Unforgettable Adventures Abroad

This summer, two Dana Hall students traveled to Japan for a study abroad experience at the Tokyo Jogakkan School (TJK). A. Byrne ’28 and S. Hanlon ’28 spent the month of June attending classes, making new friends and exploring an area of the world unfamiliar to them, so we asked them to share their experience in their own words.

A New Daily Routine

Byrne: “I applied to TJK exchange for the opportunity to experience life in a completely different culture. I was curious about the cultural differences between Japan and America, especially when it came to daily life and school. I wanted to see what it would be like to live as a high school student in Tokyo, meet new people, and learn about Japan through the perspective of my host family and classmates.

"A typical day at school started when I arrived around 7:45 a.m. in the morning. My host sister, who was in two grades below me, always walked with me to my locker and then to my homeroom. The day officially began with our homeroom teacher coming in to start the morning. After that, I had four classes before lunch. For lunch, I either ate in my homeroom with friends, enjoying homemade food, or went to the cafeteria. After lunch, we had two more classes, followed by homeroom again to wrap up. My after-school routine varied. Sometimes I went to the library to wait for my host sister if she had a meeting, sometimes we went straight home, and other times I joined her at badminton practice. I really enjoyed seeing how students balance academics with after-school clubs since that’s such a big part of the school life.

“My favorite school memory was definitely the Sports Festival. It was so exciting to see everyone come together for such a big event. We traveled an hour and a half to a stadium where every grade at TJK competed in different team events. The energy and school spirit was incredible. Even though I didn’t participate myself, it was fun to cheer everyone on, and I especially loved seeing my friend from Dana Hall get to compete in one of the events.

I’ve gained first-hand understanding of a lot of Japanese culture, daily life and education in a way no textbook could explain.

“I came away with stronger adaptability and even more appreciation for different cultures. This program helps you improve your independence, how to navigate unfamiliar environments and how to work through language barriers. I would do this program again in a heartbeat."

Cross-Culture Bonding

Hanlon: “I’ve always had such a strong desire to travel and to see the world. I want to experience new things, make new friends and create long lasting memories all across the world. Traveling alone to study abroad never seemed scary to me, but instead something I wanted so badly to do.

“Everyone was so incredibly kind and sweet. Even if their English wasn’t super fluent, they always made an effort to try and speak to me in English so I would feel included. They would ask many questions about my personal life and school in America, and we bonded over movies, TV shows, music and so much more. They always seemed so interested and excited about everything, and they always seemed so happy to see me and talk to me.

“One of my favorite school memories was watching the talent show that the older junior high students put on to welcome the younger grades. They performed many songs and dances, and the audience was so loud and so supportive. All the girls were screaming and shrieking, singing along, and yelling so many words of encouragement to the girls on stage. I couldn’t understand everything they were saying, but being in that environment made me feel so happy.

Every day was a new adventure, and every day I made new memories.

“My host sister and I would go out every day after school, we’d explore new parts of the city, we’d go shopping, take pictures, eat food, and hang out with all of her friends.

“It was one of the best experiences of my life and I have made lifelong memories and lasting friendships. Something about traveling by myself to this new place and making all of these connections and exploring all of these new places on my own made Japan feel very special and personal to me.”