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Allow room for yourself to grow and change; you can do it!
Lauren Mock, International Christian University Tokyo (Fall 2025)
What was a class activity that stood out to you during your program?
My Japanese class went to the Studio Ghibli Museum as a group. This was an amazing experience because it is rare for an entire class to hang out together outside of school. Our sensei helped organize it so we could go! We truly had an amazing dynamic. Learning Japanese was made easier by bonding experiences like this.
What was your favorite excursion that you went on?
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Some friends and I got to watch another friend perform live music in Ueno. It was such a sweet moment to see how the community we built in our dorm was so supportive. She was an amazing singer, and it made me realize that no matter where you are in the world, you can still connect over shared interests like music.
Where were your favorite places to go in your host city?
My absolute favorite place to explore was Harajuku. If you enjoy people watching, this might be the best place in the world to do so. There are fashion trends that you have never seen before in your life. The creative expression is off the charts. The craziest part is that most people who live in Tokyo are desensitized to it! Meaning, if you want to try an adventurous outfit for a day, you won’t be stared at in the way you would be in America. This takes off a lot of pressure and allows you to try things you might not have if you lived anywhere but Tokyo.
Day trip to Mount Fuji! We were lucky that the top of the mountain came out of the clouds for a bit.
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All the new members for my dorm, Zelkova.
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CU's mascot! So cutee!!
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At the train station in Shibuya.
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Some friends that I made in the weight lifting club and I went out to dinner in Shibuya. Super yummy and fun.
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How have your skills or knowledge changed after doing this program?
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I can now speak a significant amount of Japanese. This was the most intimidating part of the program for me, since I started with barely the knowledge of how to say ‘hello’ (turns out there are different formality levels in Japanese of the most basic English greeting).
It was very satisfying to learn in class and then immediately apply that knowledge when navigating Tokyo. You might surprise yourself with how quickly you can learn a completely different grammatically structured language.
What advice do you have for other students considering this program?
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Do it. Japan can seem very intimidating, but don’t listen to all the scary or negative stories online. I had seen that foreigners were mistreated or looked down upon, but that was not my experience at all. While no country is perfect, I truly felt cared for and welcomed in Japan. People are very respectful in general.
As for more practical advice, make sure that you bring a three-month supply of deodorant! The options here are few and far between. Also, learn how to read in Katakana and Hiragana before you get here. It will make navigating Japan a million times easier if you can do this.
Finally, keep in mind that this is a challenging program in many ways. Not many Duke students end up here, so you will need to branch off from the Duke bubble. I think that this is a wonderful thing for personal, internal, and academic growth. Allow room for yourself to grow and change; you can do it!