One of the things that has contributed most to the pleasantness of my time here is the friendly, helpful nature of the Japanese people. Whenever I have gotten lost or needed help finding my way, helpful Japanese people have gone out of their way to assist me. Even when they don't know the way themselves, they ask until they find someone who can help me. One time I lost my wallet with the equivalent of $400 in cash, my credit card, ID, and train tickets in it. It was returned with nothing missing. I've since learned that 70% of all cash lost in Japan is returned to its owner. Another admirable mark of Japanese hospitality is their patience and tolerance of what must appear to them strange foreign behavior. In the months I have been here I've encountered really rude behavior only a few times.

A perfect example of this is the Japanese couple who allowed two friends and me to stay at their house for a couple of nights before we went home for Christmas break. Their home was close to both the airport and Tokyo Disneyland, so I was able to go to Disneyland for the first time the day before I left for home. The generosity shown to us was humbling.

This semester I managed to arrange my schedule so that all my classes are spread over only three days. This has allowed me to do a lot more sightseeing. I've seen the view from Shinjuku's skyscrapers, visited Toyota's auto showroom in Ikebukero, visited the historic shrines, museums, and lush parks of Ueno, browsed through the anime shops and electronics vendors in Akihabara, walked across the Rainbow Bridge to visit the manmade island of Odaiba, and gawked at the crazy fashions on Takeshita Street in Harajuku. All in all, it has been a much more satisfying and enriching semester, and I am so thankful for the opportunities God has given me to explore this city.

For those who may be interested in attending a university in Japan for more than a short visit, there are a couple of ways to do so. If you are just starting college, the Japan Student Services Organization, an agency of the Japanese government, provides placement and funding for hundreds of foreign students to study at Japanese language schools and universities. If you want to study in English and receive an American degree, Temple University Japan, my current school, is the only real option. To find more information about either of these options you can visit the organizations' websites. If you have any specific questions or just want a more detailed view of life in Japan, you can email me at the address provided at the end of this article.

Currently I am finishing up my second semester here at TUJ. I plan to return home over the summer to work and earn money for the fall. I will be graduating at the end of the fall semester and returning home to once again live in the United States, but I will never forget my time here. The lessons I've learned, the memories I've made, and the friendships I've formed will shape the rest of my life.

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Matthew Lickey, a homeschool graduate, is studying economics at Temple University's campus in Tokyo, Japan. He plans to graduate in the fall of 2007 and hopes to pursue a career in financial services. He can be contacted at rabenstrange@gmail.com or via his blog, viewable at www.rabenstrange.com.

Copyright 2007.
Originally appeared in The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Summer 2007. Used with permission. Right now, 19 free gifts when you subscribe. www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com