← BACK TO HOME
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES
places i've traveled to and what i've learned.
Kyoto University
Ecuadorian Exploration
The Korean Republic
LESSONS ABROAD
Collectivism
Many socities emphasize group harmony parallel to individual expression. Adapting your behavior to navigate social expectations is present everywhere. Observing a subtle malance between contributing to a group and maintaining personal boundaries is necessary.
Social Intelligence
Social communication in Asian cultures often relies on your abilitiy to 空気を読む or 'read the air'. Discomfort is often never expressed directly. You must be patient and respect boundaries without explicit instructions, unlike in the US where direct communication is common. Misleading cues must be avoided, so attention to detail is a life skill.
Independence
Navigate your daily life in the most simple way possible. Being self-sufficient in foreign cities and taking risks to go on adventures is fostered maturity beyond age. However, comfort with loneliness and self-relience develops from homesickness.
Friendships
Don't lose contact with your study abroad friends. Having an understanding for others customs and appreciating different social norms and activities helped me relate to things which are universally appealing. Joining a club and forcing yourself to be an extrovert will make amazing memories.