Missing Japan Already!

I can now officially say I've recovered from the jet lag from our amazing trip to Japan. It is a very bittersweet feeling though since I already want to go back.

Both personally and professionally I gained valuable lessons during our stay. The faculty that hosted us from Kobe Gakuin University and Osaka University were so hospitable and kind enough to share their knowledge of pharmacy life in Japan. I thoroughly enjoyed all the lectures we had, and it was very cool to see the differing techniques that Japanese pharmacists use in practice. Additionally, it was very interesting to learn about their socialized healthcare system and how it works to provide patient care. One thing that was somewhat surprising to me was that Japanese people have the longest life expectancy. With what we learned during lectures, it makes perfect sense with how they take care of their older population with more readily affordable medical services.

I was most impacted by how kind everyone who we encountered was. Whether it be the professors and students taking time from their busy lives and vacations to show us around, or the professors refusing to accept our money for multiple lunches, they all truly put us ahead of themselves. Additionally, Terumi, my Pen Pal, spent 25 hours making the final day slide show for us. Along with him taking me out to a ramen restaurant and showing me the night view of the city with Jason and Kyoichi, he went above and beyond to make me feel welcome. I think that is just the way of the Japanese people. They are kind and thoughtful to their core. We can learn a lot from them.

I was also very impacted by our visit to Hiroshima. Despite the atomic bombing, the people there advocate for peace. It would be very easy to advocate for malice and revenge, but instead they focus their energy on the good in the world. It's easy to overlook this, but visiting the Peace Museum really helped cement this point into me. It's a lesson I will carry with me forever.

Words cannot do this trip justice. It was a truly life changing experience, and I am glad I decided to go on it! I want to give my sincerest thanks to Nakagawa-Sensei, Sho-Sensei, Niki-Sensei (and all the Osaka professors), Terumi, Kyoichi, Kaho, Yui, and all the students from KGU for making this trip unforgettable. I also want to thank Dr. Katz (aka Katz-Sensei) for putting up with all our shenanigans and maintaining a level head throughout. This trip only happens because of him, and I very much appreciate all his work and time!

I am looking forward to when the KGU and Osaka University students visit next year! We are hoping to return the hospitality they showed us---an impossible task but we will strive to do so!