My experience
I chose the experience in hopes of shaving some time off of my degree over the break, but came to find it was so much more! It wasn't just about earning credit, it was about actually learning how to live and study in a foreign country. Sure, my Japanese language skills greatly improved over the month-long experience, but what I actually learnt were skills that I couldn't have any other way.
How has the experience changed you?
I think the experience changed me in ways I could never have imagined! I went on the experience with the intention of improving my language skills (and certainly did), but what I didn't expect was how rewarding being in unfamiliar territory would be; the new social environment forced me to learn soft skills I wouldn't have been able to otherwise.
Favourite memory
My favourite memory was sitting on a garden on the roof of a shopping mall in Harajuku as a minor earthquake happened - it really felt like we had become a part of the Tokyo lifestyle. As someone who doesn't get a lot of chances to travel, the opportunity to experience a lifestyle so different - yet so familiar - was amazing!
Top tips
Simple: going on exchange isn't as scary as it seems. Just do it!