“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes” - Marcel Proust
My name is Adia (ay-de-uh) Hernandez. I’m 19 years old (turning 20 in November), and I love sashimi & green tea matcha. I am going into my third year at SBCC and am preparing to transfer to a four-year university this upcoming fall. I’ll be receiving my Associate of Arts degree in Communication, but will pursing a bachelor’s degree in Film and Television production. When I heard about the SBCC Japan program offering classes about both of my passions, I knew it was, for the lack of a better word, destiny. I felt I was meant to be on this trip and I would pursue everything to make it happen.
I’ll begin by saying I am incredibly thrilled to be in Japan surrounded by so much culture, technology, and beauty. It is also comforting to know that I am part of a group of individuals who share in the same anticipation to discover this marvelous place.
I initially began this journey with certain expectations of what my time would be like and what I would learn. However, after stepping off the plane, I was hit with the realization that it would be foolish of me to think I could anticipate what this trip, land, and people would teach me about them and myself.
Being here is almost like being on another planet. Everything down to the necessities, like using the restroom (the crazy futuristic toilets are everywhere here), is a completely different process that no research could have taught me. I had to experience it for myself. The only thing I know is to “expect the unexpected,” even though that might sound cliché.
I’ve been in Japan for about ten days and I am starting to be able to separate my emotions. Before this moment, I’ve been a blob of enthusiasm. Starting this adventure, I’ve been so grateful to be here. I also now recognize how nervous I was before departing. That nervousness was masked by adrenaline and when the time came, it didn’t even feel real to be here. Arriving in Japan was such a mind-blowing experience.
I’m not going to lie, it was slightly overwhelming. Seeing people constantly on the move in a huge city, like Tokyo, I feel I am constantly in their way. However, they would never tell me to my face. The locals have been nothing, but kind and polite to me, especially the staff at the hotel. If anyone is traveling to Tokyo and is interested in staying in Shinjuko, I highly recommend MyStays. While the rooms are on the smaller side, they are impeccably clean and comfortable for a week-long stay, and the staff is accommodating.
My first real outing besides the trips to the Mejing Shrine (breathtaking!) and the National Museum (incredibly special!) was a night out to The Robot Cafe. It is hard to put something like the Robot Cafe into words. It is vibrant and electric and I wish I could bottle up how I felt in that moment and keep it with me forever. The Robot Cafe is a MUST if you are visiting. I recommend buying your tickets in advance to ensure your spot, but when our group went on a Tuesday, we were able to purchase tickets just an hour before the show started.
I feel like I can’t stop saying how lucky I feel to be here. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. It sounds crazy to say, but even after just a few days in Tokyo, I am already changing for the better and gaining so much knowledge about the world that I was unaware of before. I wish I could stay longer, but I am enthusiastic to continue on our journey to Kyoto.
If you would like to follow my trip, I will be posting regularly on my Instagram account @addiiaaa and on @studyabroadSBCC. Look for the hashtags #SBCCstudyabroad and #SBCCJapan2018 on Instagram and check back here next month for my blog as I get ready to leave this magical country.
Follow #SBCCjapan2018 on Instagram for photo updates from the group