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John with a friend in Japan John with a a group of friends in Japan John with friends in a bamboo trees John with friends at an airport in Japan

John Jarosz

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John Jarosz Location: Tokyo, Japan

Time Abroad: Fall 2007

Major: Digital Media Studies

My most memorable experience was a long weekend trip I took to meet friends of mine in Osaka. I made these friends at DU when they were studying abroad in America. It was my turn to go see them at their school and spend a weekend being part of their lifestyle and family life. From Osaka, we also traveled to Nagoya, Shiga, and Kyoto. I was able to spend time with old friends and see where they came from. It was great getting out of the big city of Tokyo and experiencing so many very different places. I saw the greatest temples, shrines, and geisha Kyoto has to offer, the country side of Shiga, and had an exciting time exploring the big cities of Osaka and Nagoya. The month after, those friends came to visit me in Tokyo, and I was able to return the favor and show them all my favorite places and sightseeing spots. After that I really felt at home and part of Tokyo.

I would suggest that students study abroad as part of a growth experience for their future. I think it's important to have a global perspective on things, and in order to appreciate and respect America more, I think one needs to experience other places. By being in a foreign country you are exposed to and experience things that might not have happened in America. These kinds of events can help you to grow as an individual and gain maturity. By bringing that back to America you can also help to educate other people and improve the world around you.

I have taken a lot out of the program at Sophia University in Tokyo. While I was there I was able to do research with the anthropology and sociology department, and be part of a team studying digital socializing practices. This tied in directly to my major here at DU, Digital Media Studies. By having that experience I was able to be focus on a side of my major I wouldn't have at DU, because I tend to focus on more technical training here. Also, I was pushed to work harder in Japanese language so that I could produce the best research I could. I am now confident that if my work takes me abroad I will be able to excel under any circumstances, and because of my extensive work outside of class, I have many opportunities in Japan available to me, with both companies and universities, upon my graduation.