Matsushima Shiho: Actually, my name “志保(Shiho)” means "to keep aspirations"
My family and I moved to New York in my third year of elementary school and for six and a half years I went to a local school there....
Lindsay: "I have had some pretty bad culture shocks here, it's insane."
Japan is just such an entirely different world from the United States. I have had some pretty bad culture shocks here, it’s insane. I was...
Mone: "I feel like it's very different when you actually see these people suffering."
Every Saturday, I handed out sweets to the children of the slum in Kenya. Located on the borderline between the rich cityscapes of...
James: "Thousands of miles away from New York, but I felt right at home there."
I was devoted to cross country and track before getting the Shingles that ended my sports career, so I needed a new outlet. By accident,...
Liana: "Here, no one is judged for how they are dressed."
I was the youngest in my class but ironically I felt like I was the most mature. I think this was because I am the oldest daughter in my...
Zen: Following her footsteps, I fostered the urge to “do something for somebody and to be of use.”
I was walking around Shinjuku when I spotted a homeless man and without thinking I reached for my wallet. It was then I realised that I...
Dayanne: "For me, everything that happens is a learning experience."
I came to Japan because I wanted a culture shock and a challenge. I did minimal research before coming here, so when I arrived, I was...
Martha: But, my philosophy is that “if you feel comfortable, you aren’t growing.”
My dad used to take my family and I on these 3~4 day road trips from El Salvador, my home country, to Mexico. I know packing up and...
Antonino: "Japanese say ‘Sumimasen, so sorry’ one thousand times a day and it’s very important.
I used to work with my family and friends on my family’s vineyard back in Italy, where I am from. Over time, I developed this philosophy...
Michael: "People say that Japan is conservative, but I strongly disagree."
Back home in Cameroon, I grew up watching anime with my friends on our TV. The channel was called "MANGAS" and it introduced me to the...
