こんにちは! My name is Barrett, and I’m a fourth year student studying Japanese Language and Culture with a minor in Media arts. For my beyond the classroom experience, I studied abroad for one year in our sister city of Kumamoto, Japan. My Global Theme is Culture & Politics and my Global Challenge is centered on building cross-cultural understanding through arts and media which I was able to explore thoroughly while in Japan through my research in local folklore and mythology.

Kumamoto is believed to be one of the oldest cities in Japan with a rich history that dates back to the Jomon Period (14,000-300 BCE). As such, there is a rich history of mythology and folklore that has gone on to influence the most foundational stories of Japanese history and culture. Through my studies, I was able to make great strides in working on my Global Challenge, and I’m excited to continue that work.

This has been my dream since I was 10 years old, but for the longest time, I was unsure if I could ever make it a reality. Now, at the end of my journey, I am happy to report that it has more than lived up to my highest expectations. If I could tell my younger self even a fraction of the amazing adventures I’ve been lucky enough to experience here–hiking in ancient forests, praying at grand shrines, singing karaoke with strangers, swapping ghost stories with new friends, watching sacred theater, meditating on mountains, eating the most incredible food the world has to offer, etc., I know the look of pride and excitement on his face would compare with even the brightest Japanese sunrise. Though my time abroad has of course had its fair share of difficulties too, there is not one thing I would change. In this past year, I have been forced to face all my greatest fears and insecurities without the option to hide away in the comforts of home, but those experiences have tempered me and allowed me to realize just how capable I am. I don’t think I can fully grasp just how much this year has changed me until I have settled back into my life in Missoula, but already I am certain that I am not the same person–and for the first time in my life, I know I can face that change with excitement and competency. As I prepare for that return home, I am of course sad to leave this new home I’ve fallen so in love with, but at the same time I feel more ready than ever to get started on the next stage of life with this amazing experience in my back pocket. Living in Japan has been the adventure of my life, and I am just utterly grateful and proud to have gotten to experience it.