MAR – Travel in Japan – from Mexico

2024-04-21

Meet Mar, a Mexican with a deep connection to Japan through family and cultural interests. Enchanted by Tokyo’s diversity, she dreams of living there and running a travel agency. Her journeys to Japan sparked newfound confidence and a desire to help others experience its wonders. She encourages fearless exploration and self-study of Japanese.

STUDY JAPANESE IN JAPAN

Interview – Story in Japan

WHERE ARE YOU FROM?: Mexico
WHAT DO YOU DO IN JAPAN?: I’ve traveled to Japan a few times.
WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JAPAN?: I have a Japanese family, my uncle has lived in Japan for over 20 years, so l grew up with some knowledge of the Japanese culture and I grew up playing video games, watching anime, and creating my own “manga”. When I grew up, I started learning more about Japanese culture and language, and the first time I traveled to Japan, I completely fell in love with everything about Japan.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO STAY IN THIS CITY?: l’ve stayed in a lot of cities, but I’ve spent most of my time in Tokyo with my uncle’s family. I love it there because it’s so diverse. There’s a lot to see and you can see a mixture of tradition and innovation.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE IN THIS CITY?: I have two favorite places in Tokyo, the first one is Jiyugaoka and the second place is Odaiba. If I got a chance to live in Tokyo I would love to live in either one of these places and if I couldn’t, l’d probably spend most of my time there.
WHAT DID YOU ENJOY THE MOST WHILE STAYING ABROAD?: How free and safe I always felt. As a woman, l’ve always been taught that it’s not safe to move around alone. I’ve always felt I have to go anywhere with other people and I’ve never felt safe moving around and traveling alone in my own country. The first time I traveled to Japan I felt the safest I’ve ever been and the feeling of freedom convinced me of doing everything I could to find a way to move to Japan.
DID YOU EXPERIENCE ANY CHANGE IN YOUR LIFE AND FUTURE PROSPECTS AFTER YOU START YOUR JOURNEY?: Yes. I always felt I couldn’t do anything on my own. That changed when I traveled for the first time to Japan. I realized I am very capable of doing pretty much anything I want on my own. It definitely was a boost for my self-esteem.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM?: My dream is to move and live in Japan, have a travel agency, and give Japan tours to foreigners in their own language.
MESSAGE TO OUR FRIENDS WHO WILL GO TO JAPAN.: You won’t regret it! It’s by far the best experience I’ve had in my life! Oh, and don’t be scared of getting lost! It’s part of the adventure!!! I ALWAYS found the best places while I was lost!
HOW DO YOU LEARN JAPANESE?: I studied in a language school in my home country for a while, then I started studying by my self, downloading lots of apps and listening to japanese podcast almost daily. I still have a long way to go, but I’m optimistic!