I was lucky enough to get the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship, and the Morgan Stanley Bridging scholarship. Both of them played a large part in getting me to Japan, and I do not know what I would have done without them.
Japan is a very different place than Kentucky or Virginia. Akita gets a lot more precipitation, especially snow. Something that surprised me was the bear bells we were given to keep bears away during walks near campus or hikes anywhere in the prefecture. The food is a lot different from home, and I feel like it is going to be weird not to eat with chopsticks when I get back to the States. Akita is such an interesting place to live and learn about, and I cannot wait to share my experiences with you.
