Tokyo, Japan

I had no idea what to expect when traveling abroad with a group of people I had never met before, in a country I had never been, speaking a language I had never once talked in...and it turned out to be amazing. It was almost freaky how quickly everyone on the trip clicked with each other. We were instantly best friends. All of us, which made the entire trip so much more fun, and were able to help each other out on our Japanese homework or be there when someone was having a rough day. Exploring and learning in Tokyo opened my perspective on the world, how not every society thinks and operates the same as the U.S. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and I never had a problem making my way around despite the language barrier. Most memorable of all was the weekend spent with my host family. They made me feel right at home and the two young children kept me laughing the entire time. I was initially anxious about staying in a Japanese household on my own, but I quickly realized how similar their family was to my own. There were many aspects that were different, but at the end of the day a family is a family. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world. If I were to give anyone a tip when visiting Japan, it would be to step out of your comfort zone just because you're afraid you'll make a fool of yourself, because that's the best way to learn and create memories to last forever.