their own studies abroad and I was glad that I had the chance to catch up with them and see their homes as they had seen mine. I still have some of those friendships even ten years later. To this day, I value them and the experiences I was able to have with them through international exchange. 

After I had returned from that trip, I felt fulfilled. I had reconnected with people I hadn’t seen in years, was able to visit many of the famous sites I had only read about in books, and I had proven to myself that I was able to do something big with just my own skills. I hadn’t had that kind of chance in my own home country. I was able to dive back into my Japanese studies with even more enthusiasm than I had when I had first arrived at Chubu University. I was motivated to push farther in my language learning and was able to pass level N2 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. I could measure my progress in tangible terms and I was actually proud of myself, in a way I hadn’t been before my trip to Japan. 

Leaving Japan was difficult. Even after a whole year, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to separate from my friends, but I also didn’t want to abandon the way of life I had adopted either. I started from zero and slowly adjusted and developed a new daily routine that I truly enjoyed, inside and out. Without the deep roots anchoring me to reality like in the US, I had the freedom to think about how I truly wanted to live my life and bring that vision to fruition. I pulled an all-nighter with my housemates packing, eating, talking, and playing games. The flight back was long and heavy with memories. 

After sleeping off my jet lag, I realized that I still had the freedom to live the way I wanted. The growth I had experienced wasn’t temporary. My mind was more open to new points of view and my previous understanding of my own limits had been shattered. I had done things my old self could have never imagined, so that meant that things I used to think were impossible should actually be possible. I shaped my studies to fit my new worldview and expanded on what I had originally planned on for my future. I knew I wanted to work with international students or travelers, so what I learned during my study abroad would prove invaluable. I ended up earning my TEFL certificate and used it to teach English as a second language to kids and adults. I also used my language skills to do some translation, my favorite project being a book of poetry that I hold dear to my heart. I even had the courage to move all the way across the US from Ohio to San Francisco, California. The course of my life drastically shifted and I’m much happier for it.  

I’ve made it to adulthood successfully with a strong drive to create my own place in the world. Without the opportunity to leave the country, I wouldn’t have had the same confidence to aim as high as I have. I’m grateful that Ohio University has nurtured their relationship with Chubu University, both for myself and for all the other lucky students that have benefitted from this study abroad program.