By: Leanne Bassi
When spring break rolls around most college students plan to vacation somewhere hot. A place where they can party and forget the struggle which is college for a week.
BUT NOT ME.
Last year, I found myself stepping off a plane, halfway across the world in Osaka, Japan. Not only was it cold, but it was raining with a chance of snow. I wasn't surrounded by my best friends, but instead classmates whom I barely knew. I just landed and I was already beginning to regret my decision. As we trudged to the hotel I kept thinking about all the money I spent on this on this trip. So, once we got to the hotel I decided I needed to let off some stress so I did what I always do to eliminate my stress-eat and sing.
A group of us went to karaoke after eating some authentic Japanese food. That night I went to bed wondering what Japan would offer over the course of the next week. Oh and I forgot to mention, not only was I spending spring break not partying in somewhere warm, but I was "working."
I went to Japan for a peace study and would be spending the majority of my time in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Words cannot describe the life-changing experience that was before me. Throughout my entire life living in the United States, I felt as though I was a victim. Being a minority, from a single-parent home, in the "hood", I thought the world had wronged me. But after listening to these people's experiences, I realized how blessed I was in life. I went to a number of museums, countless memorials, and heard firsthand testimonies of victims. I met with a mayor who was determined to change the world and create peace across the globe. I was most touched when I saw the children killed in the bombings, which solidified the fact that I want to spend my life educating children.
To sum it all up, my trip to Japan taught me that life is a blessing, that everything in life is temporary, and we should be thankful for every experience. Basically what I'm saying is this trip to Japan was MOST definitely worth the money.
When spring break rolls around most college students plan to vacation somewhere hot. A place where they can party and forget the struggle which is college for a week.
BUT NOT ME.
Last year, I found myself stepping off a plane, halfway across the world in Osaka, Japan. Not only was it cold, but it was raining with a chance of snow. I wasn't surrounded by my best friends, but instead classmates whom I barely knew. I just landed and I was already beginning to regret my decision. As we trudged to the hotel I kept thinking about all the money I spent on this on this trip. So, once we got to the hotel I decided I needed to let off some stress so I did what I always do to eliminate my stress-eat and sing.
A group of us went to karaoke after eating some authentic Japanese food. That night I went to bed wondering what Japan would offer over the course of the next week. Oh and I forgot to mention, not only was I spending spring break not partying in somewhere warm, but I was "working."
I went to Japan for a peace study and would be spending the majority of my time in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Words cannot describe the life-changing experience that was before me. Throughout my entire life living in the United States, I felt as though I was a victim. Being a minority, from a single-parent home, in the "hood", I thought the world had wronged me. But after listening to these people's experiences, I realized how blessed I was in life. I went to a number of museums, countless memorials, and heard firsthand testimonies of victims. I met with a mayor who was determined to change the world and create peace across the globe. I was most touched when I saw the children killed in the bombings, which solidified the fact that I want to spend my life educating children.
To sum it all up, my trip to Japan taught me that life is a blessing, that everything in life is temporary, and we should be thankful for every experience. Basically what I'm saying is this trip to Japan was MOST definitely worth the money.
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