By: Chloe Laszlo '25

Every child has dreams; some want to be astronauts, singers, or ballet dancers but not everyone goes on to fulfill those dreams. I feel incredibly lucky that last semester I was able to fulfill my childhood dream of studying abroad at Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata City, Japan, which is right outside of one of Japan’s largest cities, Osaka.

I still remember how it felt when the plane was landing. I could see the top of Mt. Fuji from my window, and when it disappeared from view, Osaka’s thousands of shining lights took its place just as the plane reached the ground. I made my way from the airport to one of Japan’s famous trains, my first of many many train rides. Through the window, I saw so many unique Japanese houses, skyscrapers, and boxy cars racing by. There was even a man a few seats away from me snoring! The moment it truly hit me that I was actually in another country was when I was sitting in that very first train car looking around at a world so unfamiliar yet so exciting. Soon I arrived at Kansai Gaidai, and my life in Japan had officially begun.

My day-to-day routine usually consisted of a 15-minute walk from my dorm to the campus. The streets were packed with other international students and Japanese people on their way to class or work. I was surprised by how many people rode bicycles. It was so different from where I’m from where most people only ride bikes for fun not as a means of transportation! Once I reached school, I attended either my Japanese, culture, or business classes, and once they finished, I headed to the cafeteria for lunch. There were so many different kinds of foods available for me to choose! Some of my favorites were karaage (Japanese fried chicken) and mayo on rice, katsudon (pork cutlet with egg on top of rice), and Japanese curry.

Some days, when I didn’t have time to go to the cafeteria or I just wanted a snack, I went to the 7/11 that was right on campus. Japan’s 7/11 is nothing like it is in the US! There were so many unique snacks and drinks, delicious ready-to-eat meals, and hot foods such as curry bread, karaage, and potato croquettes, so it quickly became one of my favorite places to go to. When I had tests or quizzes to study for, I would head to the library. My favorite place to study was in the Learning Commons on the fourth floor, a quiet room with window seating and lots of tables specifically for students to study at and receive help if they needed it. I loved sitting by the window so I could see the beautiful campus and Hirakata’s skyline.