Many would agree that junior year is one of the most challenging and stressful years of high school, filled with standardized tests, mountains of homework, and caffeine dependency. Jackie Bumgarner, however, spent her junior year studying abroad in Japan, an opportunity countless students can only yearn for, and it proved to change her life forever.

“Japan had always been super beautiful to me,” said Bumgarner. “I like the way they combine the old with the new.”

Bumgarner lived in the Mie Prefecture of Japan with her host mother, father, older sister, and two younger brothers. Her older host sister was actually an exchange student, and she lived with Bumgarner’s family in America for six months before returning to Japan. She lived in a suburban neighborhood and always took the train around everywhere, even getting lost a few times.

“I got on the wrong train one time, went the wrong direction, and was literally two hours away from where I was supposed to be.” says Bumgarner.

Since trains are the main mean of transportation, not many cars are seen on the roads. Even small children can be seen boarding the trains every so often, since they’re expected to be independent at a young age.

In Japan, school was longer, and every other week, classes were held on Saturday. In the school that she attended, the teachers switched classes, not the students, and there were ten minutes between each period, enough time for students to catch up on any missed homework or converse with their peers.

“School was intense but super fun,” stated. Bumgarner.

Bumgarner explained that the friends she made proved to be her favorite aspect of school. They attempted to learn English, and they all went out to a Korean Barbeque frequently. It quickly became one of Bumgarner’s favorite places to go. Having close friends definitely made up for the challenging classes, which Bumgarner often struggled with, especially since the word “mitochondria” wasn’t necessarily taught in a normal Japanese class.

When asked if she would ever go back to live in Japan, Bumgarner remains torn.

“I’ll never fully be at place somewhere, I’ll always miss something,” stated Bumgarner.

Feeling as if she will always miss her friends and family, Bumgarner explained she wouldn’t ever be able to live in Japan forever, however, visiting is definitely an option.

Adjusting herself back into the American culture was definitely a challenge. Her parents, whom she had been away from for so long, almost seemed like strangers to her after she returned from Japan.

“I remember the first day I got back, I only got an hour of sleep. So at 2 A.M., I got up and exercised,” said Bumgarner, thinking that physical activity would tire her.

After her sudden burst of energy, she stopped and made breakfast for her family. Even when this didn’t wear her out, Bumgarner went on a two mile run due to all of her pent up energy from sitting on a plane. The sudden shift in time zones wasn’t the only struggle for her. Speaking English and using informal gestures was difficult.

“I bowed to someone once in a grocery store when they gave me my things,” recalled Bumgarner.

Even using polite hand signals was an adjustment. In America, people usually wave to cars who let them turn, but in Japan, people bow to show their gratitude. Even when accidently bumping into people, Bumgarner would apologize in Japanese rather than English, receiving quite a few puzzled looks when she first returned to America.

Proving to be the most enriching and unforgettable journey, junior year will definitely stick with Bumgarner for the rest of her life.