For those of you who have never been, Japan is a gorgeous country that features many attractions. Furthermore, the country has a strong culture that differs greatly from American culture. Junior Cameron Penrod is no stranger to the country though, as she has had the amazing opportunity to live there and experience its culture.

   Penrod had the opportunity to live in Japan because of her father. Her father is an experienced United States Navy Commanding Officer and because of his occupation, he has often had to move to different states and even countries. He had been assigned to be the captin of the USS Avenger in Sasebo, Japan. While her father had 30 years of experience living in foreign countries, Penrod had none. Although she had previously moved to a number of states including Florida and Mississippi, Japan would be her first foreign conquest. “Traveling to Japan was honestly the coolest experience and it is by far the most beautiful place I have ever seen,” she said.

   Penrod lived in Japan for two years: her freshman and sophomore years of high school. Penrod lived in Japan for two years: her freshman and sophomore years of high school. The biggest transition for Penrod was going to a new school, especially because her high school in Japan had a total of about 130 students. She learned some Japanese at her school, but most of the time the kids who knew how to speak English would speak to her in English. She lived in what most of the Japanese people considered to be “the country.” By “ country,” Penrod means rural areas consisting of big trees, hills, fields upon fields of green grass, and lakes here and there. Buildings and stores were rare sights but little houses lined up the streets. “The closest airport was almost two hours away,” explained Penrod.

  “The first year I was there we did a lot of sightseeing, but after we saw almost everything I pretty much just hung out with friends, saw movies and went to the mall,” Penrod explained. According to her, the Japanese malls were a lot different than the ones here in America: “There are fewer stores, and since the stores don’t sell American clothing, I found the clothes to be odd.”

    Penrod explored the foreign land in her free time. Some of the fancy places Penrod got to tour while in Japan were the Osaka Castle, which is one of Japan’s most famous and beautiful buildings with its bright green roof tops and gold design, Kyoto (a city in the middle of the Island of Honshu), the Nagasaki peace park that is dedicated to the victims of the atomic bombing of the city during World War II, many museums, a great deal of Tokyo and a big statue of the Buddha in the city of Yokohama. Penrod’s favorite parts of her stay were exploring Tokyo and Osaka — understanding the Japanese culture was an adventure of its own.

  During her stay she noticed many differences between Japanese and American culture. “The people there are all so much nicer. They have respect for everyone. They are very selfless, and they all have a fascination with Americans. When I would be just walking down the street, people would ask to take pictures with me,” she explained. Penrod obviously thrived in the spotlight, but then again, who wouldn’t enjoy feeling like a movie star as they walked down the streets of a foreign country?

  In addition to experiencing the kind people she met in Japan, the country’s strong sense of culture, and the exotic scenery, Penrod had the opportunity to learn during her travel. Penrod stated, “I feel like I have a worldly knowledge that most people our age don’t have and that most will never have,” she explained.

   As much as Penrod would have loved to stay in Japan, she had to come back to the US when her father’s duty station changed yet again. She moved back to San Diego with her mother in last June while her father is spending a year at the Naval War College in Rhode Island. “When we were coming home I was so excited. I was ready to see all my friends again. I missed the weather here and the food. Staying in Japan for two years definitely made me not take the little things for granted anymore, like the beautiful sunsets we have here in America,” she explained.

  “I haven’t returned to visit Japan since I came back to San Diego, my home town, but I definitely do hope to go back one day,” she said. Despite the fact that Japanese sushi is simply delightful and Japan is the most incredible place that she has experienced so far in her life, Penrod admits that she prefers living in the US —  after all, there is no place like home.