That’s just one of the few educational benefits you can gain from the immersive environment of living and studying abroad. I highly recommend for you to consider this type of experience!
If you ever do, just like me, you might find that time seems to pass quickly when you’re studying abroad. Even though I got to live in Tokyo for about eight months, I found myself wishing I could stay longer. In the end, before I left I got to fulfill my childhood dream of seeing real sakura (cherry blossoms)! Like beautiful delicate sakura petals that blossom only for a brief period, my journey in Tokyo was amazing but short-lived.
As my final Japanese cultural note, let’s learn the difference between “sayounara” and “mata-ato-dene.” “Sayounara” is often mistakenly used by Americans to say “goodbye,” when it actually means “farewell,” as in a sad and tearful “Farewell, I'll never get to see you again!” In my case, I am excited to see what the future holds for us and I hope we do meet again, like the sakura that welcomes each spring season every year! So to you, I’ll say “mata-ato-dene,” which means “See you later!”
