Read Charlotte’s Blog from Japan

About Me:

I’m Charlotte. My socks rarely match. I like clear gummy bears because they taste a little like scotch tape. People tell me I’m good at baking. I like trains. I dislike bees.

My Favorites:

Activities: Photography, baking, drawing, writing, video gaming, reading, surfing the internet

Interests: Art, science, sociology

Music: Alternative rock, rock, indie

TV Shows: Avatar: The Last Airbender, Scrubs, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Heroes

Movies: Tuck Everlasting, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, 27 Dresses, Enchanted, Becoming Jane, Fullmetal Alchemist, Peter Pan, The Thief Lord, School of Rock, Napoleon Dynamite, Pokemon: The First Movie

Books: Poison Study, The Princess Bride, Twilight, Snow Crash, Harry Potter, The Power of One, The Little Prince, The Lord of the Rings

Quotes: “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” - Walt Disney

“Reality can be beaten with enough imagination.” - Anonymous

Questions from the field:

Why did you pick your host country? I find the culture and language of Japan to be fascinating and unique. I chose to study in Japan because I am very interested in seeing this culture up close.

What made you want to study abroad? I have never been out of the United States before. I want to study and practice Japanese in an immersive language environment. I also want to learn how other people see the world from a point of view different from that of the American point of view to which I am accustomed.

What will you miss most while you are abroad? I am going to miss my family and friends, but it will be okay because I’m going to make new friends! I can also see myself missing the lovely, dry climate of New Mexico after a month in the rain.

What are your personal goals for your time abroad? I want to learn as much Japanese as possible. I also want to try to broaden my horizons and meet new people. Mostly I am excited to be able to ride a train in Japan.