Abroad with EF

The time in which I did my program, I was between going from high school to college, and due to wanting to attend a university in Japan, I decided to do a study abroad program in order to better prepare myself, and EF provided a great opportunity. Since I was over 18 at the time I was applying for programs, and had a few days in the year that I had to work around, EF was the perfect fit. It allowed me to set my own schedule and work around my own program. Living in Tokyo provided a great opportunity for independence, exploration, and simply felt ecstatic. Already being from a large city (San Francisco, USA), it simply couldn't compare to the rush and feel of Tokyo.

My host family in which I stayed was a little bit outside of Toyko, but the family was extremely accommodating and nice. Some nights we would even speak at the table for hours on end, for the sole purpose of helping my get acclimated to Japanese and to enjoy each other's company. They were also very understanding, and allowing me the freedom to go come and go at my leisure was very helpful in terms of a social life.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the school life was just being able to meet new people, most of which were people who came from places halfway across the world. It's super easy to connect with others and make friends as well, if you find yourself without a way to break the ice, just start with "Where are you from?" and go from there. While you are learning Japanese at the school, he most frequently spoken language between students outside of class is English—at least among the beginner students.

Overal, I found the experience to be something that was a necessary and beneficial part to my career and it helped my grow as an individual and gain a sense of independence.