Away

In the winter of 2016, I was organizing the first Geography and City Studies Student Association (GCSA) city-building conference when I overheard Professor Sorensen speaking to a group of students about a geography course he was going to teach in the summer. When I discovered that it included an international exchange workshop in Japan, a country and society that I’ve been fascinated with since childhood, I took it as a sign to gain some experiential learning outside my traditional lectures and elevate my overall university experience.

10 weeks of preparation later, the day of departure finally came and I was off. From the moment I arrived and set foot outside the airport, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I fondly remember the first night wandering the alleys of Tokyo, discovering a local restaurant and enjoying the delicious meal prepared by the staff. Although they didn’t speak English, their politeness and gracious hospitality went above and beyond my expectations. This particular moment set such a positive tone that it carried over during the entire trip and truly reflected the warmth of all the great people I met.

The best part of the exchange were the walking tours led by urban planning master students from Tsukuba. They were challenging, insightful and a unique departure from the standard tourist lens. From taking on the high energy streets amidst office towers in the Maranouchi business district, to exploring a vast underground network of emergency earthquake supplies in Sumida; from learning about social infrastructure and public housing in Tamadaira to listening to first-hand accounts of place-making and human trafficking by locals in Yokohama, I gained such a deep understanding and appreciation of Japan’s key urban issues.

I felt very humbled that my fellow classmates and I also had to opportunity to introduce Toronto to them and encourage dialogue of the social and cultural approaches to planning in both cities. For anyone thinking of taking a field trip course like this in the future, I highly recommend it. Going on exchange will add tremendous value to your personal and academic achievements and strengthen the relationship between yourself and the world. Thank you Japan for such a memorable experience and altering my worldview.

Thank you to Professor Sorensen, Sayaka Fujii and her class, the University of Tsukuba’s Institute of Policy and Science, my peers and everyone else who made this trip possible.

#japan #urbanplanning #cultureexchange