Where’d all the time go?

Education abroad goes by quickly. And when I say that, I mean it.

It seems like a summer, full semester, or even a year abroad would last a lifetime, but your experience will go by like a flash. I’m still shocked that my semester abroad was already a year ago! It was such an amazing experience that went by in the blink of an eye. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

So I think we ought to talk a bit about my experiences in my final weeks in Japan as well as what you ought to do during your final weeks in the country you’re studying in.

For me, I tried to squeeze as much juice from my time there as I could. From the World Expo to going flower viewing or hanging out with my friends, those final weeks were a prime opportunity for me to enjoy the last of my time in Japan given the fact that academics were slowing down as well.

A really huge highlight for me was the World Expo, as I mentioned. Given that it only occurs every five years and is in one set location anywhere in the world, this was quite possibly a once in a lifetime opportunity. With over 160 countries being represented, there was an amazing venue to explore with breathtaking sites and things to see, delicious food to eat, and people to interact with. It was an amazing intercultural experience as I not only got to practice my Japanese, but also my Spanish at some of the South American exhibits, my German at the Germany exhibit and even my Russian with some Russians who were there to experience the Expo just like me.

Myaku-Myaku; 2025’s World Expo Mascot

One of my bucket list things while in Japan involved Gundam. For those who are unfamiliar, you’re missing out! But Gundam, in the simplest terms, is a multimedia franchise about space, politics, and, the most important part, massive piloted robots. My inner nerd was like a kid in a candy store visiting the Gundam exhibit they had at the World Expo because, not only was I able to get my hands on World Expo limited Gunpla kits and figures, I also managed to see the life-size Gundam RX-78-2 statue they had there. I must have taken nearly fifty pictures of that thing alone.

RX-78-2 Statue

The World Expo was a really amazing highlight of my time in Japan and I think encapsulated a lot of what I loved about my time abroad.

And as you start to wrap up your final weeks in the country you’re visiting, its really important to start to come to terms with the fact that you’ll be returning home. Enjoy your time there. Experience all that you can - everything you might miss. Do something that you’ve been putting off for one reason or another. But be present in the moment and recognize the awesome time you had abroad. I read a quote a long time ago that goes “some of the most beautiful pain you can experience is being in a moment that you know will come to a close despite wanting it to last forever.”

You’ll have finals to worry about, maybe some presentations, but don’t let that dampen your mood. If anything, you’ll have a bit more time than usual to go out there, explore, and do some amazing things! Think of your last three to four weeks abroad as your final hurrah!

So enjoy your time abroad! Do the fun, crazy stuff (but be careful)! Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a lot of you, so make sure you make the most of it.

Next week, I’ll go over coming back home, what comes with that, and what to expect. It isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, and I can promise you that you’ll miss your time abroad something wicked, but there is a beauty in the fact that your time abroad was so limited as well as the fact that your experiences abroad will forever be a warm reminder of an amazing experience. Keep an eye out!