I didn’t have an affinity for anime. I didn’t obsess over sushi. And I didn’t study Japanese customs. Given that I didn’t possess stereotypical American interests in Japanese culture, nor did I conduct extensive research, I didn’t know what to expect in my chosen study abroad program’s destination, Kyoto, Japan. However, I was excited about the opportunity to travel and gain academic credit. Living in a rule-driven society for four weeks, I quickly became immersed in the culture. By the end of the program, I was separating my trash (I.e. combustible items in one bin and recyclable in another) at my dorm and at school, bowing my head to greet people and giving gifts to my Tomodachi, “friendship”, partner. They were local students who volunteered to have lunch with program participants and go on excursions outside of class. In Japan, there are almost no public trash cans. It’s suggested to carry an empty plastic bag with you should you need one. One beauty of this is one could rarely smell an odor in Japan. It’s the cleanest air you’ll breathe! There are public recycling receptacles near some vending machines and at my university. Separating trash is the norm in Japan. In fact, Tokyo’s citizens are given trash bags with their names on them so that if someone doesn’t separate their trash accurately, then they can be identified and informed. Paper towels aren’t available in most public nor university restrooms. Rather, Japanese people carry small hand towels to dry their hands. These are two initiatives to reduce waste. I never considered wastefulness prior to this experience. Studying abroad in Japan made me understand why foreigners might have certain generalizations about Americans, such as laziness and lack of cultural awareness. It was also the first time I viewed myself as “American” rather than “African American” because I was “American” to Japanese people. There isn’t intersectionality in Japan like there is in America because Japan is ethnically homogenous. I also realized some of my initial attitudes and norms were common for Americans collectively. My Anime and Manga course helped me understand Japanese culture and history. For the first time, I learned about World War II from a foreign country’s citizens' perspective. To my surprise, Japanese people were brainwashed about America’s intentions for entering the war. Some view Americans as heroes for their actions in WWII, which includes the U.S.’s nuclear destruction in Hiroshima. A professor gave us an optional task to ask our Tomodachi partners anything about WWII and expect an apology as their response. This made me realize that traveling is important so that I could learn about real history, not the Western-influenced history I learned from textbooks. My time in Japan challenged me to step out of my comfort zone. After our closing ceremony, my classmates and I participated in karaoke with the Tomodachi partners. Karaoke is a more popular pastime than watching anime in Japan. Initially, I felt too shy to do karaoke, but it is a different experience in Japan than in America — Japanese people are non-judgmental, no matter how off-key you are, and karaoke is done in intimate groups in separate rooms. Also, the equipment and sound systems are high tech so it could feel like you’re at a concert if you’re tech-savvy. This experience empowered me to travel independently. Initially, I was hesitant to go on excursions alone. I learned to trust myself and stop holding myself back by listening to my family members’ advice to not travel alone. I knew and I felt I was physically safer in Japan than in New Orleans. Eventually, I understood I was walking down an unfamiliar path alone and trusting myself and my sense of awareness would be my guidance, in addition to the knowledgeable and dependable UNO-Japan on-site staff. I’m proud of my courage to leap out of my comfort zone and into a different time zone. This experience has expanded my social and cultural awareness. Additionally, it gave me insight into a country that is better explored than explained on paper. I attained my goal of studying abroad and influencing members of my community to travel more frequently and learn about other cultures and lifestyles.