Saying Yes: A Story of Friendship, Fear, and Finding My Way in Japan
I never imagined that my first international trip would be to Japan, but less than a year after learning about the Japan American Student Conference (JASC), I was handing over my passport to a gate agent.
Let me set the scene: Jan. 8, 2024, on the way to a holiday light show. My best friend and I were buzzing with excitement. We had both applied to JASC — a summer conference in Japan known for fostering U.S.-Japan relations through academic discussions and professional development. Dreaming of Japan was one thing, but the prospect of experiencing it with my best friend had us planning everything down to the last activity. All that we were waiting on was the right opportunity, in this case JASC, to take us there.
Just as we were getting ready for the light show, I received an email from JASC: “Accepted.” Joy turned to disbelief when, 20 minutes later, my friend’s phone pinged with the word “Rejected.”
The rest of the evening was bittersweet. Although I was heartbroken, my friend insisted that I go. She said that turning down such an opportunity out of solidarity would disappoint her even more. In my mind, I knew I didn’t want to say no, but this made it so much harder to say yes with confidence. Her support made it easier, but the decision was still daunting. As a fresh college graduate with limited funds and no international travel experience, the fear and doubt were overwhelming.
Feelings of impostor syndrome crept in as I scrambled to find a job and prepare for the trip. But it was my support system — friends, family, professors, deans, and my understanding boss who allowed me an extended leave — who truly uplifted me. Their encouragement reminded me of my capabilities and the significance of the opportunity before me. They are the reason I was able to believe in myself and say, ”‘yes.”
Navigating Japan as a Black Woman
Traveling abroad often comes with a set of warnings from well-meaning family and friends. As a Black woman, I encountered additional concerns — about being stared at, having my hair touched, being mistaken for another Black person who looks nothing like me, or facing restrictions at certain establishments. These worries, combined with the usual challenges of adapting to new cultural norms and language barriers, can be uncomfortable despite thorough preparation and research.
However, I was pleasantly surprised by my experience. Not only did I find interactions with locals and fellow delegates to be genuinely positive, but I also felt an unexpected sense of peace.
Japan’s quiet stillness, a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of America, was both surprising and refreshing. Although my schedule was packed with meetings, research site visits, and networking events, my free days were phenomenal. I got to fully soak in my surroundings, embrace Japan’s beautiful island weather, explore the natural landscapes and urban cityscapes, all at a peaceful pace — an experience that’s rare back home on the East Coast, where life between Philadelphia and New York City is a constant rush — eyes lowered, avoiding people, and just moving.
More than the scenic beauty, I appreciated the opportunity to engage in meticulous research while practicing my Japanese language skills. I had insightful and engaging conversations with the Japanese student delegates at the conference. One interaction that stood out was with Taichi, a Japanese delegate fluent in English, and Natsune, a Japanese delegate from another research group.
Taichi bridged our language gap, helping me to convey the distinctions between American and Black American cultures — a subject foreign to both Taichi and Natsune. I thanked him, mentioning it must be so difficult to properly translate such a nuanced topic that was unfamiliar to him while trying to understand it himself in real time.
His words afterward really touched me. He thanked me for trusting him to translate such a complex topic and said he was so grateful to be able to translate it in a way where we all got to speak to one another and come to an understanding despite some language barriers. He found the ideas we spoke about fascinating and he loved learning about them.
This trip wasn’t just about attending a conference; it was a journey of unexpected tranquility, cultural interchange, and personal growth. It taught me that sometimes, the places we visit can surprise us, offering much more than picturesque landscapes — they provide moments of connection and understanding that resonate long after we return home. But the most important lesson is that sometimes just saying “yes” to yourself will open an unexpected door to possibilities.
Bio: Bria Nixon was a delegate at the 75th Japan-American Student Conference in the summer of 2023, hosted by International Student Conferences. She holds a BA in Sociology from the prestigious Bryn Mawr College and works in education recruitment and career programming.
