By Ian
Hi! My name is Ian, and I am from San Diego, California.
It was difficult to decide whether I wanted to take a gap year or go straight to Duke, especially since all my friends were going to college, including three high school classmates going to Duke!! I weighed the different options until the last day, but finally, I decided that I wanted to go out and see some of the world and meet lots of different people before starting college. I am so glad I chose “the road less traveled”!
I had several goals: improve my Japanese, play more piano, make lots of new friends, and eventually go to Europe as well. My adventure was a trip to Japan. I studied Japanese online in high school, so I wanted to take this chance to enhance my understanding of the Japanese Language and culture. If you haven’t been to Japan, you NEED to go!
I started with a week in Kyoto with my Dad before starting language school in Tokyo. We explored Kyoto and took many day trips to neighboring Japanese cities such as Nagoya, Osaka, and Kobe. I acclimatized to all the different aspects of Japan before starting school: the train system, jet lag, Japanese cultural differences, and the blazing round-the-clock 90+ degree weather with around 90% humidity (which I am not used to coming from coastal Southern California!). I was able to get accustomed to Japan while experiencing many extravagant Japanese Temples and Castles which made my transition to class much easier.
I then moved to Tokyo and started language school a few days later with EF (Education First) Tokyo, located in the heart of modern Japan: Shibuya (well known for the busiest pedestrian crossing in the world – I’m sure you’ve seen the photos and videos, and it actually is that crazy). I would continue in language school while living alone in Japan for 11 weeks. It is an understatement to say that these 11 weeks were the most fun and formative of my life.
At EF I had school Monday through Friday with alternating morning and afternoon classes. Teachers at EF spoke very little English, encouraging students to speak only in Japanese. However, EF Tokyo is more than just a language school. Nearly every day of the week EF staff coordinates activities that students can partake in. These activities include weekend trips to other Japanese cities, a day at Tokyo Disneyland, visits to shrines around Tokyo and so much more. Some of the pictures I have added are from these outings.
Becoming accustomed to life in a different country with a completely different environment came with challenges as well. Compared to San Diego, Tokyo is much more crowded, and has more extreme weather, different food, customs, and culture, not to mention navigating everyday experiences like shopping and dining in a different language. Additionally, living in a shared house and going to a school meant making new friends, having a roommate (shoutout Alex), and learning public transportation, which I used more in my first week in Japan than I had in my entire life. To my surprise, I got used to all these things much quicker than expected and even began to love them (except for the weather). Even after only a few days in San Diego I already miss the food, the convenience of Japanese 7/11s (if you’ve been to Japan, you know what I’m talking about!), taking the train every day to school, and waking up in a very small room surrounded by all my friends.
I went to Japan to improve my Japanese and I left with some amazing friends. The students at EF were from a wide range of cultural and geographical backgrounds. The majority of the friends I made at EF were not from the United States. I became friends with people from Turkey to Argentina. I not only learned about these places but also made incredible connections with people from different walks of life. As I mentioned, I plan to go see Europe, but unexpectedly, I will have so many friends to visit when I get there. I can’t wait to see the local side of Belgium, Turkey, Germany, and so much more.
For now, it’s time to get a job, earn some money, play piano, work out, and enjoy the holidays with my family. I can’t wait to fill you in on Chapter Two of my gap year. Congratulations to all the Early Decision applicants who have been accepted. If you are thinking about doing a Gap Year, I highly recommend it!
