Over my course abroad, I was able to meet many people from all over the world and had the chance to study alongside them. Some came from similar backgrounds and others completely different. And these relationships grew from simply being classmates or residence mates, but to deeper lasting connections built with the memories and time in Japan.
The thing that I have learned is to allow things to happen organically. Being myself has always been a priority of mine, so changing anything drastically about myself to “fit in” would have been a disservice to myself. And it turns out that life is better and real connections are made when you are yourself.
Another thing I learned is the challenge that different backgrounds can possess. Not everyone in my program was my age, from the United States, or even shared cultural similarities. However, I chose to use the challenge to my advantage and ask questions and engage with people who were completely different from me. For example, I now have an understanding of the education system in Malaysia and know cool clubs to go to if I ever find myself in Holland. Both of which I had no idea about until meeting new people and making new friends.
Making new friends is not always easy for everyone, but can become very rewarding in the quest to understand people and becoming a better person no matter the border or distance.
