For the next four months I'll be studying abroad at Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata-shi, Osaka, Japan. If you're thinking of studying abroad, especially in Japan, I will try and maintain an updated look at my life abroad through this blog so you can get a sense of what life might be like for you. I arrived in Japan January 28th, so I have only been here a week. Since arriving in Japan I have been to the main campus of Kansai Gaidai as well as taking a guided tour of Kyoto accompanied by current Japanese students. You might be wondering why I am here, no I am not a Japanese language student, in fact I have very little experience with Japanese and cannot hold a conversation or navigate the city on my own. If you want to study abroad but are afraid of the language barrier, don't worry, it'll most likely be okay. I'm also not an Asian Studies major, I'm here studying mass media and popular culture in Japan as part of my MAS major. Anyway that is enough of the boring details about myself. So far being abroad has been extremely exciting and an experience that you cannot expect to create staying in your comfort zone. I came here knowing little about the language, and no one to help me assimilate. At the same time I feel if I came with a group of friends or even aquaintances it would have been harder to adapt and fit in to the new surroundings and culture, and would not have put myself out there as much to meet the large amount of people I have already come to befriend from all over the world. 

Thinking of studying at Kansai Gaidai, or curious about what a Japanese University might look like? Here are some pictures from campus.

Maybe you think school is boring and campuses are lame, so here are some pictures from my trip to Kyoto. 

I'll add more stories and pictures as things progress but for now my Internet is very slow and this seems like a good enough place to stop.