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Hello everyone! Or should I say みんな、こんにちは！My name is Sara Omer, and I’m an Art and Technology major heading into my third year at the University of Oregon. This summer, I’m spending my time in Tokyo at Senshu University as part of the Japanese Language and Culture (JLC) program.

I’ve been studying Japanese since my freshman year, and recently decided to pursue a minor in it; So, I thought there was no better way to aid in my studies then by studying abroad in Japan! It’s the opportunity of a lifetime to immerse myself in the language, culture, and make new connections. 

Speaking of connections, one of my biggest supporters on this journey has been my mom. She’s originally from Somalia and came to the U.S. as an international student herself, attending an all-girls school in Massachusetts. There, she formed lifelong friendships through her ESL classes– including with a Japanese student named Kyo, who, almost forty years later, is still in touch with my mother. As this was not only my first time traveling abroad by myself, but my first time in Japan, I was super nervous at the thought of braving the busy streets and stations of Tokyo to reach my dormitory. Thanks to Kyo (who wrote me an very detailed guide to get to the dorms from the airport), though, I was able to arrive without a hitch.  

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When I arrived at the international student house, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Leading all the way up to the program start, I had been struck with the fear that I wouldn’t be able to make any friends; While I had been studying Japanese for quite some time, I’d hardly call myself "good". What if I can’t talk to anyone, or I make a bad first impression? Getting to my room, I struggled with unlocking the door, only for it to open from the inside. That’s when I met my roommate, an international student from Korea. I don’t speak any Korean, and she doesn’t speak any English, so we’ve had to communicate using Japanese– and despite the language barrier, I’ve found that we have quite a few things in common, and she invited me out to get dinner with her friends that night. 

Aside from that, I’ve been having a blast getting to know all the other students living in the international house. The Friday night after I arrived, we went in a big group to an Izakaya where we shared good food and good conversation. The following Saturday, 6 of us went to Shinjuku where I had a delicious bowl of cheese bibimbap and went to Don Quixote for the first time (Imagine Hirons, but with 9 floors), and finished the night with convenience store onigiri.  

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I’ve only been at Senshu for a week, but every day has been a blast, and I hope the friendships I make while I’m here can last forty years too. I can’t wait for what else is to come! 

- Sara Omer, Senshu University Japanese Language and Culture