Trick-or-treating is not a Halloween event in Japan, but the Japanese do celebrate Halloween. Sean Koller '28 got into the spirit and met a stranger in the exact same outfit. They were having a blast, and it was further proof that "going big" was the right call.
Sean could have studied somewhere closer, somewhere more comfortable, somewhere where English was spoken at least a little bit. But then he figured:
"Go big or go home. That was my mindset. I'll either survive, or it'll go bad. There was a bit of a learning curve when I first landed, but I would recommend this to anyone."
Go big or go home runs in the family. Sean's mom studied abroad in the U.S.S.R., just before the Soviet Union dissolved. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that she wished for her son. So when Sean went to the Study Abroad office, he had his sights set on the far side of the world. Sean pitched Fiji or Australia, but Abi Cavazos, director of study abroad and international student services, countered with an all-new program just outside of Tokyo.
"Abi is the best. There's no other way to say it. She helped me plan everything. I'm still in contact, and I'm always messaging her about my classes."
Contact with the Western world can be a challenge. Sean exchanges texts with family until 10 or so in the morning, then it's bedtime back home (the day before), and it's typically radio silence until the next morning. Few people in the city speak English, and few people in his school look anything like Sean (the majority of the international students are from other countries in Asia). He wanted to go big, and he absolutely hit his mark. And he's loving it.
"I love ramen, and I've found the best strategy is to just start walking in any direction. Then I duck into a random little side store, and if it's full of Japanese and no tourists, I'm in the right spot. The other day, I found a nondescript restaurant and paid 1,400 Yen, which is about $9, for the best ramen I've ever had."
Sean is also a big fan of anime, and he's already bought enough souvenirs to necessitate another checked bag by the time he flies home. Meanwhile, in class, Sean is learning Japanese and plans to stick with it. The business analytics major, with a concentration in finance, wants to pursue finance when he graduates. "Fluent in Japanese" will look great on the resume.
"Seeing more of the world has opened my eyes to so many different opportunities. I'm having the best time, and I'm sure this experience will really pay off in the future."
