Conclusion

It is easy to say coming back from a foreign country that "I've done this," "I've been here," "I bought this," or "I ate this," but truly experiencing a foreign culture and a foreign country is to be totally immersed both physically and mentally. In just 10 days I really got the feel for the Japanese culture and lifestyle. (please excuse the zen-like tone) One must be one with the people. One must be Japanese. For a while, I didn't feel like a tourist or foreigner. It was through this mindset where I shed all the cultural stereotypes I carreid with me. Whether you are a teen living in the United State, Japan, Europe, Africa, Latin America, wherever, we are all pretty much the same. A family is a social unit of support and love everywhere. A school is an educational institution that many students like us tend to zone out in. And a culture is a set of ideas that are embraced by individuals and should be shared with the world. Through a first hand experience like youth cultural exchanges, a trans-global understanding between peoples is created. The more people become aware and understand cultures, the closer the world will become to creating an international culture of peace, equality, and opportunity for everyone. This is the most important lesson I learned on this trip. Visitng the beautiful city of Miyazu, Japan was just a serendipitous perk!

Thank you to my host family, because without your hospitality and kindness, my experience in Japan would be totally different.