Initially coming to Japan I had many reservations about the country, but after arriving in early May and spending almost a month in the country I find it hard for myself to say goodbye. When entering the country through customs I next had to find my way to where I was staying, and the train system the country employs confused me quite a bit at first. When traveling through the streets of Tokyo I was surprised to see how clean a major city could be. There was virtually no trash anywhere on the floor, and cleanliness is highly stressed.
Some of my favorite places that we visited during the trip included Hiroshima. We had the privilege of visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. In the Museum we were able to see some of the technology used in order to preserve the history. We were able to see many sections of the museum that documented the timeline of the dropping of the atomic bombs and some of the pre events that led to the event. In closed sections there were artifacts recovered from the day of the bombing things such as clothing from children and fragments of the bomb. We ended our trip in Hiroshima with a story teller whom accounted her mother’s experience. She was able to recount some of the horrific things her family and some of her close friends went through which was a powerful moment for me and the rest of the students.
Japan offered me many things it was a place I have always wanted to visit and explore. The time I had here is something I will cherish the rest of my life, and am truly grateful for. The Japanese people are a people whose culture in my humble opinion truly welcomes you. The lively streets of Shibuya and Shinjuki are edged into my mind even as I type this blog heading back to the States. I believe this trip has further developed my identity as a global citizen, and has reinforced my desire to explore new cultures in the future.
