I was born in Osaka, the second largest city in Japan, and grew up in the countryside. What fascinated me most was being outside and exploring, but I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life.
As luck would have it, I saw an ad for students who wanted to study abroad. I applied and got accepted. I wanted a school with sunny weather and fieldwork studies because I didn’t want to sit inside at a desk all day. Shasta College had exactly what I was looking for!
When I first came here, my English was not really good, but the people have been so supportive and compassionate. Professor Harp stood out as he was very patient with me and always tried to understand me. He helped me a lot with my studies and my confusion about the different cultures. Because of that, I was able to have so much fun on the field trips for his class.
As part of my experience as a Shasta College student, I joined the Geo Adventure Club and went on many hikes. Often, I would see a wide variety of plants and trees that did not exist in Japan. The club members answered all my questions with passion and enthusiasm and showed me even more unique things.
I have struggled with the lifestyle and culture here, but the people at Shasta College have created a peaceful and comfortable space for me. I discovered who I am while at Shasta College because I followed my heart and had many caring people to help me.
Shasta College let me experience precious time at incredible places with wonderful people. I cannot wait to have another fantastic semester at Shasta College!