By Zachary Mayer-Bickel ‘21, JFOU Fellow

When I arrived in Tokyo more than two years ago, I came with a lot of confidence and a lot of worry. On the one hand I was ready for almost anything living abroad in Japan could throw at me. By that time, I’d already lived in central Tokyo, traveled the country several times, and studied abroad in Kyoto. I'd already been sent home early from that study abroad due to the start of the Coronavirus pandemic. I had been through culture shock, learned to communicate, and navigated disasters.

By Zachary Mayer-Bickel ‘21, JFOU Fellow

It turns out having friends is important. This is not a shocking revelation to most people. It's the sort of saccharine sentiment found in books, television shows and movies aimed at elementary schoolers. But it's such a prevalent message because it holds true. For me, friendship and connection to other people has been the prevailing theme that all the best parts of my fellowship